MiR-552-3p Regulates Multiple Fibrotic and Inflammatory genes Concurrently in Hepatic Stellate Cells Improving NASH-associated Phenotypes

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and progressive fibrosis.Our previous study demonstrated that microRNA-552-3p (miR-552-3p) was down-regulated in the livers of patients with NASH and alleviated hepatic glycolipid metabolic disorders.However, whether miR-552-3p affects NASH progression remains unclear.In this current study, we found that hepatic miR-552-3p expression was negatively correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis and inflammation of NASH patients.Interestingly, the level of miR-552-3p was decreased during hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in vitro.Overexpression of miR-552-3p could not only inhibit the expression of fibrotic and inflammatory genes, but also restrain the activation of TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of TGFBR2 and SMAD3 in HSCs, finally suppressing HSC activation.More importantly, overexpression of miR-552-3p ameliorated liver fibrosis and inflammation in two murine models: high fat/high fructose/high cholesterol diet-induced NASH model and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated liver fibrosis model.In conclusion, miR-552-3p plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of NASH by limiting multiple fibrotic and inflammatory pathways in HSCs, which may shed light on its therapeutic potential in NASH.