Upregulation of ATG9b by propranolol promotes autophagic cell death of hepatic stellate cells to improve liver fibrosis

Proranolol has long been recommended to prevent variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms of propranolol in liver fibrosis have not yet been thoroughly elucidated. Autophagic cell death (ACD) of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important in the alleviation of liver fibrosis. Our study aims to assess the mechanisms of propranolol regulating HSC ACD and liver fibrosis. ACD of HSCs was investigated using lentivirus transfection. The molecular mechanism was determined using a PCR profiler array. The role of autophagy-related protein 9b (ATG9b) in HSC ACD was detected using co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization of immunofluorescence. Changes in the signalling pathway were detected by the Phospho Explorer antibody microarray. Propranolol induces ACD and Apoptosis in HSCs. ATG9b upregulation was detected in propranolol-treated HSCs. ATG9b upregulation promoted ACD of HSCs and alleviated liver fibrosis in vivo. ATG9b enhanced the p62 recruitment to ATG5-ATG12-LC3 compartments and increased the co-localization of p62 with ubiquitinated proteins. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is responsible for ATG9b-induced ACD in activated HSCs, whereas the p38/JNK pathway is involved in Apoptosis. This study provides evidence for ATG9b as a new target gene and propranolol as an agent to alleviate liver fibrosis by regulating ACD of activated HSCs.

ATG9b; autophagy; hepatic stellate cells; liver cirrhosis; portal hypertension.