Evidence mapPaperPMID 28194671Full record

ArticleDigestive diseases and sciences2017

Activation of Insulin-PI3K/Akt-p70S6K Pathway in Hepatic Stellate Cells Contributes to Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Cindy X Cai, Hema Buddha, Shobha Castelino-Prabhu, Zhiwei Zhang, Robert S Britton, Bruce R Bacon, Brent A Neuschwander-Tetri

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In one paragraph

Article in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
38citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

38 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 71 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
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  7. Insulin receptor responsiveness governs TGFβ-induced hepatic stellate cell activation: Insulin resistance instigates liver fibrosis.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2025
    Article
  8. Circular RNAs in Liver Diseases.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
    Review
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  10. Article
  11. Nutrients · 2024
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Cindy X CaiDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda University, 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda, CA, 92357, USA. cindy.cai3@va.gov.ORCID 0000-0002-2673-8578
Hema BuddhaDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda University, 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda, CA, 92357, USA.
Shobha Castelino-PrabhuDepartment of Pathology, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda University, 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda, CA, 92357, USA.
Zhiwei ZhangDivision of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda University, 11201 Benton Street, Loma Linda, CA, 92357, USA.
Robert S BrittonDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University Liver Center, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista Avenue at Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Bruce R BaconDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University Liver Center, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista Avenue at Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Brent A Neuschwander-TetriDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University Liver Center, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista Avenue at Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Loma Linda University · USSaint Louis University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsHyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are hallmark features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis (NASH). It remains unclear whether and how insulin contributes to the development of fibrosis in NASH. In this study, we explored insulin signaling in the regulation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and the progression of NASH-fibrosis.

methodsPhosphorylation of Akt and p70S6K were examined in primary HSC and in a rat model of NASH-fibrosis induced by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet for 24 weeks. HSC activation was analyzed for the changes in cell morphology, intracellular lipid droplets, expression of α-SMA and cell proliferation. The serum markers and histology for NASH-fibrosis were also characterized in animals.

resultsInsulin enhanced the expression of smooth muscle actin-α in quiescent but not in activated HSC in culture. Insulin-mediated activation of the PI3K/Akt-p70S6K pathway was involved in the regulation of profibrogenic effects of insulin. Although insulin did not stimulate HSC proliferation directly, the insulin-PI3K/Akt-p70S6K pathway was necessary for serum-enhanced cell proliferation during initial HSC activation. In a rat model of NASH-fibrosis induced by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet, hyperinsulinemia is associated with the activation of p70S6K and enhanced fibrosis.

conclusionThe insulin-PI3K/Akt-p70S6K pathway plays an important role in the early activation of HSC. The profibrogenic effect of insulin is dependent on the activation stage of HSC. Dysregulation of the insulin pathway likely correlates with the development of fibrosis in NASH, suggesting a potentially novel antifibrotic target of inhibiting insulin signaling in HSC.

Indexed as

AnimalsCells, CulturedDiet, High-FatDose-Response Relationship, DrugHepatic Stellate CellsInsulinLiver CirrhosisMaleNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseasePhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyRibosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDaSignal TransductionInsulinPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktRibosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDaHepatic stellate cellsHigh-fat and high-cholesterol dietInsulin signaling pathwayLiver fibrosisNonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseNonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Identifiers

PMID28194671
OpenAlexW2589057965

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.