Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk

Taxifolin (TAX) is a natural compound known for its liver protection effect, but the mechanism remains unknown. Phosphorylated proteomics analyses discovered that the phosphorylation level of NDRG1 at T328 was a key event of TAX-improved liver fibrosis. We established models with NDRG1 knockout (KO)...

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Main Authors: Chuan Ding, Zeping Wang, Kao Shi, Sunan Li, Xinyue Dou, Yan Ning, Gang Cheng, Qiao Yang, Xianan Sang, Mengyun Peng, Qiang Lyu, Lu Wang, Xin Han, Gang Cao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000905
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author Chuan Ding
Zeping Wang
Kao Shi
Sunan Li
Xinyue Dou
Yan Ning
Gang Cheng
Qiao Yang
Xianan Sang
Mengyun Peng
Qiang Lyu
Lu Wang
Xin Han
Gang Cao
author_facet Chuan Ding
Zeping Wang
Kao Shi
Sunan Li
Xinyue Dou
Yan Ning
Gang Cheng
Qiao Yang
Xianan Sang
Mengyun Peng
Qiang Lyu
Lu Wang
Xin Han
Gang Cao
author_sort Chuan Ding
collection DOAJ
description Taxifolin (TAX) is a natural compound known for its liver protection effect, but the mechanism remains unknown. Phosphorylated proteomics analyses discovered that the phosphorylation level of NDRG1 at T328 was a key event of TAX-improved liver fibrosis. We established models with NDRG1 knockout (KO) in vivo and in vitro, demonstrating that NDRG1 KO attenuated the development of hepatocyte injury, and combining NDRG1 KO and TAX administration did not result in a reduction in protection against liver injury. Cellular thermal shift assay and surface plasma resonance analysis showed that TAX directly binds to NDRG1 rather than its upstream kinase, subsequently demonstrating that TAX regulated phosphorylation of NDRG1 at T328 through binding to its C289 site. NDRG1 T328A (phosphorylated mutation) and T328E (mimic phosphorylation) in vivo and in vitro confirmed that pNDRG1T328 exacerbates hepatocyte injury along with DNA damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, thereby contributing to hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. In contrast, TAX can inhibit the above pathological abnormalities and block hepatocyte injury-triggered HSCs activation and fibrosis. Overall, TAX is a potent liver protection drug primarily targeting NDRG1 and inhibiting pNDRG1T328 in hepatocytes.
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publisher Elsevier
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series Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
spelling doaj-art-cd2df7782d264bd0b6ae7dbf5974634f2025-08-20T02:28:37ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-04-011542059207610.1016/j.apsb.2025.02.017Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talkChuan Ding0Zeping Wang1Kao Shi2Sunan Li3Xinyue Dou4Yan Ning5Gang Cheng6Qiao Yang7Xianan Sang8Mengyun Peng9Qiang Lyu10Lu Wang11Xin Han12Gang Cao13The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310000, China; School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, ChinaThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310000, China; School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Corresponding authors.The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310000, China; School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Corresponding authors.Taxifolin (TAX) is a natural compound known for its liver protection effect, but the mechanism remains unknown. Phosphorylated proteomics analyses discovered that the phosphorylation level of NDRG1 at T328 was a key event of TAX-improved liver fibrosis. We established models with NDRG1 knockout (KO) in vivo and in vitro, demonstrating that NDRG1 KO attenuated the development of hepatocyte injury, and combining NDRG1 KO and TAX administration did not result in a reduction in protection against liver injury. Cellular thermal shift assay and surface plasma resonance analysis showed that TAX directly binds to NDRG1 rather than its upstream kinase, subsequently demonstrating that TAX regulated phosphorylation of NDRG1 at T328 through binding to its C289 site. NDRG1 T328A (phosphorylated mutation) and T328E (mimic phosphorylation) in vivo and in vitro confirmed that pNDRG1T328 exacerbates hepatocyte injury along with DNA damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, thereby contributing to hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. In contrast, TAX can inhibit the above pathological abnormalities and block hepatocyte injury-triggered HSCs activation and fibrosis. Overall, TAX is a potent liver protection drug primarily targeting NDRG1 and inhibiting pNDRG1T328 in hepatocytes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000905TaxifolinLiver fibrosispNDRG1T328HepatocyteLiver injuryHSCs
spellingShingle Chuan Ding
Zeping Wang
Kao Shi
Sunan Li
Xinyue Dou
Yan Ning
Gang Cheng
Qiao Yang
Xianan Sang
Mengyun Peng
Qiang Lyu
Lu Wang
Xin Han
Gang Cao
Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
Taxifolin
Liver fibrosis
pNDRG1T328
Hepatocyte
Liver injury
HSCs
title Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
title_full Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
title_fullStr Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
title_full_unstemmed Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
title_short Taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of NDRG1 at Thr328 via hepatocyte-stellate cell cross talk
title_sort taxifolin attenuates liver fibrosis by regulating the phosphorylation of ndrg1 at thr328 via hepatocyte stellate cell cross talk
topic Taxifolin
Liver fibrosis
pNDRG1T328
Hepatocyte
Liver injury
HSCs
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000905
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