ARTICLE TYPE : RESEARCH ARTICLE
Published on : 22 Oct 2026,
Volume - 2
Journal Title :
WebLog Journal of Hepatology
| WebLog J Hepatol
| WJHP
Source URL:
https://weblogoa.com/articles/wjhp.2026.j2202
Permanent Identifier (DOI) :
Platelet Signalling Dynamics: A Clinico-Relevant Derived Cell Marker in Fibrotic Liver Disease Determination
2Biotechnology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
3Biotechnology and Emerging Environmental Infectious Pathogens Research Group (BEEIPREG), Biotechnology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
Abstract
Liver Fibrosis has been reported with severity in recent cases as 11th most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide as evidences associates it with diverse biomarkers and dearth of understanding on the interplay activities. This study investigates how platelets from various donors (with normal BMIs (Body-Mass-Index) and healthy-lifestyles) produce differing influences on fibrotic cells. Blood samples were collected from consented donors, for platelet extraction and used to challenge/treat both immortalised human-hepatic-stellate cell line (LX-2 cells which is a fibrogenic cell line), and mouse Hepatic stellate cells. QuA quantitative approach was used which involved relative quantification method of collected data using SYBR-Green and some known fibrotic target genes in qPCR assay to measure gene expression. Recovered data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA performed with the appropriate post hoc. Our results revealed increase in gene expression of target specific fibrotic genes when platelets are added to fibrotic cells suggesting platelets momentous role in liver fibrosis in association with HSCs activation. Such highly expressed genes include COL1 (Collagen-1), ACTA2 (Actin alpha-2), CTGF (Connective Tissues Growth Factor), YAP1 (Yes-Associated Protein 1) compared with the reference gene GUSB (Beta Glucuronidase) used, in both human and mouse hepatic stellate cells. Although recent knowledge has indicated that platelets have beneficial roles in liver fibrosis, it has also been proven that platelets influence hepatic stellate cell activation in liver fibrosis development. Our findings are limited only to apparently healthy non-obese individuals suggesting the need for future studies to include obese, poor health and poor lifestyle individuals.
Keywords: Liver Fibrosis; Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs); Platelets; Gene Expression; quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)
Citation
Amarachi Favour C, Igere Bright E, Pritchett J. Platelet Signalling Dynamics: A Clinico-Relevant Derived Cell Marker in Fibrotic Liver Disease Determination. WebLog J Hepatol. wjhp.2026.j2202. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23612810