{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T08:41:09Z","timestamp":1778661669103,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,23]],"date-time":"2021-06-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624406400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Research Project of the Health Commission of Jiangsu Province","award":["ZDB2020003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ZDB2020003"]}]},{"name":"the Natural Science Foundation of Nantong City","award":["JC2019036"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JC2019036"]}]},{"name":"the Natural Science Foundation of Nantong City","award":["JC2020030"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JC2020030"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are one of the main cell types involved in liver fibrosis induced by many factors, including schistosomes. Previous studies in our lab have shown that recombinant P40 protein from <jats:italic>Schistosoma japonicum<\/jats:italic> (rSjP40) can inhibit HSC activation <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic>. Let-7b is a member of the let-7 microRNA family and plays an inhibitory role in a variety of diseases and inflammatory conditions. In this study, we investigated the role of let-7b in the inhibition of HSC activation by rSjP40.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Expression of let-7b was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. A dual luciferase assay was used to confirm direct interaction between let-7b and collagen I. We also used western blot to assess protein levels of TGF\u03b2RI and collagen type I \u03b11 (COL1A1).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>We found that rSjP40 up-regulates expression of let-7b in HSCs. Let-7b inhibits collagen I expression by directly targeting the 3\u2019UTR region of the collagen I gene. Furthermore, we discovered that let-7b inhibitor partially restores the loss of collagen I expression caused by rSjP40.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Our research clarifies the role of let-7b in the inhibition of HSC activation by rSjP40 and will provide new insights and ideas for the inhibition of HSC activation and treatment of liver fibrosis.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009472","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,23]],"date-time":"2021-06-23T17:27:32Z","timestamp":1624469252000},"page":"e0009472","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["The role of let-7b in the inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation by 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