CCN2/CTGF promotes liver fibrosis through crosstalk with the Slit2/Robo signaling

Liver fibrosis is the common outcome of many chronic liver diseases, resulting from altered cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions that promote hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and excessive matrix production. This study aimed to investigate functions of cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2)/Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), an extracellular signaling modulator of the CYR61/CTGF/Nov (CCN) family, in liver fibrosis. Tamoxifen-inducible conditional knockouts in mice and hepatocyte-specific deletion of this gene in rats were generated using the Cre-lox system. These animals were subjected to peri-central hepatocyte damage caused by carbon tetrachloride. Potential crosstalk of this molecule with a new profibrotic pathway mediated by the Slit2 ligand and Roundabout (Robo) receptors was also examined. We found that Ccn2/Ctgf was highly upregulated in periportal hepatocytes during carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatocyte damage, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in mice and rats. Overexpression of this molecule was observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that were surrounded with fibrotic cords. Deletion of the Ccn2/Ctgf gene significantly reduced expression of fibrosis-related genes including Slit2, a smooth muscle actin (SMA) and Collagen type I during carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice and rats. In addition, Ccn2/Ctgf and its truncated mutant carrying the first three domains were able to interact with the 7th -9th epidermal growth factor (EGF) repeats and the C-terminal cysteine knot (CT) motif of Slit2 protein in cultured HSC and fibrotic murine livers. Ectopic expression of Ccn2/Ctgf protein upregulated Slit2, promoted HSC activation, and potentiated fibrotic responses following chronic intoxication by carbon tetrachloride. Moreover, Ccn2/Ctgf and Slit2 synergistically enhanced activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and AKT in primary HSC, whereas soluble Robo1-Fc chimera protein could inhibit these activities. These observations demonstrate conserved cross-species functions of Ccn2/Ctgf protein in rodent livers. This protein can be induced in hepatocytes and contribute to liver fibrosis. Its novel connection with the Slit2/Robo signaling may have therapeutic implications against fibrosis in chronic liver disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12079-022-00713-y.