Serotonin-induced miR-221/222 contribute to the activation of hepatic stellate cells

In the diseased liver, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) transdifferentiate into “activated” myofibroblasts that then drive fibrogenesis by promoting the net deposition of extracellular matrix. This regulatory function requires stimulation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor (5-HT2B) on HSCs by serotonin (5-HT), which activates extracellular regulated protein kinases and the transcription factor JunD. However, the regulation mechanisms of 5-HT on...