Figure 7.

Mechanism of PB2 on the protective effect in liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is mainly initiated by the activation of HSCs. The injured liver tissues can release Hh ligands to activate the Hh pathway, leading to the activation of HSCs, ECM deposition and angiogenesis during liver fibrosis. In the current study, PB2 directly inhibited the Hh signalling pathway, therefore down‐regulating the transcription of VEGF‐A, HIF‐1α, α‐SMA, Col‐1 and TGF‐β1 in HSCs to suppress the activation, ECM production and angiogenesis of HSCs, leading to the reversal of liver fibrosis