RESUMO
AIM: Side population (SP) cells are known to be enriched in stem/progenitor-like cells. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß signaling is associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) production in hepatic stellate cells. We hypothesized that the SP fraction in LX2 cells is associated with ECM deposition, which is regulated through TGF-ß signaling. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between SP cells and TGF-ß signaling in the hepatic stellate cell line LX2. The effects of TGF-ß and SB431542 on the SP fraction and expression of collagen type I and phospho-Smad2 was determined. RESULTS: We identified 0.8-3% SP cells in LX2 cells. The growth rate of sorted SP and non-SP cells was similar to that of the original LX2 population, but population of the G0/G1 phase was increased in SP cells. Treatment of LX2 cells with TGF-ß decreased the SP fraction in a dose-dependent manner and increased the production of collagen type I. Treatment of LX2 cells with SB431542 blocked the effect of TGF-ß on the SP fraction and the expression of collagen type I. We cultured LX2 cells on collagen-coated dishes to observe the effect of ECM deposition on the SP fraction. The growth rate and cell cycle distribution was similar to that observed on normal tissue culture dishes, but the SP fraction was decreased when LX2 cells were cultured on collagen-coated plates. CONCLUSION: These results show that LX2 cells contain an SP fraction and that TGF-ß signaling is involved in the induction of ECM deposition as well as the number of SP cells.