Abstract
Background: Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) overproduction plays important roles in stone formation and recurrence of hepatolithiasis. We aim to investigate the involved mechanism and the potential target to block this process. Methods: 42 bile duct samples from hepatolithiasis and 15 normal bile duct samples from hemangioma patients were collected for detecting MUC5AC expression by immunohistochemistry. MUC5AC and phosphoepidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR) expressions in human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells (HIBECs) cultured with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were detected by real-time PCR and western blot analysis. Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) secretion in HIBECs was detected by ELISA. Results: MUC5AC was overexpressed in bile ducts of hepatolithiasis samples compared with bile ducts from hemangioma samples. LPS upregulated MUC5AC expression in HIBECs. LPS promoted EGFR activation, and inhibiting EGFR activation by AG1478 significantly decreased LPS-induced MUC5AC overexpression in HIBECs. Moreover, LPS increased TGF-α secretion, and inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE), which has been implicated in ectodomain cleavage of TGF-α, significantly inhibited LPS-induced EGFR activation and subsequent MUC5AC overexpression in HIBECs. Conclusion: Our results suggested that LPS increases MUC5AC expression through the TACE/TGF-α/EGFR pathway in HIBECs. This new finding might give light to the prevention of stone formation and recurrence of hepatolithiasis.