Specific hepatic stellate cell-penetrating peptide targeted delivery of a KLA peptide reduces collagen accumulation by inducing apoptosis

Liver fibrosis is an aberrant wound-healing process to chronic hepatic inflammation and is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) that is produced by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Thus, activated HSCs play a key role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and are a potential target for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Herein, we report that a specific HSC-penetrating peptide reduced Collagen accumulation by inducing the Apoptosis of HSC-T6 cells. We first screened HSC-specific transduction peptides and identified a novel HSC-targeted cell-penetrating peptide (HTP) that specifically interacted with HSC-T6 cells. A chimeric peptide termed HTPK25 was consequently generated by coupling HTP with the antimicrobial peptide KLA, which is capable of initiating cell Apoptosis in mammalian cells. HTPK25 entered cells in a dose-dependent manner, reduced the cell viability and induced Apoptosis via the Caspase 3 pathway in HSC-T6 cells. Furthermore, HTPK25 inhibited the α-smooth muscle actin and Collagen I expression in HSC-T6 cells. Our results demonstrated that the HTP was able to specifically and efficiently deliver the KLA peptide into HSC-T6 cells to induce Apoptosis, indicating that HTP-delivered functional agents may present a promising approach for liver fibrosis therapy.

Cell-penetrating peptide; KLA peptide; apoptosis; liver fibrosis; targeted therapy.