Connective tissue growth factor induces transformation of renal fibroblasts into myofibroblasts

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is thought to be a specific mediator of TGF-β profibrogenic effect, but the role of CTGF in the transformation of renal fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, which are the most important host cells in the renal chronic fibrosis, is still unknown. Aimed at observing the biological effect of CTGF, we set up a cell line overexpressing CTGF, and analyzed the amount of myofibroblast and the level of extracellular matrix Collagen III mRNA in cultured cells. Our results show that CTGF can directly induce myofibroblasts formation, and increase the level of Collagen III mRNA. This suggests that CTGF may be a novel pharmacotherapeutical target protein for the interference with renal fibrosis, thus providing useful theoretic possibility for clinical prevention of chronic progression of kidney disease.