Type I collagen gene regulation and the molecular pathogenesis of cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is characterized by an increased deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, including type I collagen. Type I collagen is a product of two genes, alpha 1(I) and alpha 2(I), which are generally coordinately regulated. Since expression of type I collagen genes is increased during cirrhosis, understanding the structure and function of the regulatory components of the type I collagen genes should provide insight into the molecular pathogenesis of cirrhosis. This review will analyze the collagen alpha 1(I) gene with respect to chromatin structure, DNA methylation, regulation by agonists, and DNA-protein interactions.