Also, miR-15b and miR-16 play important roles in inducing HSC apoptosis by targeting bcl-2 in the caspase signaling pathway [90]; miR-454 was reported to be downregulated in S. japonicum-induced liver fibrosis models and it could participate in inhibiting HSC activation during schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis by targeting Smad4 [91]. Here, SMAD4 is linked to Hepatic fibrosis.