SMAD2 and Hepatic fibrosis: Similar results were replicated with treatments with human plasma-derived SERPINA3, known as α-antichymotrypsin (α-ACT), in LX2 cells (Fig. 6d), suggesting that secreted Serpina3k/SERPINA3 defuses liver fibrosis by reducing HSC activation, perhaps by reducing TGFβ activity, as indicated by phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and Erk1/2 (Supplementary Fig. 6).