AIM　To　investigate　the　antioxidant　effect　of　caffeic　acid　phenethyl　ester　(CAPE)　in　hepatic　stellate　cell-T6　(HSC-T6)　cells　cultured　in　vitro　and　the　potential　mechanisms.　METHODS　HSC-T6　cells　were　cultured　in　vitro　and　treated　with　various　concentrations　of　CAPE　for　24,　48　and　72　h,　respectively.　Cell　proliferation　was　investigated　using　the　MTT　assay,　and　cell　ultrastructural　alterations　were　observed　by　transmission　electron　microscopy.　Flow　cytometry　was　employed　to　investigate　the　effects　of　CAPE　on　apoptosis　and　the　levels　of　reactive　oxygen　species　in　HSC-T6　cells　cultured　in　vitro.　An　enzyme　immunoassay　instrument　was　used　to　evaluate　antioxidant　enzyme　expression.　The　effect　on　alpha-smooth　muscle　actin　was　shown　using　immunofluorescence.　Gene　and　protein　levels　of　Nrf2,　related　factors,　and　mitogen　activated　protein　kinases　(MAPKs),　in　HSC-T6　cells　were　detected　using　RT-PCR　and　Western　blot,　respectively.　RESULTS　CAPE　inhibited　the　proliferation　and　activation　of　HSC-T6　cells　cultured　in　vitro.　CAPE　increased　the　antioxidant　levels　and　the　translocation　of　Nrf2　from　the　cytoplasm　to　the　nucleus　in　HSC-T6　cells.　Moreover,　the　phosphorylation　of　MAPKs　in　cells　decreased　in　response　to　CAPE.　Interestingly,　CAPE-induced　oxidative　stress　in　the　cells　was　significantly　attenuated　by　pretreatment　with　MAPKs　inhibitors.　CONCLUSION　CAPE　inhibits　cell　proliferation　and　up-regulates　the　antioxidant　levels　in　HSC-T6　cells　partly　through　the　Nrf2-MAPKs　signaling　pathway.