Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14(10), 19867-19890; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms141019867
Immunological Mechanisms in the Pathophysiology of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
1
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem 2650, Belgium
2
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare, Bari 70100, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 26 August 2013 / Revised: 11 September 2013 / Accepted: 22 September 2013 / Published: 1 October 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Research)
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by the presence of steatosis, inflammation and hepatocyte injury and constitutes hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The pathogenesis of NASH is complex and implicates cross-talk between different metabolically active sites, such as liver and adipose tissue. Obesity is considered a chronic low-grade inflammatory state and the liver has been recognized as being an “immunological organ”. The complex role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of NASH is currently raising great interest, also in view of the possible therapeutic potential of immunotherapy in NASH. This review focuses on the disturbances of the cells constituting the innate and adaptive immune system in the liver and in adipose tissue. View Full-Text
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0).
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Vonghia, L.; Michielsen, P.; Francque, S. Immunological Mechanisms in the Pathophysiology of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14, 19867-19890.
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