Chronic Liver Disease: New Targets and New Mechanisms

A special issue of Journal of Personalized Medicine (ISSN 2075-4426). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanisms of Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 11665

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Pathophysiology Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: liver fibrosis; autoimmune liver disorders; autoimmune hepatitis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

“Chronic liver disease” refers to a disease of the liver lasting more than six months. A large variety of metabolic, viral and autoimmune diseases can cause chronic liver damage. These follow different patterns of  liver injury, and can develop into cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma.

Although significant advances have been made in preventing liver disease, the global morbidity and mortality rate of liver diseases remains high. It is urgent to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the development of chronic liver diseases and to support the development of new therapeutic targets.

This Research Topic welcomes the submission of original research and review articles focusing on the most recent molecular and cellular mechanisms of chronic liver diseases. Submission should cover, but are not limited to, the following sub-topics:

  • Novel mechanisms of chronic liver diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma;
  • Technology and new tools in the study of chronic liver diseases;
  • Novel therapeutic targets for chronic liver diseases;
  • Autoimmune Liver Diseases;
  • Role of the immune system in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD);
  • Potential of immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC);
  • Novel therapeutic approaches to chronic liver diseases;
  • Inflammation regulation in chronic liver diseases;
  • New biomarkers of liver diseases;
  • Liver diseases and cancer.

Dr. Theodoros Androutsakos
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • chronic liver diseases
  • autoimmune liver disorders
  • metabolic associated fatty liver disease
  • hepatocellular carcinoma
  • viral hepatitis

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1299 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of ChatGPT as a Counselling Tool for Italian-Speaking MASLD Patients: Assessment of Accuracy, Completeness and Comprehensibility
by Nicola Pugliese, Davide Polverini, Rosa Lombardi, Grazia Pennisi, Federico Ravaioli, Angelo Armandi, Elena Buzzetti, Andrea Dalbeni, Antonio Liguori, Alessandro Mantovani, Rosanna Villani, Ivan Gardini, Cesare Hassan, Luca Valenti, Luca Miele, Salvatore Petta, Giada Sebastiani, Alessio Aghemo and NAFLD Expert Chatbot Working Group
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(6), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14060568 - 26 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1638
Abstract
Background: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have shown promise in providing counseling to patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). While ChatGPT3.5 has demonstrated the ability to comprehensively answer MASLD-related questions in English, its accuracy remains suboptimal. Whether language influences these results is [...] Read more.
Background: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have shown promise in providing counseling to patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). While ChatGPT3.5 has demonstrated the ability to comprehensively answer MASLD-related questions in English, its accuracy remains suboptimal. Whether language influences these results is unclear. This study aims to assess ChatGPT’s performance as a counseling tool for Italian MASLD patients. Methods: Thirteen Italian experts rated the accuracy, completeness and comprehensibility of ChatGPT3.5 in answering 15 MASLD-related questions in Italian using a six-point accuracy, three-point completeness and three-point comprehensibility Likert’s scale. Results: Mean scores for accuracy, completeness and comprehensibility were 4.57 ± 0.42, 2.14 ± 0.31 and 2.91 ± 0.07, respectively. The physical activity domain achieved the highest mean scores for accuracy and completeness, whereas the specialist referral domain achieved the lowest. Overall, Fleiss’s coefficient of concordance for accuracy, completeness and comprehensibility across all 15 questions was 0.016, 0.075 and −0.010, respectively. Age and academic role of the evaluators did not influence the scores. The results were not significantly different from our previous study focusing on English. Conclusion: Language does not appear to affect ChatGPT’s ability to provide comprehensible and complete counseling to MASLD patients, but accuracy remains suboptimal in certain domains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Liver Disease: New Targets and New Mechanisms)
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Review

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27 pages, 1599 KiB  
Review
New Biomarkers in Liver Fibrosis: A Pass through the Quicksand?
by Marzia Tagliaferro, Mariapaola Marino, Valerio Basile, Krizia Pocino, Gian Ludovico Rapaccini, Gabriele Ciasca, Umberto Basile and Valeria Carnazzo
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(8), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14080798 - 29 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2208
Abstract
Chronic liver diseases (CLD) stem from various causes and lead to a gradual progression that ultimately may result in fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis. This process is typically prolonged and asymptomatic, characterized by the complex interplay among various cell types, signaling pathways, extracellular matrix [...] Read more.
Chronic liver diseases (CLD) stem from various causes and lead to a gradual progression that ultimately may result in fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis. This process is typically prolonged and asymptomatic, characterized by the complex interplay among various cell types, signaling pathways, extracellular matrix components, and immune responses. With the prevalence of CLD increasing, diagnoses are often delayed, which leads to poor prognoses and in some cases, the need for liver transplants. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the development of novel, non-invasive methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of CLD. In this context, serum biomarkers—safer, repeatable, and more acceptable alternatives to tissue biopsies—are attracting significant research interest, although their clinical implementation is not yet widespread. This review summarizes the latest advancements in serum biomarkers for detecting hepatic fibrogenesis and advocates for concerted efforts to consolidate current knowledge, thereby providing patients with early, effective, and accessible diagnoses that facilitate personalized therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Liver Disease: New Targets and New Mechanisms)
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27 pages, 1992 KiB  
Review
Non-Pharmacological Approach to Diet and Exercise in Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: Bridging the Gap between Research and Clinical Practice
by Hassam Ali, Muhammad Shahzil, Vishali Moond, Maria Shahzad, Abhay Thandavaram, Alina Sehar, Haniya Waseem, Taha Siddiqui, Dushyant Singh Dahiya, Pratik Patel and Hans Tillmann
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14010061 - 1 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4815
Abstract
This review provides a practical and comprehensive overview of non-pharmacological interventions for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), focusing on dietary and exercise strategies. It highlights the effectiveness of coffee consumption, intermittent fasting, and Mediterranean and ketogenic diets in improving metabolic and liver health. [...] Read more.
This review provides a practical and comprehensive overview of non-pharmacological interventions for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), focusing on dietary and exercise strategies. It highlights the effectiveness of coffee consumption, intermittent fasting, and Mediterranean and ketogenic diets in improving metabolic and liver health. The review emphasizes the importance of combining aerobic and resistance training as a critical approach to reducing liver fat and increasing insulin sensitivity. Additionally, it discusses the synergy between diet and exercise in enhancing liver parameters and the role of gut microbiota in MASLD. The paper underscores the need for a holistic, individualized approach, integrating diet, exercise, gut health, and patient motivation. It also highlights the long-term benefits and minimal risks of lifestyle interventions compared to the side effects of pharmacological and surgical options. The review calls for personalized treatment strategies, continuous patient education, and further research to optimize therapeutic outcomes in MASLD management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Liver Disease: New Targets and New Mechanisms)
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17 pages, 484 KiB  
Review
The Role of Interleukins in HBV Infection: A Narrative Review
by Konstantinos Dimitriadis, Stamatia Katelani, Maria Pappa, George E. Fragkoulis and Theodoros Androutsakos
J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(12), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13121675 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2275
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide medical issue with significant morbidity and mortality, as it is the main cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Both innate and adaptive immune responses play a key role in HBV replication and [...] Read more.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide medical issue with significant morbidity and mortality, as it is the main cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Both innate and adaptive immune responses play a key role in HBV replication and suppression. Recently, the pathophysiological function of interleukins (IL) in the natural course of HBV has gained much attention as a result of the broad use of anti-interleukin agents for a variety of autoimmune diseases and the accompanying risk of HBV reactivation. We present a narrative review regarding the role of IL in HBV infection. Collectively, the pro-inflammatory ILs, namely IL-1, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-21, seem to play a critical role in the suppression of HBV replication. In contrast, the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, IL-23 and IL-35 probably act as HBV replication enhancers, while IL-17 has been correlated with HBV-related liver injury. Interestingly enough, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-12 have been tried as therapeutic options against HBV infection with contradictory results. Lastly, the role of IL-22 remains largely ill defined, although preliminary data suggest that it may play a significant role in HBV replication, proliferation and subsequent liver damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chronic Liver Disease: New Targets and New Mechanisms)
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