Mechanistic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Liver Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Translating mechanistic insights from animal models to human liver disease remains a significant challenge. While animal studies enable time-dependent analyses of liver tissue and plasma, such longitudinal sampling is rarely feasible in clinal settings. As a result, translational researchers must develop innovative approaches to extract mechanistic information using only blood, urine, or other body fluids.

During the course of acute or chronic liver disease, hepatocytes may passively release intracellular contents or actively secrete signaling molecules that can be detected in plasma or serum. In addition to traditional cell death biomarkers such as ALT, AST, or LDH, other molecular indicators—including mitochondrial DNA, caspase-cleaved keratin 18, malondialdehyde, and various cytokines—can reveal mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and different stages of inflammation. By integrating these different biomarkers, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving cell death and disease progression in humans.

Importantly, mechanistic biomarkers not only help identify potential therapeutic targets and validate intervention strategies, but they may also offer greater sensitivity than standard clinical endpoints. Some biomarkers have the potential to detect liver injury, fibrosis, or cancer earlier than current measures. Others serve as prognostic tools, helping to predict outcomes such as acute liver failure or the likelihood of requiring a liver transplant.

For this Special Issue, we invite original research articles and expert reviews that demonstrate the development, application, and value of mechanistic and prognostic biomarkers across the spectrum of liver diseases—both acute and chronic, and of various etiologies. This is an important and exciting field of research, and we look forward to receiving your high-quality submissions.

Prof. Dr. Hartmut W. Jaeschke
Dr. Mitchell R. McGill
Guest Editors

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