2.From MAFLD to hepatocellular carcinoma and everything in between.
Sarah Da Won BAE ; Jacob GEORGE ; Liang QIAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2022;135(5):547-556
Metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Many risk factors contribute to the pathogenesis of MAFLD with metabolic dysregulation being the final arbiter of its development and progression. MAFLD poses a substantial economic burden to societies, which based on current trends is expected to increase over time. Numerous studies have addressed various aspects of MAFLD from its risk associations to its economic and social burden and clinical diagnosis and management, as well as the molecular mechanisms linking MAFLD to end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. This review summarizes current understanding of the pathogenesis of MAFLD and related diseases, particularly liver cancer. Potential therapeutic agents for MAFLD and diagnostic biomarkers are discussed.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications*
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Humans
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Liver Neoplasms/complications*
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/complications*
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Risk Factors
3.Macrophage heterogeneity role in NAFLD and NASH disease progression.
Tao YANG ; Xiao WANG ; Long Feng JIANG ; Jun LI
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2023;31(7):770-775
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a type of metabolic stress liver injury that is closely associated with insulin resistance and genetic susceptibility. The continuum of liver injury in NAFLD can range from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and even lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complicated. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, lipotoxicity, and gut bacterial metabolites play a key role in activating liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells, KCs) and recruiting circulating monocyte-derived macrophages (MoDMacs) to deposit fat in the liver. With the application of single-cell RNA-sequencing, significant heterogeneity in hepatic macrophages has been revealed, suggesting that KCs and MoDMacs located in the liver exert distinct functions in regulating liver inflammation and NASH progression. This study focuses on the role of macrophage heterogeneity in the development and occurrence of NAFLD and NASH, in view of the fact that innate immunity plays a key role in the development of NAFLD.
Humans
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology*
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Liver/pathology*
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Macrophages/metabolism*
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Liver Cirrhosis/complications*
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Disease Progression
6.Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and bilirubin: correlation, mechanism, and therapeutic perspectives.
Nian Chen LIU ; Zhong Ping DUAN ; Su Jun ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2023;31(1):101-104
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic-related disorder induced by multiple factors and mainly characterized by excessive fat buildup in hepatocytes. With the consumption of a Western-style diet and obesity prevalence in recent years, the incidence of NAFLD has gradually increased, becoming an increasingly serious public health problem. Bilirubin is a heme metabolite and a potent antioxidant. Studies have demonstrated that bilirubin levels have an inverse correlation with the incidence rate of NAFLD; however, which form of bilirubin plays the main protective role is still controversial. It is considered that the main protective mechanisms for NAFLD are bilirubin antioxidant properties, insulin resistance reduction, and mitochondrial function. This article summarizes the correlation, protective mechanism, and possible clinical application of NAFLD and bilirubin.
Humans
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism*
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Bilirubin
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Antioxidants
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Obesity/complications*
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Hepatocytes/metabolism*
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Liver/metabolism*
10.Assessment of fibrosis during the development of fatty liver in rabbits using real-time shear-wave elastography.
Yong-ping LU ; Jia WEI ; Li-rong XU ; Yue-yue TANG ; Yuan YUAN ; Yong ZHANG ; Yun-yan LI
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Medical Sciences) 2014;34(6):921-928
Nonalcoholic and alcoholic rabbit models of fatty liver were established by feeding on high-fat diet and alcohol, respectively, and fatty liver stiffness at different pathological stages was assessed with real-time shear-wave elastography (SWE), so as to investigate the fibrosis process during the development of fatty liver. The fatty liver stiffness of rabbit in nonalcoholic and alcoholic groups was higher than that in the control group, and that in alcohol group was higher than that in the nonalcoholic group (P<0.01). The elasticity modulus of liver in fatty liver rabbits of nonalcoholic and alcoholic groups showed a positive correlation with progression of liver fibrosis (P<0.01). Real-time SWE, as a noninvasive diagnostic method, can objectively reflect the liver stiffness change and progression of liver fibrosis during the development of fatty liver.
Animals
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Elasticity
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Elasticity Imaging Techniques
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methods
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Fatty Liver, Alcoholic
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complications
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diagnostic imaging
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Liver Cirrhosis
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diagnostic imaging
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etiology
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Male
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
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complications
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diagnostic imaging
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Rabbits