Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2024 Feb 28;1870(4):167102. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167102. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a pathogenic stage of the broader non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Histological presentation of NASH includes hepatocyte ballooning, macrophage polarization, ductular reaction, and hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) activation. At a cellular level, a heterogenous population of cells such as hepatocytes, macrophages, cholangiocytes, and HSCs undergo dramatic intra-cellular changes in response to extracellular triggers, which are termed “cellular plasticity. This dynamic switch in the cellular structure and function of hepatic parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells and their crosstalk culminates in the perpetuation of inflammation and fibrosis in NASH. This review presents an overview of our current understanding of cellular plasticity in NASH and its molecular mechanisms, along with possible targeting to develop cell-specific NASH therapies.

PMID:38422712 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167102