Hepatic Stellate Cells: Dictating Outcome in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Leke Wiering; Pallavi Subramanian; Linda Hammerich

doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.02.010

Hepatic Stellate Cells: Dictating Outcome in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;15(6):1277-1292. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.02.010. Epub 2023 Feb 23.

Authors

Leke Wiering¹, Pallavi Subramanian², Linda Hammerich³

Affiliations

¹ Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin, Germany.
² Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
³ Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Linda.hammerich@charite.de.

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a fast growing, chronic liver disease affecting ∼25% of the global population. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease severity ranges from the less severe simple hepatic steatosis to the more advanced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The presence of NASH predisposes individuals to liver fibrosis, which can further progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This makes hepatic fibrosis an important indicator of clinical outcomes in patients with NASH. Hepatic stellate cell activation dictates fibrosis development during NASH. Here, we discuss recent advances in the analysis of the profibrogenic pathways and mediators of hepatic stellate cell activation and inactivation, which ultimately determine the course of disease in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/NASH.

Keywords: Fibrosis; Hepatic Stellate Cell; NAFLD; NASH.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / pathology
Fibrosis
Hepatic Stellate Cells / pathology
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
Liver Neoplasms* / pathology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / pathology