Immunological mechanisms in steatotic liver diseases: An overview and clinical perspectives

Yan, Mengyao; Man, Shuli; Ma, Long; Guo, Lanping; Huang, Luqi; Gao, Wenyuan

doi:.0..

Review Article

Immunological mechanisms in steatotic liver diseases: An overview and clinical perspectives

Mengyao Yan¹, Shuli Man¹, Long Ma¹, Lanping Guo², Luqi Huang², Wenyuan Gao³

¹State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industry Microbiology, National and Local United Engineering Lab of Metabolic Control Fermentation Technology, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
²National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
³Tianjin Key Laboratory for Modern Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China

Correspondence :

Shuli Man ,
Tel: 86-22-60601265, Fax: 86-22-60602948, Email: man1983000@163.com
Wenyuan Gao ,
Tel: 86-22-87401895, Fax: 86-22-87401895, Email: biochemgao@163.com

Received: April 28, 2024 Revised: July 10, 2024 Accepted: July 10, 2024

ABSTRACT

Steatotic liver diseases (SLD) are the principal worldwide cause of cirrhosis and end-stage liver cancer, affecting nearly a quarter of the global population. SLD includes metabolic dysfunction-associated alcoholic liver disease (MetALD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), resulting in asymptomatic liver steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and associated complications. The immune processes include gut dysbiosis, adipose-liver organ crosstalk, hepatocyte death and immune cell-mediated inflammatory processes. Notably, various immune cells such as B cells, plasma cells, dendritic cells, conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, innate-like T cells, platelets, neutrophils and macrophages play vital roles in the development of MetALD and MASLD. Immunological modulations targeting hepatocyte death, inflammatory reactions and gut microbiome include N-acetylcysteine, selonsertib, F-652, prednisone, pentoxifylline, anakinra, JKB-121, HA35, obeticholic acid, probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics and FMT. Understanding the immunological mechanisms underlying in SLD is crucial for advancing clinical therapeutic strategies.

KeyWords: steatotic liver diseases; immunity; gut dysbiosis; adipose-liver axis