Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Michael Trauner, Claudia Daniela Fuchs
Summary: Cholestatic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have shared pathophysiological mechanisms that can be targeted for intervention through novel therapeutic concepts. Nuclear receptors play a crucial role in the treatment of these diseases, with high affinity therapeutic ligands being developed for specific or multiple isoforms. In addition, other therapeutic approaches targeting inflammation and fibrosis directly are also available. Combination strategies that target metabolic disturbances, inflammation, and fibrosis may be necessary for successful treatment of these complex disorders.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Margherita Sisto, Sabrina Lisi
Summary: Autoimmunity is a chronic process that leads to inflammation, tissue damage, and subsequent tissue remodelling and organ fibrosis. Most chronic autoimmune fibrotic disorders have in common a persistent and sustained production of growth factors, proteolytic enzymes, angiogenic factors, and fibrogenic cytokines, resulting in the deposition of connective tissue elements or epithelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT) that progressively remodels and destroys normal tissue architecture leading to organ failure. However, there are currently no approved treatments that directly target the molecular mechanisms of fibrosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Margherita Sisto, Sabrina Lisi
Summary: Fibrosis, which can develop spontaneously or as a result of underlying diseases, is characterized by immune cells infiltration and the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Defects in the abilities of non-immune cells to regulate immune responses may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. However, the precise cellular mechanisms involved in this process have not been fully elucidated.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Junyong Wang, Junpeng Ma, Hongyu Nie, Xiao-Jing Zhang, Peng Zhang, Zhi-Gang She, Hongliang Li, Yan-Xiao Ji, Jingjing Cai
Summary: The study found that RGS5 protects against NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and that it is negatively associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades in response to metabolic challenges. RGS5 directly interacts with TAK1, inhibits its hyperphosphorylation, and prevents the activation of the downstream JNK/p38 signaling cascade.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Prachi Umbarkar, Anand P. Singh, Sultan Tousif, Qinkun Zhang, Palaniappan Sethu, Hind Lal
Summary: Nintedanib (NTB) is an FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor for pulmonary fibrosis, and study shows its potential in reducing cardiac fibrosis and improving cardiac function in a murine heart failure model, suggesting its promising application in treating HF patients.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pei-Yung Liao, Hsin-Yi Lo, I-Chen Liu, Lun-Chien Lo, Chien-Yun Hsiang, Tin-Yun Ho
Summary: The study demonstrates that mcIRBP-9 extracted from bitter melon has therapeutic effects on diabetic nephropathy, showing anti-inflammatory and reno-protective abilities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rosanna Di Paola, Sergio Modafferi, Rosalba Siracusa, Marika Cordaro, Ramona D'Amico, Maria Laura Ontario, Livia Interdonato, Angela Trovato Salinaro, Roberta Fusco, Daniela Impellizzeri, Vittorio Calabrese, Salvatore Cuzzocrea
Summary: This study suggests that S-acetyl-glutathione (SAG) administration can protect the liver from fibrosis, restore oxidative balance, improve mitophagy impairment, and reduce inflammation and organ dysfunction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Cavan S. Reilly, Alvaro H. Borges, Jason Baker, Sandra E. Safo, Shweta Sharma, Mark N. Polizzotto, James S. Pankow, Xiaojun Hu, Brad T. Sherman, Abdel G. Babiker, Jens D. Lundgren, H. Clifford Lane
Summary: Using protein panels, associations between baseline protein levels and incident CVD were examined, and causal associations were found using mendelian randomization. The results suggest that inflammatory and fibrotic processes contribute to CVD. Some of the biomarkers are well established in the general population and in PWH, while others are novel to PWH or in general.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Junni Wang, Wanyun Nie, Xishao Xie, Mengqiu Bai, Yanhong Ma, Lini Jin, Liang Xiao, Peng Shi, Yi Yang, Pedro A. Jose, Ines Armando, Jianghua Chen, Weiqiang Lin, Fei Han
Summary: The study identified the role of microRNA-874-3p/ADAM19 in mediating renal fibrosis after acute kidney injury by increasing macrophage infiltration via the Notch1/CCL2 pathway. Modulating the levels of microRNA-874-3p or ADAM19 could potentially slow down the process of renal fibrosis.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Laura B. N. Langer, Annika Hess, Zekiye Korkmaz, Jochen Tillmanns, Laura M. Reffert, Jens P. Bankstahl, Frank M. Bengel, James T. Thackeray, Tobias L. Ross
Summary: This study successfully demonstrated non-invasive imaging of fibrosis activation after acute MI using [Ga-68]MHLL1 PET radioligand. The findings suggest potential for characterization of fibroblast activation protein early in the remodeling process after MI.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jianhua Rao, Hao Wang, Ming Ni, Zeng Wang, Ziyi Wang, Song Wei, Mu Liu, Peng Wang, Jiannan Qiu, Lei Zhang, Chen Wu, Hongbing Shen, Xuehao Wang, Feng Cheng, Ling Lu
Summary: This study found that macrophage FSTL1 promotes the progression of liver fibrosis by inducing M1 polarization and inflammation based on the intracellular PKM2 reprogramming function of macrophages.
Article
Immunology
Siavash Bolourani, Ezgi Sari, Max Brenner, Ping Wang
Summary: The study demonstrates that eCIRP induces an inflammatory phenotype in pulmonary fibroblasts in a TLR4-dependent manner and is associated with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Xu Liu, Feng Lu, Xihang Chen
Summary: This review discusses the role of necroptotic DAMPs in tissue fibrosis and highlights the inflammatory responses induced by DAMPs in tissue ECM remodeling. By summarizing the existing literature, it provides a framework for future investigations into the relationship among necroptosis, DAMPs, and fibrosis, as well as a reference for later transformation into clinical treatment.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Jung Eun Baik, Hyeung Ju Park, Raghu P. Kataru, Ira L. Savetsky, Catherine L. Ly, Jinyeon Shin, Elizabeth M. Encarnacion, Michele R. Cavali, Mark G. Klang, Elyn Riedel, Michelle Coriddi, Joseph H. Dayan, Babak J. Mehrara
Summary: TGF-beta 1 is an essential regulator of extracellular matrix deposition in secondary lymphedema, and inhibition of this response is a promising means of treating lymphedema.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Amaro Taylor-Weiner, Harsha Pokkalla, Ling Han, Catherine Jia, Ryan Huss, Chuhan Chung, Hunter Elliott, Benjamin Glass, Kishalve Pethia, Oscar Carrasco-Zevallos, Chinmay Shukla, Urmila Khettry, Robert Najarian, Ross Taliano, G. Mani Subramanian, Robert P. Myers, Ilan Wapinski, Aditya Khosla, Murray Resnick, Michael C. Montalto, Quentin M. Anstee, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Michael Trauner, Eric J. Lawitz, Stephen A. Harrison, Takeshi Okanoue, Manuel Romero-Gomez, Zachary Goodman, Rohit Loomba, Andrew H. Beck, Zobair M. Younossi
Summary: The study demonstrates that using machine learning can accurately assess liver histopathology in NASH patients and sensitively quantify treatment response. Deep learning methods not only show strong correlations with expert pathologists' evaluations, but also have good predictive value for disease progression in NASH.