Hepatic macrophage-targeted therapy for fatty liver disease: Opportunities and challenges / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Hepatic macrophages are an important cell component in the natural immune system. In the physiological environment, they can recognize and eliminate necrotic or apoptotic cell fragments, pathogens, and presenting antigens and participate in adaptive immunity and immune surveillance, while in the pathological state, activated macrophages can produce and release a large number of inflammatory factors and cytokines and recruit other immune cells to participate in local anti-infection or tissue repair, and therefore, they are the key factor in the pathogenesis and progression of fatty liver disease. As an important component of hepatic immune cells, hepatic macrophages have attracted great attention due to its role in the pathogenesis of the disease and the hepatic macrophage-targeted therapy. This article reviews the challenges and opportunities in hepatic macrophage-targeted therapy for fatty liver disease.