Nuclear receptors in liver fibrosis

作者：Philipp Königshofer, Ksenia Brusilovskaya, Oleksandr Petrenko, Benedikt Hofer, Philipp Schwabl, Michael Trauner, Thomas Reiberger · 发表于：Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166235 · 被引用次数：46 · 研究领域：Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment、Liver physiology and pathology、Pediatric Hepatobiliary Diseases and Treatments

Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate gene expression of a variety of key molecular signals involved in liver fibrosis. The primary cellular driver of liver fibrogenesis is activated hepatic stellate cells. Different nuclear receptors regulate the hepatic expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrogenic cytokines that promote the transformation of hepatic stellate cells into fibrogenic myofibroblasts. Importantly, nuclear receptors regulate gene expression circuits that promote hepatic fibrogenesis and/or allow liver fibrosis regression. In this review, we highlight the direct and indirect influence of nuclear receptors on liver fibrosis, with a focus on hepatic stellate cells, and discuss potential therapeutic effects of nuclear receptor modulation in regard to anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Further research on nuclear receptors-related signaling may lead to the clinical development of effective anti-fibrotic therapies for patients with liver disease.