Mechanism and Therapeutic Targets of c-Jun-N-Terminal Kinases Activation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Robert W. M. Min,
Filbert W. M. Aung,
Bryant Liu,
Aliza Arya,
Sanda Win
Affiliations
Robert W. M. Min
Rush Medical College, Rush University, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Filbert W. M. Aung
Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
Bryant Liu
Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Ave., HMR 612, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Aliza Arya
Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Ave., HMR 612, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Sanda Win
Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Ave., HMR 612, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is the most common chronic liver disease. Activation of mitogen-activated kinases (MAPK) cascade, which leads to c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation occurs in the liver in response to the nutritional and metabolic stress. The aberrant activation of MAPKs, especially c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNKs), leads to unwanted genetic and epi-genetic modifications in addition to the metabolic stress adaptation in hepatocytes. A mechanism of sustained P-JNK activation was identified in acute and chronic liver diseases, suggesting an important role of aberrant JNK activation in NASH. Therefore, modulation of JNK activation, rather than targeting JNK protein levels, is a plausible therapeutic application for the treatment of chronic liver disease.
