Potential Therapeutic Targets and Promising Agents for Combating NAFLD
Atsushi Umemura,
Seita Kataoka,
Keiichiro Okuda,
Yuya Seko,
Kanji Yamaguchi,
Michihisa Moriguchi,
Takeshi Okanoue,
Yoshito Itoh
Affiliations
Atsushi Umemura
Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Seita Kataoka
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Keiichiro Okuda
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Yuya Seko
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Kanji Yamaguchi
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Michihisa Moriguchi
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Takeshi Okanoue
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Suita Hospital, Suita 564-0013, Japan
Yoshito Itoh
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a growing cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer worldwide because of the global increases in obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Contrary to the advancements in therapies for viral hepatitis, effective treatments remain unestablished for patients with NAFLD. NAFLD, including NASH, is characterized by steatosis, inflammation, hepatic necrosis, and fibrosis. Despite our understanding of its pathophysiology, there are currently no effective treatments for NAFLD. In this review, we provide an update on the known pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of NAFLD and the role of hepatic stellate cells, and summarize the potential therapeutic agents, including natural products, for NAFLD.
