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Beyond insulin resistance: Innate immunity in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Author(s) -
Maher Jacquelyn J.,
Leon Pablo,
Ryan James C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.22399
Subject(s) - innate immune system , insulin resistance , nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , immune system , immunology , immunity , inflammation , nonalcoholic steatohepatitis , acquired immune system , disease , medicine , biology , fatty liver , obesity
Obesity is an inflammatory disorder characterized by heightened activity of the innate immune system. Innate immune activation is central to the development of obesity‐related insulin resistance; it also plays an important role in obesity‐related tissue damage, such as that seen in atherosclerosis. Recent research has implicated the innate immune system in the pathophysiology of obesity‐related liver disease. This review summarizes how innate immune processes, occurring both within and outside the liver, cause not only insulin resistance but also end‐organ damage in the form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. (H EPATOLOGY 2008;48:670–678.)