Help me make these professional and logical:Liver fibrosis is a progressive pathological condition characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, leading to structural damage and impaired liver function. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a critical role in liver fibrosis by being activating and differentiating into myofibroblast-like cells, which synthesize and deposit ECM components. Liver fibrosis is associated with a significantly high incidence rate, and if left untreated, it can progress to end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and pose a significant risk of mortality, affecting millions of people worldwide. However, effective treatments are still limited, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to manage this condition.
The immune response and the interplay between various immune cell populations play a pivotal role in the development and progression of liver fibrosis. Among these immune cells, natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as key players in modulating liver fibrosis by exerting potent antifibrotic effects. NK cells are a subpopulation of immune cells known for their ability to recognize and eliminate pathogenic cells, mostly through the engagement of activating receptors. Previous studies have demonstrated that NK cells are capable of exerting direct cytotoxic effects on activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main effector cells responsible for ECM deposition in liver fibrosis. Moreover, NK cells have been shown to produce interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which possess anti-fibrotic properties by inducing apoptosis or inhibit the activation of HSCs.
Help me make these professional and logical:Liver fibrosis is a progressive pathological condition characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, leading to structural damage and impaired liver function. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a critical role in liver fibrosis by being activating and differentiating into myofibroblast-like cells, which synthesize and deposit ECM components. Liver fibrosis is associated with a significantly high incidence rate, and if left untreated, it can progress to end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and pose a significant risk of mortality, affecting millions of people worldwide. However, effective treatments are still limited, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to manage this condition.
The immune response and the interplay between various immune cell populations play a pivotal role in the development and progression of liver fibrosis. Among these immune cells, natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as key players in modulating liver fibrosis by exerting potent antifibrotic effects. NK cells are a subpopulation of immune cells known for their ability to recognize and eliminate pathogenic cells, mostly through the engagement of activating receptors. Previous studies have demonstrated that NK cells are capable of exerting direct cytotoxic effects on activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main effector cells responsible for ECM deposition in liver fibrosis. Moreover, NK cells have been shown to produce interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which possess anti-fibrotic properties by inducing apoptosis or inhibit the activation of HSCs.
Interleukin-10 (IL-10), an immunomodulatory cytokine with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties, has gained considerable attention due to its potential therapeutic role in liver fibrosis.