Chronic hepatitis C infection-induced liver fibrogenesis is associated with M2 macrophage activation.

ABSTRACT: The immuno-pathogenic mechanisms of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remain to be elucidated and pose a major hurdle in treating or preventing chronic HCV-induced advanced liver diseases such as cirrhosis. Macrophages are a major component of the inflammatory milieu in chronic HCV-induced liver disease, and are generally derived from circulating inflammatory monocytes; however very little is known about their role in liver diseases. To investigate the activation and role of macrophages in chronic HCV-induced liver fibrosis, we utilized a recently developed humanized mouse model with autologous human immune and liver cells, human liver and blood samples and cell culture models of monocyte/macrophage and/or hepatic stellate cell activation. We showed that M2 macrophage activation wa

SUBMITTER: Bility MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5175173 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature