Angiocrine Signaling in Sinusoidal Homeostasis and Liver Diseases

Overview

Journal J Hepatol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2024 May 19

PMID 38763358

Authors

Jinhang Gao

Tian Lan

Enis Kostallari

Yangkun Guo

Enjiang Lai

Adrien Guillot

Bisen Ding

Frank Tacke

Chengwei Tang

Vijay H Shah

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The hepatic sinusoids are composed of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), which are surrounded by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and contain liver-resident macrophages called Kupffer cells, and other patrolling immune cells. All these cells communicate with each other and with hepatocytes to maintain sinusoidal homeostasis and a spectrum of hepatic functions under healthy conditions. Sinusoidal homeostasis is disrupted by metabolites, toxins, viruses, and other pathological factors, leading to liver injury, chronic liver diseases, and cirrhosis. Alterations in hepatic sinusoids are linked to fibrosis progression and portal hypertension. LSECs are crucial regulators of cellular crosstalk within their microenvironment via angiocrine signaling. This review discusses the mechanisms by which angiocrine signaling orchestrates sinusoidal homeostasis, as well as the development of liver diseases. Here, we summarise the crosstalk between LSECs, HSCs, hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and immune cells in health and disease and comment on potential novel therapeutic methods for treating liver diseases.

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