Liver Diseases & Liver Cancer

Liver fibrosis is the natural scarring process caused by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins including collagen, vimentin and laminin. During liver injury, damaged hepatocytes release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and fibrogenic mediators. This in turn recruits inflammatory cells and leads to the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) into myofibroblasts that secrete and deposit excess ECM. Fibrosis is a common pathology in most chronic liver diseases.

The human liver is endowed with intrinsic capability to regenerate upon injury. However, when damage and inflammation persist, the organ may lose its regenerative potential leading to irreversible cirrhosis. Fibrosis, which is a reversible process, may evolve to hepatic cirrhosis if unresolved. Cirrhotic livers are characterized by the disruption of the tissue architecture due to the formation of regenerative nodules of hepatocytes surrounded by large fibrous scars, which compromise the homeostasis and normal function of the organ. Cirrhosis remains chronic for the rest of the patient's life, and may lead to portal hypertension, hepatic encephalopathy, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

End-stage liver cirrhosis is increasingly becoming a major health and economic burden to society, causing more than 1 million annual deaths globally. Despite extensive research, there are still no effective drugs or therapies to combat the disease. To this day, liver transplant remains the gold standard treatment for decompensated liver cirrhosis.