nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH tagged posts

The finding opens the door for a possible treatment for many liver diseases. A study identifies a molecule behind the runaway growth of bile duct cells inside the liver, which underlies many liver diseases.

The liver is the all-important organ behind processing of various substances we put into our bodies, from food and drink to alcohol and drugs. When things go awry with the liver, the consequences can be deadly. At the root of many liver diseases, from hepatitis to Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis, commonly known as NASH, is scarring, otherwise known as liver fibrosis — and currently, there are no drugs available to treat this scarring.

Researchers are investigating the root causes of liver fibrosis in the hopes of identifying potential targets for drugs in the future...

Healthy liver (left) and diseased liver (right) with infiltrated CD8 T-cells indicated by arrow. Credit: Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Role of NKT and CD8 T-cells demonstrated in mice and humans. A team of investigators led by Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, has identified key inflammatory cells involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Current treatment for the disorder involves changes to diet, yet no medication has been approved for treatment. Findings from this study provide a potential therapeutic target and offer the possibility for developing a treatment.

“The rise in obesity has led to an epidemic of fatty liver disease in both children and adults,” said Kohli, head of the division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition...