Adipose tissue

Abstract

Adipose tissue produces and secretes various types of inflammatory molecules and cytokines, and these substances are called adipokine. These adipokines play a role in mediating or suppressing the inflammatory response by inducing the interaction between adipocytes and immune cells and representative adipokines. In parallel with the increase in prevalence of obesity, diabetes, vascular diseases, and the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing rapidly worldwide. NAFLD can be classified into two categories based on liver pathology: NAFL and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFL is characterized as hepatocytes with macrovesicular steatosis without ballooned hepatocytes. NASH is the clinically progressive form of NAFL, which in rare cases can lead to cirrhosis and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma. It is characterized by the fibrosis, hepatocytes with macrovesicular steatosis, and ballooning, in addition to lobular inflammation. There are no drugs or other therapeutics presently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent or treat NAFLD. Thus, we discuss the role of antioxidants, cytokines, modulation of nuclear transcription factors, insulin-sensitizing agents, lipid-altering agents, gastrointestinal hormones, antifibrotic therapies to improve histological and biochemical characteristics of NAFLD. In particular, we focus the recent advances in the role of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) as a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent or treat NAFLD. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.