Research Article Details

Article ID: A46439
PMID: 18666225
Source: Hepatology
Title: Beyond insulin resistance: Innate immunity in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
Abstract: Obesity is an inflammatory disorder characterized by heightened activity of the innate immune system. Innate immune activation is central to the development of obesity-related insulin resistance; it also plays an important role in obesity-related tissue damage, such as that seen in atherosclerosis. Recent research has implicated the innate immune system in the pathophysiology of obesity-related liver disease. This review summarizes how innate immune processes, occurring both within and outside the liver, cause not only insulin resistance but also end-organ damage in the form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
DOI: 10.1002/hep.22399