Editorial
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2010; 16(15): 1811-1819
Published online Apr 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i15.1811
Role of monocytes and macrophages in experimental and human acute liver failure
Lucia A Possamai, Charalambos Gustav Antoniades, Quentin M Anstee, Alberto Quaglia, Diego Vergani, Mark Thursz, Julia Wendon
Lucia A Possamai, Quentin M Anstee, Mark Thursz, Liver and Antiviral Centre, 10th Floor QEQM building, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London, Praed Street, London W2 1NY, United Kingdom
Charalambos Gustav Antoniades, Alberto Quaglia, Diego Vergani, Julia Wendon, Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Possamai LA and Antoniades CG wrote the manuscript; Anstee QM, Quaglia A, Vergani D, Thursz M and Wendon J edited the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Charalambos Gustav Antoniades, Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom. antoniades@doctors.org.uk
Telephone: +44-20-32999000 Fax: +44-20-32993899
Received: January 6, 2010
Revised: January 18, 2010
Accepted: January 25, 2010
Published online: April 21, 2010
Abstract

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a devastating clinical syndrome characterised by progressive encephalopathy, coagulopathy, and circulatory dysfunction, which commonly leads to multiorgan failure and death. Central to the pathogenesis of ALF is activation of the immune system with mobilisation of cellular effectors and massive production of cytokines. As key components of the innate immune system, monocytes and macrophages are postulated to play a central role in the initiation, progression and resolution of ALF. ALF in humans follows a rapidly progressive clinical course that poses inherent difficulties in delineating the role of these pivotal immune cells. Therefore, a number of experimental models have been used to study the pathogenesis of ALF. Here we consider the evidence from experimental and human studies of ALF on the role of monocytes and macrophages in acute hepatic injury and the ensuing extrahepatic manifestations, including functional monocyte deactivation and multiple organ failure.

Keywords: Monocyte; Macrophage; Acute liver failure; Inflammation; Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-2; Cytokine