Published online May 28, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i20.3572
Peer-review started: February 1, 2017
First decision: February 23, 2017
Revised: March 3, 2017
Accepted: April 12, 2017
Article in press: April 12, 2017
Published online: May 28, 2017
Processing time: 121 Days and 23.1 Hours
The biosynthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes has been a focus of interest in the management of many liver diseases. Cyclooxygenases are the enzymes involved in the first step of the biosynthesis of these lipid mediators and selective inhibitors for these isoenzymes as well as pharmacological analogues of prostaglandins have been developed and are currently applied therapeutically. Here we discuss the implications of these enzymes in the onset of metabolic and lipid disorders in the liver and their potential role in the progression of the diseases towards fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinogenesis.
Core tip: The assessment of the role of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in hepatic diseases, ranging from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis to hepatocellular carcinoma, constitutes a field in which controversy exists probably because of the use of different experimental models. Since potent and selective inhibitors of COX-2 exist, but also stable PGE2 analogues to be used in therapy, unraveling the precise contribution of this enzyme and its products to the prevention of the progress of liver dysfunctions appears to be a useful approach for managing liver diseases.