Immune therapy for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: are we there yet?

Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. ilan@hadassah.org.il

Journal of clinical gastroenterology 2013 Apr

Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are associated with a state of chronic inflammation. The immune system and the inflammatory cascade can be involved in the development of any of the above common conditions. This association raises the question of whether immune therapy can be used for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Although immune therapy is not yet feasible for clinical use, here, we review some of the recent data on the potential role of the various arms of the immune system in the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and several potential therapeutic targets.