Macrophage Notch1 signaling modulates regulatory T cells via the TGFB axis in early MASLD.

Background & Aims: Hepatic immune imbalance is crucial for driving metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) progression. However, the role of hepatic regulatory T cells (Tregs) in MASLD initiation and the mechanisms responsible for their change are not completely understood.

Methods: A mouse model subjected to a short-term high-fat diet (HFD) to mimic early steatosis, along with liver biopsy samples from patients with simple steatosis, and macrophage-specific Notch1-knockout mice (Notch1), were used to investigate the role of Tregs in early MASLD and the effect of hepatic macrophage Notch1 signaling on Treg frequency.

Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes alleviate liver fibrosis by targeting Hedgehog/SMO signaling.

Background & Aims: Despite increasing knowledge regarding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrogenesis, there is currently no approved drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells representing an attractive therapeutic tool for tissue damage and inflammation. This study was designed to determine the protective effect and underlying mechanism of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) on thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis.