Project Details
Projekt
The role of VISTA+ dendritic cells in MASH and liver cancer development
Subject Area
Gastroenterology
Term
since 2018
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 411345524
Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH) has recently become a significant health issue, presenting as a progressive and potentially severe form of Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD). The pathogenesis of MASH is a multifaceted process involving hepatocyte triglyceride accumulation followed by additional triggering factors, including oxidative stress, lipotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release, that contribute to disease progression. MASH leads to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). During liver inflammation and MASH cDCs show an altered costimulatory and co-inhibitory expression profile that is associated with changed cellular interactome. cDC1s in the portal area are associated with high VISTA expression and interact with portal PDGFRa+ fibroblasts. The aim is to investigate how VISTA+ cDC1s could contribute to the pathomechanism of MASH and to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. VISTA signaling might play a dual role during liver inflammation and cancer development and can represent a novel target for MASH and HCC.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
