Osteopontin Expression Identifies a Subset of Recruited Macrophages Distinct from Kupffer Cells in the Fatty Liver

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represents a spectrum of disease states ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatic macrophages, specifically Kupffer cells (KCs), are suggested to play important roles in the pathogenesis of MAFLD through their activation, although the exact roles played by these cells remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that KCs were reduced in MAFLD being replaced by macrophages originating from the bone marrow. Recruited macrophages existed in two subsets with distinct activation states, either closely resembling homeostatic KCs or lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs) from obese adipose tissue. Hepatic LAMs expressed Osteopontin, a…

• FW
  Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
• UG
  Universiteit Gent
• ER
  European Research Council