©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. Aug 15, 2015; 6(3): 43-50
Published online Aug 15, 2015. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v6.i3.43
Published online Aug 15, 2015. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v6.i3.43
Emerging roles of myeloid derived suppressor cells in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis
Linda Hammerich, Frank Tacke, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
Author contributions: Hammerich L and Tacke F wrote this editorial.
Supported by The German Research Foundation (DFG Ta434/3-1 and SFB/TRR57); and by the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) Aachen.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Correspondence to: Frank Tacke, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. frank.tacke@gmx.net
Telephone: +49-241-8035848 Fax: +49-241-8082455
Received: January 9, 2015
Peer-review started: January 10, 2015
First decision: March 6, 2015
Revised: March 16, 2015
Accepted: June 1, 2015
Article in press: June 2, 2015
Published online: August 15, 2015
Processing time: 220 Days and 13.4 Hours
Peer-review started: January 10, 2015
First decision: March 6, 2015
Revised: March 16, 2015
Accepted: June 1, 2015
Article in press: June 2, 2015
Published online: August 15, 2015
Processing time: 220 Days and 13.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immune-suppressive cells with important roles during inflammation, infection and cancer. The liver is a primary site for MDSC induction and accumulation, and recent studies linked these cells to the pathogenesis of hepatic inflammation, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. MDSC can limit tissue injury during acute hepatitis, while they may favor viral persistence in chronic hepatitis. MDSC are also induced during development of liver cancer and suppress anti-tumoral immunity, but their involvement in hepatic fibrosis is less clear. Thus, modulating MDSC functionality might represent a promising novel therapeutic target for liver diseases.