SUMMARY
BackgroundRecent studies suggest a role of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a ligands in improving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rodents. However, data in humans are still lacking.
H epatic fibrosis is a major histological finding associated with the progression of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis; it is characterized by increased deposition of components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), in particular fibrillar collagens type I and type III. 1 Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are currently considered to be one of the major sources of ECM proteins in the liver; expansion of their pool is a key step in the fibrogenic process. 2 Following hepatic injury, HSC develop a myofibroblast-like phenotype, characterized by a reduced content of vitamin A, increased proliferation and migration, enhanced expression of matrix protein, and production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). 3 Evidence from experimental and clinical studies indicates that production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation of cell membranes are often associated with the development of hepatic fibrogenesis and
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