Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises a spectrum of histopathological phenotypes ranging from simple steatosis to more severe liver disease associated with cell injury, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Only a subset of patients with NAFLD develop NASH from yet incompletely understood mechanisms. Emerging data suggest lipid species other than triglycerides as contributors to the pathogenesis of NASH. In this mini review, we focus on the recent data on the mechanisms of NASH, focusing on these lipid mediators and their potential as therapeutic targets in NASH.
Keywords: cell death; inflammation; lipotoxicity; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.