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Journal of Translational Medicine
Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Review

The spleen in liver cirrhosis: revisiting an old enemy with novel targets

Authors: Liang Li, Mubing Duan, Weisan Chen, An Jiang, Xiaoming Li, Jun Yang, Zongfang Li

Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

The spleen is a secondary lymphoid organ which can influence the progression of multiple diseases, notably liver cirrhosis. In chronic liver diseases, splenomegaly and hypersplenism can manifest following the development of portal hypertension. These splenic abnormalities correlate with and have been postulated to facilitate the progression of liver fibrosis to cirrhosis, although precise mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the literature to highlight the mechanistic contributions of splenomegaly and hypersplenism to the development of liver cirrhosis, focusing on three key aspects: hepatic fibrogenesis, hepatic immune microenvironment dysregulation and liver regeneration. We conclude with a discussion of the possible therapeutic strategies for modulating splenic abnormalities, including the novel potential usage of nanomedicine in non-surgically targetting splenic disorders for the treatment of liver cirrhosis.
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Metadata
Title
The spleen in liver cirrhosis: revisiting an old enemy with novel targets
Authors
Liang Li
Mubing Duan
Weisan Chen
An Jiang
Xiaoming Li
Jun Yang
Zongfang Li
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Translational Medicine / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1479-5876
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-017-1214-8

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