The immune system causes liver damage when the organ becomes inflamed by the JunB gene, a member of the AP-1 complex
Viral infections are the primary cause of liver inflammation or
hepatitis, affecting hundreds of millions of people all over the world,
and they represent a public health problem worldwide. The acute
condition can cause irreversible damage to the liver, and if not cured
can become chronic, leading to serious diseases such as cirrhosis or
cancer.
A study published today in the online edition of The Journal of Clinical Investigation,
and carried out by Erwin Wagner's team, Director of the BBVA
Foundation-CNIO Cancer Cell Biology Programme and holder of an ERC
Advanced Grant, shows how the immune system 'attacks' liver cells during
hepatitis by using the AP-1 gene JunB.
Read more...Labels: immune system, liver damage, Research and Discoveries