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Published on: October 10, 2011
CD36 in liver diseases
1Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Viral Hepatitis, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Insights
Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) impacts liver health by regulating lipid metabolism and inflammation. Targeting CD36 offers a promising therapeutic strategy for various liver diseases, including fatty liver and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a multifunctional transmembrane glycoprotein.
- CD36 recognizes diverse ligands including fatty acids and pathogen-associated molecular patterns.
- It is expressed in liver cells like hepatocytes and Kupffer cells (KCs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the structural properties, expression, and functions of CD36 in liver pathophysiology.
- To explore CD36's role in liver diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), NASH, and viral hepatitis.
- To highlight CD36 as a potential therapeutic target for liver disease treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on CD36.
- Analysis of CD36's role in lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the liver.
- Examination of CD36's involvement in the pathogenesis of liver diseases.
Main Results:
- CD36 plays a critical role in liver lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
- Evidence links CD36 to the development of NAFLD, NASH, inflammatory liver injury, hepatitis B/C, fibrosis, and liver cancer.
- CD36's diverse ligand-binding capabilities contribute to its multifaceted roles.
Conclusions:
- CD36 is a key player in liver pathophysiology with significant implications for disease development.
- Targeting CD36 presents a promising therapeutic avenue for preventing and treating a spectrum of liver diseases.
Abstract:
Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a transmembrane glycoprotein with the ability to bind to multiple ligands and perform diverse functions. Through the recognition of long-chain fatty acids, proteins containing thrombospondin structural homology repeat domains such as thrombospondin-1, and molecules with molecular structures consistent with danger- or pathogen-associated molecular patterns, CD36 participates in various physiological and pathological processes of the body. CD36 is widely expressed in various cell types, including hepatocytes and KCs in the liver, where it plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Accumulating evidence suggests that CD36 plays a complex role in the development of nonalcoholic simple fatty liver disease and NASH and contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory liver injury, hepatitis B/hepatitis C, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer. This review summarizes the current understanding of the structural properties, expression patterns, and functional mechanisms of CD36 in the context of liver pathophysiology. Furthermore, the potential of CD36 as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases is highlighted.
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