IL-33-ST2 Axis in Liver Disease: Progression and Challenge

Abstract EN

The new member of the IL-1 family, interleukin-33 (IL-33), participates in the progression of a variety of diseases through binding with its receptor ST2.

Recently, much clinical evidence and experimental data have indicated that IL-33 is associated with various liver diseases.

This review primarily addresses the relationship between IL-33 and several hepatic diseases.

IL-33 can alleviate high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, and IL-33 acts as an alarmin, which quickly triggers the immune system to respond to virus invasion and toxic damage to the liver.

However, when liver injury is chronic, IL-33 promotes Th2 reactions and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activity, facilitating progression to liver fibrosis.

The complicated functions of IL-33 should be considered before its clinical application.