Cited by 589Cell death mechanisms and regulationLiver physiology and pathologyLiver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Apoptosis and necroptosis in the liver: a matter of life and death

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Schwabe, Robert F., Luedde, Tom·2018·Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Abstract

Cell death represents a basic biological paradigm that governs outcomes and long-term sequelae in almost every hepatic disease condition. Acute liver failure is characterized by massive loss of parenchymal cells but is usually followed by restitution ad integrum. By contrast, cell death in chronic liver diseases often occurs at a lesser extent but leads to long-term alterations in organ architecture and function, contributing to chronic hepatocyte turnover, the recruitment of immune cells and activation of hepatic stellate cells. These chronic cell death responses contribute to the development of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer. It has become evident that, besides apoptosis, necroptosis is a highly relevant form of programmed cell death in the liver. Differential activation of specific forms of programmed cell death might not only affect outcomes in liver diseases but also offer novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Here, we summarize the underlying molecular mechanisms and open questions about disease-specific activation and roles of programmed cell death forms, their contribution to response signatures and their detection. We focus on the role of apoptosis and necroptosis in acute liver injury, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver cancer, and possible translations into clinical applications.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41575-018-0065-y

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  • A key feature of MASH is hepatocyte apoptosis, which correlates with liver fibrosis.

    “A key feature of MASH is hepatocyte apoptosis, which correlates with the clinically most important feature of the disease, liver fibrosis (6, 7).”

    From Impaired TIM4-mediated efferocytosis by liver macrophages contributes to fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (2025) · cites this paper as [6]

    The “NASH and CLD” section says most data point to hepatocyte apoptosis as a key driver in NASH (now termed MASH). The “Fibroinflammation” section reports a correlation between apoptosis markers and fibrosis in patients, but does not establish that correlation specifically in MASH; the paper also discusses evidence that necroptosis may be important in NASH. Page numbers were unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • HSCs have fibrosis-independent roles through RSPO3, regulating critical parameters that affect CLD progression and outcomes, including metabolic hepatocyte functions, liver regeneration and hepatocyte death.

    “The current study amends this fibrocentric concept by demonstrating fibrosis-independent roles for HSCs through RSPO3, regulating critical parameters that affect CLD progression and outcomes, including metabolic hepatocyte functions, liver regeneration and hepatocyte death2,49,50.”

    From Hepatic stellate cells control liver zonation, size and functions via R-spondin 3 (2025) · cites this paper as [50]

    The Introduction links chronic hepatocyte death to CLD complications, and the Regeneration section links chronic hepatocyte regeneration to replication-induced DNA damage. The cited paper does not establish that HSCs act through RSPO3 or that metabolic hepatocyte functions affect CLD progression; the citing sentence presents the HSC–RSPO3 finding as its own study’s result. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Apoptosis of hepatocytes is a central characteristic of MASH.

    “Hepatocyte apoptosis is a key feature of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH)”
  • In NASH, hepatocytes undergo apoptosis, necroptosis or pyroptosis, thereby initiating inflammation.

    “In NASH, hepatocytes undergo apoptosis, necroptosis or pyroptosis (a newly described caspase 1-dependent apoptosis observed in NASH),33 thereby initiating inflammation in several ways.”
  • Efferocytosis of apoptotic hepatocytes by phagocytes triggers macrophages to release TGFβ.

    “Whilst this process has anti-inflammatory potential, as it removes intracellular content which could otherwise act as DAMPs, efferocytosis also triggers macrophages to release transforming growth factor (TGF)β.”

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Authors
Schwabe, R. F., & Luedde, T.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
  • Universitätsklinikum Aachen (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Schwabe, Robert F.
  • Luedde, Tom
Venue
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Published
2018-09-24
Volume
15
Issue
12
Pages
738-752
ISSN
  • 1759-5045 (ISSN-L)
  • 1759-5053
OpenAlex
W2890337997
Cited by
582
References
185
Citations by year
2026: 51 · 2025: 82 · 2024: 93 · 2023: 91 · 2022: 94 · 2021: 78 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 33
FWCI
4.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U01AA021912)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA190844, R01CA200597)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK116620)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver physiology and pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
Keywords
apoptosis, necroptosis, programmed cell death, liver injury, acute liver failure, chronic liver disease, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatic stellate cells, hepatocyte turnover, cell death detection
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Liver, Liver Diseases, Necrosis, Cell Death, Apoptosis

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