β7-Integrins and MAdCAM-1 play an opposing role during the development of Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Introduction: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the hepatic correlate of the metabolic syndrome, is the third most common cause of chronic liver disease in western countries. Its global incidence is on the rise and reflects one of the fastest growing medical problems. Aim: The significance of leukocyte infiltration during the development of NASH remains unclear until now. We therefore investigated the role of β7-Integrin and one of its receptors MAdCAM-1 in a mouse model of NASH development. Methods: Constitutive MAdCAM-1 and β7-Integrin knockout (KO) mice were fed a MCD diet (methionine and choline deficien…