Evidence mapPaperPMID 41487942Full record

ReviewJournal of immunology research2026

Immune System and Hepatic Stellate Cells' Crosstalk in Liver Fibrosis: Pathways and Therapeutic Potential.

Wahyu Widowati, Adilah Hafizha Nur Sabrina, Annisa Firdaus Sutendi, Fadhilah Haifa Zahiroh, Aris Muhamad Nurjamil, Teresa Liliana Wargasetia, Ita Margaretha Nainggolan, Rizal Azis, Elham Rismani, Massoud Vosough

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of immunology research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Wahyu WidowatiFaculty of Medicine, Maranatha Christian University, Bandung, West Java, 40164, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5401-7794
Adilah Hafizha Nur SabrinaAretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Bandung, 40163, West Java, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5872-9228
Annisa Firdaus SutendiAretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Bandung, 40163, West Java, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0015-0263
Fadhilah Haifa ZahirohAretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Bandung, 40163, West Java, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9661-8037
Aris Muhamad NurjamilAretha Medika Utama, Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Center, Bandung, 40163, West Java, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0592-7212
Teresa Liliana WargasetiaFaculty of Medicine, Maranatha Christian University, Bandung, West Java, 40164, Indonesia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3433-3300
Ita Margaretha NainggolanSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, 14440, Indonesia, atmajaya.ac.id.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9148-4359
Rizal AzisBiomedical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia, ui.ac.id.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2783-0672
Elham RismaniMolecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran, pasteur.ac.ir.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9997-3512
Massoud VosoughDepartment of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Tehran, Iran, royaninstitute.org.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5924-4366

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Liver fibrosis, characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) driven by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation, remains a critical challenge due to its progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This review clarifies the complex crosstalk between the immune system and HSCs, highlighting key cellular players including macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and their cytokine-mediated signaling pathways that regulate fibrogenesis and fibrosis resolution. We describe pivotal molecular mechanisms such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), Wnt/β-catenin, and NF-κB signaling in HSCs modulation, emphasizing their interplay with immune responses. Novel therapeutic strategies targeting this complex immune-HSCs interaction, ranging from immunomodulatory agents, macrophage polarization, and NK cell-based therapies, to stem cell-derived exosomes, offer promising opportunities for preventing and reversing fibrosis. We further discuss innovative combination therapies integrating immunotherapies with antifibrotic agents, personalized strategies based on immune profiling, and the challenges of immune heterogeneity in fibrosis management. This review discusses recent advances in molecular interplay of immune system and HSCs, highlighting novel therapeutic targets, and future perspectives for managing chronic liver diseases.

Indexed as

Hepatic Stellate CellsImmune SystemLiver CirrhosisAnimalsCell CommunicationCytokinesHumansImmunotherapyKiller Cells, NaturalSignal TransductionCytokinesextracellular matrix (ECM)hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)immune systemliver fibrosistherapeutic strategies

Identifiers

PMID41487942
PMCPMC12759114

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.