Hedgehog pathway activation parallels histologic severity of injury and fibrosis in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

In NAFLD patients, the level of hepatic HH-pathway activity is highly correlated with the severity of liver damage and with metabolic syndrome parameters that are known to be predictive of advanced liver disease. Hence, deregulation of the HH-signaling network may contribute to the pathogenesis and sequelae of liver damage that develops with metabolic syndrome.