ZyVersa announces publication on NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated IL-18

ZyVersa Therapeutics announces publication of an article in the peer-reviewed journal, Hepatology, demonstrating the role of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated IL-18 in the development of liver fibrosis. In the paper titled, “Interleukin-18 signaling promotes activation of hepatic stellate cells in mouse liver fibrosis,” the authors evaluated serum levels of IL-18 in patients diagnosed with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, and they conducted studies in three different mouse models of liver fibrosis. Following are key findings reported in the paper: Levels of circulating IL-18 and IL-18 binding protein were elevated in patients with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis in comparison to healthy controls; Data in liver fibrosis mouse models provided strong evidence that IL-18 signaling and its downstream effects have a pivotal role in the development of liver fibrosis; The pivotal role of IL-18 signaling in liver fibrosis was confirmed in IL-18 deficient mice, which showed protection from fibrotic liver changes. The authors stated, “Our results highlight the pivotal role of IL-18 signaling in liver fibrogenesis through the activation of HSCs in vitro and in vivo in three different mouse models.”