Abstract:

Inflammation and fibrosis are important signs in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）. There are multiple signaling pathways that exert key roles in the progression of NAFLD and its transition to liver cancer, regulating further damage and malignant transition of hepatocytes. Among them, the Hippo signaling pathway controls the progression of NAFLD by regulating lipid metabolism and activating hepatic stellate cells （HSC）; the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway can inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors, enhance anti-inflammatory capabilities, and reduce the activity of inflammatory factors in the liver, thereby alleviating the degree of hepatocyte damages; the TGF-β signaling pathway aggravates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） by further promoting hepatocyte apoptosis and HSC activation under chronic inflammatory conditions; the AMPK signaling pathway plays important roles in carbohydrate and fat metabolism regulation, energy regulation and the transition from NAFLD to liver cancer; the NF-κB signaling pathway regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, and the process of steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis can be reduced by inhibiting this pathway. This paper presents a review on the research progress in the regulatory mechanisms of the main signaling pathways involved in the development of NAFLD and its transition to liver cancer, in hoping to prevent further lesions and transition to liver cancer in the early stage of NAFLD as much as possible, and to provide references for targeted therapy of NAFLD in clinical practice.

Key words: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatic fibrosis, liver cancer, regulatory mechanism, signaling pathway