Progress in immunotherapy and molecular therapy for liver failure

Liver failure is a complex process involving many factors. The molecular therapy targeting the cytokines and receptors associated with liver failure has become the research hotspots in recent years. Immunotherapy for liver failure includes promoting the regeneration of hepatocytes and immunoregulation by thymosin,and the combination of immunomodulatory therapy with traditional therapy is widely applied in clinical treatment. Research on the animal model of liver failure suggested that importing ARC protein or hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 protected hepatocytes and promoted the recovery of their function. Block therapy against liver failure-related molecules( fibrinogen-like protein 2,apoptosis-related molecules,transforming growth factor β,osteopontin,nuclear factor-κB,and Toll-like receptors,etc.) successfully cured the animal model of liver failure. The research on molecular therapy offers a new way for treatment of liver failure,but it is still in the stage of laboratory research at present and lacks clinical data.