Hepatic (dys-)function during inflammation

It is an understatement to say that the liver is an important organ. Each of the liver cells goes through thousands of complex biochemical interactions that influence all of the other organs in the body. Since the liver is involved with almost all biochemical processes it is no wonder that there are many different diseases that will affect it. A process known to impair liver function, including hepatic drug metabolism, is an infection induced inflammatory response. Infection induced alterations in liver function involve various cell types and their continuous cross-talk, as well as several circulating or locally secreted inflammatory mediators. Three main hepatic cell types contribute to the liver response during inflammation: hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and sinusoidal endothelial cells. In addition, activated neutrophils, which are also recruited in the liver and produce potentially destructive enzymes and oxygen-derived radicals, may further enhance liver injury. This review will focus on the pathway by which Kupffer cells and hepatocytes are activated and how this affects liver function, in particular hepatic drug metabolism.