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Antifibrosis: To Reverse the Irreversible

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Abstract

Fibrosis is a pathological process that includes scar formation and overproduction of extracellular matrix by the connective tissue as a response to tissue damage. The fibrotic process involves multiple organs and results in progressive life-threatening diseases. Today, we know more about the molecular mechanism that leads to fibrosis involving different type of cells, cytokines, chemokines, and tissue enzymes. Fibrosis was considered an irreversible process, at least clinically, and is still usually treated by anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. No proven antifibrotic therapy has shown efficacy in ameliorating the clinical course of fibrotic diseases, but our current understanding led to the development of different drugs with promising results, like: mycophenolate mofetil, interferon, relaxin, and intravenous immunoglobulin. This review will provide a glance to this heavily investigated subject.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine “B” and the Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    Ziv Paz & Yehuda Shoenfeld

  2. The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Ziv Paz & Yehuda Shoenfeld

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  1. Ziv Paz
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  2. Yehuda Shoenfeld
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Correspondence to Yehuda Shoenfeld.

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Paz, Z., Shoenfeld, Y. Antifibrosis: To Reverse the Irreversible. Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol 38, 276–286 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12016-009-8157-7

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