Portal fibroblasts (PF) are one of the two primary cell types contributing to the myofibroblast population of the liver and are thus essential to the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a known profibrogenic chemokine that may be of particular importance in biliary fibrosis. We examined the effect of MCP-1 on release of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9...

Socioeconomic position consistently predicts coronary heart disease; however, the biologic mechanisms that may mediate this association are not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine whether socioeconomic position (measured as educational level) is associated with inflammatory risk factors for coronary heart disease, including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, soluble in...

PURPOSE Monocytes actively participate in inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to the development of adipose tissue dysfunction and atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of monocyte CCR2 chemokine receptor expression and intracellular oxidative burst with the metabolic and inflammatory factors related to body weight. METHODS The study was performed in 67 post...