Therapeutic Inhibition of Inflammatory Monocyte Recruitment Reduces Steatohepatitis and Liver Fibrosis

The CCR2/CCR5 inhibitor cenicriviroc blocks infiltration of inflammatory monocytes into the liver, thereby reducing NASH progression and fibrosis. Overall design: The study demonstrates the hepatic accumulation of inflammatory CCR2+ macrophages in patients with NASH fibrosis and reveals that the dual CCR2/CCR5 inhibitor CVC effectively ameliorates steatohepatitis and fibrosis in mouse models by inhibiting the infiltration of monocytes during chronic liver injury. Thus, this study provides functional evidence for the successful therapeutic targeting of monocyte recruitment in steatohepatitis and fibrosis, mandating the clinical development of CCR2/CCR5 inhibitors in patients with NASH.