CCR1 is a novel target in the treatment of NASH by regulating macrophage activation through mTORC1 signaling

The number of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is dramatically increasing globally. Recently, specific chemokine receptors have garnered interest as therapeutic targets in NASH. In different murine models with NASH, the level of CCR1 in plasma and the expression of CCR1 in liver increased, suggesting that CCR1 may be involved in the progression of NASH. Recent studies have shown that a variety of chemokines and their receptors play a certain role in the development of NASH. However, the role of CCR1 in pathogenesis of NASH remains obscure. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effect of CCR1 on the development of NASH. The results suggest that the absence of CCR1 prevents hepatic steatosis and abnormal glucose metabolism in the progression of NASH, and these results emphasize the impacts of CCR1 on macrophage recruitment and fibrosis in mice with NASH. Thus, the findings of the current study provide a new strategy for the clinical treatment of NASH.