In this issue of Nature Metabolism, Wang et al. identified a non-apoptotic caspase-8 function in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), in which hepatocyte-derived caspase-8 induces meteorin, which in turn activates hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to drive fibrosis. This function reveals a potential therapeutic target to directly address fibrosis and reduce the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
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Acknowledgements
Prior to submission, the author(s) used ChatGPT 4.5 to check for grammar, clarity and to shorten the text. All content was subsequently reviewed and edited by the author(s), who take full responsibility for the final version. S. Gallage was supported by a Max-Eder Junior Research Group Program of the Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid—Project ID: 701116308). M. Heikenwalder was supported by the European Commission (Horizon Europe—Mission Cancer, THRIVE, Ref. 101136622).
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Gallage, S., Bieler, T. & Heikenwalder, M. Shooting for the stars: caspase-8–meteorin in MASH and fibrosis. Nat Metab (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01361-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01361-3
