title: Antifibrosis: to reverse the irreversible.
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.
authors: Department of Medicine B, Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors: Ziv
authors: Z
authors: Paz
authors: Yehuda
authors: Y
authors: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents