IL-17 plays a role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. IL-17 stimulates multiple types of liver nonparenchymal cells to secrete proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, thereby inducing and promoting liver inflammation. IL-17 also promotes liver fibrogenesis by hepatic stellate cell activation. In addition, IL-17 may stimulate hepatocytes to produce C-reactive proteins and promote hepatocyte survival.
