Research progress on the regulatory role of different cell death pathways in metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases that pose a significant threat to human health. An essential process in developing various diseases, including MASLD, is programmed cell death, a regulated and controlled mechanism that eliminates damaged or unnecessary cells. It is a ubiquitous process during organismal development and represents an active, orderly form of cell death. Significant progress has been made in studying programmed cell death in the context of MASLD. This review systematically summarizes various forms of cell death, including apoptosis, Pyroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis, along with their regulatory mechanisms in MASLD. It has been observed that there are interactions between different forms of cell death. As MASLD progresses through inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis stages, multiple forms of cell death may act synergistically. This article aims to provide the latest research findings and theoretical insights to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of MASLD.