Macrophage secretory products induce an inflammatory phenotype in hepatocytes.

Aim: To investigate the influence of macrophages on hepatocyte phenotype and function.

Methods: Macrophages were differentiated from THP-1 monocytes via phorbol myristate acetate stimulation and the effects of monocyte or macrophage-conditioned medium on HepG2 mRNA and protein expression determined. The in vivo relevance of these findings was confirmed using liver biopsies from 147 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.