Hepatic CTSB Is Kupffer Cell-Enriched, Whereas Disease-State Stratification Is More Strongly Cap

We read with great interest the recent article published in the Journal of Hepatology, entitled “Macrophage-derived cathepsin B disrupts intestinal tight junctions through occludin degradation and promotes alcohol-associated liver disease” (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2026.01.013). Using clinical cohorts, animal models, and in vitro experiments, the authors provided causal evidence for a pathophysiological cascade linking intestinal macrophage-derived cathepsin B (CTSB) to occludin degradation, intestinal barrier disruption, endotoxin translocation, and subsequent liver injury.