Alcohol and the mechanisms of liver disease

Abstract

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, covers a large spectrum of liver injuries ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathogenesis of ALD includes genetic and epigenetic alterations, oxidative stress, acetaldehyde-mediated toxicity and cytokine and chemokine-induced inflammation, metabolic reprogramming, immune damage, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. This review discusses the progress in the pathogenesis and molecular mechanism of ALD, which could provide evidence for further research on the potential therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Penthorum chinense Pursh extract ameliorates alcohol-related fatty liver disease in mice via the SIRT1/AMPK signaling axis

“…Accumulating evidence suggested that hepatic oxidative stress and inflammatory responses play a central and causal role in the pathological process of ALD [ 25 , 26 ]. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product, can unspecifically bind with proteins to form adducts, resulting in dysfunction of protein and cellular homeostasis disorders [ 27 , 28 ]. Our data showed that PGF significantly inhibited MDA levels in the alcoholic liver.…”

Hovenia dulcis: a Chinese medicine that plays an essential role in alcohol-associated liver disease

“…Ethanol triggers unrestrained inflammation and immune turbulence via regulating key cell subsets in the hepatic immune microenvironment. Kupffer cells (KC) (liver-resident macrophages) play a crucial role in the innate immune response against infections and initiating and resolving inflammation ( Yao et al, 2017 ; Chen M. et al, 2023 ). Chronic alcohol consumption impairs the intestinal mucosal barrier, leading to increase permeability and translocation of intestinal Gram-negative bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the liver.…”

Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Outcomes: Critical Mechanisms of Liver Injury Progression

“…ALD development and progression often involve gene activation and suppression without changes in DNA sequence [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. These changes are mediated by histone and DNA modifications that are part of the spectrum of epigenetic modifications.…”