Differences in betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase expression, endoplasmic reticulum stress response, and liver injury between alcohol-fed mice and rats.

ABSTRACT:

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Chronic ethanol infusion resulted in greater serum alanine aminotransferase elevation, lipid accumulation, necroinflammation, and focal hepatic cell death in mice than rats. Mice exhibited a remarkable hyperhomocysteinemia but no increase was seen in rats. Similarly, a high-methionine low-folate diet (HMLF) induced less steatosis, serum alanine aminotransferase increase, and hyperhomocysteinemia in rats than in mice. Western blot analysis of betaine homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) expression showed that rats fed either ethanol or HMLF had significantly increased BHMT expression, which did not occur in mice. Nuclear factor-kappaB p65 was increased in mouse in response to alcohol feeding. The human BHMT promoter was repressed by homocysteine in mouse hepatocytes but

SUBMITTER: Shinohara M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2840074 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature