Abrogation of the antifibrotic effects of natural killer cells/interferon-gamma contributes to alcohol acceleration of liver fibrosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Chronic alcohol drinking accelerates liver fibrosis in patients with viral hepatitis that cannot be fully explained by ethanol-enhanced liver damage. Here, we identified a novel mechanism by which alcohol accelerates liver fibrosis: inhibition of the antifibrotic effects of natural killer (NK) cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma).

Methods

Alcohol administration was achieved by feeding mice with a liquid diet containing 5% ethanol for 8 weeks. Liver fibrosis was induced by administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) for 2 weeks. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were also isolated and cultured for in vitro studies.

Results

CCl(4) treatment induced greater fibrosis and less apoptosis of HSCs in ethanol-fed mice compared with pair-fed mice. Polyinosin

SUBMITTER: Jeong WI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2923436 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature