Choline metabolism provides novel insights into nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its progression.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of review

Choline is an essential nutrient and the liver is a central organ responsible for choline metabolism. Hepatosteatosis and liver cell death occur when humans are deprived of choline. In the last few years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that influence choline requirements in humans and in our understanding of choline's effects on liver function. These advances are useful in elucidating why nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs and progresses sometimes to hepatocarcinogenesis.

Recent findings

Humans eating low-choline diets develop fatty liver and liver damage. This dietary requirement for choline is modulated by estrogen and by single-nucleotide polymorphisms in specific genes of choline and folate metab

SUBMITTER: Corbin KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3601486 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature