Chronic ethanol consumption in mice alters hepatocyte lipid droplet properties.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hepatosteatosis is a common pathological feature of impaired hepatic metabolism following chronic alcohol consumption. Although often benign and reversible, it is widely believed that steatosis is a risk factor for development of advanced liver pathologies, including steatohepatitis and fibrosis. The hepatocyte alterations accompanying the initiation of steatosis are not yet clearly defined.

Methods

Induction of hepatosteatosis by chronic ethanol consumption was investigated using the Lieber-DeCarli (LD) high fat diet model. Effects were assessed by immunohistochemistry and blood and tissue enzymatic assays. Cell culture models were employed for mechanistic studies.

Results

Pair feeding mice ethanol (LD-Et) or isocaloric control (LD-Co) diets for 6 weeks pr

SUBMITTER: Orlicky DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4158406 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature