The Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Protects Against Alcoholic Liver Disease Via a Macrophage Autophagy-Dependent Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Kupffer cells, the resident macrophages of the liver, play a major role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. We have previously demonstrated that CB2 receptor protects against alcoholic liver disease by inhibiting alcohol-induced inflammation and steatosis via the regulation of Kupffer cell activation. Here, we explored the mechanism underlying these effects and hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory properties of CB2 receptor in Kupffer cells rely on activation of autophagy. For this purpose, mice invalidated for CB2 receptor (CB2(Mye-/-) mice) or for the autophagy gene ATG5 (ATG5(Mye-/-) mice) in the myeloid lineage, and their littermate wild-type mice were subjected to chronic-plus-binge ethanol feeding. CB2(Mye-/-) mice showed exacerbated alcohol-induced pro-inflammatory ge

SUBMITTER: Denaes T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4921859 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature