摘要
Excessive alcohol intake may induce hepatic apoptosis, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even cancer. Ethanolinduced activation of general or selective autophagy as mitophagy or lipophagy in hepatocytes is generally considered a prosurvival mechanism. On the other side of the coin, upregulation of autophagy in nonhepatocytes as stellate cells may stimulate fibrogenesis and subsequently induce detrimental effects on the liver. The autophagic response of other non-hepatocytes as macrophages and endothelial cells is unknown yet and needs to be investigated as these cells play important roles in ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis and damage. Selective pharmacological stimulation of autophagy in hepatocytes may be of therapeutic importance in alcoholic liver disease.
Excessive alcohol intake may induce hepatic apoptosis,steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even cancer. Ethanolinducedactivation of general or selective autophagyas mitophagy or lipophagy in hepatocytes is generallyconsidered a prosurvival mechanism. On the otherside of the coin, upregulation of autophagy in nonhepatocytesas stellate cells may stimulate fibrogenesisand subsequently induce detrimental effects on the liver.The autophagic response of other non-hepatocytes asmacrophages and endothelial cells is unknown yet andneeds to be investigated as these cells play importantroles in ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis and damage.Selective pharmacological stimulation of autophagyin hepatocytes may be of therapeutic importance inalcoholic liver disease.
