Genetic and Epigenetic Profile of Patients With Alcoholic Liver Disease
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2017, Vol 16, Issue 4
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a definition encompassing a spectrum of disorders ranging from simple steatosis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Excessive alcohol consumption triggers a series of metabolic reactions that affect the liver by inducing lipogenesis, increasing oxidative stress, and causing abnormal inflammatory responses. The metabolic pathways regulating lipids, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and immune system are closely related and in some cases cross-regulate each other. Therefore, it must be taken into account that major genetic and epigenetic abnormalities affecting enzymes involved in one of such pathways can play a pivotal role in ALD pathogenesis. However, recent studies have pointed out how a significant predisposition can also be determined by minor variants, such as relatively common polymorphisms, epigenetic modifications, and microRNA abnormalities. Genetic and epigenetic factors can also affect the progression of liver diseases, promoting fibrogenesis, cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma. It is noteworthy that some of these factors, such as some of the cytokines involved in the abnormal inflammatory responses, are shared with non-alcoholic liver disease, while other factors are unique to ALD. The study of the genetic and epigenetic components involved in the liver damages caused by alcohol is crucial to identify individuals with high risk of developing ALD, design personalized protocols for prevention and/or treatment, and select the best molecular targets for new therapies.
Authors and Affiliations
Luigi Boccuto, Ludovico Abenavoli
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP189416
- DOI 10.5604/01.3001.0010.0274
- Views 124
- Downloads 0
Epidemiological assessment of liver disease in northeastern Brazil by means of a standardized liver biopsy protocol
Background. Intestinal intussusception in adults is associated with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, abdominal tumors or previous abdominal surgery but most often of unknown origin. Aim. The aim of our...
Primary prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin in cirrhotic patients with ascites: a randomized, double blind study
Introduction and aim. There is scarce information about primary prophylaxis in cirrhotic patients. The aim was to assess the efficacy of ciprofloxacin for primary prophylaxis for bacterial infections in patients with cir...
Porphyria cutanea tarda in an HCV-positive liver transplant patient: a case report
Introduction. Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is the most common type of porphyria. The strong association between PCT and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is well established. Although antiviral treatment of chronic hepa...
Vitamin D Deficiency is not Associated with Fatty Liver in a Mexican Population
Introduction and aim. Association of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) with fatty liver (FL) disease is controversial. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association of VDD with FL. Material and methods. Cross-section...
Early warning of liver disease in diabetics