title: Role of Kupffer cells in alcoholic hepatitis.
abstract: Kupffer cells play a major role in alcoholic liver disease. Oxidative stress and endotoxin are major mediators of the inflammatory process in alcoholic hepatitis. Recent evidence supports the suggestion that endotoxin-induced signal transduction begins with CD14-mediated activation of Toll-receptor 4 and subsequent activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) binding activity. Free radicals from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in Kupffer cells also activate NF-kappa B binding activity. Inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 are up-regulated in response to binding of NF-kappa B. A combined role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and cyclooxygenase-2 is important in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Center for the Study of Liver Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. ananji@pathology.hku.hk
authors.forename: Amin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nanji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*