title: Undernutrition enhances alcohol-induced hepatocyte proliferation in the liver of rats fed via total enteral nutrition.
abstract: To assess the relative contributions of undernutrition and ethanol (EtOH) exposure to alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity, female Sprague-Dawley rats were intragastrically infused liquid diets containing 187 or 154 kcal.kg(-3/4).day(-1) with or without 11 g.kg(-1).day(-1) EtOH. EtOH clearance was impaired in the 154 kcal.kg(-3/4).day(-1) EtOH group (P < or = 0.05). A combination of undernutrition and EtOH also increased the induction of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP)2E1 and CYP4A1 mRNA, apoprotein, and activities (P < or = 0.05). This was accompanied by increased oxidative stress (P < or = 0.05). The severity of liver steatosis, macrophage infiltration, and focal necrosis was comparable in both EtOH groups. Alanine aminotransferase levels were elevated (P < or = 0.05) but did not significantly differ between the two EtOH groups. TUNEL analysis also demonstrated a comparable increase in apoptosis in the two EtOH groups (P < or = 0.05). The development of alcohol-induced liver pathology was accompanied by little change in fatty acid (FA) synthesis or degradation at 187 kcal.kg(-3/4).day(-1) but at 154 kcal.kg(-3/4).day(-1) was accompanied by decreased expression of FA synthesis genes and increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha)-regulated FA degradation pathways (P < or = 0.05). In addition, 154 kcal.kg(-3/4).day(-1) EtOH group livers exhibited greater hepatocyte proliferation (P < or = 0.05). We conclude that undernutrition does not exacerbate alcoholic steatohepatitis despite additional oxidative stress produced by an increased induction of CYP2E1 and CYP4A1. However, enhanced ethanol-induced cellular proliferation, perhaps as a result of enhanced PPAR-alpha signaling, may contribute to an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in undernourished alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA.
authors.forename: January N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Baumgardner
authors.forename: Kartik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.forename: Sohelia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korourian
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Badger
authors.forename: Martin J J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ronis
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A / Q000378:metabolism; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009929:Organ Size; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000502:physiology; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D047493:PPAR alpha; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000431:Ethanol; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A