title: The Emerging Role of Disturbed CoQ Metabolism in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Development and Progression.
abstract: Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterised by the accumulation of triacylglycerol in the liver, is the most common liver disorder, the causes of its development and progression to the more serious non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remain incompletely understood. Oxidative stress has been implicated as a key factor in both these processes, and mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation are also believed to play a part. Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a powerful antioxidant found in all cell membranes which has an essential role in mitochondrial respiration and also has anti-inflammatory properties. NAFLD has been shown to be associated with disturbances in plasma and liver CoQ concentrations, but the relationship between these changes and disease development and progression is not yet clear. Dietary supplementation with CoQ has been found to be hepatoprotective and to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation as well as improving mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that it may be beneficial in NAFLD. However, studies using animal models or patients with NAFLD have given inconclusive results. Overall, evidence is now emerging to indicate that disturbances in CoQ metabolism are involved in NAFLD development and progression to NASH, and this highlights the need for further studies with human subjects to fully clarify its role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College St., London NW1-0TU, UK. kbotham@rvc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Botham
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome 00161, Italy. mariarosaria.napolitano@iss.it.
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome 00161, Italy. elena.bravo@iss.it.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bravo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone
keywords: Coenzyme Q; antioxidant; inflammation; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; oxidative stress; steatosis