Faculty Collaboration Database

Ethanol exposure depletes hepatic pigment epithelium-derived factor, a novel lipid regulator. Gastroenterology 2009 Jan;136(1):331-340.e2

Date

11/11/2008

Pubmed ID

18996124

Pubmed Central ID

PMC2833423

DOI

10.1053/j.gastro.2008.09.065

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-59849112636 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   38 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Ethanol abuse can lead to hepatic steatosis and evolve into cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a multifunctional secreted glycoprotein that is expressed by hepatocytes. Proteomic, experimental, and clinical studies implicate PEDF's role in lipid regulation. Because matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/9 activity regulates PEDF levels, we investigated whether PEDF degradation by MMPs has a permissive role in ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis.

METHODS: PEDF levels were examined in liver biopsy specimens from patients with ethanol-induced steatosis. Hepatic PEDF levels and MMP activity were assessed in 2 animal models of ethanol feeding (rats on an alcohol-containing liquid diet and mice given intragastric infusion of ethanol). The consequences of PEDF depletion in the liver were examined in PEDF-null mice.

RESULTS: Liver biopsy samples from patients with ethanol-induced steatosis had reduced PEDF levels, compared with normal liver samples. Ethanol-fed animals had histologic steatosis and increased liver triglyceride content (P< .05), as well as reduced levels of hepatic PEDF and increased MMP-2/9 activity. Ethanol-exposed hepatic lysates degraded PEDF in a MMP-2/9-dependent manner, and liver sections demonstrated abundant MMP-2/9 activity in situ. Addition of recombinant PEDF to PEDF-null hepatocytes, reduced their triglyceride content.

CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol exposure leads to marked loss of hepatic PEDF in human livers and in 2 animal models of ethanol feeding. Loss of PEDF contributes to the accumulation of lipids in ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis.

Author List

Chung C, Shugrue C, Nagar A, Doll JA, Cornwell M, Gattu A, Kolodecik T, Pandol SJ, Gorelick F

Author

Jennifer A. Doll PhD Assistant Professor in the Biomedical Sciences department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Ethanol
Eye Proteins
Fatty Liver
Gelatinases
Hepatic Stellate Cells
Humans
Lipid Metabolism
Liver
Male
Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
Nerve Growth Factors
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Serpins
Triglycerides