• BMB Reports
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• 제47권8호
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• pp.457-462
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• 2014

The pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is not fully understood. In the present study, both in vitro and in vivo vimentin expression and secretion in NASH were investigated. The exposure of palmitate and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to HepG2 cells enhanced caspase-3 activity and vimentin expression, respectively. The combined effects of both treatments on vimentin expression and caspase-3 activation appeared to be synergic. In contrast, blockade of caspase-3 activity by zVADfmk resulted in a significant reduction of cleaved vimentin and secreted vimentin into the culture supernatant. Similarly, lipid accumulation and inflammation occurred in mice fed a methionine-choline-deficient diet; thus, vimentin expression and serum cleaved vimentin levels were increased. However, vimentin was not significantly upregulated, and no cleavage occurred in mice fed a high-fat diet. It was conclusively determined that lipid accumulation in hepatocytes induces apoptosis through a caspase-3 dependent pathway; whereas, LPS stimulates vimentin expression, leading to its cleavage and secretion. Increased vimentin fragment levels indicated the existence of substantial hepatocellular death via an apoptotic mechanism.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원식물학회 2021년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.5-5
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• 2021

Alcoholic and nonalcoholic steaohepatitis is a leading form of chronic liver disease with few biomakers ad treatment options currently available. a progressive disease of NAFLD may lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, we extracted HIMH0021, which is an active flavonoid component in the Acer tegmentosum extract, has been shown to protect against liver damage caused by hepatic dysfunction. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether HIMH0021 could regulate steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis during alcoholic or nonalcoholic metabolic process. HIMH0021, which was isolated from the active methanol extract of A. tegmentosum, inhibited alcohol-induced steatosis and attenuated the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) during hepatocellular alcohol metabolism, both of which promote lipogenesis as well as liver inflammation. Treatment with HIMH0021 conferred protection against lipogenesis and liver injury, inhibited the expression of cytochrome P4502E1, and increased serum adiponectin levels in the mice subjected to chronic-plus-binge feeding. Furthermore, in hepatocytes, HIMH0021 activated fatty acid oxidation by activating pAMPK, which comprises pACC and CPT1a. These findings suggested that HIMH0021 could be used to target a TNFα-related pathway for treating patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.179-184
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• 2007

목 적: 비만 인구 증가와 함께 비알코올성 지방간염의 유병율이 증가하고 있어 이에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있지만, 비만아 중 비알코올성 지방간염 발생의 위험요인에 대한 연구는 별로 없는 실정이어서, 비만아 중 비알코올성 지방간염을 예측할 수 있는 위험 요인을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법: 영남대학교 병원 소아 비만 클리닉을 방문한 비만아 84명을 대상으로 하였으며, ALT 40 IU/L 이하 (Group 1), 41 IU/L 이상(Group 2)로 나누었으며, 간염이 있는 경우에는 다른 원인에 의한 간염은 배제 시켰으며 나이와 총콜레스테롤, 고밀도와 저밀도 지단백 콜레스테롤, 중성지방, 비만도, 체지방률을 비교하고 빈도를 분석하였다. 결 과: 연령, 총콜레스테롤, 고밀도와 저밀도 지단백 콜레스테롤, 중성지방, 비만도, 체지방율의 평균을 비교하였을 때 1군에서는 연령이 $10.5{\pm}1.6$세, 2군은 $10.7{\pm}2.0$세였으며, 총콜레스테롤은 1군에서 $183.0{\pm}29.1$ mg/dL, 2군에서 $183.7{\pm}31.3$ mg/dL였고, 고밀도 지단백 콜레스테롤은 1군, 2군 각각 $53.0{\pm}10.2$ mg/dL, $55.7{\pm}13.0$ mg/dL, 저밀도 지단백 콜레스테롤은 1군에서 $113.4{\pm}30.2$ mg/dL, 2군에서 $113.0{\pm}30.0$ mg/dL, 중성지방은 1군에서 $99.4{\pm}62.9$ mg/dL, 2군에서 $114.2{\pm}47.3$ mg/dL, 비만도는 1군에서 $44.7{\pm}12.2%$, 2군에서 $47.9{\pm}15.1%$, 체지방률은 각각 $32.7{\pm}5.0%$, $34.0{\pm}4.8%$로 두 군 간에 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었으나, 이상지혈증의 분포는 총콜레스테롤, 고밀도와 저밀도 지단백 콜레스테롤은 두 군에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었으나, 중성지방은 110 mg/dL 이상인 경우가 1군에서 13명(28.9%), 2군에서 21명(53.8%)으로 2군에서 통계적으로 유의하게 많았다(p-value=0.023). 결 론: 비만아에서 비알코올성 지방간염을 예측할 수 있는 위험요인으로 중성지방이 유용할 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.196-208
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• 2019

Background: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the chronic inflammatory liver diseases and a leading cause of advanced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The main purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of GBCK25 fermented by Saccharomyces servazzii GB-07 and pectinase, on NASH severity in mice. Methods: Six-wk-old male mice were fed either a normal diet (ND) or a Western diet (WD) for 12 wks to induce NASH. Each group was orally administered with vehicle or GBCK25 once daily at a dose of 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, or 400 mg/kg during that time. The effects of GBCK25 on cellular damage and inflammation were determined by in vitro experiments. Results: Histopathologic analysis and hepatic/serum biochemical levels revealed that WD-fed mice showed severe steatosis and liver injury compared to ND-fed mice. Such lesions were significantly decreased in the livers of WD-fed mice with GBCK25 administration. Consistently, mRNA expression levels of NASH-related inflammatory-, fibrogenic-, and lipid metabolism-related genes were decreased in the livers of WD-fed mice administered with GBCK25 compared to WD-fed mice. Western blot analysis revealed decreased protein levels of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) with concomitantly reduced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the livers of WD-fed mice administered with GBCK25. Also, decreased cellular damage and inflammation were observed in alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) cells and RAW264.7 cells, respectively. Conclusion: Administration of GBCK25 ameliorates NASH severity through the modulation of CYP2E1 and its associated JNK-mediated cellular damage. GBCK25 could be a potentially effective prophylactic strategy to prevent metabolic diseases including NASH.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권18호
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• pp.8377-8382
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• 2016

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate any association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) (rs738409, C>G) and the development and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: Two hundred heathy controls and 388 HCC cases were included: 211 with HBV, 98 patients with HCV, 29 with alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and 52 with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The SNP was determined by real-time PCR based on TaqMan assays. Results: The prevalence of rs738409 genotypes CC, CG and GG in controls was 91 (45.5%), 88 (44.0%), and 21 (10.5%), respectively, while the corresponding genotypes in all patients with HCC was 158 (40.7%), 178 (45.9%), and 52 (13.4%). The GG genotype had significantly higher distribution in patients with ASH/NASH-related HCC compared with controls (OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.16-4.71, P=0.018), and viral-related HCC cases (OR=2.15, 95% CI=1.13-4.08, P=0.020). However, the frequency of the GG genotype was similar between controls and patients with viral-related HCC. At initial diagnosis, HBV-related HCC were larger and at more advanced BCLC stage than the other HCC groups. There were no significant differences between the GG and non-GG groups regarding clinical characteristics, tumor stage and overall survival. Conclusions: These data suggest an influence of the PNPLA3 polymorphism on the occurrence of HCC in patients with ASH/NASH but not among those with chronic viral hepatitis. However, the polymorphism was not associated with the prognosis of HCC.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.168-174
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• 2015

Purpose: Recent studies have suggested that decreased serum potassium level may contribute to various metabolic disorders in adult patients including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to study the correlation between serum potassium levels and the histologic severity of NAFLD in children. Methods: Pediatric patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether potassium levels are associated with the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or fibrosis after adjusting for possible confounders. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 125 biopsies, 49.6% (62) had evidence of NASH while 66.4% (83) had some degree of fibrosis (stage 1-3). Mean serum potassium was significantly lower in NASH group as compared to non-NASH group ($4.4{\pm}0.42mmoL/L$ vs. $4.8{\pm}0.21$, p<0.001). Higher potassium level had negative correlation with presence of steatosis, ballooning, lobular inflammation, fibrosis and NAFLD activity score (p<0.05). On multivariable analysis and after adjusting for the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, higher potassium level was significantly associated with lower likelihood of having a histological diagnosis of NASH on biopsy (odds ratio [OR], 0.12; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.05-0.28; p<0.001). Similarly, the likelihood of having fibrosis decreases by 76% for every 0.5 mmoL/L increase in potassium (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.54; p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study shows an inverse relationship between serum potassium levels and the presence of aggressive disease (NASH and fibrosis) in children with NAFLD.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.623-628
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity-induced steatohepatitis accompanied by activated hepatic macrophages/Kupffer cells facilitates the progression of hepatic fibrinogenesis and exacerbates metabolic derangements such as insulin resistance. Heme oxyganase-1 (HO-1) modulates tissue macrophage phenotypes and thus is implicated in protection against inflammatory diseases. Here, we show that the flavonoid quercetin reduces obesity-induced hepatic inflammation by inducing HO-1, which promotes hepatic macrophage polarization in favor of the M2 phenotype. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a regular diet (RD), high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD supplemented with quercetin (HF+Que, 0.5g/kg diet) for nine weeks. Inflammatory cytokines and macrophage markers were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. HO-1 protein was measured by Western blotting. RESULTS: Quercetin supplementation decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines ($TNF{\alpha}$, IL-6) and increased that of the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) in the livers of HFD-fed mice. This was accompanied by upregulation of M2 macrophage marker genes (Arg-1, Mrc1) and downregulation of M1 macrophage marker genes ($TNF{\alpha}$, NOS2). In co-cultures of lipid-laden hepatocytes and macrophages, treatment with quercetin induced HO-1 in the macrophages, markedly suppressed expression of M1 macrophage marker genes, and reduced release of MCP-1. Moreover, these effects of quercetin were blunted by an HO-1 inhibitor and deficiency of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Quercetin reduces obesity-induced hepatic inflammation by promoting macrophage phenotype switching. The beneficial effect of quercetin is associated with Nrf2-mediated HO-1 induction. Quercetin may be a useful dietary factor for protecting against obesity-induced steatohepatitis.

• BMB Reports
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.317-322
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• 2020

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases. NAFLD can further progress to irreversible liver failure such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, specific regulator of NASH-fibrosis has yet to be established. Here, we found that glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPx7) was markedly expressed in NASH fibrosis. Although GPx7 is an antioxidant enzyme protecting other organs, whether GPx7 plays a role in NASH fibrosis has yet to be studied. We found that knockdown of GPx7 in transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and free fatty acids (FFA)-treated LX-2 cells elevated the expression of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes and collagen synthesis. Consistently, GPx7 overexpression in LX-2 cells led to the suppression of ROS production and reduced the expression of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes. Further, NASH fibrosis induced by choline-deficient amino acid defined, high fat diet (CDAHFD) feeding was significantly accelerated by knockdown of GPx7, as evidenced by up-regulated liver fibrosis and inflammation compared with CDAHFD control mice. Collectively, these results suggest that GPx7 might be a novel therapeutic target to prevent the progression and development of NAFLD.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.185-192
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• 2007

목 적: 본 연구에서는 소아 비만 환자에서 발생하는 비알코올성 지방간 질환의 발병에 TNF-${\alpha}$, adiponectin, leptin 등의 adipokine들이 미치는 영향을 알아보며, 이들 adipokine과 체지방분포 및 인슐린 저항성과의 연관성을 함께 살펴보고자 하였다. 방 법: 2004년 3월에서 2005년 6월까지 분당서울대병원 소아과에 내원한 비만한 소아 61명을 대상으로 하여 비알코올성 지방간 질환의 상태에 따라 대상 환자들을 지방간 질환이 없는 소아 비만 환자(n=23), 단순 지방간(n=20), 그리고 비알코올성 지방간염(n=18)의 세군으로 나누고, 각 환자에서 혈중 TNF-${\alpha}$, leptin, adiponectin 농도를 측정하고 인슐린 저항성의 지표로서 HOMA-IR을 계산하였으며 복부 전산화단층촬영에서 VSR (visceral-subcutaneous fat ratio)을 산출하였다. 결 과: 총 61명(남 : 여=42 : 19, 평균 연령 11.2${\pm}$1.3세)의 환아를 대상으로 지방간 질환에 따라 세 군으로 나누었을 때, 세 군 간의 성별, 연령별 차이는 없었다(p=0.422, p=0.119). 각 군의 혈중 TNF-${\alpha}$ 농도는 유의한 차이가 없었고(22.13${\pm}$6.37 vs. 21.35${\pm}$6.95 vs. 25.17${\pm}$9.30; p=0.342), leptin 농도에도 유의한 차이가 없었으나 (20.29${\pm}$8.57 vs. 16.42${\pm}$6.85 vs. 20.10${\pm}$7.86; p=0.330), adiponectin은 유의한 차이를 보여 비알코올성 지방간염에서 혈중농도가 의미 있게 감소하였다 (6.08${\pm}$1.38 vs. 5.69${\pm}$0.79 vs. 4.93${\pm}$1.75; p=0.026). 복부 전산화단층 촬영에서 산출한 VSR도 지방간염군에서 유의하게 증가된 소견을 보였다(0.31${\pm}$0.08 vs. 0.32${\pm}$0.11 vs. 0.47${\pm}$0.14; p=0.001). HOMA-IR도 세 군에서 유의한 차이를 보였다(4.77${\pm}$3.67 vs. 6.89${\pm}$7.05 vs. 10.42${\pm}$6.73; p=0.000). 그러나 adiponectin과 HOMA-IR 또는 VSR간에 유의한 상관관계는 보이지 않았다(r=-0.117; p=0.450 & r=-0.106; p=0.499). 결 론: 인슐린 저항성은 비만한 소아에서 간 내 지방 축적과 지방간염으로의 진행과정에 모두 영향을 미칠 것으로 추정되며, 비만한 소아의 지방조직에서 분비되는 adipokine 중에서 adiponectin이 단순지방간에서 지방간염으로의 이행하는 기전에 관여할 것으로 여겨진다.