New Study: Alcohol Damages Liver's Natural Regeneration Process
A new study published in Nature Communications sheds light on how alcohol-associated liver diseases disrupt the liver's natural regeneration process. Researchers found that a deficiency in a specific protein, ESRP2, leads to dysfunctional RNA splicing in diseased liver cells, hindering their ability to revert to fetal-like progenitor cells for repair.
In healthy livers, cells can regenerate by reverting to an earlier state, similar to fetal liver cells. However, in livers damaged by alcohol, this process is interrupted. The study revealed that inflammation triggered by alcohol-associated liver diseases causes a deficiency in a protein crucial for RNA splicing, leading to proteins being in the wrong place and affecting the shift to regeneration.
The protein ESRP2, involved in RNA splicing, is missing in damaged liver cells of individuals with alcohol dependence. This absence results in dysfunctional splicing, impaired protein synthesis, and disruption of liver regeneration. As a result, damaged cells are stuck in a state between being damaged and entering a regenerative state, further exacerbating liver diseases like alcohol-associated hepatitis and cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure and require transplantation.
The findings highlight the critical role of ESRP2 in liver regeneration and suggest that targeting this protein or its associated pathways could potentially restore the liver's regenerative capacity in individuals with alcohol-associated liver diseases. Further research is needed to explore these possibilities and develop effective therapeutic strategies.
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