Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, a potential therapeutic target for alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

Alcoholic liver injury represents a progressive process with a range of consequences including hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Targeting key molecular regulators involved in the development of alcoholic liver injury may be of great value in the prevention of liver injury. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) plays a pivotal role in modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and fibrogenesis. As such, PPARα may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.

Keywords: Alcoholic liver disease; Oxidative stress; Inflammation; Fibrosis; Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α

Core tip: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is among the most common chronic liver disease. Modulation of therapeutic genes could potentially provide a novel and more effective treatment option. In this paper, we summarized the potential therapeutic role of PPARα modulation and illustrated the mechanism of PPARα in modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and fibrogenesis in alcoholic liver disease. It is identified that PPARα agonists may serve as an effective therapeutic strategy for ALD.