Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesAnimal StudyEurope PMC

Alcohol activates the hedgehog pathway and induces related procarcinogenic processes in the alcohol-preferring rat model of hepatocarcinogenesis

Chan IS., Guy CD., Machado MV., Wank A., Kadiyala V., Michelotti G.

Animal Study, published in Alcohol Clin Exp Res (2014) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesEvidence level of this study

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
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This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Animal Study
Journal
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (2014)
Reported sample size
—
Source database
Europe PMC
PMID
24164383
PMCID
PMC4054878
DOI
10.1111/acer.12279
Citations
26

Abstract (original English)

Background Alcohol consumption promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The responsible mechanisms are not well understood. Hepatocarcinogenesis increases with age and is enhanced by factors that impose a demand for liver regeneration. Because alcohol is hepatotoxic, habitual alcohol ingestion evokes a recurrent demand for hepatic regeneration. The alcohol-preferring (P) rat model mimics the level of alcohol consumption by humans who habitually abuse alcohol. Previously, we showed that habitual heavy alcohol ingestion amplified age-related hepatocarcinogenesis in P rats, with over 80% of alcohol-consuming P rats developing HCCs after 18 months of alcohol exposure, compared with only 5% of water-drinking controls. Methods Herein, we used quantitative real-time PCR and quantitative immunocytochemistry to compare liver tissues from alcohol-consuming P rats and water-fed P rat controls after 6, 12, or 18 months of drinking. We aimed to identify potential mechanisms that might underlie the differences in liver cancer formation and hypothesized that chronic alcohol ingestion would activate Hedgehog (HH), a regenerative signaling pathway that is overactivated in HCC. Results Chronic alcohol ingestion amplified age-related degenerative changes in hepatocytes, but did not cause appreciable liver inflammation or fibrosis even after 18 months of heavy drinking. HH signaling was also enhan

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

How we grade evidence
LiverAnimalsRatsLiver Neoplasms, ExperimentalEthanolCentral Nervous System DepressantsRandom AllocationHedgehog ProteinsEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionCarcinogenesis

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