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Semin Liver Dis 2025; 45(01): 081-098
DOI: 10.1055/a-2490-4278
Review Article

Alcohol Plus Additional Risk Factors: Rodent Model of Liver Injury

Qixiang Wu    *
1   Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
2   Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
,
Dashuai Yang    *
1   Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
2   Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
,
Chixiang Liu    *
3   Department of Blood Transfusion, Southern Medical University, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, P.R. China
4   School of Laboratory and Biotechnology, Institute of Antibody Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
,
Tao Xu 
1   Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
2   Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
› Author Affiliations
Funding This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82373932); Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (2208085MH203); Anhui Translational Medicine Research Institute Project (2022-zhyx-C09); Anhui Outstanding Young Teachers Cultivation Program (YQZD2023023); Anhui Province University Outstanding Youth Research Project (2024AH020006); Anhui Medical University Youth Shuangpei Program (2024); The Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, P.R. China (Anhui Medical University), KFJJ-2023–11.
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Abstract

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), primarily caused by chronic excessive alcohol consumption, is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. ALD includes alcohol-associated steatotic liver, alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and can even progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Existing research indicates that the risk factors of ALD are quite numerous. In addition to drinking patterns, factors such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) deficiency, smoking, medication administration, high-fat diet (HFD), hepatitis virus infection, and disruption of circadian rhythms can also increase susceptibility to ALD. However, there is limited understanding regarding the exacerbation of liver injury by alcohol plus additional risk factors. This review presents rodent models of EtOH + “X,” which simulate the synergistic effects of alcohol and additional risk factors in causing liver injury. These models offer a further exploration of the interactions between alcohol and additional risk factors, advancing the simulation of human ALD and providing a more reliable platform for studying disease mechanisms and exploring therapeutic interventions. We summarize the modeling methods, relevant indicators of liver injury, and focus on the targets of the synergistic effects as well as the associated mechanisms.

Keywords

alcohol consumption - ALD - MetALD - animal model - liver injury

Author Contributions

Q.W.: Conceptualization; writing—original draft, reviewing, and editing; visualization.


D.Y.: Conceptualization; writing—original draft, reviewing, and editing.


C.L.: Conceptualization; writing—original draft, reviewing, and editing.


T.X.: Conceptualization; supervision; funding acquisition; writing—original draft, reviewing, and editing.


Data Availability Statement

The authors declare that all the data supporting the findings of this study are contained within the paper.


Authorship

Guarantor of the article: T.X. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.


* Qixiang Wu, Dashuai Yang, and Chixiang Liu contributed equally to this study.




Publication History

Article published online:
24 December 2024

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