Kim Wanil, Chu Jin-Ok, Kim Do-Yeon, Lee Soo-Hyeon, Choi Chang-Hyung, Lee Kyung-Ha
Department of Biochemistry and Institute of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.
Department of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, 38610, Republic of Korea.
J Biol Eng. 2024 May 7;18(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s13036-024-00428-1.
Alcohol consumption, a pervasive societal issue, poses considerable health risks and socioeconomic consequences. Alcohol-induced hepatic disorders, such as fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis, underscore the need for comprehensive research. Existing challenges in mimicking chronic alcohol exposure in cellular systems, attributed to ethanol evaporation, necessitate innovative approaches. In this study, we developed a simple, reusable, and controllable device for examining the physiological reactions of hepatocytes to long-term alcohol exposure. Our approach involved a novel device designed to continuously release ethanol into the culture medium, maintaining a consistent ethanol concentration over several days. We evaluated device performance by examining gene expression patterns and cytokine secretion alterations during long-term exposure to ethanol. These patterns were correlated with those observed in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. Our results suggest that our ethanol-releasing device can be used as a valuable tool to study the mechanisms of chronic alcohol-mediated hepatic diseases at the cellular level. Our device offers a practical solution for studying chronic alcohol exposure, providing a reliable platform for cellular research. This innovative tool holds promise for advancing our understanding of the molecular processes involved in chronic alcohol-mediated hepatic diseases. Future research avenues should explore broader applications and potential implications for predicting and treating alcohol-related illnesses.
饮酒是一个普遍存在的社会问题，会带来相当大的健康风险和社会经济后果。酒精引起的肝脏疾病，如脂肪肝、酒精性肝炎、慢性肝炎、肝纤维化和肝硬化，凸显了进行全面研究的必要性。由于乙醇蒸发，在细胞系统中模拟慢性酒精暴露存在现有挑战，因此需要创新方法。在本研究中，我们开发了一种简单、可重复使用且可控的装置，用于检测肝细胞对长期酒精暴露的生理反应。我们的方法涉及一种新型装置，该装置设计用于将乙醇持续释放到培养基中，在数天内保持一致的乙醇浓度。我们通过检测长期暴露于乙醇期间的基因表达模式和细胞因子分泌变化来评估装置性能。这些模式与酒精性肝炎患者中观察到的模式相关。我们的结果表明，我们的乙醇释放装置可作为一种有价值的工具，用于在细胞水平研究慢性酒精介导的肝脏疾病的机制。我们的装置为研究慢性酒精暴露提供了一个实用的解决方案，为细胞研究提供了一个可靠的平台。这种创新工具有望增进我们对慢性酒精介导的肝脏疾病所涉及分子过程的理解。未来的研究途径应探索更广泛的应用以及对预测和治疗酒精相关疾病的潜在影响。
