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DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1810768
Hepatocyte Mboat7 is a driver of inflammation and fibrosis in alcohol-associated liver disease
Background: Alcohol related liver disease (ALD) remains the dominant driver of liver mortality in world. Treatment options for ALD remains limited and MBOAT7 locus, associated with alcohol related liver cirrhosis (AC), could be a starting point for uncovering novel disease mechanisms.
Objective: Membrane-bound-O-acyltransferase domain 7 (MBOAT7) is a transmembrane protein involved in acyl chain remodeling of phosphatidylinositol (PI) within Land’s cycle. In addition to liver disease such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the MBOAT7 risk variant rs641738C>T is associated with AC. This study investigates the role of hepatocyte-specific MBOAT7 in the progression of ALD.
Design: Hepatocyte-specific MBOAT7 deficient (Mboat7Δhep) and sufficient (Mboat7WT) mice were fed an ethanol diet (modified NIAAA model) or control diet. Livers were studied by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, histology, qPCR, RNA sequencing, lipidomic and metabolomic analyses. Metabolomic profiling was also conducted on liver biopsies from ALD patients, stratified by rs641738C>T genotype.
Results: Ethanol diet fed, Mboat7Δhep mice developed enhanced steatosis with increased levels of cholesterol esters and triglycerides, compared to the Mboat7WT mice. Mboat7 deficiency resulted in severe inflammation, and fibrosis confirmed by histological, transcriptomic, and flow cytometry analyses. Notably, arachidonic acid-derived eicosanoids, including 5-HETE and 20-HETE, were significantly elevated in livers of ethanol-fed Mboat7Δhep mice and ALD patients with the rs641738 C>T risk variant. Treatment of ethanol-fed Mboat7Δhep mice with a 20-HETE inhibitor reduced hepatic accumulation of monocytes and macrophages, and reduced inflammatory markers such as Vcam1, Ccr2, IL1rn, and Cxcl10 (P<0.05) mitigating inflammation. This decreased inflammation corroborated with decreased fibrosis markers, particularly Col1a1, Col3a1 and Col4a2 (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Hepatocyte-specific MBOAT7 deficiency promotes inflammation and fibrosis in ALD via arachidonic acid-derived eicosanoids, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for managing this disease.
Publication History
Article published online:
04 September 2025
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