We identified, in the transcriptome analysis of patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH), osteopontin (OPN) as one of the most up-regulated genes. Here, we used a translational approach to investigate its pathogenic role. OPN hepatic gene expression was quantified in patients with AH and other liver diseases. OPN protein expression and processing were assessed by immmunohistochemistry, western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OPN gene polymorphisms were evaluated in patients with alcoholic liver disease. The role of OPN was evaluated in OPN−/− mice with alcohol-induced liver injury. OPN biological actions were studied in human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and in precision-cut liver slices. Hepatic expression and serum levels of OPN were markedly increased in AH, compared to normal livers and other types of chronic liver diseases, and correlated with short-term survival. Serum levels of OPN also correlated with hepatic expression and disease severity. OPN was mainly expressed in areas with inflammation and fibrosis. Two proteases that process OPN (thrombin and matrix metalloproteinase 7) and cleaved OPN were increased in livers with AH. Patients with AH had a tendency of a lower frequency of the CC genotype of the +1239C single-nucleotide polymorphism of the OPN gene, compared to patients with alcohol abuse without liver disease. Importantly, OPN−/− mice were protected against alcohol-induced liver injury and showed decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines. Finally, OPN was induced by lipopolysaccharide and stimulated inflammatory actions in HSCs. Conclusion: Human and experimental data suggest a role for OPN in the pathogenesis of AH. Further studies should evaluate OPN as a potential therapeutic target. (Hepatology 2013;58:1742–1756)

Background: Controversial results have been reported about the effects of alcoholism on the functionality of monocytes. In the present study we analyze the effects of chronic alcoholism on the intracellular production of inflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood (PB) monocytes.Methods: Spontaneous and in vitro‐stimulated production of interleukin (IL) 1α (TNFα) by PB monocytes was analyzed at the single level by flow cytometry in chronic alcoholics without liver disease and active ethanol (EtOH) intake (AWLD group), as well as in patients with alcohol liver cirrhosis (ALC group), who were either actively drinking (ALCET group) or with alcohol withdrawal (ALCAW group).Results: A significantly increased spontaneous production of IL1β, IL6, IL12, and TNFα was observed on PB monocytes among AWLD individuals. Conversely, circulating monocytes form ALCET patients showed an abnormally low spontaneous and stimulated production of inflammatory cytokines. No significant changes were observed in ALCAW group as regards production of IL1β, IL6, IL12, and TNFα.Conclusion: Our results show an altered pattern of production of inflammatory cytokines in PB monocytes from chronic alcoholic patients, the exact abnormalities observed depending on both the status of EtOH intake and the existence of alcoholic liver disease. © 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society

Current studies evidence the role of miRNAs in extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key regulators of pathological processes, including neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. As EVs can cross the blood–brain barrier, and EV miRNAs are very stable in peripheral circulation, we evaluated the potential gender differences in inflammatory-regulated miRNAs levels in human and murine plasma EVs derived from alcohol-intoxicated female and male adolescents, and whether these miRNAs could be used as biomarkers of neuroinflammation. We demonstrated that while alcohol intoxication lowers anti-inflammatory miRNA (mir-146a-5p, mir-21-5p, mir-182-5p) levels in plasma EVs from human and mice female adolescents, these EV miRNAs increased in males. In mice brain cortices, ethanol treatment lowers mir-146a-5p and mir-21-5p levels, while triggering a higher expression of inflammatory target genes (Traf6, Stat3, and Camk2a) in adolescent female mice. These results indicate, for the first time, that female and male adolescents differ as regards the ethanol effects associated with the inflammatory-related plasma miRNAs EVs profile, and suggest that female adolescents are more vulnerable than males to the inflammatory effects of binge alcohol drinking. These findings also support the view that circulating miRNAs in EVs could be useful biomarkers for screening ethanol-induced neuroinflammation and brain damage in adolescence.

Aims: To determine whether the functional polymorphism −592C>A of the interleukin (IL)-10 gene (IL10) influences the development of alcoholic liver disease or alcoholism in alcoholic Spanish subjects. Methods: The −592C>A IL10 polymorphism was analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction and digestion with restriction enzymes in 257 male alcoholics [161 without alcoholic liver disease and 96 with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC)] and 100 male healthy controls. Results: We found no association between the −592C>A IL10 polymorphism and ALC. Meta-analysis combining this result and data from previous studies failed also to show any significant association between this polymorphism and alcoholic liver disease. However, the frequency of allele A carriers (CA and AA genotypes) was significantly higher in alcoholic patients (defined as patients with abuse or dependence of alcohol) than in healthy controls. Conclusion: The −592C>A IL10 polymorphism is not related to the risk of ALC. Nevertheless, our study shows that alcoholism is associated with an excess of allele A carriers in alcoholic patients.