Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, a potential therapeutic target for alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver injury represents a progressive process with a range of consequences including hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Targeting key molecular regulators involved in the development of alcoholic liver injury may be of great value in the prevention of liver injury. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) plays a pivotal role in modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and fibrogenesis. As such, PPAR alpha may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease. (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.