Perilipin-1 differentiates chronic from acute hepatocyte steatosis

Hepatocellular steatosis is the most frequent liver disease in the western world and may develop further to steatohepatitis liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. We have previously shown that lipid droplet (LD)-associated proteins of the perilipin/PAT-protein family are differenzially expressed in hepatocyte steatosis and perilipin is de novo expressed. Aim of this study was to analyze the condition of de novo expression of perilipin in vitro and in vivo. Whereas perilipin and adipophilin were expressed in chronic liver disease irrespective of the underlying etiology, in acute steatosis such as in previ…