Upregulation of human acyl-CoA synthetase 5 in fatty liver degeneration sensitizes for hepatocellular apoptosis

With the increasing incidence of obesity, diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia in Western countries, metabolic liver disease, in particular nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a growing problem (Angulo and Lindor, 2002). Hepatocellular lipid accumulation which is mainly caused by excess dietary intake, increased rates of de novo lipogenesis and/ or decreased lipid export from hepatocytes is known to be the initial stage in the pathogenesis of NAFLD (Farrell and Larter, 2006). Steatosis hepatis in itself is a reversible condition but can progress to severe acute and chronic liver disease, including n…