Alcoholic liver disease: Current insights into cellular mechanisms

Figure 3 Innate and adaptive immune response to alcohol exposure. Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells and natural killer cells are components of the innate immune system which becomes activated following chronic alcohol consumption. This leads to the release of inflammatory cytokines, causing further recruitment of inflammatory cells. The adaptive immune system also becomes activated releasing inflammatory mediators as well as antibody generation to protein and Malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde adducts. Both immune response mechanisms eventually become dysregulated over time with alcohol consumption. (Figure created with BioRender.com). HSC: Hepatic stellate cell; IFN-γ: Interferon-γ; IL: Interleukin; KC: Kupffer cell; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide; NK: Natural killer; NKT: Natural killer T; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor β; TLR4: Toll-like receptor 4; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α.