[Hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha mRNA expression in alcoholic liver disease]

To investigate the effect of hypoxia on chronic alcoholic liver disease.

Twenty four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly into two groups. The alcohol group (n=12) was fed 56% (v/v) of ethanol once per day by gastric infusion at 8 g/kg body weight for 24 weeks. The control group (n=12) was gastrically infused with normal saline with the same dose. At the end of 24 weeks, a blood sample was collected for determination of hepatic enzymes and then the rat was killed. Liver specimens were obtained for immunohistochemical staining and frozen at -80 degrees C used for RT-PCR.

Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity increased significantly compared to the control group. A significant elevation in the expression of HIF1-alpha in liver of alcohol group was found compared to the control group.

Hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha expression was activated by ethanol-induced injury. This information suggested that hypoxia was involved in mechanism of alcoholic liver disease.