A Coupled Approach Utilizing Immunohistochemistry and Immunocytochemistry to Visualize Cellular Lipophagy

Aberrant liver function as a consequence of excessive fat accumulation as observed in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is responsible for a plethora of disorders leading to the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. In most cases, the cause of NAFLD is not completely understood but has been primarily linked to the occurrence of insulin resistance that often accompanies obesity, dyslipidemia, and Type 2 Diabetes. Hence, it is of paramount importance to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of lipid metabolism underlying the pathogenesis of NAFLD and its comorbidities. Recent evidence indicates the role of lipid turnover in the pathophysiology of NAFLD via autophagy, namely lipophagy. Moreover, certain features of the liver such as its regenerative capacity make it an autophagy-dependent organ. This paper describes several autophagy molecular imaging tools that can be employed to visualize hepatic lipid turnover to elucidate the importance of this signaling cascade in pathological conditions, especially NAFLD.