Authors
Hongyan Bian, Aochun Wu, Jinlin Tang, Zhiwei Wang, Jiayi Song, Yi Meng, Xiao Xu, Xinrui Lv
Published in
Frontiers in pharmacology. Volume 17. Pages 1912482. Epub Sep 30, 2026.
Abstract
Though apelin is involved in cardiovascular, metabolic, and homeostasis disorders, its role in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of apelin in promoting hepatic inflammation in ALD.
RAW 264.7 macrophages and a chronic alcohol-fed C57BL/6 mouse model were used. Apelin activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and PD98059 pretreatment attenuated apelin-induced MCP-1 and PCNA expression. Inflammatory and proliferative markers (MCP-1, IL-6, PCNA) were assessed by qRT-PCR and western blot. ERK signaling was evaluated using the inhibitor PD98059. Liver pathology was examined by H&E and Oil Red O staining.
Alcohol upregulated apelin expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Apelin-13 increased MCP-1 and PCNA expression in time- and dose-dependent manners. Apelin overexpression enhanced, while siRNA knockdown reduced, inflammatory and proliferative gene expression. Apelin activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and PD98059 pretreatment attenuated apelin-induced MCP-1 and PCNA expression. In vivo, apelin overexpression exacerbated steatosis, ballooning degeneration, and inflammatory infiltration, with elevated MCP-1, IL-6, and PCNA levels.
Apelin aggravates inflammatory responses and hepatic steatosis in ALD via the ERK signaling pathway, suggesting that the apelin/APJ/p-ERK/inflammation axis may represent a novel therapeutic target for ALD.
PMID:
42876529
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Oct 2026.
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