Toxicities in NAFLD Research

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the United States that progresses through multiple stages including simple fatty liver, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Exogenous stressors such as vinyl chloride, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, and mercury have been associated with suspected NAFLD cases. This project seeks to identify other xenobiotics that can drive the progression of NAFLD, their hepatic exposure mechanisms, and the molecular mechanisms behind each toxicity.