PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin involved in the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines and is one of the essential vitamins for human growth and reproduction. Folate deficiency due to low dietary intake, poor absorption of folate, and alterations in folate metabolism due to genetic defects or drug interactions significantly increases the risk of diseases such as neural tube defects, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive dysfunction. Recent studies have shown that folate deficiency can cause hyperhomocysteinemia, which increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and that high homocysteine levels are an independent risk factor for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. In addition, folate deficiency results in increased secretion of pro-inflammatory factors and impaired lipid metabolism in the liver, leading to lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and fibrosis. There is substantial evidence that folate deficiency contributes to the development and progression of a variety of liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), viral hepatitis, hepatic fibrosis, and liver cancer. Here we review key studies on the role of folate in the pathophysiology of liver diseases, summarize the current status of studies on folate in the treatment of liver diseases, and speculate that folate may be a potential therapeutic target for liver diseases.
摘要：
叶酸是参与嘌呤和嘧啶合成的水溶性B族维生素，是人体生长和生殖必需的维生素之一。叶酸缺乏由于低饮食摄入量，叶酸吸收不良，和改变叶酸代谢由于遗传缺陷或药物相互作用显着增加疾病的风险，如神经管缺陷，心血管疾病,癌症,和认知功能障碍。最近的研究表明,叶酸缺乏可引起高同型半胱氨酸血症,这增加了高血压和心血管疾病的风险，高同型半胱氨酸水平是肝纤维化和肝硬化的独立危险因素。此外,叶酸缺乏导致肝脏中促炎症因子分泌增加和脂质代谢受损，导致肝细胞脂质积累和纤维化。有大量证据表明，叶酸缺乏有助于各种肝脏疾病的发展和进展，包括非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD），非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH），酒精性肝病（ALD），病毒性肝炎,肝纤维化，还有肝癌.在这里，我们回顾了叶酸在肝脏疾病的病理生理学中的作用的关键研究，总结叶酸治疗肝病的研究现状,并推测叶酸可能是肝脏疾病的潜在治疗靶点。
