Expression and Cytoskeletal Association of Integrin Subunits Is Selectively Increased in Rat Perivenous Hepatocytes After Chronic Ethanol Administration

Abstract

The increases in integrin expression and cytoskeletal association observed after chronic ethanol administration suggest that a process downstream of integrin-ECM interactions is impaired selectively in PV hepatocytes, possibly involving altered focal adhesion assembly or turnover, processes essential for efficient cell-ECM adhesion. Alterations in these processes could contribute to the impaired hepatocyte function and structure observed after chronic ethanol administration.