Lipid metabolism and liver inflammation. I. Hepatic fatty acid uptake: possible role in steatosis.

Hepatic steatosis is a growing public health concern. Nonalcoholic fatty liver is increasingly common in Western societies and may lead to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, possibly triggered by lipid peroxidation. The relation of fatty liver to obesity, type II diabetes, and/or metabolic syndrome is significant. One aspect these related disorders share is increased serum-free fatty acids, which may be taken up by hepatocytes. Uptake of fatty acids in excess of metabolic requirements will lead to storage as triglycerides, resulting in steatosis and providing substrate for lipid peroxidation. Fatty acid uptake may be crucial to understanding steatosis.