Fig. 1

Multiple roles of neutrophils in the microenvironment of alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol causes liver damage via acetaldehyde/oxidative stress and endotoxins produced during microbiota translocation. DAMPs and chemokines activate and recruit neutrophils in different ways. On the one hand, hepatocyte injury can be induced by excessive NETs and ROS, and decreased miR-223 promotes IL-6 production, which further contributes to liver injury. The decreased antibacterial ability aggravates infection susceptibility and mortality in advanced liver diseases. On the other hand, neutrophils inhibit liver injury by phagocytosing necrotic cellular debris and secrete hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to assist hepatocyte regeneration