Challenge and direction of research on alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease ( ALD) will likely become one of major etiologies of chronic liver diseases in the future. The diagnosis and management of ALD were recently updated bythe EASL, AASLD, APASL, and Chinese clinical practical guidelines in 2010- 2012. However, the pathogenesis of ALD still remains obscure. In this editorial, we briefly summarize the recently discovered molecular mechanisms, chronic- binge ethanol feeding model ( Gao- binge model) , and therapeutic targets for ALD. We also discuss the different characteristics of ALD between China and Western countries due to differences in ALDH2 genotypes and other genetic factors, drinking patterns, and co- factors. The number of ALD patients is alarmingly rising in China, so it is critical to conduct nationwide large- scale epidemiological ALD surveys, to promote basic and clinical ALD research, and explore novel therapies for ALD in China.