Figure 7.

Schematic representation of the cross-talk between hepatocytes and stellate cells in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Nrf2 activation leads to the upregulation of the xCT anti-porter system, which introduces cysteine within the hepatocytes and favors the efflux of glutamate in the extracellular space. Glutamate binds its mGluR5 receptor on the stellate cell surface, which synthetizes and releases 2-AG. 2-AG, once bound to its receptor CB1R, promotes the de novo lipogenesis mechanism activation and consequent lipid accumulation in the hepatic cells.