Chronic ethanol-induced liver injury was studied in C5aR-/-, myeloid specific C5aR-/- and non-myeloid specific C5aR-/- mice.
Global C5aR-/- mice were protected from ethanol-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production but still had elevated markers of liver injury.
Non-myeloid specific C5aR-/- expressed more pro-inflammatory mediators and hepatocyte apoptosis following chronic ethanol feeding.
C5a increased activation of cell-protective signaling pathways and protected hepatocytes from cytotoxicity induced by ethanol and TNFα.