New insights into lipid droplet breakdown in alcohol-associated hepatic steatosis

The mechanisms by which alcohol increases lipid droplet accumulation are still unclear. In this issue, Sen et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202408205) identify a new pathway through which chronic alcohol exposure promotes hepatic steatosis via a UBXD8-p97/VCP-HSD17β13 axis, which regulates lipid droplet homeostasis.