The exact mechanism for alcoholic liver disease is yet not known, but lipid accumulation indicates to be the pivot. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) has a key role in controlling lipid homeostasis, metabolising bioactive molecules, and modulating inflammatory responses. 

The roles of PPARα in alcoholic liver injury, was investigated by continuously feeding a diet containing 4% ethanol to wild-type and PPARα-null mice, followed by analyzing liver injury. 

The observations were as follows-

• Marked hepatomegaly, hepatic inflammation, cell toxicity, fibrosis, apoptosis, and mitochondrial swelling was seen in PPARα-null mice fed with ethanol.
• Few of the mentioned hepatic abnormalities corresponded with those of patients with alcoholic liver injury and were not seen in wild-type mice. 
• Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms of ethanol-induced liver injury in PPARα-null mice were analyzed.
• Changes related to ethanol and acetaldehyde metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, hepatocyte proliferation, fibrosis, and mitochondrial permeability transition activation were noted particularly in PPARα-null mice than the wild-type mice. 

Thus it was concluded that PPARα has a proactive role in alcoholic liver disease. 

Since PPARα expression in the human liver is lower than rodents, they may be more susceptible to liver toxicity induced by ethanol. 

Source- Nakajima T, Kamijo Y, Tanaka N, Sugiyama E, Tanaka E, Kiyosawa K. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α protects against alcohol-induced liver damage, Hepatology 2004;40(4):972–980.