Alcohol induces TGFβ1 via downregulation of miR-1946a in murine lung fibroblast.

Exaggerated transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFβ1) expression worsens fibroproliferation following bleomycin-induced lung injury in alcohol-fed mice. MicroRNA (miR)-1946a is predicted to bind to the TGFβ1 3' untranslated region (UTR), thereby inhibiting its transcription. We hypothesize that alcohol suppresses miR-1946a and induces TGFβ1.