1. Able to provide written informed consent (either from subject or subject's legally acceptable representative). 2. Onset of jaundice within prior 8 weeks. 3. Average daily consumption of >40 (females) or >60 (males) grams of alcohol for 6 months or longer, with < 8 weeks of abstinence before the onset of jaundice. 4. The determination of AH may be based on typical serum chemistry (as determined by local laboratory) or liver biopsy at any time during the current episode of AH:
• Serum total bilirubin > 3.0 mg/dL
• 50 < AST < 400 IU/L
• ALT < 400 IU/L
• AST/ALT > 1.5 5. Maddrey discriminant function (MDF) ≥ 32 assuming a control prothrombin time of 12 seconds. 6. Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score: 21-30. 7. Liver biopsy is not required, but may be used to confirm the diagnosis of AH at the Investigator's discretion. Biopsy, if used as a diagnostic criterion, must have occurred during the current episode. 8. Male or female subjects 18 years of age or older. 9. Subjects must agree to use effective methods to prevent pregnancy while participating in the study. 10. Subjects must agree to participate in an alcohol abstinence support program recommended by the local institution's addiction specialists. 1. Subjects taking systemic corticosteroids for a duration exceeding 8 days in the 30 days prior to screening. 2. Subjects experiencing or considered at high risk for alcohol withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens. 3. Active infection (such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis [SBP], urinary tract infection [UTI], bacteremia, acute viral hepatitis, uncontrolled HIV, and active SARS CoV2 infection). 4. Serum creatinine >2.5 mg/dL. 5. Subjects undergoing continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVH). 6. Uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding. 7. A history of pre-admission refractory ascites defined as more than 4 paracenteses in the previous 8 weeks despite diuretic therapy. 8. Liver biopsy (if carried out) with findings not compatible with AH. 9. Stage ≥3 hepatic encephalopathy by West Haven criteria. 10. Any severe concomitant cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, pulmonary, psychiatric disorder, or multi-organ failure. 11. Other concomitant cause(s) of liver disease. 12. Any active malignancy or any malignancy diagnosed within the last five years other than curable skin cancer (basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas). 13. Positive Urine Drug Screen (amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates) except THC and prescription medications. 14. Existing or intended pregnancy or breast feeding. 15. Participation in another interventional clinical trial within 30 days of Screening. 16. History of organ transplantation, other than a corneal transplant. 17. Underlying diseases that, in the opinion of the site investigator, might be complicated or exacerbated by proposed treatments or might confound assessment of study drug.

1. Patients with familial partial lipodystrophy of the Dunnigan variety with heterozygous disease-causing missense mutation in lamin A/C (LMNA) gene. 2. Hepatic steatosis (>5.6% hepatic triglyceride content) as demonstrated by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 3. Age 18-70 years. 4. Alcohol intake of less than 20 g per day in females and 30 g per day in males. 5. Participants and their partners with whom they are having sex, must use medically-acceptable birth control (contraceptives) during the study. Medically-acceptable methods of contraception include: (1) surgical sterilization, such as hysterectomy, tubal ligation or vasectomy. (2) approved hormonal contraceptives, such as birth control pills, patch or ring; Depo-Provera, Implanon. (3) barrier methods, such as condom, cervical cap or diaphragm used with a spermicide. (4) an intrauterine device (IUD). 1. Laboratory or other histologic findings highly suggestive of liver disease due to causes other than non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, such as chronic viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, biliary obstruction or genetic liver diseases such as Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. 2. Treatment with drugs associated with steatohepatitis, e.g., corticosteroids, high dose estrogens, methotrexate, amiodarone, tamoxifen, valproic acid, sulfasalazine, or oxacillin for more than 2 weeks in the 6 months prior to the study. 3. Decompensated liver disease as evidenced by clinical features of hepatic failure (variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy etc.) and laboratory investigations (prolonged prothrombin time with INR > 1.3, hypoalbuminemia with serum albumin less than 3.0 g/dL, direct bilirubin > 1.3 mg/dL, or presence of esophageal varices etc.) 4. Evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma: alpha-fetoprotein levels greater than 200 ng/ml and/or liver mass on imaging study suggestive of liver cancer. 5. Use of drugs which can potentially decrease hepatic steatosis during previous 3 months; ursodeoxycholic acid, thiazolidinediones, high-dose vitamin E, betaine, acetylcysteine and choline. 6. Significant systemic or major illnesses other than liver disease, such as congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory failure, renal failure (serum creatinine >2 mg/dL), acute pancreatitis, organ transplantation, serious psychiatric disease, and malignancy, that could interfere with the trial and adequate follow up. 7. Acute medical illnesses precluding participation in the studies. 8. Known HIV-infected patient. 9. Current substance abuse. 10. Pregnant or lactating woman. 11. Hematocrit of less than 30%. 12. History of weight loss during past 3 months. 13. Patients on bile acid binding resins, cholestyramine, colestipol or colesevelam. 14. Hypersensitivity or intolerance to OCA or any components of its formulation. 15. Failure to give informed consent 16 .Previous clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or fasting blood glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5%.

CASES: Heavy drinkers with alcoholic hepatitis Inclusion criteria 1. A clinical diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis 2. Serum total bilirubin >3 mg/dL 3. Subject or guardian ability to understand and willingness to provide written consent 4. Age greater or equal to 21 years 5. Re-enrolment of an alcoholic hepatitis donor is permissible up to 4 times if the donor presents with a new episode of alcoholic hepatitis 24 weeks or longer after the most recent enrolment in the study Exclusion criteria 1. Liver disease significantly caused by hemochromatosis, autoimmune liver disease, Wilson disease, NAFLD, and acute viral hepatitis 2. (NOTE: The presence of chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or HIV is not exclusion to participation.)Pregnant or breast feeding Based on the judgment of the investigator, subject is not capable of understanding or complying with the study requirements. CONTROLS: Heavy drinkers without significant liver disease Inclusion criteria 1. History of chronic alcohol consumption sufficient to cause liver damage. Generally, this is considered to be >40 g/day or >280g/week on average for women and >60 g/day or >420 g/week on average for men, for many years (usually decades). Judgement about chronic alcohol consumption will be made by the site investigator. 2. Subject or guardian ability to understand and willingness to provide written consent 3. Age greater or equal to 21 years Exclusion criteria 1. Past evidence of alcoholic liver disease, defined as a bilirubin > 2.0 mg/dL, an AST > 1.5 ULN, and any hospital admission for liver disease, or the presence of esophageal varices or ascites (at any time in the past). 2. Liver disease significantly caused by hemochromatosis, autoimmune liver disease, Wilson disease, NAFLD, and acute viral hepatitis (NOTE: The presence of chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or HIV is not exclusion to participation.) 3. Alcohol intake at less than 40 g/day or 280g/week on average for women and 60 g/day or 420 g/week on average for men for longer than the past 28 days 4. If liver stiffness has been assessed within the prior 90 days, then stiffness suggesting fibrosis of F1 or greater is excluded. For Fibroscan, this is a fibrosis score >7.0 kPa. 5. Pregnant or breast feeding 6. Any of the following laboratory abnormalities within 90 days prior to signing the consent. 1. Total bilirubin: >ULN* 2. INR: > 1.4 5 *Individuals with a diagnosis of Gilbert's can have total bilirubin up to 3.0 mg/dL and still be eligible for participation. Healthy Controls Inclusion criteria 1. AUDIT-C scores of <4 for men and <3 for women (signifying no alcohol misuse) 2. Abstinent (consumption of less than one standard drink/week) during the 6 months prior to enrolment 3. Ability to understand and willingness to provide written consent. Exclusion criteria 1. Clinical history or laboratory evidence of liver disease including alcoholic liver disease, NAFLD, hemochromatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, Wilson disease, hepatitis C, or hepatitis B. 2. Presence of diabetes (requiring treatment with oral agents or insulin). 3. Significant heart disease (prior history of heart disease, other than hypertension) 4. Chronic lung disease (requiring chronic treatment) 5. Immune related conditions (such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, severe psoriasis, etc.) 6. Known infection with HIV 7. Presumed infection, or use of antibiotics or other medications (e.g., corticosteroids) that would affect immune function, within the past 14 days 8. BMI>35 9. Current or known history of cancer (except in situ carcinoma of the cervix or adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin) within 5 years prior to enrollment 10. Pregnant or breast feeding 11. Any of the following laboratory abnormalities within 90 days prior to signing the consent. 1. Hemoglobin: <10 g/dL 2. Conjugated bilirubin: > ULN 3. INR: > 1.4 4. AST: >40 IU/mL 5. ALT: >40 IU/mL 12. Based on the judgment of the investigator, subject is not capable of complying with the study requirements