Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Agostino Di Ciaula, Salvatore Passarella, Harshitha Shanmugam, Marica Noviello, Leonilde Bonfrate, David Q. -H. Wang, Piero Portincasa
Summary: NAFLD is a common chronic liver disease that can progress to NASH, affecting liver function through various pathways and mitochondrial abnormalities, with no established treatment currently available. Mitochondria are seen as potential future therapeutic targets for improving liver bioenergetics in NAFLD/NASH.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Yanyong Xu, Xiaoli Pan, Shuwei Hu, Yingdong Zhu, Fathima Cassim Bawa, Yuanyuan Li, Liya Yin, Yanqiao Zhang
Summary: Human CES2 plays a crucial role in protecting and reversing steatohepatitis by inducing lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation, inhibiting lipogenesis, and improving mitochondrial function. Targeting hepatic CES2 may be a promising strategy for treating NAFLD.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-GASTROINTESTINAL AND LIVER PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sarah Beland-Bonenfant, Alexia Rouland, Jean-Michel Petita, Bruno Verges
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Lipidomic studies have been used to understand the pathophysiology of NAFLD and identify potential biomarkers. Lipidomic abnormalities associated with NAFLD include changes in free fatty acid distribution, increased ceramides, reduced phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio, and increased eicosanoids. These lipid abnormalities may contribute to NASH and liver fibrosis by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, inflammation, oxidation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Further research is needed to determine their predictive value for liver steatosis, NASH, or liver fibrosis.
DIABETES & METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zishan Peng, Yingying Gong, Xuejie Wang, Weiman He, Liting Wu, Luyao Zhang, Li Xiong, Yanrui Huang, Lei Su, Peijie Shi, Xiaopei Cao, Rengyun Liu, Yanbing Li, Haipeng Xiao
Summary: The study reveals an increase in m(6)A modification in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, attributed to the upregulation of METTL3 induced by lipotoxicity. METTL3 mediates m(6)A modification by directly binding to Rubicon mRNA, while YTHDF1 promotes stability of m(6)A-marked Rubicon mRNA, inhibiting autophagy and clearance of lipid droplets.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Barrientos-Riosalido, Monica Real, Laia Bertran, Carmen Aguilar, Salome Martinez, David Parada, Margarita Vives, Fatima Sabench, David Riesco, Daniel Del Castillo, Cristobal Richart, Teresa Auguet
Summary: This study analyzed the expression of ATG7 gene in obesity-associated NAFLD and found that ATG7 was highly expressed in NASH patients. ATG7 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, especially in NASH, possibly having a protective effect.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tagreed A. Mazi, Kamil Borkowski, John W. Newman, Oliver Fiehn, Christopher L. Bowlus, Souvik Sarkar, Karen Matsukuma, Mohamed R. Ali, Dorothy A. Kieffer, Yu-Jui Y. Wan, Kimber L. Stanhope, Peter J. Havel, Valentina Medici
Summary: In this study, Hispanics were found to have a higher rate and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease compared to other ethnicities. Metabolomic profiling showed signs of metabolic dysregulation in Hispanics, independent of obesity, with higher plasma triglycerides and free fatty acids. Ethnicity-related differences in liver and plasma metabolomic profiles may modulate the risk for progression of NAFLD to NASH.
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiaxin Zhang, Wenxin Zhang, Li Yang, Wenjing Zhao, Zuojia Liu, Erkang Wang, Jin Wang
Summary: This study finds that the phytochemical gallic acid (GA) has a positive effect in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), exerting hepatoprotective effects by controlling the transition from simple hepatosteatosis to steatohepatitis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Imane Mokhtari, Chakib Mokhtari, Mohammadine Moumou, Mohamed Harnafi, Dragan Milenkovic, Souliman Amrani, Abdelmalek Hakmaoui, Hicham Harnafi
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of loquat fruit peel extract (PE) against tyloxapol-induced hyperlipidemia and related tissue lipotoxicity in mice. The PE significantly prevented oxidative stress and restored lipid metabolism, plasma glucose, body weight, organ relative mass, and biomarkers of hepato-nephrotoxicity as well as the histological structure of the liver and kidneys. It contains five major polyphenols, which can interact with major proteins implicated in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mingtai Chen, Ying Xie, Shenglan Gong, Yunqiao Wang, Hao Yu, Tianran Zhou, Furong Huang, Xin Guo, Huanhuan Zhang, Ruolan Huang, Zhiyi Han, Yufeng Xing, Qiang Liu, Guangdong Tong, Hua Zhou
Summary: NASH is a common chronic liver disease in clinical practice with no officially approved pharmacological therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine has been proven beneficial in treating NASH in multiple studies, providing a potential therapy for this condition.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jing Zhong, Xiaofang He, Xinxin Gao, Qiaohong Liu, Yu Zhao, Ying Hong, Weize Zhu, Juan Yan, Yifan Li, Yan Li, Ningning Zheng, Yiyang Bao, Hao Wang, Junli Ma, Wenjin Huang, Zekun Liu, Yuanzhi Lyu, Xisong Ke, Wei Jia, Cen Xie, Yiyang Hu, Lili Sheng, Houkai Li
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with disrupted bile acid homeostasis. The authors demonstrate that hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA) ameliorates NAFLD by inhibiting the formation of RAN/CRM1/PPARα nuclear export heterotrimer, which leads to increased nuclear localization of PPARα and activation of fatty acid oxidation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jiafeng Xia, Wanru Guo, Ming Hu, Xiuyuan Jin, Sitong Zhang, Boqiang Liu, Hangyuan Qiu, Kaicen Wang, Aoxiang Zhuge, Shengjie Li, Zhongkang Ji, Lanjuan Li, Kaijin Xu
Summary: With the drive of the circadian clock and feeding behavior, the microbial community generates rhythmic oscillations that play a crucial role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. A time-restricted feeding regimen has shown promise in improving metabolism and microbial rhythmicity, but the underlying relationship is not well understood.
Article
Immunology
Xiongfeng Pan, Atipatsa C. Kaminga, Aizhong Liu, Shi Wu Wen, Miyang Luo, Jiayou Luo
Summary: This case-control study aimed to investigate the role of gut microbiota, especially butyrate-producing bacteria, in children with NAFLD. The results showed that children with NAFLD had dysbiosis in glucose, lipid, and water-electrolyte metabolism, with decreased abundance of beneficial bacteria and increased harmful bacteria in their gut microbiome. This suggests that the gut microbiome composition plays a significant role in the development and severity of NAFLD in children.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiabao Liao, Yongjun Cao, Jie Zhao, Bolun Yu, Yuming Wang, Wenting Li, Hanzhou Li, Shuquan Lv, Weibo Wen, Huantian Cui, Yao Chen
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of Polygala japonica (PJ) on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and revealed the underlying mechanism related to gut microbiota modulation and host metabolism. The results showed that PJ could improve hepatic steatosis, liver injury, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in NASH mice. Furthermore, PJ treatment influenced the diversity of gut microbiota and the relative abundances of specific bacterial taxa.
Editorial Material
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Manal F. Abdelmalek
Summary: In 2020, there were significant advances in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including new insights into pathophysiology, advancements in non-invasive diagnostics, and the publication of interim results from the first phase III trial showing improvement in hepatic fibrosis.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoyan Chen, Wenjie Shi, Yong Xie, Yunwu Wang, Qian Yao, Huajing Ke, Xuan Xu, Hui Liu, Pi Liu, Xiaojiang Zhou
Summary: This study investigates the role of Kruppel-like factor 14 (KLF14) in hepatic lipid metabolism in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The expression of KLF14 was found to be decreased in NASH patients and mice fed a high-fat diet. Knockdown of KLF14 promoted the progression of hepatic steatosis by downregulating fatty acid oxidation genes.