Jaehyun Bae, Eugene Han, Hye Won Lee, Cheol-Young Park, Choon Hee Chung, Dae Ho Lee, Eun-Hee Cho, Eun-Jung Rhee, Ji Hee Yu, Ji Hyun Park, Ji-Cheol Bae, Jung Hwan Park, Kyung Mook Choi, Kyung-Soo Kim, Mi Hae Seo, Minyoung Lee, Nan-Hee Kim, So Hun Kim, Won-Young Lee, Woo Je Lee, Yeon-Kyung Choi, Yong-ho Lee, You-Cheol Hwang, Young Sang Lyu, Byung-Wan Lee, Bong-Soo Cha, on Behalf of the Fatty Liver Research Group of the Korean Diabetes Association
Diabetes Metab J. 2024;48(6):1015-1028. Published online November 1, 2024
Since the role of the liver in metabolic dysfunction, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, was demonstrated, studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) have shown associations between fatty liver disease and other metabolic diseases. Unlike the exclusionary diagnostic criteria of NAFLD, MAFLD diagnosis is based on the presence of metabolic dysregulation in fatty liver disease. Renaming NAFLD as MAFLD also introduced simpler diagnostic criteria. In 2023, a new nomenclature, steatotic liver disease (SLD), was proposed. Similar to MAFLD, SLD diagnosis is based on the presence of hepatic steatosis with at least one cardiometabolic dysfunction. SLD is categorized into metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-related/-associated liver disease, alcoholrelated liver disease, specific etiology SLD, and cryptogenic SLD. The term MASLD has been adopted by a number of leading national and international societies due to its concise diagnostic criteria, exclusion of other concomitant liver diseases, and lack of stigmatizing terms. This article reviews the diagnostic criteria, clinical relevance, and differences among NAFLD, MAFLD, and MASLD from a diabetologist’s perspective and provides a rationale for adopting SLD/MASLD in the Fatty Liver Research Group of the Korean Diabetes Association.
Background Studies on predictive markers of insulin resistance (IR) and elevated liver transaminases in children and adolescents are limited. We evaluated the predictive capabilities of the single-point insulin sensitivity estimator (SPISE) index, metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), the triglyceride (TG)/ high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, and the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) for IR and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation in this population.
Methods Data from 1,593 participants aged 10 to 18 years were analyzed using a nationwide survey. Logistic regression analysis was performed with IR and ALT elevation as dependent variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess predictive capability. Proportions of IR and ALT elevation were compared after dividing participants based on parameter cutoff points.
Results All parameters were significantly associated with IR and ALT elevation, even after adjusting for age and sex, and predicted IR and ALT elevation in ROC curves (all P<0.001). The areas under the ROC curve of SPISE and METS-IR were higher than those of TyG and TG/HDL-C for predicting IR and were higher than those of HOMA-IR, TyG, and TG/HDL-C for predicting ALT elevation. The proportions of individuals with IR and ALT elevation were higher among those with METS-IR, TyG, and TG/ HDL-C values higher than the cutoff points, whereas they were lower among those with SPISE higher than the cutoff point.
Conclusion SPISE and METS-IR are superior to TG/HDL-C and TyG in predicting IR and ALT elevation. Thus, this study identified valuable predictive markers for young individuals.
Background Given the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic risks, a new term, metabolic dysfunction- associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has been proposed. We aimed to explore the association between MASLD and all-cause, cause-specific mortalities.
Methods We included individuals with steatotic liver disease (SLD) from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Moreover, SLD was defined as a fatty liver index ≥30. Furthermore, MASLD, metabolic alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) with metabolic dysfunction (MD) were categorized based on alcohol consumption and MD. We also analyzed all-cause, liver-, cancer-, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)- and cardiovascular (CV)-related mortalities.
Results This retrospective nationwide cohort study included 1,298,993 individuals aged 40 to 79 years for a mean follow-up duration of 9.04 years. The prevalence of MASLD, MetALD, and ALD with MD was 33.11%, 3.93%, and 1.00%, respectively. Relative to the “no SLD” group, multivariable analysis identified that MASLD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 1.31), MetALD (aHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.44), and ALD with MD group (aHR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.68 to 1.93) have a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality. Furthermore, MASLD, MetALD, ALD with MD groups showed higher liver-, cancer-, and HCC-related mortality than “no SLD” group. While all-cause specific mortalities increase from MASLD to MetALD to ALD with MD, the MetALD group shows a lower risk of CV-related mortality compared to MASLD. However, ALD with MD group still have a higher risk of CV-related mortality compared to MASLD.
Conclusion SLD is associated with an increased risk of all-cause, liver-, cancer-, HCC-, and CV-related mortalities.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), Metabolic Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease (MetALD), and Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) with Metabolic Dysfunction Seong-Uk Baek, Jin-Ha Yoon Biomolecules.2024; 14(11): 1468. CrossRef
Background Diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) synthesizes triacylglycerol (TG) from diacylglycerol; therefore, DGAT2 is considered as a therapeutic target for steatosis. However, the consequence of inhibiting DGAT2 is not fully investigated due to side effects including lethality and lipotoxicity. In this article, we observed the role of DGAT2 in hepatocarcinoma.
Methods The role of DGAT2 is analyzed via loss-of-function assay. DGAT2 knockdown (KD) and inhibitor treatment on HepG2 cell line was analyzed. Cumulative analysis of cell metabolism with bioinformatic data were assessed, and further compared with different cohorts of liver cancer patients and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients to elucidate how DGAT2 is regulating cancer metabolism.
Results Mitochondrial function is suppressed in DGAT2 KD HepG2 cell along with the decreased lipid droplets. In the aspect of the cancer, DGAT2 KD upregulates cell proliferation. Analyzing transcriptome of NAFLD and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients highlights negatively correlating expression patterns of 73 lipid-associated genes including DGAT2. Cancer patients with the lower DGAT2 expression face lower survival rate. DGAT2 KD cell and patients’ transcriptome show downregulation in estrogen- related receptor alpha (ESRRA) via integrated system for motif activity response analysis (ISMARA), with increased dimerization with corepressor prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1).
Conclusion DGAT2 sustains the stability of mitochondria in hepatoma via suppressing ESRRA-PROX1 transcriptional network and hinders HCC from shifting towards glycolytic metabolism, which lowers cell proliferation.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a 30-amino acid peptide hormone that is mainly expressed in the intestine and hypothalamus. In recent years, basic and clinical studies have shown that GLP-1 is closely related to lipid metabolism, and it can participate in lipid metabolism by inhibiting fat synthesis, promoting fat differentiation, enhancing cholesterol metabolism, and promoting adipose browning. GLP-1 plays a key role in the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases such as obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis by regulating lipid metabolism. It is expected to become a new target for the treatment of metabolic disorders. The effects of GLP-1 and dual agonists on lipid metabolism also provide a more complete treatment plan for metabolic diseases. This article reviews the recent research progress of GLP-1 in lipid metabolism.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Lipoprotein(a) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease Kathryn L. Williams, Maya Augustine, Eru Sujakhu, Justine Magadia, Lindsay Crawford, Aimee Knott, Skyler Hamilton, Uzoma Obiaka Progress in Pediatric Cardiology.2025; 76: 101775. CrossRef
The protective effects of liraglutide in reducing lipid droplets accumulation and myocardial fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy Chien-Yin Kuo, Sing-Hua Tsou, Edy Kornelius, Kuei-Chuan Chan, Kai-Wei Chang, Jung-Chi Li, Chien-Ning Huang, Chih-Li Lin Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
An oral liraglutide nanomicelle formulation conferring reduced insulin-resistance and long-term hypoglycemic and lipid metabolic benefits Laxman Subedi, Arjun Dhwoj Bamjan, Susmita Phuyal, Jung-Hyun Shim, Seung-Sik Cho, Jong Bae Seo, Kwan-Young Chang, Youngro Byun, Seho Kweon, Jin Woo Park Journal of Controlled Release.2025; 378: 637. CrossRef
Diabetes and Osteoarthritis: Exploring the Interactions and Therapeutic Implications of Insulin, Metformin, and GLP-1-Based Interventions Iryna Halabitska, Liliia Babinets, Valentyn Oksenych, Oleksandr Kamyshnyi Biomedicines.2024; 12(8): 1630. CrossRef
The Effect of Tirzepatide on Body Composition in People with Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Controlled Studies Vincenzo Rochira, Carla Greco, Stefano Boni, Francesco Costantino, Leonardo Dalla Valentina, Eleonora Zanni, Leila Itani, Marwan El Ghoch Diseases.2024; 12(9): 204. CrossRef
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor: mechanisms and advances in therapy Zhikai Zheng, Yao Zong, Yiyang Ma, Yucheng Tian, Yidan Pang, Changqing Zhang, Junjie Gao Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Recent Advances and Therapeutic Benefits of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders John O Olukorode, Dolapo A Orimoloye, Nwachukwu O Nwachukwu, Chidera N Onwuzo, Praise O Oloyede, Temiloluwa Fayemi, Oluwatobi S Odunaike, Petra S Ayobami-Ojo, Nwachi Divine, Demilade J Alo, Chukwurah U Alex Cureus.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Incretin hormones: Revolutionizing the treatment landscape for kidney and liver diseases in type 2 diabetes and obesity Jae Hyun Bae, Young Min Cho Journal of Diabetes Investigation.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Interactions between glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and estrogens regulates lipid metabolism Jorge F.A. Model, Rafaella S. Normann, Éverton L. Vogt, Maiza Von Dentz, Marjoriane de Amaral, Rui Xu, Tsvetan Bachvaroff, Poli Mara Spritzer, J. Sook Chung, Anapaula S. Vinagre Biochemical Pharmacology.2024; 230: 116623. CrossRef
Changes in 24-Hour Urine Chemistry in Patients with Nephrolithiasis during Weight Loss with Glucagon-Like Peptide 1–Based Therapies Karen Feghali, Xilong Li, Naim M. Maalouf Kidney360.2024; 5(11): 1706. CrossRef
Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen beverage protects against alcoholic liver disease in mice through the gut microbiota mediated SCFAs/GPR43/GLP-1 pathway Mingyun Tang, Long Zhao, Fuchun Huang, Tiangang Wang, Xu Wu, Shanshan Chen, Juan Fu, Chaoli Jiang, Shulin Wei, Xuseng Zeng, Xiaoling Zhang, Xin Zhou, Mei Wei, Zhi Li, Guohui Xiao Frontiers in Nutrition.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Spotlight on the Mechanism of Action of Semaglutide Ilias Papakonstantinou, Konstantinos Tsioufis, Vasiliki Katsi Current Issues in Molecular Biology.2024; 46(12): 14514. CrossRef
Background The incidence density of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and the effect of a healthy lifestyle on the risk of MAFLD remain unknown. We evaluated the prevalence and incidence density of MAFLD and investigated the association between healthy lifestyle and the risk of MAFLD.
Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 37,422 participants to explore the prevalence of MAFLD. A cohort analysis of 18,964 individuals was conducted to identify the incidence of MAFLD, as well as the association between healthy lifestyle and MAFLD. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with adjustments for confounding factors.
Results The prevalence of MAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and their comorbidities were 30.38%, 28.09%, and 26.13%, respectively. After approximately 70 thousand person-years of follow-up, the incidence densities of the three conditions were 61.03, 55.49, and 51.64 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle was associated with a 19% decreased risk of MAFLD (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.92), and the effects were modified by baseline age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Subgroup analyses revealed that younger participants, men, and those with a lower BMI experienced more significant beneficial effects from healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion Our results highlight the beneficial effect of adherence to a healthy lifestyle on the prevention of MAFLD. Health management for improving dietary intake, physical activity, and smoking and drinking habits are critical to improving MAFLD.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Diagnostic indicators and lifestyle interventions of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease Tianzhu Chen, Xiang Qin, Jianping Jiang, Beihui He Frontiers in Nutrition.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Sex differences in pathogenesis and treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes and steatotic liver disease Tatjana Ábel, Béla Benczúr, Éva Csajbókné Csobod Frontiers in Medicine.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Associations of traditional healthy lifestyle and sleep quality with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: two population-based studies Jialu Yang, Qi Zhang, Wanying Zhao, Bingqi Ye, Siqi Li, Zhuoyu Zhang, Jingmeng Ju, Jialin He, Min Xia, Tiantian Xiong, Yan Liu Nutrition & Diabetes.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
It has been generally accepted that insulin resistance (IR) and reduced insulin secretory capacity are the basic pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition to genetic factors, the persistence of systemic inflammation caused by obesity and the associated threat of lipotoxicity increase the risk of T2DM. In particular, the main cause of IR is obesity and subjects with T2DM have a higher body mass index (BMI) than normal subjects according to recent studies. The prevalence of T2DM with IR has increased with increasing BMI during the past three decades. According to recent studies, homeostatic model assessment of IR was increased compared to that of the 1990s. Rising prevalence of obesity in Korea have contributed to the development of IR, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and T2DM and cutting this vicious cycle is important. My colleagues and I have investigated this pathogenic mechanism on this theme through clinical and experimental studies over 20 years and herein, I would like to summarize some of our studies with deep gratitude for receiving the prestigious 2023 Sulwon Award.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
γ-Glutamylcysteine restores glucolipotoxicity-induced islet β-cell apoptosis and dysfunction via inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress Jinyi Zhou, Yingying Shi, Lishuang Zhao, Rong Wang, Lan Luo, Zhimin Yin Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.2025; 495: 117206. CrossRef
Strategy for treating MAFLD: Electroacupuncture alleviates hepatic steatosis and fibrosis by enhancing AMPK mediated glycolipid metabolism and autophagy in T2DM rats Haoru Duan, Shanshan Song, Rui Li, Suqin Hu, Shuting Zhuang, Shaoyang liu, Xiaolu Li, Wei Gao Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review and Position Statement of the Fatty Liver Research Group of the Korean Diabetes Association Jaehyun Bae, Eugene Han, Hye Won Lee, Cheol-Young Park, Choon Hee Chung, Dae Ho Lee, Eun-Hee Cho, Eun-Jung Rhee, Ji Hee Yu, Ji Hyun Park, Ji-Cheol Bae, Jung Hwan Park, Kyung Mook Choi, Kyung-Soo Kim, Mi Hae Seo, Minyoung Lee, Nan-Hee Kim, So Hun Kim, Won- Diabetes & Metabolism Journal.2024; 48(6): 1015. CrossRef
Background Poor lifestyle habits may worsen nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. This study investigated the association between glycemic control status and hepatic histological findings to elucidate the effect of glycemic control on NAFLD.
Methods This observational study included 331 patients diagnosed with NAFLD by liver biopsy. Effects of the glycemic control status on histological findings of NAFLD were evaluated by comparing the following four glycemic status groups defined by the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level at the time of NAFLD diagnosis: ≤5.4%, 5.5%–6.4%, 6.5%–7.4%, and ≥7.5%.
Results Compared with the lowest HbA1c group (≤5.4%), the higher HbA1c groups (5.5%–6.4%, 6.5%–7.4%, and ≥7.5%) were associated with advanced liver fibrosis and high NAFLD activity score (NAS). On multivariate analysis, an HbA1c level of 6.5%– 7.4% group was significantly associated with advanced fibrosis compared with the lowest HbA1c group after adjusting for age, sex, hemoglobin, alanine aminotransferase, and creatinine levels. When further controlling for body mass index and uric acid, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, the higher HbA1c groups were significantly associated with advanced fibrosis compared with the lowest HbA1c group. On the other hand, compared with the lowest HbA1c group, the higher HbA1c groups were also associated with a high NAS in both multivariate analyses.
Conclusion Glycemic control is associated with NAFLD exacerbation, with even a mild deterioration in glycemic control, especially a HbA1c level of 6.5%–7.4%, contributing to NAFLD progression.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
The association between glycemic state, R factor and Steatosis-Associated Fibrosis Estimator score in advanced liver fibrosis in patients with diabetes mellitus Mohammadjavad Sotoudeheian, Seyed-Mohamad-Sadegh Mirahmadi, Reza Azarbad Obesity Medicine.2025; 53: 100575. CrossRef
Combined effect of histological findings and diabetes mellitus on liver‐related events in patients with metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease Akihito Shiomi, Teruki Miyake, Shinya Furukawa, Bunzo Matsuura, Osamu Yoshida, Takao Watanabe, Ayumi Kanamoto, Masumi Miyazaki, Hironobu Nakaguchi, Yoshio Tokumoto, Masashi Hirooka, Masanori Abe, Yoichi Hiasa Hepatology Research.2024; 54(11): 1016. CrossRef
Overweight Impacts Histological Disease Activity of De Novo Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatotic Liver Disease After Liver Transplantation Alejandro Campos‐Murguia, Lea Guetzlaff, Emily Bosselmann, Bastian Engel, Björn Hartleben, Heiner Wedemeyer, Elmar Jaeckel, Richard Taubert, Katharina Luise Hupa‐Breier Clinical Transplantation.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Background This study evaluated the usefulness of indices for metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and insulin resistance (IR), as predictive tools for cardiovascular disease in middle-aged Korean adults.
Methods The prospective data obtained from the Ansan-Ansung cohort database, excluding patients with major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The primary outcome was the incidence of MACCE during the follow-up period.
Results A total of 9,337 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 1,130 (12.1%) experienced MACCE during a median follow-up period of 15.5 years. The metabolic syndrome severity Z-score, metabolic syndrome severity score, hepatic steatosis index, and NAFLD liver fat score were found to significantly predict MACCE at values above the cut-off point and in the second and third tertiles. Among these indices, the hazard ratios of the metabolic syndrome severity score and metabolic syndrome severity Z-score were the highest after adjusting for confounding factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) score for predicting MACCE was 0.716, and the metabolic syndrome severity Z-score had an AUC of 0.619.
Conclusion The metabolic syndrome severity score is a highly reliable indicator and was closely associated with the 10-year ASCVD risk score in predicting MACCE in the general population. Given the specific characteristics and limitations of metabolic syndrome severity scores as well as the indices of NAFLD and IR, a more practical scoring system that considers these factors is essential to achieve greater accuracy in forecasting cardiovascular outcomes.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Association between mixed exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: Data from the Korean National environmental health survey cycle 4 Seung Min Chung, Kyun Hoo Kim, Jun Sung Moon, Kyu Chang Won International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.2024; 261: 114427. CrossRef
Estimated pulse wave velocity as a forefront indicator of developing metabolic syndrome in Korean adults Hyun-Jin Kim, Byung Sik Kim, Dong Wook Kim, Jeong-Hun Shin The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine.2024; 39(4): 612. CrossRef
Background We aimed to evaluate whether composite blood biomarkers including aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) and cytokeratin 18 (CK-18; a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH] marker) have clinically applicable performance for the diagnosis of NASH, advanced liver fibrosis, and high-risk NASH (NASH+significant fibrosis).
Methods A total of 116 subjects including healthy control subjects and patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were analyzed to assess composite blood-based and imaging-based biomarkers either singly or in combination.
Results A composite blood biomarker comprised of AKR1B10, CK-18, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) showed excellent performance for the diagnosis of, NASH, advanced fibrosis, and high-risk NASH, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.934 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.888 to 0.981), 0.902 (95% CI, 0.832 to 0.971), and 0.918 (95% CI, 0.862 to 0.974), respectively. However, the performance of this blood composite biomarker was inferior to that various magnetic resonance (MR)-based composite biomarkers, such as proton density fat fraction/MR elastography- liver stiffness measurement (MRE-LSM)/ALT/AST for NASH, MRE-LSM+fibrosis-4 index for advanced fibrosis, and the known MR imaging-AST (MAST) score for high-risk NASH.
Conclusion Our blood composite biomarker can be useful to distinguish progressive forms of NAFLD as an initial noninvasive test when MR-based tools are not available.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily website and database: An update Andrea Andress Huacachino, Jaehyun Joo, Nisha Narayanan, Anisha Tehim, Blanca E. Himes, Trevor M. Penning Chemico-Biological Interactions.2024; 398: 111111. CrossRef
Background Insulin resistance (IR) is the key pathological basis of many metabolic disorders. Lack of asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 (ASGR1) decreased the serum lipid levels and reduced the risk of coronary artery disease. However, whether ASGR1 also participates in the regulatory network of insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism remains unknown.
Methods The constructed ASGR1 knockout mice and ASGR1-/- HepG2 cell lines were used to establish the animal model of metabolic syndrome and the IR cell model by high-fat diet (HFD) or drug induction, respectively. Then we evaluated the glucose metabolism and insulin signaling in vivo and in vitro.
Results ASGR1 deficiency ameliorated systemic IR in mice fed with HFD, evidenced by improved insulin intolerance, serum insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of IR index, mainly contributed from increased insulin signaling in the liver, but not in muscle or adipose tissues. Meanwhile, the insulin signal transduction was significantly enhanced in ASGR1-/- HepG2 cells. By transcriptome analyses and comparison, those differentially expressed genes between ASGR1 null and wild type were enriched in the insulin signal pathway, particularly in phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT signaling. Notably, ASGR1 deficiency significantly reduced hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.
Conclusion The ASGR1 deficiency was consequentially linked with improved hepatic insulin sensitivity under metabolic stress, hepatic IR was the core factor of systemic IR, and overcoming hepatic IR significantly relieved the systemic IR. It suggests that ASGR1 is a potential intervention target for improving systemic IR in metabolic disorders.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Experimental cell models of insulin resistance: overview and appraisal Ying Yang, Ting-ting Wang, Hu-ai Xie, Ping Ping Hu, Pan Li Frontiers in Endocrinology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic (fatty) liver disease (MASLD), previously termed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is a worldwide epidemic that can lead to hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The disease is typically a component of the metabolic syndrome that accompanies obesity, and is often overlooked because the liver manifestations are clinically silent until late-stage disease is present (i.e., cirrhosis). Moreover, Asian populations, including Koreans, have a higher fraction of patients who are lean, yet their illness has the same prognosis or worse than those who are obese. Nonetheless, ongoing injury can lead to hepatic inflammation and ballooning of hepatocytes as classic features. Over time, fibrosis develops following activation of hepatic stellate cells, the liver’s main fibrogenic cell type. The disease is usually more advanced in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, indicating that all diabetic patients should be screened for liver disease. Although there has been substantial progress in clarifying pathways of injury and fibrosis, there no approved therapies yet, but current research seeks to uncover the pathways driving hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, in hopes of identifying new therapeutic targets. Emerging molecular methods, especially single cell sequencing technologies, are revolutionizing our ability to clarify mechanisms underlying MASLD-associated fibrosis and HCC.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
The Triad of Risk: Linking MASLD, Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes; From Pathophysiology to Treatment Eleni Michalopoulou, John Thymis, Stamatios Lampsas, George Pavlidis, Konstantinos Katogiannis, Dimitrios Vlachomitros, Eleni Katsanaki, Gavriella Kostelli, Sotirios Pililis, Loukia Pliouta, Aikaterini Kountouri, Ioannis S. Papanikolaou, Vaia Lambadiari, Journal of Clinical Medicine.2025; 14(2): 428. CrossRef
Prognostic Impact of Metabolic Syndrome and Steatotic Liver Disease in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Machine Learning Techniques Sergio Gil-Rojas, Miguel Suárez, Pablo Martínez-Blanco, Ana M. Torres, Natalia Martínez-García, Pilar Blasco, Miguel Torralba, Jorge Mateo Metabolites.2024; 14(6): 305. CrossRef
Interplay between YAP/TAZ and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease progression Na Young Lee, Myeung Gi Choi, Eui Jin Lee, Ja Hyun Koo Archives of Pharmacal Research.2024; 47(6): 558. CrossRef
New Biomarkers in Liver Fibrosis: A Pass through the Quicksand? Marzia Tagliaferro, Mariapaola Marino, Valerio Basile, Krizia Pocino, Gian Ludovico Rapaccini, Gabriele Ciasca, Umberto Basile, Valeria Carnazzo Journal of Personalized Medicine.2024; 14(8): 798. CrossRef
AI Digital Pathology Using qFibrosis Shows Heterogeneity of Fibrosis Regression in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B and C with Viral Response Feng Liu, Yameng Sun, Dean Tai, Yayun Ren, Elaine L. K. Chng, Aileen Wee, Pierre Bedossa, Rui Huang, Jian Wang, Lai Wei, Hong You, Huiying Rao Diagnostics.2024; 14(16): 1837. CrossRef
Conditional deletion of CEACAM1 in hepatic stellate cells causes their activation Harrison T. Muturi, Hilda E. Ghadieh, Suman Asalla, Sumona G. Lester, Getachew D. Belew, Sobia Zaidi, Raziyeh Abdolahipour, Abhishek P. Shrestha, Agnes O. Portuphy, Hannah L. Stankus, Raghd Abu Helal, Stefaan Verhulst, Sergio Duarte, Ali Zarrinpar, Leo A. Molecular Metabolism.2024; 88: 102010. CrossRef
The impact of traditional Chinese medicine and dietary compounds on modulating gut microbiota in hepatic fibrosis: A review Xingting Xue, Hongbing Zhou, Jiaxing Gao, Xinghua Li, Jia Wang, Wanfu Bai, Yingchun Bai, Liya Fan, Hong Chang, Songli Shi Heliyon.2024; 10(19): e38339. CrossRef
Beneficial Effects of Tyrosol and Oleocanthal from Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Liver Health: Insights into Their Mechanisms of Action Daniela Gabbia Biology.2024; 13(10): 760. CrossRef
Kisspeptin Alleviates Human Hepatic Fibrogenesis by Inhibiting TGFβ Signaling in Hepatic Stellate Cells Kavita Prasad, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Shams Gamal Eldin Shams, Kimberly Izarraras, Tia Hart, Brent Mayfield, Maryjka B. Blaszczyk, Zhongren Zhou, Utpal B. Pajvani, Scott L. Friedman, Moshmi Bhattacharya Cells.2024; 13(19): 1651. CrossRef
Novel Strategies Enhancing Bioavailability and Therapeutical Potential of Silibinin for Treatment of Liver Disorders Michal Selc, Radka Macova, Andrea Babelova Drug Design, Development and Therapy.2024; Volume 18: 4629. CrossRef
Valorizing Agro‐Food Waste for Nutraceutical Development: Sustainable Approaches for Managing Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Related Co‐Morbidities Laura Comi, Claudia Giglione, Fationa Tolaj Klinaku, Federico Pialorsi, Valentina Tollemeto, Maria Zurlo, Antonio Seneci, Paolo Magni Food Frontiers.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Background Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease caused by obesity that leads to hepatic lipoapoptosis, resulting in fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanism underlying NASH is largely unknown, and there is currently no effective therapeutic agent against it. DWN12088, an agent used for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is a selective prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) inhibitor that suppresses the synthesis of collagen. However, the mechanism underlying the hepatoprotective effect of DWN12088 is not clear. Therefore, we investigated the role of DWN12088 in NASH progression.
Methods Mice were fed a chow diet or methionine-choline deficient (MCD)-diet, which was administered with DWN12088 or saline by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The effects of DWN12088 on NASH were evaluated by pathophysiological examinations, such as real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, biochemical analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of hepatic injury were assessed by in vitro cell culture.
Results DWN12088 attenuated palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid accumulation and lipoapoptosis by downregulating the Rho-kinase (ROCK)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α)/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) signaling cascades. PA increased but DWN12088 inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 (Ser536, Ser276) and the expression of proinflammatory genes. Moreover, the DWN12088 inhibited transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-induced pro-fibrotic gene expression by suppressing TGFβ receptor 1 (TGFβR1)/Smad2/3 and TGFβR1/glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) axis signaling. In the case of MCD-diet-induced NASH, DWN12088 reduced hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and lipoapoptosis and prevented the progression of fibrosis.
Conclusion Our findings provide new insights about DWN12088, namely that it plays an important role in the overall improvement of NASH. Hence, DWN12088 shows great potential to be developed as a new integrated therapeutic agent for NASH.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
EPRS1-mediated fibroblast activation and mitochondrial dysfunction promote kidney fibrosis Seung Seob Son, Hee Seul Jeong, Seong-Woo Lee, Eun Soo Lee, Jeong Geon Lee, Ji-Hye Lee, Jawoon Yi, Mi Ju Park, Min Sun Choi, Donghyeong Lee, Sin Young Choi, Jiheon Ha, Jeong Suk Kang, Nam-Jun Cho, Samel Park, Hyo-Wook Gil, Choon Hee Chung, Joon Seok Park, Experimental & Molecular Medicine.2024; 56(12): 2673. CrossRef
Sejeong Lee, Minyoung Lee, Young-Eun Kim, Hae Kyung Kim, Sook Jung Lee, Jiwon Kim, Yurim Yang, Chul Hoon Kim, Hyangkyu Lee, Dong Jin Joo, Myoung Soo Kim, Eun Seok Kang
Diabetes Metab J. 2024;48(1):146-156. Published online January 3, 2024
Background Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is one of the most significant complications after transplantation. Patients with end-stage liver diseases requiring transplantation are prone to sarcopenia, but the association between sarcopenia and PTDM remains to be elucidated. We aimed to investigate the effect of postoperative muscle mass loss on PTDM development.
Methods A total of 500 patients who underwent liver transplantation at a tertiary care hospital between 2005 and 2020 were included. Skeletal muscle area at the level of the L3–L5 vertebrae was measured using computed tomography scans performed before and 1 year after the transplantation. The associations between the change in the muscle area after the transplantation and the incidence of PTDM was investigated using a Cox proportional hazard model.
Results During the follow-up period (median, 4.9 years), PTDM occurred in 165 patients (33%). The muscle mass loss was greater in patients who developed PTDM than in those without PTDM. Muscle depletion significantly increased risk of developing PTDM after adjustment for other confounding factors (hazard ratio, 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 1.84; P=0.001). Of the 357 subjects who had muscle mass loss, 124 (34.7%) developed PTDM, whereas of the 143 patients in the muscle mass maintenance group, 41 (28.7%) developed PTDM. The cumulative incidence of PTDM was significantly higher in patients with muscle loss than in patients without muscle loss (P=0.034).
Conclusion Muscle depletion after liver transplantation is associated with increased risk of PTDM development.
Background Since prediabetes is a risk factor for metabolic syndromes, it is important to promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent prediabetes. This study aimed to determine the effects of green coffee (GC), chlorogenic acid (CGA) intake, and exercise training (EX) on hepatic lipid metabolism in prediabetes male C57BL/6 mice.
Methods Forty-nine mice were randomly divided into two groups feeding with a normal diet (n=7) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n=42) for 12 weeks. Then, HFD mice were further divided into six groups (n=7/group): control (pre-D), GC, CGA, EX, GC+EX, and CGA+EX. After additional 10 weeks under the same diet, plasma, and liver samples were obtained.
Results HFD-induced prediabetes conditions with increases in body weight, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and lipid profiles were alleviated in all treatment groups. Acsl3, a candidate gene identified through an in silico approach, was lowered in the pre-D group, while treatments partly restored it. HFD induced adverse alterations of de novo lipogenesis- and β oxidation-associated molecules in the liver. However, GC and CGA supplementation and EX reversed or ameliorated these changes. In most cases, GC or CGA supplementation combined with EX has no synergistic effect and the GC group had similar results to the CGA group.
Conclusion These findings suggest that regular exercise is an effective non-therapeutic approach for prediabetes, and CGA supplementation could be an alternative to partially mimic the beneficial effects of exercise on prediabetes.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
TFEB activator tanshinone IIA and derivatives derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. Attenuate hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance Lulu Zheng, Beiyan Li, Anlei Yuan, Shijie Bi, Harrison Puscher, Chaoqun Liu, Liansheng Qiao, Yanjiang Qiao, Shifeng Wang, Yanling Zhang Journal of Ethnopharmacology.2024; 335: 118662. CrossRef
Research progress on the pharmacological activity and mechanism of chlorogenic acid in alleviating acute kidney injury in sepsis patients Renke Sun, Hui Su, Kecheng Zhai, Yangmengna Gao, Shangping Fang Perioperative Precision Medicine.2023;[Epub] CrossRef