Search results for "steatohepatitis"

Genetic ablation of macrohistone H2A1 leads to increased leanness, glucose tolerance and energy expenditure in mice fed a high-fat diet.

2015

Contains fulltext : 155347.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In the context of obesity, epigenetic mechanisms regulate cell-specific chromatin plasticity, perpetuating gene expression responses to nutrient excess. MacroH2A1, a variant of histone H2A, emerged as a key chromatin regulator sensing small nutrients during cell proliferation and differentiation. Mice genetically ablated for macroH2A1 (knockout (KO)) do not show overt phenotypes under a standard diet. Our objective was to analyse the in vivo role of macroH2A1 in response to nutritional excess. METHODS: Twelve-week-old whole-body macroH2A1 KO male mice were given a high-fat diet (60% energy from lard…

The economic cost and health burden of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the EU5 countries

2020

Genetic background in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A comprehensive review

2015

In the Western world, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as one of the most significant liver diseases of the twenty-first century. Its development is certainly driven by environmental factors, but it is also regulated by genetic background. The role of heritability has been widely demonstrated by several epidemiological, familial, and twin studies and case series, and likely reflects the wide inter-individual and inter-ethnic genetic variability in systemic metabolism and wound healing response processes. Consistent with this idea, genome-wide association studies have clearly identified Patatin-like phosholipase domain-containing 3 gene variant I148M as a major player i…

PSD3 downregulation confers protection against fatty liver disease

2022

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is a growing health issue with burdening unmet clinical needs. FLD has a genetic component but, despite the common variants already identified, there is still a missing heritability component. Using a candidate gene approach, we identify a locus (rs71519934) at the Pleckstrin and Sec7 domain-containing 3 (PSD3) gene resulting in a leucine to threonine substitution at position 186 of the protein (L186T) that reduces susceptibility to the entire spectrum of FLD in individuals at risk. PSD3 downregulation by short interfering RNA reduces intracellular lipid content in primary human hepatocytes cultured in two and three dimensions, and in human and rodent hepatoma cell…

Macrophage MerTK promotes profibrogenic cross-talk with hepatic stellate cells via soluble mediators

2022

Background & aims: Activation of Kupffer cells and recruitment of monocytes are key events in fibrogenesis. These cells release soluble mediators which induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main fibrogenic cell type within the liver. Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) signaling regulates multiple processes in macrophages and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related fibrosis. In this study, we explored if MerTK activation in macrophages influences the profibrogenic phenotype of HSCs. Methods: Macrophages were derived from THP-1 cells or differentiated from peripheral blood monocytes towards MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages. Th…

A new definition for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: An international expert consensus statement

2020

The exclusion of other chronic liver diseases including “excess” alcohol intake has until now been necessary to establish a diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, given our current understanding of the pathogenesis of MAFLD and its rising prevalence, “positive criteria” to diagnose the disease are required. In this work, a panel of international experts from 22 countries propose a new definition for the diagnosis of MAFLD that is both comprehensive and simple, and is independent of other liver diseases. The criteria are based on evidence of hepatic steatosis, in addition to one of the following three criteria, namely overweight/obesity, presence …

The nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) drug development graveyard: established hurdles and planning for future success

2020

Contains fulltext : 229341.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) INTRODUCTION: Numerous pharmacological compounds that target the different molecular targets involved in the pathobiology of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are currently in clinical testing. So far, there are no regulatory approvals. AREAS COVERED: This paper sheds light on the molecular pathways involved in NASH and the drugs targeting these pathways. We have identified 10 compounds whose clinical development program has been halted. Moreover, we explore early phase clinical trials and dissect the reasons for termination of development. EXPERT OPINION: The main goal of NASH pharmacotherapy is to halt or reverse hepati…

Is the Total Amount as Important as Localization and Type of Collagen in Liver Fibrosis Attributable to Steatohepatitis?

2020

Is liver fibrosis just liver fibrosis? Or do the subtype of collagen, its spatial localization in the liver, its cell of origin, and the time point at which it is synthesized also matter? It is important, since the various collagen subtypes hold different informative values regarding reparative processes in the liver, and as collagens have also emerged as important signaling molecules (1). Novel data have challenged our perception of liver fibrosis and collagens, which may have important implications regarding the development of new biomarkers and anti-fibrotic interventions. The traditional histological analysis of liver biopsies using histochemical collagen stains, such as the Masson's Tr…

MERTK rs4374383 polymorphism affects the severity of fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

2015

Background & Aim Homozygosity for a common non-coding rs4374383 G>A polymorphism in MERTK (myeloid-epithelial-reproductive tyrosine kinase) has been associated with the protection against fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis C. The main study objective was to assess whether MERTK AA genotype influences liver fibrosis, and secondarily MERTK expression in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We also investigated whether MERTK is expressed in human hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and in murine models of fibrogenesis. Methods We considered 533 consecutive patients who underwent liver biopsy for suspected non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) without severe obesity from two …

Fibrogenesis assessed by serological type III collagen formation identifies patients with progressive liver fibrosis and responders to a potential an…

2016

There are no approved treatments for liver fibrosis. To aid development of antifibrotic therapies, noninvasive biomarkers that can identify patients with progressive fibrosis and that permit monitoring of the response to antifibrotic therapy are much needed. Samples from a phase II antifibrotic trial of the glitazone farglitazar in patients with advanced hepatitis C, with matched follow-up liver biopsies, and from a phase III study of balaglitazone in patients with late-stage Type 2 diabetes (BALLET study) were analyzed for serological Pro-C3 levels in conjunction with other disease parameters. In the farglitazar study, a predefined cutoff value for Pro-C3 as a selection criterion led to t…