Metabolic drivers of NAFLD

Significant progress has been made over the past decade in our understanding of NASH pathogenesis, but gaps remain in our mechanistic knowledge of the precise metabolic triggers for disease worsening. Many factors associated with dysregulated systemic metabolism have been implicated in some way with the progression…
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MAFLD, severe COVID-19 and the gut-liver axis

As pointed out by Gabriella Assante et al. (The Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London, UK), two recent studies in the Journal of Hepatology suggest that MAFLD is a risk factor for progression to severe COVID-19. More studies are required to confirm this. However, it potentially adds MAFLD to a list of risk factors that also includes obesity…
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Pan-PPAR agonist lanifibranor improves portal hypertension and hepatic fibrosis in experimental advanced chronic liver disease

Advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is a serious public health issue for which a safe and effective treatment is still lacking. It is often associated with portal hypertension and liver fibrosis. Over the recent years, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors family (PPARs) have been considered as a relevant…
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Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: the role of PPARs (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors)

Prof Sven Francque, Belgium, shares highlights from a recent paper in Nature reviews. PPARs regulate metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis, all of which determine NASH progression. Both PPARα-β/δ dual agonism as well as PPARγ agonism have shown beneficial effects on liver histology in phase IIb clinical trials for NASH.

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