Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: molecular and cellular interplays of the lipid metabolism in a steatotic liver

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects ~25% of world population and cases have increased in recent decades. These anomalies have several etiologies; however, obesity and metabolic dysfunctions are the most relevant causes. Despite being considered a public health problem, no effective therapeutic approach to treat NAFLD is available. For that, a deep understanding of metabolic routes that support hepatic diseases is needed.

Areas covered

This review covers aspects of the onset of NAFLD. Thereby, biochemistry routes as well as cellular and metabolic effects of the gut microbiota in body’s homeostasis and epigenetics are contextualized.

Expert opinion

Recently, the development of biological sciences has generated innovative knowledge, bringing new insights and perspectives to clarify the systems biology of liver diseases. A detailed comprehension of epigenetics mechanisms will offer possibilities to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for NAFLD. Different epigenetic processes have been reported that are modulated by the environment such as gut microbiota, suggesting strong interplays between cellular behavior and pathology. Thus, a more complete description of such mechanisms in hepatic diseases will help to clarify how to control the establishment of fatty liver, and precisely describe molecular interplays that potentially control NAFLD.

KEYWORDS:

• Epigenetics
• gut microbiota
• hepatic steatosis
• metabolic pathways
• non-coding RNAs
• systems biology

Article highlights

• Relevant concerns about non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases are presented.

• Biochemical, cellular, and molecular approaches for non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases are provided.

• The relevant aspects of the influence of gut microbiota in NAFLD are discussed.

• Epigenetics mechanisms and their correlations with hepatic diseases are highlighted.

• Systems biology is considered to be explored in clinics.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a research grant from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP - 2018/05286-3) and CAPES scholarships.