Brain-to-Liver Pathway Shields Against Liver Inflammation
Researchers at McMaster University have identified that the hormone GDF15 protects the liver from inflammation through a brain-to-liver signaling pathway. This discovery suggests that GDF15 could be a target for new treatments for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Why it matters
This finding provides a potential new therapeutic avenue for treating severe fatty liver disease, which currently lacks effective treatments that address inflammation independently of weight loss.
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that a naturally occurring hormone best known for suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss also helps protect the liver from inflammation through a previously unknown signalling pathway, opening new possibilities for treating advanced fatty liver disease.
The findings, published in Cell Metabolism on August 10, 2026, reveal that the hormone GDF15 can suppress liver inflammation and slow the progression of liver scarring independently of weight loss - a surprising discovery that challenges longstanding assumptions about how the hormone works.
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