Loss of a metabolic gene protects against fatty liver disease
Researchers at the University of Michigan have identified that rare loss-of-function mutations in the LYPLAL1 gene protect women against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This discovery provides a potential new therapeutic target for treating fatty liver disease.
Why it matters
MASLD affects over one-third of the global population, and this genetic insight could lead to more effective medical treatments.
More than one-third of the global population has metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver. MASLD can progress to more severe diseases like metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment options are limited and focus on weight loss through lifestyle changes and the use of a couple of medications, while liver transplantation is reserved for advanced disease.
With few effective treatment options available, researchers at the University of Michigan are using genetics to identify mechanisms underlying MASLD and potential therapeutic targets. A recent study published in the Journal of Lipid Research revealed that rare loss-of-function mutations in lysophospholipase-like 1, or LYPLAL1 , protect women against MASLD.
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