A new study from Guangzhou University has identified a potential therapy target for fatty liver disease, according to research published in eLife.
Fatty liver disease—especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—is increasingly common worldwide, affecting roughly one in four people. Many individuals remain unaware they have it until it leads to more severe health issues like liver scarring, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease.
Currently, lifestyle changes such as improved diet, physical activity, and weight management remain the only widely recommended strategies for managing early-stage NAFLD. However, these options become less effective as the disease advances, particularly once it develops into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which currently has no approved medication.
That may soon change thanks to research led by Mengyao Wu. Her team focused on a liver-specific molecule known as Adgrf1, which appears to play a key role in early liver function.
In lab experiments, mice fed a high-fat diet showed reduced levels of Adgrf1 in their liver, suggesting the molecule could be a biological marker for early fatty liver changes. When the team deliberately lowered Adgrf1 levels in mice, the animals began displaying symptoms consistent with diabetes—including elevated insulin and blood sugar levels.
The researchers then blocked Adgrf1 in mice already diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Surprisingly, the animals’ liver health improved, indicating that reducing Adgrf1 may not just prevent damage but actively reverse some of it.
In a follow-up study, human liver samples confirmed the trend: patients with more advanced fatty liver conditions had higher levels of Adgrf1.
“Because Adgrf1 is mostly found in liver tissue, a targeted therapy could reduce side effects elsewhere in the body,” the authors noted.
This breakthrough brings scientists one step closer to developing an effective drug therapy for fatty liver disease—a condition that currently depends entirely on lifestyle intervention.
While this research is still in early phases, the findings suggest that Adgrf1 could offer a path forward in treating both NAFLD and NASH.
Until medical treatments become available, health experts still recommend managing liver risk through balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. Additional findings suggest that certain foods like dairy products and coffee, or diets rich in anti-inflammatory properties and vitamin D, may also help protect liver function.
As research advances, new insights into liver health and disease prevention are rapidly emerging—and this latest discovery may prove to be a turning point in treating one of the most common yet overlooked metabolic conditions.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
