Advancements and Challenges in Understanding and Treating Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD): Focus on GLP-1 Agonists

Ethan Hardy Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), poses a significant global health challenge, affecting approximately 32.4% of the global population.1-4 Characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation and associated complications such as liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, this condition underscores the need…
Hepatology

The Combination of Radiofrequency Ablation with Chemotherapy May Improve Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patient Outcomes

Jacob Abell Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 6th most common cause of cancer worldwide with 700,000 new cases each year and the average survival rate is 19.6% in the United States.¹ The most common primary malignancy of the liver, HCC significant risk factors include chronic alcohol consumption, viral infections,…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Hepatology

Elucidating IL-17 Signaling Involvement in the Pathogenesis of Alcoholic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Kieu Pham Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer.1 High alcohol intake has been linked to alcoholic liver disease (ALD), cirrhosis, and HCC.2 Because HCC usually occurs in patients suffering from known liver diseases like ALD, diagnosing HCC typically occurs through surveillance.2 Mechanistically, alcohol induces the…
Hepatology Neuroscience

Noradrenergic Hyperactivity and Resulting Denervation Explains Key Aspects of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Pathology

Glori Das Introduction: An estimated 25% of the global population suffers from Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)1. NAFLD is a progressive condition characterized by hepatocyte lipid accumulation (HLA) and fibrosis in its more advanced stages. Multiple pathways controlled by noradrenergic (NAergic) signaling have been implicated in NAFLD pathogenesis2,3,4. The goal…
Hepatology

Targeting the Sct/SR/TGF-β1 Axis to Delay Fibrosis in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Kendal Updike Introduction. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a cholestatic liver disease affecting bile modification due to damage to cholangiocytes and intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts1-3. Cholangiocytes are the only cell type in the liver that secrete secretin and express the G-protein coupled secretin receptor3. Through an autocrine mechanism, secretin…
Featured Abstracts Hepatology