Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver disease due to the global pandemic of metabolic diseases. Dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism plays a central role in the initiation and progression of NAFLD. With the advancement of lipidomics, an increasing number of lipid species and underlying mechanisms associating hepatic lipid components have been revealed. Therefore, the focus of this review is to highlight the links between hepatic lipid species and their mechanisms mediating the pathogenesis of NAFLD. We first summarized the interplay between NAFLD and hepatic lipid disturbances. Next, we focused on reviewing the role of saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, oxidized phospholipids, and their respective intermediates in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. The mechanisms by which monounsaturated fatty acids and other pro-resolving mediators exert protective effects are also addressed. Finally, we further discussed the implication of different analysis approaches in lipidomics. Evolving insights into the pathophysiology of NAFLD will provide the opportunity for drug development.
Keywords: lipid droplets; lipotoxicity; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; saturated fatty acids; triacylglycerol.