Effects of Thyroid Hormones on Lipid Metabolism Pathologies in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Chia-Jung Liao; Po-Shuan Huang; Hui-Tzu Chien; Tzu-Kang Lin; Chau-Ting Yeh; Kwang-Huei Lin

doi:10.3390/biomedicines10061232

Effects of Thyroid Hormones on Lipid Metabolism Pathologies in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Biomedicines. 2022 May 25;10(6):1232. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10061232.

Authors

Chia-Jung Liao¹, Po-Shuan Huang¹, Hui-Tzu Chien^{2

3}, Tzu-Kang Lin⁴, Chau-Ting Yeh⁵, Kwang-Huei Lin^{1

3

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
² Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
³ Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
⁴ Neurosurgery, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan.
⁵ Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Biochemistry, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1 Road, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.

Abstract

The typical modern lifestyle contributes to the development of many metabolic-related disorders, as exemplified by metabolic syndrome. How to prevent, resolve, or avoid subsequent deterioration of metabolic disturbances and the development of more serious diseases has become an important and much-discussed health issue. Thus, the question of the physiological and pathological roles of thyroid hormones (THs) in metabolism has never gone out of fashion. Although THs influence almost all organs, the liver is one of the most important targets as well as the hub of metabolic homeostasis. When this homeostasis is out of balance, diseases may result. In the current review, we summarize the common features and actions of THs, first focusing on their effects on lipid metabolism in the liver. In the second half of the review, we turn to a consideration of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disease characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in the liver that is independent of heavy alcohol consumption. NAFLD is a growing health problem that currently affects ~25% of the world's population. Unfortunately, there are currently no approved therapies specific for NAFLD, which, if left uncontrolled, may progress to more serious diseases, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. This absence of effective treatment can also result in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an aggressive form of NAFLD that is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States. Because THs play a clear role in hepatic fat metabolism, their potential application in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD has attracted considerable research attention. Studies that have investigated the use of TH-related compounds in the management of NAFLD are also summarized in the latter part of this review. An important take-home point of this review is that a comprehensive understanding of the physiological and pathological roles of THs in liver fat metabolism is possible, despite the complexities of this regulatory axis-an understanding that has clinical value for the specific management of NAFLD.

Keywords: lipid metabolism; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); thyroid hormone.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

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