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Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: the role of nuclear receptors and circadian rhythmicity
Author(s) -
Mazzoccoli Gianluigi,
Vinciguerra Manlio,
Oben Jude,
Tarquini Roberto,
De Cosmo Salvatore
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/liv.12534
Subject(s) - circadian rhythm , anabolism , endocrinology , catabolism , fatty liver , medicine , biology , nuclear receptor , receptor , hormone , circadian clock , metabolism , disease , biochemistry , gene , transcription factor
Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is the accumulation of triglycerides in the hepatocytes in the absence of excess alcohol intake, and is caused by an imbalance between hepatic synthesis and breakdown of fats, as well as fatty acid storage and disposal. Liver metabolic pathways are driven by circadian biological clocks, and hepatic health is maintained by proper timing of circadian patterns of metabolic gene expression with the alternation of anabolic processes corresponding to feeding/activity during wake times, and catabolic processes characterizing fasting/resting during sleep. A number of nuclear receptors in the liver are expressed rhythmically, bind hormones and metabolites, sense energy flux and expenditure, and connect the metabolic pathways to the molecular clockwork throughout the 24‐h day. In this review, we describe the role played by the nuclear receptors in the genesis of NAFLD in relationship with the circadian clock circuitry.