What if Prometheus had steatosis? Potential use of FGF19 to promote regeneration of the fatty liver

Commentaries liver fat and improve hepatic glucose What if Prometheus had steatosis? handling, it is reasonable to explore the potential of exogenous FGF19 to enhance Potential use of FGF19 to promote the outcomes of liver surgery in patients with steatosis. An important step toward regeneration of the fatty liver this goal is presented in this issue by Alvarez-Sola et al, extending the previ- ous work from their group. Working in Philip M Brown, Yaron Rotman Fgf15−/− mice, they demonstrate that the absence of Fgf15 worsens diet-induced steatosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) stress and that this phenotype can be (NAFLD), the excess accumulation of tri- and its mouse ortholog Fgf15 are peptide reversed with administration or overex- glycerides in the liver, can lead to liver- hormones with myriad metabolic func- pression of FGF19. These findings are in associated morbidity and mortality and is tions. Driven by luminal bile acid content line with previous reports, showing associated with extrahepatic disorders and farnesoid X receptor, FGF15/19 is decreased steatosis in FGF19 overexpres- such as diabetes, obesity and increased expressed in, and secreted from, the ter- 12 13 sing or FGF19-treated mice. The cardiovascular risk. NAFLD is becoming minal ileum and closes the eneterohepatic extremely prevalent, estimated to affect feedback loop by acting on the liver to effects of FGF15/19 in the current model 30%–45% of the population in the decrease hepatic bile acid synthesis. In seem to be dependent on transcriptional USA. Given this...