The role of PNPLA3 protein expression in obesity-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Identifier:  TFG:6615

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG6615

Authors:  Mimbrero Solla, Ainara

Abstract:
NAFLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease in the human history (25%). It can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) characterized by fibrosis; and cirrhosis, which requires a liver transplantation. It’s indispensable a liver biopsy for the diagnosis of NAFLD/NASH progression, and there isn’t any accepted drug therapy. One of the proteins related to NAFLD is PNPLA3 (patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3), an enzyme involved in the lipid metabolism. PNPLA3 accumulation results in a larger lipid droplet size, characteristic of NASH. There is a need to find new targets to stop NAFLD progress, and PNPLA3 could be one of them.