Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.9
2.8
Journals
CIMB
Special Issues
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment,...
cimb-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for CIMB Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 880

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Haibo Dong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Translational Biomedical Research, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
Interests: fatty liver diseases; cellular redox balance; cell death; inflammation; oxidative stress; autophagy; mitochondrial dysfunction; NAD+ homeostasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Translational Biomedical Research, North Carolina Research Campus, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
Interests: alcohol-associated liver disease; bile acids metabolism; fatty acids metabolism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a new Special Issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology that aims to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development and progression of both non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

NAFLD and ALD are significant contributors to the global burden of liver disease. NAFLD, often associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, has emerged as the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. ALD, on the other hand, is primarily caused by excessive alcohol consumption and encompasses a wide range of liver conditions, including steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD and ALD are both steatohepatitic processes and share several common features, yet they differ in many aspects. Therefore, understanding the development and progression of both NAFLD and ALD, in addition to uncovering the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, is crucial to advancing our knowledge and developing effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these liver diseases.

In this Special Issue, we welcome articles that investigate or summarize the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of NAFLD, NASH, ALD, and related diseases. We encourage researchers to explore a broad range of topics, including, but not limited to, impaired lipid metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, genetic/epigenetic modifications, and the interplay between alcohol metabolism and liver injury.

Dr. Haibo Dong
Dr. Wei Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Issues in Molecular Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
  • alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)
  • lipotoxicity
  • bile acid metabolism
  • novel biomarker identification
  • organelle dysfunction and communication
  • inflammation and oxidative stress
  • cell signaling and cell death pathways
  • lipid metabolism and dysregulation
  • epigenetic modifications (DNA/RNA/non-coding RNA)
  • therapeutic targets and interventions

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 1645 KiB  
Article
Differential Profiles of Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites of Bile Acids and Propionate as Potential Predictors of Depressive Disorder in Women with Morbid Obesity at High Risk of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease—A Pilot Study
by Joanna Michalina Jurek, Belen Xifré, Elena Cristina Rusu, Helena Clavero-Mestres, Razieh Mahmoudian, Carmen Aguilar, David Riesco, Javier Ugarte Chicote, Salomé Martinez, Marga Vives, Fàtima Sabench and Teresa Auguet
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2025, 47(5), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb47050353 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 280
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a liver condition linked to cardiometabolic diseases and mental health issues, with studies highlighting disruptions in gut microbiota activity, including bile acid (BA) metabolism. Therefore, the main aim of this exploratory analysis was to assess microbiota-derived [...] Read more.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a liver condition linked to cardiometabolic diseases and mental health issues, with studies highlighting disruptions in gut microbiota activity, including bile acid (BA) metabolism. Therefore, the main aim of this exploratory analysis was to assess microbiota-derived metabolites, specifically BAs and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as potential biomarkers of depressive disorder (DD) in women with morbid obesity at MASLD risk. In this pilot study, 33 females with morbid obesity who were scheduled for bariatric surgery were evaluated. Medical and clinical data were collected, and microbial metabolites from pre-surgery blood samples were analyzed. Patients were stratified according to the presence of DD. Analysis with Spearman’s rank test was used to assess correlations and logistic regression models were built to evaluate biomarkers as predictors of DD risk using both receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and precision–recall curves. In this cohort, 30.3% of females were reported to have DD, in addition to significantly elevated levels of certain BAs and SCFAs, including glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA) and propionate, which were also correlated with some metabolic biomarkers. However, there were no differences in the incidence of MASLD or metabolic syndrome between patients with DD or without. In conclusion, microbiota-derived metabolites such as GDCA and propionate may influence DD risk in females with morbid obesity; however, their potential use as predictive biomarkers should be further investigated to confirm their role in psycho-metabolic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4449 KiB  
Article
Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Network Pharmacology Reveal the Mechanisms of Rhodiola crenulata in Improving Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
by Xin Zeng, Jianwei Wang, Qinyi Xu, Chengdan Deng, Xi Yi, Shang Wang, Ling Yao and Wei Xiang
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2025, 47(5), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb47050324 - 1 May 2025
Viewed by 249
Abstract
Rhodiola crenulata (RC) is a traditional herb and functional food that has demonstrated beneficial effects in improving physical function, enhancing work capacity, alleviating fatigue, and preventing altitude sickness. Additionally, RC has shown promising effects in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), [...] Read more.
Rhodiola crenulata (RC) is a traditional herb and functional food that has demonstrated beneficial effects in improving physical function, enhancing work capacity, alleviating fatigue, and preventing altitude sickness. Additionally, RC has shown promising effects in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), although its specific bioactive components and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) combined with network pharmacology was employed to identify six potential bioactive compounds from the serum of rats treated with RC—Salidroside, Tyrosol, Crenulatin, Catechin gallate, Eriodictyol, and Rhodiooctanoside—that may contribute to its therapeutic effects on NAFLD. The efficacy of these compounds in improving NAFLD was assessed in vitro using HepG2 cells exposed to Palmitic acid (PA), and it was found that Catechin gallate exhibited a significant effect in reducing lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, based on network pharmacology predictions, molecular docking studies suggested that the primary targets of Catechin gallate in alleviating fatty liver might include ABCB1, DYRK1A, PGD, and FUT4. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed stable binding interactions between Catechin gallate and these four target proteins. This study clarifies the material basis of RC in the treatment of NAFLD and provides a theoretical foundation for the application of RC and Catechin gallate as functional additives for the management of NAFLD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 10987 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Analysis of Differentially Expressed Profiles of mRNA 5-Methylcytosine Modification in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
by Yueying Yang, E Wang, Bing Zhou, Yan Lu, Xiaoying Ding and Yao Li
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2025, 47(5), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb47050305 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 216
Abstract
RNA methylation plays a critical role in regulating all aspects of RNA function, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. Recent studies emphasize the role of 5-methylcytosine (m5C), an RNA modification, in key biological functions. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease [...] Read more.
RNA methylation plays a critical role in regulating all aspects of RNA function, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. Recent studies emphasize the role of 5-methylcytosine (m5C), an RNA modification, in key biological functions. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has emerged as the leading chronic liver condition globally. However, the relationship between m5C methylation and MASLD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate m5C modification in a mouse model of MASLD. In this research, using RNA transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) and methylated RNA bisulfite sequencing (RNA-BS-Seq) in leptin receptor-deficient mice, we found that genes associated with hypermethylation were primarily linked to lipid metabolism. We identified 156 overlapping and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that changed at both the mRNA expression level and the m5C modification level. Among them, 72 genes showed elevated expression and m5C modification. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses indicated that these genes were significantly associated with lipid metabolism-related signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that m5C methylation modifications may play an important role in the development of MASLD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Fatty Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop