A recent research study at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) provides another dimension to reduce fat accumulation in the liver. This reduces the onset of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and opens up new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
The liver plays a central role in lipid metabolism. Fatty liver Disease (FLD) in particular the Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a serious health concern that affects 25% of the world’s population.
It is characterised by increased abdominal fat accumulation and metabolic abnormalities including insulin resistance, type-2-diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular problems. NAFLD can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure.
This study shows that Lipid associated mitochondria promotes fatty acid oxidation through distinct bioenergetics pattern in the liver.
The study was conducted by professor Naresh Babu Sepuri, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences at UoH and his team. The main contributors for the study are Dr Noble Kumar Talari and Dr Ushodaya Mattam, Niroj Kumar, Arun Kumar P.
It demonstrates the significance of functional segregation of mitochondria as any aberration in lipid droplet-associated mitochondria may lead to NAFLD.
The study has been published as an article in Nature Communications, a peer reviewed journal.
