Endocrine Abstracts

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming a master component of the epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome worldwide due to excessive caloric intake. The spectrum of NAFLD ranges from simple fatty liver with benign prognosis to a potentially progressive form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which may lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Development of hepatic steatosis and its progression to steatohepatitis ma...

Liver X receptors (LXRs) are are ligand-dependent transcription factors, members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. In humans two LXR isoforms exist, LXRα (NR1H3) and LXRβ (NR1H2). LXRα is expressed predominantly in metabolically active tissues, while LXRβ is expressed in the majority of tissues. They have long been known to have critical roles in regulation of lipid metabolism, particu...