Cited by 171Liver Disease Diagnosis and TreatmentDiabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and LipoproteinsDiet, Metabolism, and Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: cause or consequence of type 2 diabetes?

Open access
Valenti, Luca, Bugianesi, Elisabetta, Pajvani, Utpal, Targher, Giovanni·2016·Liver International

Abstract

Growing epidemiological evidence suggests that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an early predictor of and determinant for the development of type 2 diabetes and other features of the metabolic syndrome. This finding may have important clinical implications for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications. However, given the complex and bi‐directional relationships between NAFLD, insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycaemia, it is extremely difficult to distinguish whether NAFLD is a cause or a consequence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Indeed, at the molecular level, hepatic lipogenesis and hepatic glucose production depend on differentially regulated branches of the insulin signalling pathway. Furthermore, genetic studies suggest that excess hepatic fat is associated with progressive liver disease, but does not always increase the risk of incident type 2 diabetes. Here, we will briefly review the epidemiological, pathophysiological and molecular evidence linking NAFLD to the development of type 2 diabetes. We will also discuss some recent genetic and therapeutic advances that seem to challenge a causal role of NAFLD in the pathogenesis type 2 diabetes, and propose a working hypothesis to explain this apparent conundrum. In conclusion, progressive liver disease and type 2 diabetes are divergent though inter‐related consequences of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.

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Crossref · 10.1111/liv.13185

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  • Epidemiological studies suggest that NAFLD may be a precursor to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

    “Epidemiological studies have suggested that the presence of NAFLD might be a precursor to the development of other conditions, such as insulin resistance and T2DM151.”

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Authors
Valenti, L., Bugianesi, E., Pajvani, U., & Targher, G.
Affiliations
  • University of Milan (IT)
  • Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino (IT)
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
  • University of Verona (IT)
Corresponding author
Valenti, Luca
Venue
Liver International
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-06-30
Volume
36
Issue
11
Pages
1563-1579
ISSN
  • 0106-9543 (ISSN-L)
  • 1478-3223
  • 1478-3231
OpenAlex
W2413052899
Cited by
171
References
141
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 1
FWCI
2.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Liver International (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (16888)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diet, Metabolism, and Disease
Keywords
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis, hepatic lipogenesis, hepatic glucose production, insulin signaling, genetic susceptibility, causal relationship, pathogenesis, chronic hyperglycemia
MeSH terms
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Humans, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Liver, Risk Factors, Signal Transduction, Metabolic Syndrome, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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