Diabetes & Metabolism Journal

Original Articles

Pathophysiology
Enavogliflozin, an SGLT2 Inhibitor, Improves Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Induced by High-Fat, High-Cholesterol Diet: Phuc Thi Minh Pham, Giang Nguyen, So Young Park, Thuy Linh Lai, Dae-Hee Choi, Jeana Hong, Seon Mee Kang, Eun-Hee Cho; Diabetes Metab J. 2026;50(1):165-177. Published online June 16, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2024.0259

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Background
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a progressive condition caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver, begins with simple steatosis and can potentially progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in the presence of inflammation and fibrosis, ultimately leading to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Increasing evidence indicates that sodiumglucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors effectively alleviate MASH in mouse models. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of enavogliflozin on liver disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on MASH induced by a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet in mice.
Methods
Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal chow diet, HFHC diet, or HFHC diet with enavogliflozin for 12 weeks. LX-2 and HepG2 cells were treated with enavogliflozin in the presence of various pathological stimuli.
Results
The HFHC diet induced excessive hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and severe fibrosis. Administration of enavogliflozin not only ameliorated hepatic steatosis and fibrotic conditions but also suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines. Positive outcomes were also observed in in vitro experiments, where enavogliflozin demonstrated the ability to impede the activation of hepatic stellate cells and alleviate lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. The potential pathway through which enavogliflozin attenuated liver fibrosis development may be associated with the transforming growth factor β1/Smad signaling pathway.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that enavogliflozin is effective in a mouse model of MASH by attenuating hepatic steatosis, suppressing inflammation, and improving liver fibrosis.

Citations

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Signaling Pathway Remodeling and Molecular Regulation in the HCC TME: Dynamic Evolution and Clinical Therapeutic Advances
Lin Xu, Xuanhao Zhang, Hengzhou Zhu, Dong Niu, Xiaodan Zhu, Chunhui Jin
Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
SGLT2 Inhibitors as Systemic Metabolic Modulators: Linking Glucose Excretion to Liver Function Restoration
Seung Wan Noh, Han Sol Ryu, Yong-Ho Kim, Byung-Chul Oh
Endocrinology and Metabolism.2025; 40(6): 851. CrossRef

Basic and Translational Research
Interleukin 33 Promotes Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cell Dysfunction and Hepatic Fibrosis in Diabetic Mice: Huimin Chen, Chao Gao, Li Mo, Xingzhu Yin, Li Chen, Bangfu Wu, Ying Zhao, Xueer Cheng, Chanhua Liang, Bichao Xu, Dongyan Li, Yanyan Li, Ping Yao, Yuhan Tang; Diabetes Metab J. 2025;49(6):1204-1218. Published online May 22, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2024.0532

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Background
Interleukin 33 (IL33) drives liver fibrosis, and individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus are more likely advanced to liver fibrosis. However, the role of IL33 in diabetic liver fibrosis remains unclear, prompting our investigation.
Methods
We developed a diabetes model in wild-type, IL33^−/−, and suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2^−/−, IL33 receptor) mice. Furthermore, wild-type diabetic mice were injected with IL33 neutralizing antibody (αIL33). We also co-cultured human liver endothelial cells and human hepatic stellate cells to identify the role of IL33 in high palmitic acid and high glucose conditions.
Results
Hepatic collagen deposition was increased in diabetic mice, which was alleviated by IL33 knockout, ST2 knockout, or administration of αIL33. Also, αIL33 treatment blunted liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) dysfunction and inflammation during diabetic liver fibrosis progression. Recombinant IL33 (rIL33) treatment aggravated autophagy disruption in the presence of palm acid and high glucose in LSECs, which was blunted by autophagy agonist rapamycin administration and ERK/MAPK inhibitor PD98059 treatment. Hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 co-cultured with rIL33-pretreated LSECs displayed augmented activation, which was also attenuated by rapamycin or PD98059 pretreated.
Conclusion
IL33 drives LSEC dysfunction and promotes diabetic hepatic fibrosis, thus a potential therapeutic target for diabetic liver fibrosis.

Citations

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Therapeutic effects of IL-33/ST-2 pathway inhibition combined with albendazole on hepatic fibrosis and immune regulation in alveolar echinococcosis: in vivo and in vitro evidence
Shi-Lei Cheng, Xiu-Mei Ma, Bin-Jie Wu, Yu-Xuan Yang, Hai-Ning Fan
Parasites & Vectors.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Sappanone A, a potential natural inhibitor of PI3K, alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in experimental models
Xi Qiao, Qian Li, Ruiqi Fan, Yujie Cheng, Qingxuan Zeng, Huan Xue, Xiaoli Zhang, Yi Zhang, Yunfeng Liu
Biochemical Pharmacology.2025; 242: 117305. CrossRef
Cell-specific roles of autophagy in liver fibrosis: implications for targeted pharmacotherapy
Chibo Liu, Huan Yang, Yongjie Liu, Min An, Zhiyong Weng, Lihua Li
Annals of Medicine.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Metabolic Risk/Epidemiology
Association of Myosteatosis with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Severity, and Liver Fibrosis Using Visual Muscular Quality Map in Computed Tomography: Hwi Seung Kim, Jiwoo Lee, Eun Hee Kim, Min Jung Lee, In Young Bae, Woo Je Lee, Joong-Yeol Park, Hong-Kyu Kim, Chang Hee Jung; Diabetes Metab J. 2023;47(1):104-117. Published online January 26, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2022.0081

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Background
The association of myosteatosis measured using visual muscular quality map in computed tomography (CT) with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its severity, and fibrosis was analyzed in a large population.
Methods
Subjects (n=13,452) with abdominal CT between 2012 and 2013 were measured total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) at L3 level. TAMA was segmented into intramuscular adipose tissue and skeletal muscle area (SMA), which was further classified into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area (LAMA). The following variables were adopted as indicators of myosteatosis: SMA/body mass index (BMI), NAMA/BMI, NAMA/TAMA, and LAMA/BMI. NAFLD and its severity were assessed by ultrasonography, and liver fibrosis was measured by calculating the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) scores.
Results
According to multiple logistic regression analyses, as quartiles of SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA increased, the odds ratios (ORs) for NAFLD decreased in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). The ORs of moderate/severe NAFLD were significantly higher in the Q1 group than in the Q4 group for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in men. The ORs of intermediate/high liver fibrosis scores assessed by NFS and FIB-4 scores increased linearly with decreasing quartiles for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). Conversely, the risk for NAFLD and fibrosis were positively associated with LAMA/BMI quartiles in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all).
Conclusion
A higher proportion of good quality muscle was associated with lower risks of NAFLD and fibrosis.

Citations

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Association between serum uric acid and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): an observational cross-sectional study in an Egyptian outpatient cohort
Haitham A. Mahmoud, W. Mohamed Abd Elghany, Mohammed Abdelhakeem, Hasnaa M. Ahmed, Nady Semeda, Safaa M Abdelhalim, Alaa M Mostafa, Shaimaa H Zaki, Manar M Sayed, Omar Abdelazim
BMC Gastroenterology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
CT-assessed abdominal visceral adiposity and MASLD: a sex-stratified cross-sectional analysis
Linying Xu, Ting Chen, Yitian Xie, Xueyu Xiang, Yupeng Liu, Chongyong Xu, Shuran Wang
Frontiers in Nutrition.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Myosteatosis Predicts Bariatric Surgery Response: A Longitudinal Study in Patients With Morbid Obesity
Eugene Han, Mi Kyung Kim, Hye Won Lee, Seungwan Ryu, Hye Soon Kim, Byoung Kuk Jang, Youngsung Suh
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.2025; 110(5): e1385. CrossRef
Association between atherogenic dyslipidemia and muscle quality defined by myosteatosis
Hwi Seung Kim, Yun Kyung Cho, Myung Jin Kim, Eun Hee Kim, Min Jung Lee, Woo Je Lee, Hong-Kyu Kim, Chang Hee Jung
Frontiers in Endocrinology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Artificial intelligence-based evaluation of prognosis in cirrhosis
Yinping Zhai, Darong Hai, Li Zeng, Chenyan Lin, Xinru Tan, Zefei Mo, Qijia Tao, Wenhui Li, Xiaowei Xu, Qi Zhao, Jianwei Shuai, Jingye Pan
Journal of Translational Medicine.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Association of Myosteatosis with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Severity, and Liver Fibrosis Using Visual Muscular Quality Map in Computed Tomography (Diabetes Metab J 2023;47:104-17)
Hwi Seung Kim, Hong-Kyu Kim, Chang Hee Jung
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal.2023; 47(2): 304. CrossRef
Association of Myosteatosis with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Severity, and Liver Fibrosis Using Visual Muscular Quality Map in Computed Tomography (Diabetes Metab J 2023;47:104-17)
Eun Roh
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal.2023; 47(2): 301. CrossRef
Sarcopenia, a condition shared by various diseases: can we alleviate or delay the progression?
Giovanni Tarantino, Gaia Sinatti, Vincenzo Citro, Silvano Santini, Clara Balsano
Internal and Emergency Medicine.2023; 18(7): 1887. CrossRef
Association of Visceral Fat Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Myosteatosis with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease without Obesity
Hong-Kyu Kim, Sung-Jin Bae, Min Jung Lee, Eun Hee Kim, Hana Park, Hwi Seung Kim, Yun Kyung Cho, Chang Hee Jung, Woo Je Lee, Jaewon Choe
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2023; 29(4): 987. CrossRef
Current view of the surgical anatomy of the anterolateral abdominal wall muscles and their aponeuroses
A.V. Pavlov, A.S. Baranova, A.V. Fedoseyev, A.I. Vvedensky, G.S. Lazutina, N.V. Ovchinnikova, I.V. Bakharev
Russian Journal of Operative Surgery and Clinical Anatomy.2023; 7(3): 44. CrossRef
Muscle Fat Content Is Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis in Chinese Adults
W. Guo, X. Zhao, D. Cheng, X. Liang, M. Miao, X. Li, J. Lu, N. Xu, Shuang Hu, Qun Zhang
The Journal of nutrition, health and aging.2023; 27(11): 960. CrossRef

Complications
Renal Tubular Damage Marker, Urinary N-acetyl-β-D-Glucosaminidase, as a Predictive Marker of Hepatic Fibrosis in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Hae Kyung Kim, Minyoung Lee, Yong-ho Lee, Eun Seok Kang, Bong-Soo Cha, Byung-Wan Lee; Diabetes Metab J. 2022;46(1):104-116. Published online July 13, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2020.0273

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Background
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is closely associated with the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated whether urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (u-NAG), an early renal tubular damage biomarker in DKD, could be related to the degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients with T2DM.
Methods
A total of 300 patients with T2DM were enrolled in this study. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were determined using transient elastography. The levels of urinary biomarkers, including u-NAG, albumin, protein, and creatinine, and glucometabolic parameters were measured.
Results
Based on the median value of the u-NAG to creatinine ratio (u-NCR), subjects were divided into low and high u-NCR groups. The high u-NCR group showed a significantly longer duration of diabetes, worsened hyperglycemia, and a more enhanced hepatic fibrosis index. A higher u-NCR was associated with a greater odds ratio for the risk of higher hepatic fibrosis stage (F2: odds ratio, 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 3.82). Also, u-NCR was an independent predictive marker for more advanced hepatic fibrosis, even after adjusting for several confounding factors (β=1.58, P<0.01).
Conclusion
The elevation of u-NAG was independently associated with a higher degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients with T2DM. Considering the common metabolic milieu of renal and hepatic fibrosis in T2DM, the potential use of u-NAG as an effective urinary biomarker reflecting hepatic fibrosis in T2DM needs to be validated in the future.

Citations

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