TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetics and epigenetics in the clinic
T2 - Precision medicine in the management of fatty liver disease
AU - Cespiati, Annalisa
AU - Youngson, Neil A.
AU - Tourna, Aikaterini
AU - Valenti, Luca
PY - 2020/1/1
Y1 - 2020/1/1
N2 - This narrative review will discuss the current evidence supporting the possible application of precision or personalized medicine to the management of nonalcoholic or “metabolic” fatty liver disease (NAFLD), based on recent progress in the understanding of the genetics and epigenetics of the disease. The prevalence of NAFLD, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is constantly increasing worldwide. Accurate non-invasive predictors of liver disease progression, as well as of cardiovascular complications of NAFLD, are ur-gently needed. Evidence is now reporting that the genetic and epigenetic factors involved in NAFLD develop-ment can be used to develop risk scores for liver-related complications, which may show the possibility to im-plement programs for targeted screening and surveillance of complications. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic factors identifying specific sub-phenotypes of NAFLD can predict the individual response to pharmacological therapies. Finally, we describe opportunities for gene-targeted therapeutic approaches in NAFLD, where the genetic variants represent therapeutic targets for precision therapy approaches.
AB - This narrative review will discuss the current evidence supporting the possible application of precision or personalized medicine to the management of nonalcoholic or “metabolic” fatty liver disease (NAFLD), based on recent progress in the understanding of the genetics and epigenetics of the disease. The prevalence of NAFLD, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is constantly increasing worldwide. Accurate non-invasive predictors of liver disease progression, as well as of cardiovascular complications of NAFLD, are ur-gently needed. Evidence is now reporting that the genetic and epigenetic factors involved in NAFLD develop-ment can be used to develop risk scores for liver-related complications, which may show the possibility to im-plement programs for targeted screening and surveillance of complications. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic factors identifying specific sub-phenotypes of NAFLD can predict the individual response to pharmacological therapies. Finally, we describe opportunities for gene-targeted therapeutic approaches in NAFLD, where the genetic variants represent therapeutic targets for precision therapy approaches.
KW - Biomarker
KW - Cirrhosis
KW - Hepatocellular
KW - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
KW - Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
KW - Precision medicine
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85084056485&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/1381612826666200122151251
DO - 10.2174/1381612826666200122151251
M3 - Review article
C2 - 31969087
AN - SCOPUS:85084056485
VL - 26
SP - 998
EP - 1009
JO - Current Pharmaceutical Design
JF - Current Pharmaceutical Design
SN - 1381-6128
IS - 10
ER -