Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have identified how a hormone called FGF21 may help treat fatty liver disease. The study, published in Cell Metabolism, shows that FGF21 signals the brain to initiate liver repair. Although the hormone acts directly on the liver, most of its effects are carried out through brain signaling.
According to the University of Oklahoma's website, in experiments using rodents, FGF21 was found to reduce liver fat and reverse fibrosis, even while the animals remained on a disease-inducing diet. This discovery may help advance treatments for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which affects about 40% of the global population. Currently, only one FDA-approved drug exists for MASH, a more severe form of the condition.
Matthew Potthoff, Ph.D., lead author of the study and professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, explained that the hormone sends signals to the brain, which then adjusts nerve activity to protect the liver. FGF21’s effect on liver lipids appears to be both direct and brain-mediated.
The research highlights a potential treatment approach similar to that of GLP-1-based drugs, which influence metabolism through brain pathways. Drugs based on FGF21 signaling are already in Phase 3 clinical trials, with the reversal of fibrosis noted as a significant finding for future therapy development.
