Approved Research

Screening biomarkers for NAFLD/NASH using proteomics and Mendelian Randomization

Lay summary

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 25% of the global adult population and is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. NAFLD can be divided into NAFL (fatty liver alone) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is the active form of NAFLD, with hepatic inflammation and faster fibrosis progression. Although the primary prevention through the intervention of known risk factors of NAFLD/NASH has been implemented, the prevalence of NAFLD/NASH is still rising, and the burden of associated morbidity and mortality remains high. Identifying diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD/NASH plays a significant role in targeted prevention and personalized treatment of NAFLD/NASH. The present study aims to investigate the causality between NAFLD/NASH and NAFLD/NASH-associated proteins by Mendelian Randomization analysis. A case-control study will be conducted based on the UK Biobank database. The data regarding demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, biochemical tests, proteomics, and genomics will be collected from the UK Biobank database. The study will identify critical proteins with causal contributions to NAFLD onset and its progression towards NASH, which could provide a more in-depth insight into the pathophysiologic mechanism of NAFLD and NASH. All efforts are expected to be finished in the next 36 months.