This weight-loss hormone may protect the liver even without weight loss
A hormone already known for curbing appetite and supporting weight loss may have a surprising second job: protecting the liver from inflammation and scarring. Researchers at McMaster University found that GDF15 activates a previously unknown brain-to-liver pathway that triggers the release of glucocorticoids, helping calm immune activity in the liver.
Scientists from McMaster University have discovered a hormone, GDF15, that may offer protection to the liver even without weight loss. Traditionally known for its role in appetite suppression and weight loss, this hormone has now been found to protect the liver from inflammation through an unknown signaling pathway. This finding, published in Cell Metabolism, could lead to new treatments for advanced fatty liver disease, known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
MASH affects millions worldwide and can lead to serious liver complications such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. The hormone's protective effects were observed in mouse models of MASH, regardless of changes in food consumption, body weight, or liver fat. The researchers found that GDF15 initiates signaling from the brain through the nervous system, leading to the release of glucocorticoids.
These steroid hormones then help suppress liver inflammation. This discovery suggests that future therapies could target liver inflammation alongside existing treatments focused on weight and liver fat.
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