title: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the role of nuclear receptors and circadian rhythmicity.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the accumulation of triglycerides in the hepatocytes in the absence of excess alcohol intake, and is caused by an imbalance between hepatic synthesis and breakdown of fats, as well as fatty acid storage and disposal. Liver metabolic pathways are driven by circadian biological clocks, and hepatic health is maintained by proper timing of circadian patterns of metabolic gene expression with the alternation of anabolic processes corresponding to feeding/activity during wake times, and catabolic processes characterizing fasting/resting during sleep. A number of nuclear receptors in the liver are expressed rhythmically, bind hormones and metabolites, sense energy flux and expenditure, and connect the metabolic pathways to the molecular clockwork throughout the 24-h day. In this review, we describe the role played by the nuclear receptors in the genesis of NAFLD in relationship with the circadian clock circuitry.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS Scientific Institute and Regional General Hospital "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzoccoli
authors.forename: Manlio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinciguerra
authors.forename: Jude
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oben
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarquini
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Cosmo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
keywords: NAFLD; circadian rhythm; clock genes; metabolism; nuclear receptor