Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver condition resulting from metabolic syndrome characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. It is often associated with obesity and diabetes, contributing to hepatic steatosis in liver cells. The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing globally, w...

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Main Authors: Tamadher Abbas Rafaa, Safa Abbas Khudhair, Zahraa Yassen Mohammed, Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Obesity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jobe/9245699
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author Tamadher Abbas Rafaa
Safa Abbas Khudhair
Zahraa Yassen Mohammed
Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman
author_facet Tamadher Abbas Rafaa
Safa Abbas Khudhair
Zahraa Yassen Mohammed
Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman
author_sort Tamadher Abbas Rafaa
collection DOAJ
description Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver condition resulting from metabolic syndrome characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. It is often associated with obesity and diabetes, contributing to hepatic steatosis in liver cells. The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing globally, with 32% of the adult population affected. Genetic modifiers, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, can increase susceptibility to the disease. Gene expression analysis and genetic variation can help identify disease-causing pathways and reveal biomarkers involved in NAFLD. This study employed integrative bioinformatics analysis, including bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq, to explore differentially expressed genes and their genetic variants in NAFLD vs. control and NAFLD vs. cirrhosis, highlighting genes influencing NAFLD progression. Moreover, this study identified AKR1D1, LIPC, UGT2B17, DGAT2, and SERPINE1 implicated in metabolic, immune, and lipid functions while being overexpressed in both hepatocyte cells among obese patients identified and validated through Liver Cell Atlas, highlighting their pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease in obese patients through perturbed hepatocytes. Furthermore, novel pathogenic variants of AKR1D1, LIPC, and SERPINE1, associated with congenital bile acid synthesis defects, abnormal circulating lipid concentrations, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 deficiency conditions, were identified. Conclusively, this integrative multiomics study highlights the novel pathogenic variants of AKR1D1, LIPC, and SERPINE1 in metabolic, immune, and lipid pathways that are highly expressed among hepatocytes in obese patients while possibly carrying pathogenic mutations that may be associated with NAFLD, emphasizing their potential as novel targets for therapeutic strategies and biomarker development in early diagnosis and treatment before the onset of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.
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spelling doaj-art-cdbad6ea92f74da795bba2474323d8702025-08-20T03:52:48ZengWileyJournal of Obesity2090-07162025-01-01202510.1155/jobe/9245699Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese IndividualsTamadher Abbas Rafaa0Safa Abbas Khudhair1Zahraa Yassen Mohammed2Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman3Department of Higher EducationScientific Affairs DepartmentScientific Affairs DepartmentDepartment of BiotechnologyNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver condition resulting from metabolic syndrome characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. It is often associated with obesity and diabetes, contributing to hepatic steatosis in liver cells. The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing globally, with 32% of the adult population affected. Genetic modifiers, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, can increase susceptibility to the disease. Gene expression analysis and genetic variation can help identify disease-causing pathways and reveal biomarkers involved in NAFLD. This study employed integrative bioinformatics analysis, including bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq, to explore differentially expressed genes and their genetic variants in NAFLD vs. control and NAFLD vs. cirrhosis, highlighting genes influencing NAFLD progression. Moreover, this study identified AKR1D1, LIPC, UGT2B17, DGAT2, and SERPINE1 implicated in metabolic, immune, and lipid functions while being overexpressed in both hepatocyte cells among obese patients identified and validated through Liver Cell Atlas, highlighting their pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease in obese patients through perturbed hepatocytes. Furthermore, novel pathogenic variants of AKR1D1, LIPC, and SERPINE1, associated with congenital bile acid synthesis defects, abnormal circulating lipid concentrations, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 deficiency conditions, were identified. Conclusively, this integrative multiomics study highlights the novel pathogenic variants of AKR1D1, LIPC, and SERPINE1 in metabolic, immune, and lipid pathways that are highly expressed among hepatocytes in obese patients while possibly carrying pathogenic mutations that may be associated with NAFLD, emphasizing their potential as novel targets for therapeutic strategies and biomarker development in early diagnosis and treatment before the onset of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jobe/9245699
spellingShingle Tamadher Abbas Rafaa
Safa Abbas Khudhair
Zahraa Yassen Mohammed
Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman
Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
Journal of Obesity
title Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
title_full Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
title_fullStr Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
title_full_unstemmed Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
title_short Genomic Exploration of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights From Gene Expression and Variation in Morbidly Obese Individuals
title_sort genomic exploration of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease insights from gene expression and variation in morbidly obese individuals
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jobe/9245699
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