GLP-1 analogues pleiotropic effects proved to be efficacious in T2DM subjects not only reducing liver steatosis and ameliorating NAFLD and NASH, but also in lowering plasma glucose and liver inflammation, improving cardiac function and protecting from kidney dysfunction.
Similarly, in the NAFLD mouse model, mice fed with a high-fat diet showed reduced hepatic GLP-1R expression, which was reversed by NaB treatment and accompanied by markedly alleviated liver steatosis.
GLP-1 RAs also showed favorable results on reductions in transaminases and steatosis and improvements in insulin sensitivity and weight loss but lack efficacy data for resolution of NASH or improvement in fibrosis scores.
The results may suggest that surgery-induced hypothyroidism increases GLP-1, the actions of which may in part be responsible for the reduction in water intake, appetite and hepatic steatosis.
A novel finding of this study was the observation that expression of GLP-1R is proportional to exendin-4 concentration and exendin-4 could attenuate fatty liver through activation of Sirt1.