Genetic Epidemiology of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Toward a Personalized Medicin

SILVIA C. SOOKOIAN; CARLOS JOSE PIROLA

CLINICS IN LIVER DISEASE

W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC

Lugar: Philadelphia; Año: 2012 vol. 16 p. 467 - 485

1089-3261

In this review, very far from the collected and summarized information about the current knowledge of the genetic epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), we attempted to build new integrated ways in order to understand the genetic architecture of the disease. Hence, based on current knowledge about a disease-associated PNPLA3 gene variant, we postulated new paradigms of NAFLD pathogenesis. We also propose systems biology approaches in the search of joining effects of genetic variants from multiple pathways. Based on the information of previously reported loci associated with the genetic risk of NAFLD, we prioritized candidate genes from the entire genome to show putative unexplored genes as potential modifiers of the biology of the disease. We asked whether it is possible to rapidly translate the knowledge about genetic susceptibility of NAFLD into more individualized decision-making and personalized medicine. If so, can we improve the diagnostic and therapies strategies? Thus, we tried to answer the question whether disease-associated gene variants can help us to select therapeutic targets. Therefore, we did an effort to translate the current findings of NAFLD-associated gene risk variants into therapeutic target identification. Finally, we went further from DNA sequence variation to introduce some knowledge of the role of epigenetics in NAFLD.