Roles of IκB kinases and TANK-binding kinase 1 in hepatic lipid metabolism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Obesity: tracing the inflammation underlying liver disease A deeper understanding of the molecular processes underlying dysfunctional fatty-acid metabolism in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) could help protect patients from severe liver damage. NAFLD is a common consequence of obesity, and severe disease can ultimately give rise to liver cancer or cirrhosis. Alan Saltiel of the University of California, San Diego, USA, and Jin Young Huh of Seoul National University, South Korea, have reviewed current knowledge of the mechanisms governing fatty acid metabolism in the liver, and how they are disturbed in obesity and NAFLD. The various IκB kinase (IKK) complexes and a protein known as TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) play particularly prominent roles in the inflammatory response associated with NAFLD pathogenesis. Better insights into IKK- and TBK1-associated regulatory pathways could inform the development of new interventions for this currently untreatable condition.