A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal
Metabolic Signatures in Lean MASLD: Current Insights and Future Directions
Authors: Babu, Ambrin Farizah
Publisher: MDPI AG
Publication year: 2025
Journal:: Metabolites
Journal name in source: METABOLITES
Article number: 583
Volume: 15
Issue: 9
eISSN: 2218-1989
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15090583
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15090583
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/504540300
Lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (lean MASLD) challenges longstanding views that link hepatic steatosis primarily to obesity. Emerging as a distinct and under-recognized clinical entity, lean MASLD affects individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI), yet carries risks of cardiovascular disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related mortality comparable to obesity-associated MASLD. The absence of overt metabolic dysfunction complicates diagnosis, revealing critical limitations in current screening frameworks centered on BMI. This review synthesizes evolving clinical insights and epidemiological trends in lean MASLD, and delineates its unique pathophysiological mechanisms. Recent advances in metabolomics have uncovered disease-specific disruptions in lipid and amino acid metabolism, bile acid signaling, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. By integrating evidence from metabolic, genetic, and epigenetic domains, we identified promising biomarkers, and therapeutic targets that may support earlier detection and precision-guided treatment strategies.
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Funding information in the publication:
Babu AF received a working grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation (grant no. 00210224), and Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation (grant no. 230029).
