Correspondence to editorial on “Risk stratification by noninvasive tests in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease” Hye Won Lee, Seung Up Kim Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): e87. CrossRef
Background/Aims Berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD1801) has been shown to significantly reduce liver fat content (LFC) in an 18-week, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this assessment was to establish proof of concept in liver histologic improvement with HTD1801 treatment based on preclinical and clinical evidence.
Methods The efficacy of HTD1801 was evaluated in a preclinical MASH/dyslipidemia model (golden hamsters fed a high fat diet, eight/group) after six weeks of daily treatment. Additionally, in a secondary analysis of a Phase 2 clinical study, 100 patients with presumed MASH were evaluated by multiple noninvasive markers associated with MASH resolution and/or fibrosis improvement. These include magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRIPDFF; ≥30% LFC reduction), iron-corrected T1 (≥80 ms reduction), alanine aminotransferase (≥17 U/L reduction), weight loss (≥5% reduction), Fibrosis-4 index (shift to <1.3), and MASH resolution index (achieving ≥–0.67).
Results Preclinical findings in the MASH/dyslipidemia hamster model showed that HTD1801 significantly improved histologic fibrosis and the Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Activity Score to such a degree that improvements approximated the appearance of the normal controls. In the clinical study, 52% of HTD1801-treated patients achieved MRI response criteria compared to 24% of placebo (p<0.05). Dose-dependent improvements were observed across biomarkers, with more HTD1801-treated patients achieving response criteria associated with improvements in the histologic features of MASH.
Conclusions These findings suggest that HTD1801 has strong potential to produce histological improvements in patients with MASH.
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Reply to correspondence 1 on “GOLM1 promotes cholesterol gallstone formation via ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux in MASH livers” Yoon-su Ha, Won Kim, Seung-Jin Kim Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2025; 31(2): e226. CrossRef
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Background/Aims Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a significant risk factor for gallstone formation, but mechanisms underlying MASH-related gallstone formation remain unclear. Golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) participates in hepatic cholesterol metabolism and is upregulated in MASH. Here, we aimed to explore the role of GOLM1 in MASH-related gallstone formation.
Methods The UK Biobank cohort was used for etiological analysis. GOLM1 knockout (GOLM1-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Livers were excised for histology and immunohistochemistry analysis. Gallbladders were collected to calculate incidence of cholesterol gallstones (CGSs). Biles were collected for biliary lipid analysis. HepG2 cells were used to explore underlying mechanisms. Human liver samples were used for clinical validation.
Results MASH patients had a greater risk of cholelithiasis. All HFD-fed mice developed MASH, and the incidence of gallstones was 16.7% and 75.0% in GOLM1-/- and WT mice, respectively. GOLM1-/- decreased biliary cholesterol concentration and output. In vivo and in vitro assays confirmed that GOLM1 facilitated cholesterol efflux through upregulating ATP binding cassette transporter subfamily G member 5 (ABCG5). Mechanistically, GOLM1 translocated into nucleus to promote osteopontin (OPN) transcription, thus stimulating ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux. Moreover, GOLM1 was upregulated by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we confirmed that IL-1β, GOLM1, OPN, and ABCG5 were enhanced in livers of MASH patients with CGSs.
Conclusions In MASH livers, upregulation of GOLM1 by IL-1β increases ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux in an OPN-dependent manner, promoting CGS formation. GOLM1 has the potential to be a molecular hub interconnecting MASH and CGSs.
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Background/Aims Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an unmet clinical challenge due to the rapid increased occurrence but lacking approved drugs. Autophagy-related protein 16-like 1 (ATG16L1) plays an important role in the process of autophagy, which is indispensable for proper biogenesis of the autophagosome, but its role in modulating macrophage-related inflammation and metabolism during MASH has not been documented. Here, we aimed to elucidate the role of ATG16L1 in the progression of MASH.
Methods Expression analysis was performed with liver samples from human and mice. MASH models were induced in myeloid-specific Atg16l1-deficient and myeloid-specific Atg16l1-overexpressed mice by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet or methionine- and choline-deficient diet to explore the function and mechanism of macrophage ATG16L1 in MASH.
Results Macrophage-specific Atg16l1 knockout exacerbated MASH and inhibited energy expenditure, whereas macrophage-specific Atg16l1 transgenic overexpression attenuated MASH and promotes energy expenditure. Mechanistically, Atg16l1 knockout inhibited macrophage lipophagy, thereby suppressing macrophage β-oxidation and decreasing the production of 4-hydroxynonenal, which further inhibited stimulator of interferon genes(STING) carbonylation. STING palmitoylation was enhanced, STING trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi was promoted, and downstream STING signaling was activated, promoting proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines secretion, resulting in hepatic steatosis and hepatic stellate cells activation. Moreover, Atg16l1-deficiency enhanced macrophage phagosome ability but inhibited lysosome formation, engulfing mtDNA released by pyroptotic hepatocytes. Increased mtDNA promoted cGAS/STING signaling activation. Moreover, pharmacological promotion of ATG16L1 substantially blocked MASH progression.
Conclusions ATG16L1 suppresses MASH progression by maintaining macrophage lipophagy, restraining liver inflammation, and may be a promising therapeutic target for MASH management.
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