Increased risk of MAFLD and Liver Fibrosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Independent of Classic Metabolic Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is conflicting evidence regarding the prevalence of and risk factors for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to determine MAFLD prevalence and risk factors in IBD patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional, case-control study included all consecutive IBD patients treated at 2 different university hospitals. Controls were subjects randomly selected from the general population and matched by age, sex, type 2 diabetes status, and body mass index in a 1:2 ratio. MAFLD was confirmed by controlled attenuation parameter. Liver biopsies were collected when MAFLD with significant liver fibrosis was suspected. In addition, age- and fibrosis stage-paired non-IBD patients with biopsy-proven MAFLD served as a secondary control group. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-one IBD patients and 1718 controls were included. The prevalence of MAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis (transient elastography ≥9.7 kPa) was 42.00% and 9.50%, respectively, in IBD patients and 32.77% and 2.31%, respectively, in the general population (P < .001). A diagnosis of IBD was an independent predictor of MAFLD (adjusted odds ratio, 1.99; P < .001) and an independent risk factor for advanced liver fibrosis (adjusted odds ratio, 5.55; P < .001). Liver biopsies were obtained from 40 IBD patients; MAFLD was confirmed in all cases, and fibrosis of any degree was confirmed in 25 of 40 cases (62.5%). Body mass index and type 2 diabetes prevalence were significantly lower in IBD-MAFLD patients than in severity-paired patients with biopsy-proven MAFLD. CONCLUSIONS: MAFLD and liver fibrosis are particularly prevalent in IBD patients, regardless of the influence of classic metabolic risk factors.

Melatonin Modulation of Radiation and Chemotherapeutics-induced Changes on Differentiation of Breast Fibroblasts.

Melatonin exerts oncostatic actions and sensitizes tumor cells to chemotherapeutics or radiation. In our study, we investigated the effects of docetaxel, vinorelbine, and radiation on human breast fibroblasts and its modulation by melatonin. Docetaxel or vinorelbine inhibits proliferation and stimulates the differentiation of breast preadipocytes, by increasing C/EBPα and PPARγ expression and by downregulating tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-11 expression. Radiation inhibits both proliferation and differentiation through the downregulation of C/EBPα and PPARγ and by stimulating TNFα expression. In addition, docetaxel and radiation decrease aromatase activity and expression by decreasing aromatase promoter II and cyclooxygenases 1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2) expression. Melatonin potentiates the stimulatory effect of docetaxel and vinorelbine on differentiation and their inhibitory effects on aromatase activity and expression, by increasing the stimulatory effect on C/EBPα and PPARγ expression and the downregulation of antiadipogenic cytokines and COX expression. Melatonin also counteracts the inhibitory effect of radiation on differentiation of preadipocytes, by increasing C/EBPα and PPARγ expression and by decreasing TNFα expression. Melatonin also potentiates the inhibitory effect exerted by radiation on aromatase activity and expression by increasing the downregulation of promoter II, and COX-1 and COX-2 expression. Our findings suggest that melatonin modulates regulatory effects induced by chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation on preadipocytes, which makes it a promising adjuvant for chemotherapy and radiotherapy sensibilization.