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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2023; 29(13): 1982-1993
Published online Apr 7, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i13.1982
Research progress on the mitochondrial mechanism of age-related non-alcoholic fatty liver
Dan Wang, Duo-Chun Ji, Chun-Yan Yu, Dan-Ni Wu, Ling Qi
Dan Wang, Duo-Chun Ji, Chun-Yan Yu, Dan-Ni Wu, College of Basic Medicine, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, Jilin Province, China
Ling Qi, Central Laboratory, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan 511518, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors performed the literature review and wrote the manuscript; Ji DC and Wu DN drew and modified the illustrations; Yu CY, Wang D and Qi L critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.
Supported by Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology, No. YDZJ202101ZYTS090.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ling Qi, PhD, Professor, Central Laboratory, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Area B24, Yinquan Road, Qingyuan 511518, Guangdong Province, China. qiling1718@gzhmu.edu.cn
Received: January 9, 2023
Peer-review started: January 9, 2023
First decision: February 7, 2023
Revised: February 20, 2023
Accepted: March 9, 2023
Article in press: March 9, 2023
Published online: April 7, 2023
Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Reduced activity and slower metabolism in the elderly affect the balance of lipid metabolism in the liver leading to the accumulation of lipids. This affects the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the efficiency of β-oxidation and induces the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. In addition, the dynamic balance of the mitochondria is disrupted during the ageing process, which inhibits its phagocytic function and further aggravates liver injury, leading to a higher incidence of NAFLD in the elderly population. The present study reviewed the manifestations, role and mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction in the progression of NAFLD in the elderly. Based on the understanding of mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal lipid metabolism, this study discusses the treatment strategies and the potential therapeutic targets for NAFLD, including lipid accumulation, antioxidation, mitophagy and liver-protecting drugs. The purpose is to provide new ideas for the development of innovative drugs for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Keywords: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, aging, Lipid metabolism, Mitochondria, Autophagy, Reactive oxygen species

Core Tip: The elderly are prone to a series of pathological damages such as liver fibrosis due to the decline of liver regeneration ability and immune response dysfunction. In addition, liver metabolism imbalance and mitochondrial dysregulation play a key role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). And a treatment strategy for NAFLD was proposed in terms of abnormal lipid metabolism, mitophagy, and anti-oxidation, which provided new ideas for the development of innovative drugs for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.