Telomere length and mortality in lean MAFLD: the other face of metabolic adaptation

Background and aims: Healthy weight (lean) patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) have a more favorable metabolic and histological profile in cross-sectional studies compared with their non-lean counterparts. Paradoxically, they also have higher overall mortality. The underpinning pathophysiology of this paradox is not understood. Telomere attrition is associated with increased mortality in various diseases.

Methods: We investigated the role of telomere length in the pathogenesis of lean MAFLD in cohorts with biopsy-proven MAFLD (n = 303). We measured serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and hepatic 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) expression (reactive oxygen species (ROS) markers), growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and tested the effect of H₂O₂ on telomere length and activity in hepatocyte cell lines. The association between leukocyte telomere length and mortality was examined.

Results: Telomere length was significantly lower in patients with lean MAFLD (p < 0.001). They also demonstrated an increase in ROS levels and decreases in GDF-15. H₂O₂ induced telomere shortening and reducing telomere activity in hepatocyte cell lines. We subsequently confirmed that telomere length shortening at baseline is associated with increased hazards of all-cause mortality; the deleterious effect was more profound in lean people.

Conclusion: Differences in telomere length in part explain the increased mortality of lean compared to non-lean patients with MAFLD. The effect is in part mediated through ROS activation and provide opportunities for therapy.