Thyroid hormone and the Liver

Hepatol Commun. 2024 Dec 20;9(1):e0596. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000596. eCollection 2025 Jan 1.

Abstract

It is known that thyroid hormone can regulate hepatic metabolic pathways including cholesterol, de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, lipophagy, and carbohydrate metabolism. Thyroid hormone action is mediated by the thyroid hormone receptor (THR) isoforms and their coregulators, and THRβ is the main isoform expressed in the liver. Dysregulation of thyroid hormone levels, as seen in hypothyroidism, has been associated with dyslipidemia and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. Given the beneficial effects of thyroid hormone in liver metabolism and the advances illuminating the use of thyroid hormone analogs such as resmetirom as therapeutic agents in the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, this review aims to further explore the relationship between TH, the liver, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. Herein, we summarize the current clinical therapies and highlight future areas of research.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism / drug therapy
  • Hypothyroidism / metabolism
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lipogenesis
  • Liver* / metabolism
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / metabolism
  • Pyridazines
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / metabolism
  • Thyroid Hormones* / metabolism
  • Thyroid Hormones* / therapeutic use
  • Uracil / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Thyroid Hormones
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • resmetirom
  • Pyridazines
  • Uracil