Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: How can we Struggle against the Possible Major Reason for Liver Transplantation in the Near Future?

The deposition of fat in the hepatic tissue has been recognized long ago, in the early 1900s. In 1907, Hartley made the first accurate description of the fatty liver [1]. First regarded as a consequence of alcohol intake, Ludwig has observed its occurrence among non alcohol consumers in 1980, along with some of its potential harmful effects, especially the nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Since then, the knowledge about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increased substantially, but up until now, the exact pathways which lead to its variable histological aspects remain largely unknown. There are many underlying features directly linked to its onset, such as insulin resistance, abnormal liver uptake of fatty acids, chronic inflammation, and lipotoxicity. All of these abnormalities are also strongly associated with overweight, obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome [2].