Metformin Changes the Relationship between Blood Monocyte Toll-Like Receptor 4 Levels and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Ex Vivo Studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) contributes to the development of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) and MetS (metabolic syndrome). It is unclear whether anti-diabetic metformin affects TLR4 expression on blood monocytes, thereby protecting or improving inflammatory parameters. Therefore, we investigated TLR4 in patients with NAFLD meeting different sets of MetS criteria and linked the results with the disease burden.

Methods

70 subjects were characterized and divided into three groups: (I) healthy individuals, (II) nonobese with NAFLD and without MetS, and (III) prediabetic, obese with NAFLD and MetS. We determined the concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and monocyte TLR4 levels in fresh blood as well as in blood cultures with or without metformin supplementat

SUBMITTER: Zwolak A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4773077 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature