Sirtuins and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Mammalian sirtuins are seven members belonging to the silent information regulator 2 family, a group of Class III histone/protein deacetylases. Sirtuins (SIRT 1-7) have different subcellular localization and function and they regulate cellular protein function through various posttranslational modifications. SIRT1 and 3, the most studied sirtuins, use the product of cellular metabolism nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor to post-translationally deacetylate cellular proteins and consequently link the metabolic status of the cell to protein function. Sirtuins have been shown to play a key role in the development and rescue of various metabolic diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is currently the most chronic liver disease due mainly to high-calorie consumption and lower physical activity. No pharmacological approach is available to treat NAFLD, the current recommended treatment are lifestyle modification such as weight loss through calorie restriction and exercise. Recent studies have shown downregulation of sirtuins in human as well as animal models of NAFLD indicating an important role of sirtuins in the dynamic pathophysiology of NAFLD. In this review, we highlight the recent knowledge on sirtuins, their role in NAFLD and their unique potential role as novel therapeutic target for NAFLD treatment.