Thyromimetics and MASLD: Unveiling the Novel Molecules Beyond Resmetirom

Resmetirom, the first FDA-approved drug for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis in obese patients, when combined with lifestyle modifications, improves NASH resolution and reduces fibrosis by at least one stage. Low thyroid hormone (T₃) levels are linked to a higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Epidemiological studies have confirmed the positive correlation between hypothyroidism and MASLD. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of T₃ signaling pathways in MASLD will enhance the prospects of identifying effective and specific targets. Therefore, this review discusses the significant role of thyroid hormones in the homeostasis of fat metabolism and describes the possible molecular mechanisms of thyromimetics in the treatment of MASLD.

A comprehensive search in PubMed and EMBASE was conducted using the keywords "thyromimetics and liver diseases," "thyroid hormone and liver diseases," "hypothyroidism and liver diseases," "T₃, T₄ and liver disease," and "resmetirom and liver disease." Relevant papers published before October 2024 were included.

T₃ treatment enhances mitochondrial respiration, biogenesis, β-oxidation, and mitophagy, reducing liver lipid accumulation. However, T₃ treatment causes cardiotoxicity through thyroid hormone receptor (THR)α agonistic activity. To address this, molecules with high THRβ agonistic but lower THRα activity have been developed. Besides resmetirom, other THRβ agonists like TG68, CS27109, MB07811, and KB-141 show promising results in experimental studies. These molecules upregulate THRβ target genes, activate genes for fatty acid β-oxidation in mitochondria and fatty acid breakdown in peroxisomes, downregulate the genes involved in de novo lipogenesis, reduce inflammation by downregulating NF-κB/JNK/STAT3 signaling pathways, and accelerate fibrosis resolution by downregulating the expressions of fibrosis marker genes in NASH liver tissue.

Future clinical studies should thoroughly investigate THRβ agonists, including TG68, CS27109, MB07811, and KB-141.