Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Mouse Model of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease with Fibrosis
Published on: July 18, 2025
Effects of a Bioactive Vegetable-Enriched Diet on Autotaxin and Liver Fibrosis in MASLD with Evidence of Sex-Specific
Nicole Cerabino1, Caterina Bonfiglio2, Leonilde Bonfrate1,3
1Center of Nutrition for the Research and the Care of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Gastroenterology IRCCS "Saverio de Bellis", Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy.
Abstract:
Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a frequent manifestation of obesity and other metabolic diseases. Autotaxin (ATX), an enzyme involved in the generation of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), has recently emerged as a potential biomarker of metabolic inflammation and liver disease progression. Vegetable-based dietary interventions have been shown to reduce liver steatosis, but evidence of the impact of this dietary approach on ATX levels remains limited. Objectives: To evaluate the short-term effects of a bioactive vegetable-enriched diet from the Brassicaceae and Asteraceae families on serum ATX levels and liver-related parameters in individuals with obesity and MASLD, with a specific focus on sex differences. Methods: In this two-month pilot study, 44 obese adults (BMI > 30 kg/m2) underwent clinical and instrumental assessments at baseline (T0) and after the dietary intervention (T1). Results: After the intervention, serum ATX levels significantly decreased (from 206.3 ± 52.8 to 191.7 ± 45.7 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and there were improvements in metabolic parameters (BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, fat mass, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol) and liver indices (CAP, ALT, AST, γGT). The multivariate GEE model confirmed a significant reduction in ATX, independent of age, sex, FFM, LPA, LSM, Hemoglobin A1c, and PAI-1 (β = -9.87, p < 0.001). When stratified by sex, women exhibited a more pronounced reduction in ATX levels (β = -12.24; p = 0.005) compared to men (β = -9.43; p = 0.014). Conclusions: A short-term, vegetable-enriched dietary intervention can significantly reduce serum ATX levels and improve metabolic and liver-related parameters in individuals with MASLD. Sex-specific analysis reveals a greater ATX-lowering effect in women, suggesting potential sex-based differences in ATX metabolism or dietary responsiveness. These findings suggest that ATX may serve as a modifiable biomarker responsive to nutritional intervention and a potential therapeutic target in metabolic liver disease.
