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This article explores the potential link between obesity and respiratory allergies. The study conducted on mice found that obesity exacerbates the allergic response, leading to heightened manifestations compared to lean mice. However, the researchers also discovered that oral tolerance induction can effectively attenuate the allergic response and lung inflammation in obese mice. The findings suggest that mucosal allergen-specific immunomodulation may function by reducing specific inflammatory markers and maintaining certain immune cells in the lungs. [Extracted from the article]

The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has resulted in a world‐wide pandemic. Disseminated lung injury with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the main cause of mortality in COVID‐19. Although liver failure does not seem to occur in the absence of pre‐existing liver disease, hepatic involvement in COVID‐19 may correlate with overall disease severity and serve as a prognostic factor for the development of ARDS. The spectrum of liver injury in COVID‐19 may range from direct infection by SARS‐CoV‐2, indirect involvement by systemic inflammation, hypoxic changes, iatrogenic causes such as drugs and ventilation to exacerbation of underlying liver disease. This concise review discusses the potential pathophysiological mechanisms for SARS‐CoV‐2 hepatic tropism as well as acute and possibly long‐term liver injury in COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & aims: Osteopontin, a multifunctional protein and inflammatory cytokine, is overexpressed in adipose tissue and liver in obesity and contributes to the induction of adipose tissue inflammation and non‐alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). Studies performed in both mice and humans also point to a potential role for OPN in malignant transformation and tumour growth. To fully understand the role of OPN on the development of NAFL‐derived hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we applied a non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)‐HCC mouse model on osteopontin‐deficient (Spp1−/−) mice analysing time points of NASH, fibrosis and HCC compared to wild‐type mice. Methods: Two‐day‐old wild‐type and Spp1−/− mice received a low‐dose streptozotocin injection in order to induce diabetes, and were fed a high‐fat diet starting from week 4. Different cohorts of mice of both genotypes were sacrificed at 8, 12 and 19 weeks of age to evaluate the NASH, fibrosis and HCC phenotypes respectively. Results: Spp1−/− animals showed enhanced hepatic lipid accumulation and aggravated NASH, as also increased hepatocellular apoptosis and accelerated fibrosis. The worse steatotic and fibrotic phenotypes observed in Spp1−/− mice might be driven by enhanced hepatic fatty acid influx through CD36 overexpression and by a pathological accumulation of specific diacylglycerol species during NAFL. Lack of osteopontin lowered systemic inflammation, prevented HCC progression to less differentiated tumours and improved overall survival. Conclusions: Lack of osteopontin dissociates NASH‐fibrosis severity from overall survival and HCC malignant transformation in NAFLD, and is therefore a putative therapeutic target only for advanced chronic liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are metabolic disorders characterized by metabolic inflexibility with multiple pathological organ manifestations, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nuclear receptors are ligand-dependent transcription factors with a multifaceted role in controlling many metabolic activities, such as regulation of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism and modulation of inflammatory genes. The activity of nuclear receptors is key in maintaining metabolic flexibility. Their activity depends on the availability of endogenous ligands, like fatty acids or oxysterols, and their derivatives produced by the catabolic action of metabolic lipases, most of which are under the control of nuclear receptors. For example, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is activated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and conversely releases fatty acids as ligands for PPARα, therefore, demonstrating the interdependency of nuclear receptors and lipases. The diverse biological functions and importance of nuclear receptors in metabolic syndrome and NAFLD has led to substantial effort to target them therapeutically. This review summarizes recent findings on the roles of lipases and selected nuclear receptors, PPARs, and liver X receptor (LXR) in obesity, diabetes, and NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]