Comparative Analysis of Global Hepatic Gene Expression in Adolescents and Adults with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

IntroductionTo gain insights into the mechanisms underlying distinct nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) histological phenotypes between children and adults, we compared hepatic gene expression profiles associated with NAFLD phenotypes between the two age groups. MethodsHistological characteristics of intra-operative liver biopsies from adolescents and adults undergoing bariatric surgery were assessed by the same pathologist using the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) Clinical Research Network scoring system. Hepatic gene expression was measured by microarray analysis. Transcriptomic signatures of histological phenotypes between the two groups were compared, with significance defined as p-value 1.5. ResultsIn 67 adolescents and 76 adults, distribution of histological phenotypes was: not-NAFLD (controls) 51% vs 39%, NAFL 39% vs 37%, and NASH 10% vs 24%, respectively. There were 279 differentially expressed genes in adolescents and 213 in adults with NAFLD vs controls. In adolescents, transcriptomes for NAFL vs controls, and borderline vs definite NASH were undifferentiable, whereas in adults, NAFL and borderline NASH demonstrated a transcriptomic gradient between controls and definite NASH. When applied to adolescents, significant adult genes discriminated borderline and definite NASH from control and NAFL, but the majority of significant pediatric genes were not portable to adults. Genes associated with NASH in adolescents and adults showed some ontological consistency but notable differences. ConclusionsThere is some similarity but major differences in the transcriptomic profiles associated with NAFLD between adolescents and adults with severe obesity. These data suggest different mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD severity at different stages in life. Study HighlightsO_ST_ABSWHAT IS KNOWNC_ST_ABSO_LINonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in children and adults C_LIO_LINAFLD histological features and severity differ between children and adults but reasons for these differences are not clear. C_LI WHAT IS NEW HEREO_LIComparison of hepatic gene expression profiles between adolescents and adults with severe obesity and NAFLD showed some similarities but major differences in expressed genes C_LIO_LIThe findings suggest the mechanisms driving different NAFLD severity and phenotypes are different at different stages in life. C_LI