A study led by the Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (DIAMET) group at the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV) shows that liver fibrosis and type 2 diabetes significantly modify the hormonal response after eating in people with fatty liver associated with metabolic dysfunction (MASLD). The research, published in the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry, examines how both conditions affect the secretion of essential hormones for glucose control—such as glucagon and the incretins (GLP‑1, GLP‑2 and GIP)—after a standardized meal.
The results show that liver fibrosis is the most important factor influencing the increase in GLP‑1 levels, both in fasting conditions and after the meal, regardless of whether the patient has diabetes. In addition, when liver fibrosis and type 2 diabetes occur together, hormonal changes become stronger, suggesting a synergistic effect between both conditions. Type 2 diabetes is also linked to the loss of the normal suppression of glucagon after eating, a key process to keep blood glucose within healthy ranges.
These findings reinforce the idea that a fibrotic liver is not a passive organ, but plays an active role in metabolic dysregulation. Fibrosis not only reflects past damage but also contributes to generating new hormonal alterations. Understanding these changes is essential to improve clinical assessment and move towards more personalised treatments for MASLD.
With the growing prevalence of MASLD and type 2 diabetes, understanding how these conditions interact at the hormonal level is crucial to improve early diagnosis and optimise treatments based on the incretin–glucagon axis. The study provides evidence that can help identify subgroups of patients who may benefit from more specific therapeutic approaches, with a direct impact on clinical practice.
Overall, the results confirm that liver fibrosis is a central determinant of GLP‑1 levels, and that the coexistence of type 2 diabetes further intensifies these hormonal alterations. This knowledge highlights the need to design therapeutic strategies adapted to the metabolic and liver profile of each patient, especially in a context where both diseases are becoming increasingly common.
The study involved researchers from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) – Hospital Clínic Barcelona, the research networks of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) — the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM) and the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD) — as well as the Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII (Tarragona).
Facebook 
Mail 
WhatsApp 
