Overview

• Teams from Glasgow Caledonian University, Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and the Francis Crick Institute found that p53 protects the liver from high-fat, high-sugar diets by activating the gene TIGAR.
• TIGAR acts as an antioxidant enzyme that detoxifies accumulated lipids in fatty liver tissue.
• Experts report that cases of liver cancer arising from fatty liver disease are rising and that no effective treatments currently halt its progression.
• The researchers propose developing therapies that replicate the p53–TIGAR antioxidant response to prevent fatty liver disease from evolving into cancer.
• Fatty liver disease often goes undetected due to its lack of symptoms, leading to late diagnoses and poor prognosis in patients.