A new study shows that so-called good cholesterol lipoprotein called HDL3 is in thePrevent intestinal liver diseasecould. As part of this research, scientists performed operations on mouse models. The results suggest that this protein protects the liver by blocking inflammation that comes from common gut bacteria. HDL is best known for capturing cholesterol in the body and delivering it to the liver for disposal.
How cholesterol lipoprotein HDL is and prevents liver damage
If the protein does not block inflammatory signals, they travel from the intestine to the liver, where they activate immune cells that trigger inflammation, which accordingly leads to liver damage. Increasing levels of this specific type of HDL, particularly in the gut, provides protection against liver disease, which, like heart disease, is also a major chronic health problem. In the study, the researchers showed that HDL3 from the intestine protects the liver from inflammation in mice. Substances from gut microbes can travel along with nutrients from food to activate immune cells that trigger inflammation. In this way, elements of the microbiome can cause liver diseases, including fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis, in which the liver develops scar tissue. Therefore, the research team investigated such problems in a mouse model. The study authors showed that HDL3 only leaves through the portal vein to go directly to the liver. During this journey, it binds to cholesterol lipoprotein to inhibit inflammatory immune cells.
In all of the mouse models, the researchers found that HDL3 has a protective effect, binding to the additional lipoprotein and blocking downstream inflammatory processes in the liver. They also showed that the same protective molecular complexes were present in human blood samples. This suggests that a similar mechanism exists in humans. The scientists also used an agent to increase HDL3 in the intestines of mice. They then found that it protects against various types of liver damage. While the drug is only available for animal testing, showsthis studynew ways to treat or prevent liver diseases, be it intestinal damage caused by a high-fat diet, alcohol abuse or physical injuries such as surgery. The authors hope that HDL3 can serve as a target for future therapies for liver disease. They will now continue their research to better understand the details of this unique process.
