Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver dysfunction in the Western world and is increasing owing to its close association with obesity and insulin resistance. NAFLD represents a spectrum of liver disease that, in a minority of patients, can lead to progressive nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. NAFLD is a complex trait resulting from the interaction between environmental exposure and a susceptible polygenic background and comprising multiple independent modifiers of risk, such as the microbiome. The molecular mechanisms that combine to define the transition to NASH and progressive disease are complex, and consequently, no pharmacological therapy currently exists to treat NASH. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of NAFLD is critical if new treatments are to be discovered.

中文翻译：

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非酒精性脂肪肝：发病机制和疾病谱。

非酒精性脂肪性肝病 (NAFLD) 是西方世界肝功能障碍的最常见原因，并且由于其与肥胖和胰岛素抵抗密切相关而正在增加。NAFLD 代表一系列肝病，在少数患者中，可导致进行性非酒精性脂肪性肝炎 (NASH)、纤维化，并最终导致肝细胞癌和肝功能衰竭。NAFLD 是一种复杂的性状，由环境暴露和易感的多基因背景之间的相互作用产生，并且包含多个独立的风险调节因子，例如微生物组。定义向 NASH 过渡和疾病进展的分子机制很复杂，因此，目前不存在治疗 NASH 的药物疗法。