Association between metabolic signatures of predicted VAT mass and risk of MASLD and other chronic liver diseases.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plays a key role in metabolic dysfunction, and it is increasingly recognised as a contributor to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and other chronic liver conditions. However, the systemic metabolic pathways linking VAT to liver disease remain unclear. This study aimed to identify metabolic signatures associated with VAT and examine their potential role as mediators in the relationship between VAT accumulation and the risks of MASLD, cirrhosis and hepatoma.

METHODS

This prospective study included 269,018 UK Biobank participants without baseline liver disease. Predicted VAT mass was estimated using sex-specific models on the basis of anthropometric and bioimpedance measures. Incident liver outcomes were identified via ICD-coded hospital records. A VAT-related metabolic signature was derived from 251 circulating metabolites by using elastic net regression. Associations with liver disease risks were assessed using Cox models. Mediation analysis estimated the proportion of the VAT-MASLD association explained by the metabolic signature.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 14.3 years, 2658 MASLD, 671 cirrhosis and 444 hepatoma cases occurred. Each standard deviation increase in VAT was associated with increased risks of MASLD (HR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.62-1.79), cirrhosis (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15-1.40) and hepatoma (HR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.02-1.30). The VAT-related metabolic signature (156 metabolites, primarily lipoprotein subclasses and lipids) was independently associated with MASLD (HR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.72-2.08) and mediated 40.0% of the VAT-MASLD association. No significant mediation was observed for cirrhosis or hepatoma.

CONCLUSIONS

VAT and its metabolic signature are strongly associated with MASLD risk, partly explaining its pathogenesis through systemic metabolic alterations.