GLP-1 Evidence

Not medical advice. A record of published research and our assessments of it. The limits

Liraglutide Attenuates Hepatocyte Ferroptosis in an In Vitro Model of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

Design
Cell / in-vitro · Biomarker outcome
Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
Not human evidence[Auto] Non-human (animal or cellular) evidence; no direct inference to any human population.
Could weight loss explain it?
Unknown[Auto] Non-human study; weight-loss mediation not assessable.
Study tier
Study tier 4[Auto] Preclinical evidence; not clinical evidence for any human population.
Assessment
Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 13, 2026

Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.

[Auto, unreviewed; last sentences of abstract] These effects were associated with modulation of ferroptosis-related gene expression, suggesting a mechanistic basis for the potential protective role of liraglutide in MASLD. Key words Ferroptosis " Free fatty acid " Liraglutide " Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease " Oxidative stress.

01Findings

What the study reported

Drugs
Liraglutide
Comparator
FFA
Primary outcome
Not extracted
Effect
Not extracted
95% confidence interval
Not extracted
Follow-up
Not stated
Adverse events
Not extracted
Limitations
Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.

Who was studied

Baseline condition
MASH / MASLD

Study quality details

Study design
Cellular / in-vitro
Sample size
not extracted
Randomization
no
Blinding
not stated
Comparator
not stated
Follow up duration
not stated
Outcome type
biomarker
Replication
not assessed (auto)
Consistency with other evidence
not assessed (auto)
Population applicability
VERY_INDIRECT
Statistical precision
not extracted
Risk of bias
not assessed (auto)
Funding conflicts
unclear
Peer review status
yes
02Funding

Funding and conflicts

Funding
not reported in abstract
Industry funded
Unclear
Manufacturer
None identified
Sponsor role
not reported in abstract
Author conflicts
not available in metadata
Independent replication
unknown

Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.

04Source

The source, as retrieved

Abstract

This study examined the potential of liraglutide to attenuate ferroptosis in an in vitro model of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). HepG2 cells were allocated into three groups: control (Con), free fatty acid (FFA)-treated, and FFA with liraglutide treatment (FFA+LI). After 48 h of treatment, intracellular triglyceride (TG), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and iron levels were quantified using commercially available kits. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was also measured. Lipid accumulation was visualized via Oil Red O staining. Expression of ferroptosis-associated genes was assessed through quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. FFA treatment induced significant lipid accumulation, elevated TG, MDA, and iron levels, and reduced SOD activity and GSH levels compared to the Con group (all p<0.05). Additionally, FFA exposure increased the expression of TFR1 and downregulated SLC7A11, NRF2, and GPX4 (p<0.05 for all comparisons vs. Con). Liraglutide treatment partially reversed these changes, as evidenced by reduced MDA levels and iron content, downregulation of TFR1, and upregulation of NRF2 and GPX4 (FFA+LI vs. FFA, all p<0.05). Liraglutide demonstrated the ability to mitigate lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and iron overload in HepG2 cells subjected to FFA-induced injury. These effects were associated with modulation of ferroptosis-related gene expression, suggesting a mechanistic basis for the potential protective role of liraglutide in MASLD. Key words Ferroptosis " Free fatty acid " Liraglutide " Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease " Oxidative stress.

Where this record came from

SourceRetrievedIdentifier
pubmedSep 13, 202642695487
first ingestion