Review Articles in 2017

This Review focuses on the adverse effect of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on the risk of chronic vascular complications of diabetes mellitus. The putative pathophysiological mechanisms by which NAFLD might contribute to the development and progression of chronic vascular complications of diabetes mellitus are also discussed, and the principles of NAFLD treatment are critically evaluated.

The global epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications is a major threat to public health. This Review provides an updated view of the global epidemiology of T2DM and the dietary, lifestyle and other risk factors for T2DM and its complications.

The hypothalamus is the main integrator of endocrine regulation. Glia–neuron interactions contribute to physiological processes such as puberty, the maintenance of bodily homeostasis and ageing. Here, Vincent Prevot and Jerome Clasadonte discuss glia–neuron interactions in the control of hypothalamic neuroendocrine function.

Targeting thermogenesis in brown fat and skeletal muscle to expend energy and reduce fat mass is a promising therapeutic strategy for treating obesity and related metabolic diseases. Here, Betz and Enerbäck discuss the different molecular pathways regulating thermogenesis in these organs and discuss how they can be therapeutically exploited.

Populations of African descent are at the forefront of the worldwide epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, Anne Sumner and colleagues discuss issues related to the diagnosis and prevention of T2DM in these populations, including screening test efficacy, prevention strategies and the relative paucity of genomic data.

As not all individuals with obesity respond to lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy has a key role in tackling the obesity epidemic. Here, Gitanjali Srivastava and Caroline Apovian review the six currently available FDA-approved anti-obesity drugs in terms of safety, efficacy and clinical utility.

Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) has emerged as an important regulator of plasma lipoprotein levels by its inhibition of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. Here, Sander Kersten provides an overview of the role of ANGPTL3 in lipoprotein metabolism and discusses why it holds considerable promise as a target for atherosclerosis.

In this Review, Elizabeth Lawson discusses the data that link oxytocin to eating behaviour and metabolism in humans. Although further investigation is required, Lawson suggests that the pathways involving oxytocin can be targeted in the treatment of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes mellitus.

The clinical and metabolic heterogeneity of adult-onset autoimmune diabetes, which encompasses a spectrum of phenotypes, ranging from classic adult-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus to latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, represents a considerable challenge for the management of this disease. In this Review, the authors summarize the definition, pathophysiology and clinical features of adult-onset autoimmune diabetes and discuss their implications for treatment.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by hypercalcaemia and elevated or inappropriately normal serum levels of parathyroid hormone. Here, Walker and Silverberg review the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of PHPT, focusing on recent advances in the field.

Glucocorticoids are essential for adaptation to stressors (allostasis) and in maladaptation resulting from allostatic load and overload. Here, Bruce McEwen and colleagues discuss the mechanisms of glucocorticoid action in the brain and review how glucocorticoids interact with stress mediators.

In addition to controlling cellular lipid metabolism and homeostasis, sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) act as nodes of convergence and divergence within myriad physiological and pathophysiological processes. Here, Shimano and Sato provide a comprehensive overview of the role of SREBPs in health and disease, at the cell, organ and organism levels.

Adipose tissue inflammation is an adaptive response to overnutrition in the early stages of obesity, but later becomes maladaptive. Here, Reilly and Saltiel review the cellular and molecular mechanisms of obesity-induced inflammation in adipose tissue and discuss potential therapeutic approaches.

Thyroid dysfunction is associated with adverse obstetric and child development outcomes. Here, Tim Korevaar and colleagues put studies from the past decade on reference ranges, thyroid dysfunction determinants, adverse outcome risks and treatment options into perspective.

The balance of catabolic and anabolic glucose fluxes in the liver is crucial for glucose homeostasis and is disturbed in diabetes mellitus. In this Review, the authors discuss progress in our understanding of the regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism and highlight potential therapeutic targets for decreasing hepatic glucose production in T2DM, including lipid-induced hepatic insulin resistance, hyperglucagonaemia and excessive adipose lipolysis.

Although anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare form of thyroid cancer, the limited efficacy of conventional treatment options and challenges in histological diagnosis make this an almost invariably lethal disease. In this Review, the authors describe the clinical and pathological features of ATC, highlight recent advances in uncovering the genetics and molecular biology of this disease, and discuss both conventional and future treatment modalities.

Evidence suggests that psychological stress has a role in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, Hackett and Steptoe review the evidence and give an overview of intervention studies that have attempted to modify psychological or social factors to improve outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) has recently emerged as a potentially safe candidate to restore euglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, Evans and colleagues discuss mechanisms by which central injection of FGF1 can improve central glucose sensing and peripheral glucose uptake, the neuronal circuits involved and therapeutic considerations for translating these findings to the clinic.

Vincent Prevot and colleagues discuss the role of neuronal nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of key physiological processes controlled by the preoptic region of the hypothalamus, including reproduction. How deregulation of NO production might be involved in the pathophysiology of brain diseases, for which hormonal imbalances during postnatal development could be a risk factor, is also discussed.

In this Review, the authors describe the factors that influence the development of hepatic steatosis and discuss the evidence base that links steatosis to insulin resistance. They explore how steatosis alters the secretion of hepatokines from the liver, and how these secretome alterations regulate glucose metabolism and insulin action in non-hepatic tissues.