Advances in Research on PNPLA3 in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease and a significant cause of hepatocellular carcinoma, defined by the presence of ≥5% hepatic steatosis in patients without a significant history of alcohol consumption or other liver diseases.The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing annually and is expected to become one of the major global health issues.If not diagnosed and treated promptly, NAFLD can lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms of NAFLD development is of great significance for its diagnosis and treatment.The patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 gene (PNPLA3) encodes a protein with triglyceride hydrolase activity.This research has confirmed that PNPLA3 plays a crucial role in NAFLD, closely associated with liver lipid metabolism, inflammatory response, and liver fibrosis.This paper reviews the role and potential mechanisms of PNPLA3 in NAFLD, aiming to provide new therapeutic strategies and diagnostic directions for the pathogenesis of this disease.