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A key protein in the communication channels between cells can allow a stress response in one liver cell to spread to neighboring liver cells in mice, causing otherwise healthy cells to become dysfunctional, according to new research co-led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Sheba Medical Center in Israel. The findings could have implications for a range of metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
The study is the first to demonstrate that the protein, Cx43, plays a role in the spread of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signals among liver cells. Remarkably, the researchers noted, mice lacking Cx43 in their livers were protected from insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and NAFLD.