About one‑third of people worldwide have metabolic‑associated fatty liver disease (MASLD). For many years doctors have had no specific medicine to stop it. New research shows that a tiny piece of genetic material makes the disease worse, and an everyday vitamin might block it.
The Gene That Turns Up the Fat
A team of scientists from UNIST, Pusan National University and Ulsan University Hospital found that a small RNA called microRNA‑93 (miR‑93) is much higher in livers with fatty disease. This molecule tells other genes to slow down.
One important gene called SIRT1 helps the liver burn fat. When miR‑93 is high, SIRT1 is turned off, so fat builds up, inflammation appears, and scar tissue forms.
Mouse Experiments Show Hope
The researchers used gene‑editing tools to stop miR‑93 in mice. Those mice stored far less fat in their livers, handled sugar better, and had healthier liver cells. Mice that were forced to make extra miR‑93 showed the opposite – more fat and worse liver function.
Vitamin B3 Lowers the Bad Gene
To see if any existing drug could lower miR‑93, the team screened 150 medicines approved by the FDA. Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, lowered miR‑93 the most. Treated mice had higher SIRT1 activity, better fat processing, and a healthier balance of lipids.
One researcher said, "We have shown exactly how MASLD starts and proved that a safe, approved vitamin can change the pathway, which could move quickly to the clinic."
What Comes Next
Because niacin is already used to treat high cholesterol, it could be added to future treatment plans that target miRNA pathways in fatty liver disease. The study was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, and it appeared in the journal Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental.