{"id":4432,"date":"2026-07-28T13:45:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ub.edu\/ibub\/?p=4432"},"modified":"2026-07-28T13:49:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:49:54","slug":"biliary-cirrhosis-liver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ub.edu\/ibub\/biliary-cirrhosis-liver\/","title":{"rendered":"New approaches to treating a rare disease affecting the liver"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Primary biliary cholangitis is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the liver and can progress to cirrhosis. It occurs when the immune system attacks the small bile ducts within the liver. As a result, bile builds up, leading to inflammation and progressive liver damage. Although a first-line treatment exists, 40% of patients do not respond adequately to it or cannot tolerate it, so new treatment options need to be developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study published in the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine<\/em><\/a> reveals that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are emerging as a potential therapeutic target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study is led by Professor Manuel V\u00e1zquez-Carrera, from the UB\u2019s Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB) and the Sant Joan de D\u00e9u Research Institute (IRSJD), and head of the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The scientific team lead by Professor Manuel V\u00e1zquez-Carrera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From liver damage to cirrhosis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new study presents the latest advances in understanding the role of PPAR receptors in the development of the disease and shows how their activation influences processes associated with liver damage and the metabolic alterations characteristic of type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe study analyses the scientific evidence on PPAR agonists, a family of drugs that regulate processes essential for liver function. These include the recently approved drugs elafibranor and seladelpar, which have expanded treatment options for people with primary biliary cholangitis,\u201d says Professor Xavier Palomer, lead author of the article and a member of the research group led by V\u00e1zquez-Carrera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are emerging as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the findings, activation of PPAR receptors helps to reduce inflammation, promotes a balance of bile acids \u2014 the accumulation of bile acids is toxic to the liver \u2014 and could slow the progression of fibrosis, one of the main factors associated with the deterioration of liver function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shared pathways with type 2 diabetes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond their role in this disease, PPAR receptors are involved in biological mechanisms shared with type 2 diabetes. Specifically, they regulate fat metabolism, insulin sensitivity and the inflammatory response \u2014 processes that are disrupted in both metabolic diseases and certain liver diseases. Understanding these links may facilitate the development of treatments targeting common mechanisms and contribute to a more integrated understanding of both diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the team, which has also analysed the available clinical evidence on various PPAR agonists, these therapies have become one of the main options for patients requiring second-line treatment. \u201cHowever, further studies with longer follow-up periods are still needed to confirm their impact on disease progression and their long-term benefits,\u201d the researchers note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study was funded by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and CIBER. Other contributors included Sandra Garc\u00eda-Mateo, a researcher in the CIBER Area for Liver and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD) at the Lozano Blesa University Clinical Hospital, the IIS Arag\u00f3n Health Research Institute and the University of Zaragoza; Ricardo Rodr\u00edguez-Calvo, a CIBERDEM researcher at the Lipids and Ateriosclerosis Research Unit and the Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute \u2013 IRB CatSud; and Walter Wahli, a researcher at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Palomer, Xavier et al. \u201cThe emerging role of PPARs in primary biliary cholangitis\u201d.<\/a> Trends in Molecular Medicine, June 2026. DOI: 10.1016\/j.molmed.2026.05.008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UB News [+]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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