Dietary Copper-fructose Interactions Alter Gut Microbiome/Metabolome in a Sex-variable Manner Contributing to the Development of NAFLD

The proposed studies focus on the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH, which is an important component of chronic liver diseases with increasing prevalence and economic impact. The proposed studies will advance our understanding of copper-fructose interaction in the pathogenesis of NAFLD from the perspective of gut-liver axis and sex. These studies will further define a phenotype of NAFLD we see in the clinic - high fructose consuming young males with marginal copper/ceruloplasmin levels. Results of the proposed studies also could pave the way for new therapeutic targets and nutrition/drug interventions.