MINI REVIEW article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neuroendocrine Science
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1589110
This article is part of the Research TopicNeuromodulation of mood and eating behaviorView all 4 articles
Brain-acting hepatokines: its impact on energy balance and metabolism
Provisionally accepted
- 1Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology, La Plata, Argentina
- 2Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
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The liver is recognized for its central role in energy metabolism, yet emerging evidence highlights its function as an endocrine organ, secreting a variety of proteinshepatokinesthat influence distant tissues. Hepatokines not only regulate metabolic processes by acting on peripheral tissues but also exert direct effects on brain function. In this mini-review, we discuss the existing literature on the role of "brain-acting" hepatokines including IGF-1, FGF21, LEAP2, GDF15, and ANGPTLs, and their impact on energy balance and metabolism. We review the existing evidence regarding their roles in metabolism through their action in the brain, and their potential implications in metabolic disturbances. By integrating insights from recent studies, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how liver-derived signals can modulate energy balance and metabolism.
Keywords: Hepatokines, Brain, Metabolism, energy balance, Liver
Received: 06 Mar 2025; Accepted: 01 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Giovanini, Wanionok, Perello and Cornejo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Maria Paula Cornejo, Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology, La Plata, Argentina
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