Proteomic Insights into MASLD: Sex-Specific Endotypes and Predictive Value for Mortality

Highlight

• Latent class analysis of over 48,000 UK Biobank participants with MRI-defined hepatic steatosis reveals distinct MASLD clinical subtypes with strong sex-based differences.
• A novel four-protein biomarker panel (PS4), linked to lipid metabolism and immune pathways, predicts all-cause mortality more accurately than existing non-invasive scores.
• Proteomic components mediate 10-20% of the mortality risk attributable to MASLD phenotypic classes, highlighting key biological pathways driving systemic outcomes.

Study Background