Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression and changes in the fibrosis-4 index after luseogliflozin treatment in participants with type 2 diabetes and MASLD.
- 1Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Nerima Hikarigaoka Hospital, Nerima-Ku, 179-0072 Japan.
Abstract
Background
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is common in type 2 diabetes. We investigated the association between monocyte mRNA expression of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), the molecular target of luseogliflozin, and changes in the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index during treatment with this agent.Methods
This single-center retrospective observational study used prospectively collected peripheral blood monocyte samples from 82 participants with type 2 diabetes and MASLD who had received luseogliflozin for at least 6 months. Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical and laboratory parameters, including FIB-4 index, were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after luseogliflozin initiation. Changes were calculated as the 6-month value minus the baseline value; therefore, negative values indicated reductions.Results
After 6 months, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, liver enzyme levels, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and the FIB-4 index decreased significantly. Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with the change in the FIB-4 index, indicating that higher baseline expression was associated with a greater reduction. In multiple regression analyses, natural-log-transformed baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression remained associated with the change in the FIB-4 index after adjustment for baseline clinical variables.Conclusions
Higher baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was associated with a greater reduction in the FIB-4 index after luseogliflozin treatment. This finding should be interpreted as an exploratory association between a cell-specific transcriptomic feature and changes in a fibrosis-related index, rather than as evidence of functional SGLT2 signaling in monocytes or histological fibrosis regression.Graphical abstract
Supplementary information
The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13340-026-00941-2.
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BibTeX
@article{okuma2026baseline,
title = {{Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression and changes in the fibrosis-4 index after luseogliflozin treatment in participants with type 2 diabetes and MASLD.}},
author = {Hideyuki Okuma},
journal = {Diabetology international},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s13340-026-00941-2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968831},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression and changes in the fibrosis-4 index after luseogliflozin treatment in participants with type 2 diabetes and MASLD.
AU - Hideyuki Okuma
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Diabetology international
DO - 10.1007/s13340-026-00941-2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968831
AB - Background Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is common in type 2 diabetes. We investigated the association between monocyte mRNA expression of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), the molecular target of luseogliflozin, and changes in the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index during treatment with this agent.Methods This single-center retrospective observational study used prospectively collected peripheral blood monocyte samples from 82 participants with type 2 diabetes and MASLD who had received luseogliflozin for at least 6 months. Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical and laboratory parameters, including FIB-4 index, were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after luseogliflozin initiation. Changes were calculated as the 6-month value minus the baseline value; therefore, negative values indicated reductions.Results After 6 months, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, liver enzyme levels, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and the FIB-4 index decreased significantly. Baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with the change in the FIB-4 index, indicating that higher baseline expression was associated with a greater reduction. In multiple regression analyses, natural-log-transformed baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression remained associated with the change in the FIB-4 index after adjustment for baseline clinical variables.Conclusions Higher baseline monocyte SGLT2 mRNA expression was associated with a greater reduction in the FIB-4 index after luseogliflozin treatment. This finding should be interpreted as an exploratory association between a cell-specific transcriptomic feature and changes in a fibrosis-related index, rather than as evidence of functional SGLT2 signaling in monocytes or histological fibrosis regression.Graphical abstract Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13340-026-00941-2.
SN - 2190-1678
SN - 2190-1686
ER -