Researchers reported that an experimental MASH treatment reduced liver inflammation in mice and nonhuman primates. Human trials are still needed.

A compound that targets gut bacteria reduced signs of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, in animal studies, according to research published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The findings offer a new lead in liver disease research, but they do not show that the treatment works in people.

The study matters to men’s health because MASH is a serious metabolic disease that can progress to liver scarring, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Men with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides or high LDL cholesterol may face added risk factors for the disease. Many people with MASH have few or no symptoms until liver damage is advanced.

What the study found

Researchers examined human data and studied MASH in mice and nonhuman primates. They found a link between the gut bacterium Clostridium perfringens, higher intestinal ammonia, and damage to the gut barrier. In their experiments, ammonia was also tied to immune-cell activity that can contribute to liver inflammation.

The team then tested DT-109, a glycine-based tripeptide. In the animal models, it reduced C. perfringens and intestinal ammonia, helped restore the gut barrier and eased liver inflammation. The researchers said the results point to a possible gut-to-liver pathway that future MASH treatments could target.

The key limit: Researchers did not test DT-109 as a treatment in people. Human data helped researchers examine disease patterns, while treatment results came from animal models. The University of Michigan said further work is needed before the compound can advance to clinical trials.

What men should know now?

The findings do not change current medical care or make DT-109 available to patients. The FDA has approved semaglutide, sold as Wegovy, for adults with MASH and moderate-to-advanced liver scarring. Resmetirom, sold as Rezdiffra, is also FDA-approved for certain adults with noncirrhotic MASH and moderate-to-advanced fibrosis. Eligibility and treatment decisions depend on a clinician’s assessment.

Weight management, healthy food choices and physical activity can help reduce liver fat and may improve inflammation and scarring. Men who have diabetes, obesity, abnormal cholesterol or concerns about liver tests can ask a health care professional whether they need an evaluation. Avoid starting supplements marketed for “liver support” without medical advice; some supplements can harm the liver.

The researchers also disclosed financial ties connected to DT-109. The University of Michigan holds a patent and licensed the compound to Diapin Therapeutics, which supplied DT-109 for the study; some authors reported inventorship or university ownership interests. Those disclosures do not determine whether the results are sound, but they are relevant context as the work moves toward further testing.

For now, DT-109 is a promising research candidate, not a proven men’s health treatment. The next major question is whether human trials can confirm its safety and benefit.