Abstract
The increasing prevalence of hepatic insulin resistance, an underlying factor of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, necessitates the understanding of molecular pathways that could play a role in its development. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor activated by a wide range of exogenous (environmental pollutants, phytochemicals) and endogenous (tryptophan derivatives) ligands, has been implicated in regulating insulin sensitivity by altering lipid metabolism, but research is conflicting regarding how different AhR ligands modulate this response, particularly in human cells.