?-Catenin regulation of farnesoid X receptor signaling and bile acid metabolism during murine cholestasis.
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ABSTRACT: Cholestatic liver diseases result from impaired bile flow and are characterized by inflammation, atypical ductular proliferation, and fibrosis. The Wnt/?-catenin pathway plays a role in bile duct development, yet its role in cholestatic injury remains indeterminate. Liver-specific ?-catenin knockout mice and wild-type littermates were subjected to cholestatic injury through bile duct ligation or short-term exposure to 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine diet. Intriguingly, knockout mice exhibit a dramatic protection from liver injury, fibrosis, and atypical ductular proliferation, which coincides with significantly decreased total hepatic bile acids (BAs). This led to the discovery of a role for ?-catenin in regulating BA synthesis and transport through regulation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation. We show that ?-catenin functions as both an inhibitor of nuclear translocation and a nuclear corepressor through formation of a physical complex with FXR. Loss of ?-catenin expedited FXR nuclear localization and FXR/retinoic X receptor alpha association, culminating in small heterodimer protein promoter occupancy and activation in response to BA or FXR agonist. Conversely, accumulation of ?-catenin sequesters FXR, thus inhibiting its activation. Finally, exogenous suppression of ?-catenin expression during cholestatic injury reduces ?-catenin/FXR complex activation of FXR to decrease total BA and alleviate hepatic injury. CONCLUSION:We have identified an FXR/?-catenin interaction whose modulation through ?-catenin suppression promotes FXR activation and decreases hepatic BAs, which may provide unique therapeutic opportunities in cholestatic liver diseases. (Hepatology 2018;67:955-971).
SUBMITTER: Thompson MD
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5771988 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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