Project description:GPR109A agonists have been used for the treatment of obesity however, the role of GPR109A in regulating aging-associated alterations in lipid metabolism is unknown. In this study we used Gpr109a-/- mice to investigate the effect of aging in the regulation of lipid accumulation. We observed that in mouse and human livers, in addition to Kupffer cells, GPR109A is expressed in hepatocytes. Over 12 months, compared to wild type (WT), Gpr109a-/- mice gained significantly more weight. Food intake and levels of serum lipids were similar among both groups. Compared to age-matched WT mice, 12-months old Gpr109a-/- mice had significantly increased liver weight, hepatic steatosis and serum markers of liver injury. The fatty liver phenotype in Gpr109a-/- mice was associated with increased hepatic expression of lipogenesis genes and decreased expression of lipolysis genes. Gpr109a-/- mice had significantly increased fat tissues, which was associated with significant increase in adipocyte diameter and surface area. Adipose tissue from Gpr109a-/- mice had increased expression of lipogenesis genes; however, expression of lipolytic genes was similar in both groups. Collectively, these results indicate that during aging, GPR109A modulates de novo lipid accumulation in liver and adipose tissue, and its dysregulation can lead to age-associated obesity and hepatic steatosis.
Project description:Severe liver steatosis is a known risk factor for increased ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and poor outcomes after liver transplantation (LT). This study aimed to identify steatosis-related molecular mechanisms associated with IRI exacerbation after LT.Paired graft biopsies (n = 60) were collected before implantation (L1) and 90 minutes after reperfusion (L2). The LT recipients (n = 30) were classified by graft macrosteatosis: without steatosis (WS) of 5% or less (n = 13) and with steatosis (S) of 25% or greater (n = 17). Plasma samples were collected at L1, L2, and 1 day after LT (postoperative [POD]1) for cytokines evaluation. Tissue RNA was isolated for gene expression microarrays. Probeset summaries were obtained using robust multiarray average algorithm. Pairwise comparisons were fit using 2-sample t test. P values 0.01 or less were significant (false discovery rate <5%). Molecular pathway analyses were conducted using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis tool.Significantly differentially expressed genes were identified for WS and S grafts after reperfusion. Comprehensive comparison analysis of molecular profiles revealed significant association of S grafts molecular profile with innate immune response activation, macrophage production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 signaling activation, recruitment of granulocytes, and accumulation of myeloid cells. Postreperfusion histological patterns of S grafts revealed neutrophilic infiltration surrounding fat accumulation. Circulating proinflammatory cytokines after reperfusion and 24 hours after LT concurred with intragraft-deregulated molecular pathways. All tested cytokines were significantly increased in plasma of S grafts recipients after reperfusion when compared with WS group at same time.Increases of graft steatosis exacerbate IRI by exacerbation of innate immune response after LT. Preemptive strategies should consider it for safety usage of steatotic livers.
Project description:The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased dramatically worldwide and, subsequently, also the risk of developing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer. Today, weight loss is the only available treatment, but administration of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogues have, in addition to weight loss, shown improvements on liver metabolic health but the mechanisms behind are not entirely clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic metabolic profile in response to FGF21 treatment. Diet-induced obese (DIO) mice were treated with s.c. administration of FGF21 or subjected to caloric restriction by switching from high fat diet (HFD) to chow to induce 20% weight loss and changes were compared to vehicle dosed DIO mice. Cumulative caloric intake was reduced by chow, while no differences were observed between FGF21 and vehicle dosed mice. The body weight loss in both treatment groups was associated with reduced body fat mass and hepatic triglycerides (TG), while hepatic cholesterol was slightly decreased by chow. Liver glycogen was decreased by FGF21 and increased by chow. The hepatic gene expression profiles suggest that FGF21 increased uptake of fatty acids and lipoproteins, channeled TGs toward the production of cholesterol and bile acid, reduced lipogenesis and increased hepatic glucose output. Furthermore, FGF21 appeared to reduce inflammation and regulate hepatic leptin receptor-a expression. In conclusion, FGF21 affected several metabolic pathways to reduce hepatic steatosis and improve hepatic health and markedly more genes than diet restriction (61 vs 16 out of 89 investigated genes).
Project description:ObjectiveThe rs641738C>T variant located near the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 (MBOAT7) locus is associated with fibrosis in liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcohol-related liver disease, hepatitis B and C. We aim to understand the mechanism by which the rs641738C>T variant contributes to pathogenesis of NAFLD.DesignMice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of MBOAT7 (Mboat7Δhep) were generated and livers were characterised by histology, flow cytometry, qPCR, RNA sequencing and lipidomics. We analysed the association of rs641738C>T genotype with liver inflammation and fibrosis in 846 NAFLD patients and obtained genotype-specific liver lipidomes from 280 human biopsies.ResultsAllelic imbalance analysis of heterozygous human liver samples pointed to lower expression of the MBOAT7 transcript on the rs641738C>T haplotype. Mboat7Δhep mice showed spontaneous steatosis characterised by increased hepatic cholesterol ester content after 10 weeks. After 6 weeks on a high fat, methionine-low, choline-deficient diet, mice developed increased hepatic fibrosis as measured by picrosirius staining (p<0.05), hydroxyproline content (p<0.05) and transcriptomics, while the inflammatory cell populations and inflammatory mediators were minimally affected. In a human biopsied NAFLD cohort, MBOAT7 rs641738C>T was associated with fibrosis (p=0.004) independent of the presence of histological inflammation. Liver lipidomes of Mboat7Δhep mice and human rs641738TT carriers with fibrosis showed increased total lysophosphatidylinositol levels. The altered lysophosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol subspecies in MBOAT7Δhep livers and human rs641738TT carriers were similar.ConclusionMboat7 deficiency in mice and human points to an inflammation-independent pathway of liver fibrosis that may be mediated by lipid signalling and a potentially targetable treatment option in NAFLD.
Project description:Obesity-associated hepatic steatosis is a manifestation of selective insulin resistance whereby lipogenesis remains sensitive to insulin but the ability of insulin to suppress glucose production is impaired. We created a mouse model of liver-specific knockdown of p70 S6 kinase (S6K) (L-S6K-KD) by systemic delivery of an adeno-associated virus carrying a shRNA for S6K and examined the effects on steatosis and insulin resistance. High fat diet (HFD) fed L-S6K-KD mice showed improved glucose tolerance and systemic insulin sensitivity compared with controls, with no changes in food intake or body weight. The induction of lipogenic gene expression was attenuated in the L-S6K-KD mice with decreased sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c expression and mature SREBP-1c protein, as well as decreased steatosis on HFD. Our results demonstrate the importance of S6K: 1) as a modulator of the hepatic response to fasting/refeeding, 2) in the development of steatosis, and 3) as a key node in selective hepatic insulin resistance in obese mice.
Project description:The interaction between fat deposition and inflammation during obesity contributes to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The present study examined the effects of palmitoleate, a monounsaturated fatty acid (16:1n7), on liver metabolic and inflammatory responses, and investigated the mechanisms by which palmitoleate increases hepatocyte fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression. Male wild-type C57BL/6J mice were supplemented with palmitoleate and subjected to the assays to analyze hepatic steatosis and liver inflammatory response. Additionally, mouse primary hepatocytes were treated with palmitoleate and used to analyze fat deposition, the inflammatory response, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) activation. Compared with controls, palmitoleate supplementation increased the circulating levels of palmitoleate and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. Locally, hepatic fat deposition and SREBP1c and FAS expression were significantly increased in palmitoleate-supplemented mice. These pro-lipogenic events were accompanied by improvement of liver insulin signaling. In addition, palmitoleate supplementation reduced the numbers of macrophages/Kupffer cells in livers of the treated mice. Consistently, supplementation of palmitoleate decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B, p65) and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. These results were recapitulated in primary mouse hepatocytes. In terms of regulating FAS expression, treatment of palmitoleate increased the transcription activity of SREBP1c and enhanced the binding of SREBP1c to FAS promoter. Palmitoleate also decreased the phosphorylation of NF-?B p65 and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in cultured macrophages. Together, these results suggest that palmitoleate acts through dissociating liver inflammatory response from hepatic steatosis to play a unique role in NAFLD.
Project description:3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductase (KDSR) is the key enzyme in the de novo sphingolipid synthesis. We identified a novel missense kdsrI105R mutation in zebrafish that led to a loss of function, and resulted in progression of hepatomegaly to steatosis, then hepatic injury phenotype. Lipidomics analysis of the kdsrI105R mutant revealed compensatory activation of the sphingolipid salvage pathway, resulting in significant accumulation of sphingolipids including ceramides, sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). Ultrastructural analysis revealed swollen mitochondria with cristae damage in the kdsrI105R mutant hepatocytes, which can be a cause of hepatic injury in the mutant. We found elevated sphingosine kinase 2 (sphk2) expression in the kdsrI105R mutant. Genetic interaction analysis with the kdsrI105R and the sphk2wc1 mutants showed that sphk2 depletion suppressed liver defects observed in the kdsrI105R mutant, suggesting that liver defects were mediated by S1P accumulation. Further, both oxidative stress and ER stress were completely suppressed by deletion of sphk2 in kdsrI105R mutants, linking these two processes mechanistically to hepatic injury in the kdsrI105R mutants. Importantly, we found that the heterozygous mutation in kdsr induced predisposed liver injury in adult zebrafish. These data point to kdsr as a novel genetic risk factor for hepatic injury.
Project description:Consumption of isoflavones may prevent adiposity, hepatic steatosis, and dyslipidaemia. However, studies in the area are few and primarily with genistein. This study investigated the effects of formononetin and its synthetic analogue, 2-heptyl-formononetin (C7F), on lipid and cholesterol metabolism in C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet for five weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia and were then fed either the cholesterol-enriched diet or the cholesterol-enriched diet-supplemented formononetin or C7F for three weeks. Body weight and composition, glucose homeostasis, and plasma lipids were compared. In another experiment, mice were fed the above diets for five weeks, and hepatic triglyceride accumulation and gene expression and histology of adipose tissue and liver were examined. Supplementation with C7F increased plasma HDL-cholesterol thereby increasing the plasma level of total cholesterol. Supplementation with formononetin did not affect plasma cholesterol but increased plasma triglycerides levels. Supplementation with formononetin and C7F induced hepatic steatosis. However, formononetin decreased markers of inflammation and liver injury. The development of hepatic steatosis was associated with deregulated expression of hepatic genes involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. In conclusion, supplementation with formononetin and C7F to a cholesterol-enriched diet adversely affected lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in C57BL/6J mice.
Project description:Samjunghwan (SJH) is an herbal formula used in traditional Korean medicine. This prescription has long been used in treatment of aging and lifestyle diseases. The current study showed the effect and mechanisms of anti-hepatic steatosis action of modified SJH (mSJH) in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with mSJH resulted in significantly decreased intracellular lipid accumulation in steatosis-induced cells. Furthermore, mSJH triggered the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase as well as increased the expression of leptin at both protein and gene levels. In addition, C57BL6 mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) showed significant improvements in body, liver weights and fat weights; and serum, hepatic and fecal lipid parameters in response to the treatment with mSJH. Furthermore, mSJH showed favorable effects on the hepatic expression of several genes related to lipid metabolism. Betaine, one of constituents of mSJH exerted fundamental beneficial impact on FFAs-induced cells. However, the beneficial effects of mSJH were diminished upon blocking of leptin signaling by dexamethasone, suggesting the leptin signaling as a key component in mSJH-mediated modulation of lipid homeostasis. Our results suggest that mSJH exerts an anti-hepatic steatosis effect via activation of leptin and associated signaling cascades related to lipid metabolism.
Project description:Background and aimsPolymorphisms near the membrane bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 (MBOAT7) genes are associated with worsened nonalcoholic fatty liver (NASH), and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/NASH may decrease MBOAT7 expression independent of these polymorphisms. We hypothesized that enhancing MBOAT7 function would improve NASH.MethodsGenomic and lipidomic databases were mined for MBOAT7 expression and hepatic phosphatidylinositol (PI) abundance in human NAFLD/NASH. Male C57BL6/J mice were fed either choline-deficient high-fat diet or Gubra Amylin NASH diet and subsequently infected with adeno-associated virus expressing MBOAT7 or control virus. NASH histological scoring and lipidomic analyses were performed to assess MBOAT7 activity, hepatic PI, and lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) abundance.ResultsHuman NAFLD/NASH decreases MBOAT7 expression and hepatic abundance of arachidonate-containing PI. Murine NASH models display subtle changes in MBOAT7 expression, but significantly decreased activity. After MBOAT7 overexpression, liver weights, triglycerides, and plasma alanine and aspartate transaminase were modestly improved by MBOAT7 overexpression, but NASH histology was not improved. Despite confirmation of increased activity with MBOAT7 overexpression, content of the main arachidonoylated PI species was not rescued by MBOAT7 although the abundance of many PI species was increased. Free arachidonic acid was elevated but the MBOAT7 substrate arachidonoyl-CoA was decreased in NASH livers compared to low-fat controls, likely due to the decreased expression of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases.ConclusionResults suggest decreased MBOAT7 activity plays a role in NASH, but MBOAT7 overexpression fails to measurably improve NASH pathology potentially due to the insufficient abundance of its arachidonoyl-CoA substrate.