Project description:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction characterized by reduced ATP synthesis. We applied the 2H2O-metabolic labeling approach to test the hypothesis that the reduced stability of oxidative phosphorylation proteins contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction in a diet-induced mouse model of NAFLD. A high fat diet containing cholesterol (a so-called Western diet (WD)) led to hepatic oxidative stress, steatosis, inflammation and mild fibrosis, all markers of NAFLD, in LDLR-/- mice. In addition, compared to controls, livers from NAFLD mice had reduced citrate synthase activity and ATP content, suggesting reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Proteome dynamics analysis revealed that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with reduced average half-lives of mitochondrial proteins in NAFLD mice (5.41±0.46 vs. 5.15±0.49 day, P<0.05). In particular, the WD reduced stability of oxidative phosphorylation subunits, including cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 1 of complex III (5.9 ± 0.1 vs 3.4 ± 0.8 day), ATP synthase subunit α (6.3±0.4 vs. 5.5±0.4 day) and ATP synthase F(0) complex subunit B1 of complex V (8.5±0.6 vs. 6.5±0.2 day) (P<0.05). These changes were associated with impaired complex III and F0F1-ATP synthase activities, suggesting that increased degradation of mitochondrial proteins contributed to hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in NAFLD mice. Autophagy, but not proteasomal degradation, contributed to increased clearance of hepatic mitochondrial proteins in NAFLD mice. In conclusion, the proteome dynamics approach suggests that alterations in mitochondrial proteome dynamics is involved in hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in NAFLD.
Project description:Dyslipidemia and inflammation play key roles in the pathogenesis of both nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and atherosclerosis. NAFLD, particularly its severe form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. HDL (high density lipoprotein- also a CVD risk) are decreased in NAFLD but whether HDL function is abnormal in NAFLD is unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown whether dyslipidemia contributes to reduced HDL function in NAFLD and whether hepatic inflammation further impairs HDL function in patients with NASH. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate HDL function and to examine the effect of dyslipidemia and inflammation on HDL metabolism in patients with biopsy-proven simple steatosis (SS) and NASH. RESULTS: Compared to controls, SS and NASH subjects had significantly higher levels of plasma triglyceride, insulin, and were more insulin resistant (HOMA, P<0.05) with no differences in total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, ApoB100 and ApoAI levels. NAFLD patients had increased production and degradation rates of both HDLc and ApoAI that resulted in their levels remaining stable. The degradation rates also were increased of other HDL proteins, including ApoAII, ApoAIV, vitamin D-binding protein, and complement 3 (all P<0.05). NAFLD patients had increased activities of LCAT and CETP, indicating altered HDL lipidation. NAFLD induced alterations in HDL metabolism were associated with reduced anti-oxidant but increased pro-inflammatory activity of HDL. However, no differences were observed in either HDL function or the kinetics of HDLc and HDL proteins between SS and NASH subjects.
Project description:Background and aim: The Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is increasingly suggested to be involved in fatty liver disease and progression. We identified IGFBP2 as transcriptional regulatory effect network in liver steatosis and conducted a translational approach of its role in liver pathology from mouse to human, and whether it is influenced by conventional clinical intervention that mitigate hepatic steatosis. Methods: Primary hepatocytes from either C57Bl6 controls, alb-SREBP-1c mice with moderate transgene induced hepatic lipid accumulation or aP2-SREBP-1c mice with massive ectopic hepatic lipid accumulation, were analyzed to identify regulatory networks based on differentially regulated hepatic gene expression. In a translational approach, serum of morbidly obese patients with and without diabetes and biopsy-proven NAFLD were used for ELISA-based validation of mouse data. Moreover, sera of patients undergoing intervention were analyzed and correlated to liver fat content. Results: Comparative knowledge-based transcriptome analysis identified IGFBP2 as top score regulatory effect network between moderate and aggravated fatty liver in mouse models. The reduced expression of IGFBP2 in aP2-SREPB-1c progressed fatty liver associated with Igfbp2 promoter hypermethylation. Reduced secretion of IGFBP2 from aP2-SREBP-1c hepatocytes was reflected in the circulation of the animals. In this phenotype, reductions of IGFBP2 were accompanied by reduced fatty acid oxidation and increased methyltransferase and SIRT activity. Physiologically, IGFBP2 has no direct impact on lipid metabolism but might modulate IGF1 action on de novo lipogenesis. In humans, IGFBP2 levels declined from non-obese men to morbidly obese men with NAFLD and NASH. In intervention study reductions in liver fat correlated with restoration of IGFBP2 serum levels to values found in healthy individuals in morbidly obese patients following bariatric surgery. Conclusion: In hepatic metabolism changes of IGFBP2 abundance is connected to lipid metabolism whereas changes in IGFBP2 secretion were directly reflected in the circulation. IGFBP2 serum concentration correlates with the degree of fatty liver, which seems to be related to plasticity of the adipose tissue. These data provide IGFBP2 as a potential non-invasive biomarker for fatty liver disease directly reflecting the degree of impaired liver function with the potential to indicate progressed fatty liver disease.
Project description:BACKGROUND. Dietary intake of saturated fat is a likely contributor to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance, but the mechanisms that initiate these abnormalities in humans remain unclear. We examined the effects of a single oral saturated fat load on insulin sensitivity, hepatic glucose metabolism, and lipid metabolism in humans. Similarly, initiating mechanisms were examined after an equivalent challenge in mice. METHODS. Fourteen lean, healthy individuals randomly received either palm oil (PO) or vehicle (VCL). Hepatic metabolism was analyzed using in vivo 13C/31P/1H and ex vivo 2H magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps with isotope dilution. Mice underwent identical clamp procedures and hepatic transcriptome analyses. RESULTS. PO administration decreased whole-body, hepatic, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity by 25%, 15%, and 34%, respectively. Hepatic triglyceride and ATP content rose by 35% and 16%, respectively. Hepatic gluconeogenesis increased by 70%, and net glycogenolysis declined by 20%. Mouse transcriptomics revealed that PO differentially regulates predicted upstream regulators and pathways, including LPS, members of the TLR and PPAR families, NF-κB, and TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK). CONCLUSION. Saturated fat ingestion rapidly increases hepatic lipid storage, energy metabolism, and insulin resistance. This is accompanied by regulation of hepatic gene expression and signaling that may contribute to development of NAFLD.
Project description:17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-13 (17β-HSD13) is a liver-rich lipid droplet associated protein, encoding by gene HSD17B13, that acted as an important regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism. Increased expression of 17β-HSD13 promotes hepatic lipid accumulation in rodents, and a common loss-of-function variant of HSD17B13 (rs72613567: TA) is related to better outcome in patients with various chronic liver diseases. To understand the role of 17β-HSD13 in liver lipid metabolism under normal and high-fat feeding conditions, we characterized the effect of protein phosphorylation of 17β-HSD13 on hepatic lipid homeostasis. We identify Ser33 as an important protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation site of 17β-HSD13 that physically interact with ATGL and facilitates its translocation to lipid droplets to enhance lipolysis. Mutation of Ser33 to Ala (S33A) in 17β-HSD13 reduces ATGL-dependent lipolysis and increases lipid droplet size in cultured hepatocytes by reducing CGI-58-mediated ATGL activation. Consistently, a transgenic knock-in mouse strain carrying HSD17B13 S33A mutation (HSD17B1333A/A) spontaneously develops liver steatosis with reduced lipolysis. Moreover, HSD17B1333A/A mice are more prone to high fat-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation. Finally, we found Reproterol, a potential HSD17B13 modulator and FDA-approved drug, confers a protection against liver steatosis possibly through phosphorylation of 17β-HSD13 at Ser33 in a PKA-dependent manner. In summary, we demonstrate a critical role and the underlying mechanism of hepatic 17β-HSD13 phosphorylation in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Our findings highlight the potential of targeting 17β-HSD13 phosphorylation as a novel therapeutic approach for NAFLD.
Project description:Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) participate in important bioactive regulatory processes and therefore can help elucidate the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here, we investigate the involvement of PTMs in ketogenic diet (KD)-improved fatty liver by multi-omics and reveal a core target of lysine malonylation, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1). ACC1 protein levels and Lys1523 malonylation are significantly decreased by KD. It is discovered that a malonylation-mimic mutant in ACC1 increases its enzyme activity and stability to promote hepatic steatosis, whereas the malonylation-null mutant upregulates the ubiquitination degradation of ACC1. A customized Lys1523ACC1 malonylation antibody confirms the increased malonylation of ACC1 in the NAFLD samples. Overall, the lysine malonylation of ACC1 is attenuated by KD in NAFLD and plays an important role in promoting hepatic steatosis. Malonylation is critical for ACC1 activity and stability, highlighting the anti-malonylation effect of ACC1 as a potential strategy for treating NAFLD.
Project description:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by excess lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and reprepresents a huge public health problem owing to its propensity to progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and liver failure. The lipids stored in hepatic steatosis are primarily triglycerides (TGs) synthesized by two acyl CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzymes. Either DGAT1 or DGAT2 catalyzes this reaction, and these enzymes have been suggested to differentially utilize exogenous or endogenously synthesized fatty acids, with DGAT2 being linked to storage of fatty acids from de novo lipogenesis, a process that is increased in NAFLD. However, whether DGAT2 is more responsible for lipid accumulation in NAFLD and the progression to fibrosis is currently unknown. Also, it is unresolved whether DGAT2 can be safely inhibited as a therapy for NAFLD. Here we induced NAFLD-like disease in mice by feeding a diet rich in fructose, saturated fat, and cholesterol and found that hepatocyte-specfici Dgat2 deficiency reduced expression of de novo lipogenesis genes and lowered liver TGs by ~70%. Importantly, the reduction of steatosis was not accompanied by increased inflammation or fibrosis, and insulin and glucose metabolism were unchanged. Conclusion: This study suggests that hepatic DGAT2 deficiency successfully reduced diet-induced hepatic steatosis and supports the development of DGAT2 inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy for treating NAFLD and preventing downstream consequences.
Project description:High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), a sweetener rich in glucose and fructose, is nowadays widely used in beverages and processed foods, and its consumption has been correlated to the emergence and progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Nevertheless, the exact molecular mechanisms by which HFCS impacts hepatic metabolism are still unclear, especially in the context of obesity. In contrast, the vast majority of current studies in the field focus either on the detrimental role of fructose on NAFLD or compare the additive impact of fructose versus glucose in this process. Besides, studies elaborating on the role of fructose in NAFLD utilize molecular fructose, rather than HFCS, thus lacking simulation of human NAFLD in a more realistic way. Herein, by engaging combined omic approaches, we sought to characterize the additive impact of HFCS on NAFLD during obesity and recognize candidate pathways and molecules which could mediate the exaggeration of steatosis under these conditions. To achieve this goal, C57BL/6 male mice were fed a normal-fat (ND), a high-fat (HFD) or a HFD supplemented with HFCS (HFD-HFCS) and upon examination of their metabolic and NAFLD phenotype, proteomic and lipidomic analyses were conducted and utilized separately or in an integrated mode to identify HFCS-related molecular alterations of the hepatic metabolic landscape. Although HFD and HFD-HFCS mice displayed comparable obesity, HFD-HFCS mice showed greater aggravation of hepatic steatosis. Importantly, the HFD-HFCS hepatic proteome was characterized by an upregulation of the enzymes implicated in de novo lipogenesis (DNL), while palmitic-acid containing diglycerides were significantly increased in the HFD-HFCS hepatic lipidome, as compared to the HFD group. Integrated omic analysis further suggested that TCA cycle overstimulation, is likely contributing towards the intensification of steatosis in the HFD-HFCS dietary theme. Overall, our results imply that HFCS may significantly contribute to NAFLD aggravation during obesity, with its fructose-rich properties being the main suspect.
Project description:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health burden and it covers a spectrum of diseases. NAFLD starts with the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) within hepatocytes (steatosis). Part of the challenge of studying the mechanistic processes involved in LD accumulation and their implications on the pathogenesis of human NAFLD is due to the available models. Investigating hepatic LDs in humans is challenging and relies on liver biopsies, meaning only cross-sectional data be obtained. On the other hand, LD patterns in in vitro models are poorly defined and rarely reported. Diacylgylcerol acyltransferase (DGAT)2 is one of two enzymes that carry out the final committed step in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. It is unclear whether the enzymes are able to compensate for each other or whether they have distinct roles. It has been hypothesised that DGAT1 primarily utilises exogenous fatty acids and DGAT2 uses de novo-derived fatty acids. Given the important role of this enzyme in TAG synthesis and accumulation, the aims of this study are first to create a cellular model of intrahepatocellular TAG accumulation by manipulating nutritional substrates and to investigate intracellular metabolism in wildtype and DGAT2 knockout cells under these conditions. The experimental workflow for this study is as follows: Huh7 cells (either wild type or knockout) were grown in media containing 11 mM glucose and 2% human serum (HS) for seven days before additional sugars and fatty acids (FAs) were added for a further seven days. All treatments contained 11 mM glucose and 2% HS, either with 200 µM FAs (low fat low sugar; LFLS), 5.5 mM fructose + 200 µM FAs (low fat high sugar; LFHS) or 5.5 mM fructose + 800 µM FAs (high fat high sugar; HFHS). FA metabolism, lipid droplet characteristics and transcriptomic signatures were investigated.
Project description:In rodents, brown adipose tissue (BAT) contributes to whole body energy expenditure and low BAT activity is related to hepatic fat accumulation, partially attributable to the gut microbiome. Little is known of these relationships in humans. In adults (n=60), we assessed hepatic fat and cold-stimulated BAT activity utilizing magnetic resonance imaging and the gut microbiome with 16S sequencing. We transplanted gnotobiotic mice with feces from humans to assess the transferability of BAT activity and NAFLD through the microbiome. Individuals with NAFLD (n=29) had lower BAT activity than those without and BAT activity was inversely related to hepatic fat. Although the fecal microbiome was different in those with NAFLD, no differences were observed in relation to BAT activity and neither of these phenotypic traits were transmissible through fecal transplant to gnotobiotic mice. Thus, low BAT activity is associated with hepatic steatosis but this is not mediated through the gut microbiota.