Ellagic acid ameliorates AKT-driven hepatic steatosis in mice by suppressing de novo lipogenesis via the AKT/SREBP-1/FASN pathway

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 3410-3420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong Zhang ◽  
Junjie Hu ◽  
Lei Sheng ◽  
Ming Yuan ◽  
Yong Wu ◽  
...  

Ellagic acid alleviates hepatic lipid accumulation in mice by suppressing AKT-driven de novo lipogenesis.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Tsuru ◽  
Mizuko Osaka ◽  
Yuichi Hiraoka ◽  
Masayuki Yoshida

Abstract Excessive intake of fat causes accumulation of fat in liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). High-fat diet (HFD) upregulates the expression of Factor D, a complement pathway component, in the liver of mice. However, the functions of Factor D in liver are not well known. Therefore, the current study investigated the relationship between Factor D and hepatic lipid accumulation using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Factor D knockout (FD-KO) mice. Factor D deficiency downregulated expression of genes related to fatty acid uptake and de novo lipogenesis in the liver. Furthermore, Factor D deficiency reduced the expression of inflammatory factors (Tnf and Ccl2) and fibrosis markers and decreased accumulation of F4/80-positive macrophages. These data suggest that the Factor D deficiency improved hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic inflammation in HFD-fed mice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 1729-1740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-li Wu ◽  
Xian-e Peng ◽  
Yi-bing Zhu ◽  
Xiao-li Yan ◽  
Wan-nan Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTHepatitis B virus (HBV) has been implicated as a potential trigger of hepatic steatosis although molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated hepatic steatosis still remain elusive. Our prior work has revealed that the expression level of liver fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1), a key regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism, was elevated in HBV-producing hepatoma cells. In this study, the effects of HBV X protein (HBx) mediated FABP1 regulation on hepatic steatosis and the underlying mechanism were determined. mRNA and protein levels of FABP1 were measured by quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting. HBx-mediated FABP1 regulation was evaluated by luciferase assay, coimmunoprecipitation, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Hepatic lipid accumulation was measured by using Oil-Red-O staining and the triglyceride level. It was found that expression of FABP1 was increased in HBV-producing hepatoma cells, the sera of HBV-infected patients, and the sera and liver tissues of HBV-transgenic mice. Ectopic overexpression of HBx resulted in upregulation of FABP1 in HBx-expressing hepatoma cells, whereas HBx abolishment reduced FABP1 expression. Mechanistically, HBx activated the FABP1 promoter in an HNF3β-, C/EBPα-, and PPARα-dependent manner, in which HBx increased the gene expression of HNF3β and physically interacted with C/EBPα and PPARα. On the other hand, knockdown of FABP1 remarkably blocked lipid accumulation both in long-chain free fatty acids treated HBx-expressing HepG2 cells and in a high-fat diet-fed HBx-transgenic mice. Therefore, FABP1 is a key driver gene in HBx-induced hepatic lipid accumulation via regulation of HNF3β, C/EBPα, and PPARα. FABP1 may represent a novel target for treatment of HBV-associated hepatic steatosis.IMPORTANCEAccumulating evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies has indicated that chronic HBV infection is associated with hepatic steatosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying HBV-induced pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis still remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that expression of liver fatty acid binding protein (FABP1) was dramatically increased in the sera of HBV-infected patients and in both sera and liver tissues of HBV-transgenic mice. Forced expression of HBx led to FABP1 upregulation, whereas knockdown of FABP1 remarkably diminished lipid accumulation in bothin vitroandin vivomodels. It is possible that HBx promotes hepatic lipid accumulation through upregulating FABP1 in the development of HBV-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, inhibition of FABP1 might have therapeutic value in steatosis-associated chronic HBV infection.


Imaging ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
György Jermendy ◽  
Márton Kolossváry ◽  
Ibolya Dudás ◽  
Ádám L. Jermendy ◽  
Alexisz Panajotu ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground and aimsNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and carries poor long-term hepatic prognosis. Data about the role of genetic and environmental factors in the hepatic lipid accumulation are limited. The aim of the study was to evaluate the genetic and environmental impact on the hepatic lipid accumulation within a cohort of adult twin pairs.Patients and methodsWe investigated 182 twin subjects [monozygotic (MZ, n = 114) and dizygotic (DZ, n = 68) same-gender twins (age 56.0 ± 9.6 years; BMI 27.5 ± 5.0 kg/m2; females 65.9%)] who underwent computed tomography (CT) with a 256-slice scanner. Using non-enhanced CT-images, we calculated the average value of hepatic attenuation [expressed in Hounsfield unit (HU)] suggesting hepatic lipid content. Crude data were adjusted to age, sex, BMI and HbA1c values. Intra-pair correlations were established, and structural equation models were used for quantifying the contribution of additive genetic (A), common environmental (C) and unique environmental (E) components to the investigated phenotype.ResultsThe study cohort represented a moderately overweight, middle-aged Caucasian population. There was no significant difference between MZ and DZ twin subjects regarding hepatic CT-attenuation (57.9 ± 12.6 HU and 59.3 ± 11.7 HU, respectively; p = 0.747). Age, sex, BMI and HbA1c adjusted co-twin correlations between the siblings showed that MZ twins have stronger correlations of HU values than DZ twins (rMZ = 0.592, p < 0.001; rDZ = 0.047, p = 0.690, respectively). Using the structural equation model, a moderate additive genetic dependence (A: 38%, 95% CI 15–58%) and a greater unique environmental influence (E: 62%, 95% CI 42–85%) was found. Common environmental influence was not identified (C: 0%).ConclusionThe results of our classical CT-based twin study revealed moderate genetic and greater environmental influences on the phenotypic appearance of hepatic steatosis, commonly referred to as NAFLD. Favorable changes of modifiable environmental factors are of great importance in preventing or treating NAFLD.


2012 ◽  
Vol 213 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paramita M Ghosh ◽  
Zhen-Ju Shu ◽  
Bing Zhu ◽  
Zhongding Lu ◽  
Yuji Ikeno ◽  
...  

Excessive fat accumulation in liver (hepatic steatosis) predisposes to hepatic functional and structural impairment and overall metabolic risk. Previous studies noted an association between hepatic steatosis and age in humans and rodents. However, the mechanisms leading to age-associated hepatic fat accumulation remain unknown. Earlier work from our group showed that β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) levels and β-AR-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity increase in rat liver during aging. Here we investigated whether age-associated increases in β-AR signaling play a role in augmenting hepatic lipid accumulation. We demonstrate an increase in hepatic lipid content during senescence and a significant correlation between hepatic fat content and stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity by the β-AR agonist isoproterenol in rat liver. Isoproterenol administration to young and old rodents in vivo increased hepatic lipid accumulation. Furthermore, in vitro overexpression of β1- and β2-AR subtypes in hepatocytes from young rodents increased cellular lipid content, whereas inhibition of β-ARs by receptor subtype-specific inhibitors reduced lipid levels in hepatocytes from senescent animals. Isoproterenol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation in vivo was prevented by the β-AR nonselective blocker propranolol, suggesting a novel therapeutic effect of this class of drugs in hepatic steatosis. Acipimox, which inhibits adipose tissue lipolysis, did not alter isoproterenol-mediated hepatic fat accumulation; thus β-AR responsive hepatic lipid accumulation does not appear to be related primarily to altered lipolysis. These findings suggest that augmented hepatic β-AR signaling during aging may increase lipid accumulation in liver and advocate a possible role for β-adrenergic blockers in preventing or retarding the development of hepatic steatosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (5) ◽  
pp. E655-E666
Author(s):  
Maria Ibars ◽  
Matthew T. Maier ◽  
Ernie Yulyaningsih ◽  
Luz Perez ◽  
Rachel Cheang ◽  
...  

Excessive alcohol consumption, including binge drinking, is a common cause of fatty liver disease. Binge drinking rapidly induces hepatic steatosis, an early step in the pathogenesis of chronic liver injury. Despite its prevalence, the process by which excessive alcohol consumption promotes hepatic lipid accumulation remains unclear. Alcohol exerts potent effects on the brain, including hypothalamic neurons crucial for metabolic regulation. However, whether or not the brain plays a role in alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis is unknown. In the brain, alcohol increases extracellular levels of adenosine, a potent neuromodulator, and previous work implicates adenosine signaling as being important for the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease. Acute alcohol exposure also increases both the activity of agouti-related protein (AgRP)-expressing neurons and AgRP immunoreactivity. Here, we show that adenosine receptor A2B signaling in the brain modulates the extent of alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice and that both the AgRP neuropeptide and the sympathetic nervous system are indispensable for hepatic steatosis induced by bingelike alcohol consumption. Together, these results indicate that the brain plays an integral role in alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation and that central adenosine signaling, hypothalamic AgRP, and the sympathetic nervous system are crucial mediators of this process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 470-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sookyoung Jeon ◽  
Rotonya Carr

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most prevalent type of chronic liver disease with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. ALD begins with simple hepatic steatosis and progresses to alcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. The severity of hepatic steatosis is highly associated with the development of later stages of ALD. This review explores the disturbances of alcohol-induced hepatic lipid metabolism through altered hepatic lipid uptake, de novo lipid synthesis, fatty acid oxidation, hepatic lipid export, and lipid droplet formation and catabolism. In addition, we review emerging data on the contributions of genetics and bioactive lipid metabolism in alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liuran Li ◽  
Qinghua Li ◽  
Wenbin Huang ◽  
Yibing Han ◽  
Huiting Tan ◽  
...  

As a newly approved oral hypoglycaemic agent, the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin, which is derived from the natural product phlorizin can effectively reduce blood glucose. Recent clinical studies have found that dapagliflozin alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the specific mechanism remains to be explored. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of dapagliflozin in alleviating hepatocyte steatosis in vitro and in vivo. We fed the spontaneous type 2 diabetes mellitus rats with high-fat diets and cultured human normal liver LO2 cells and human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells with palmitic acid (PA) to induce hepatocellular steatosis. Dapagliflozin attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation both in vitro and in vivo. In Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, dapagliflozin reduced hepatic lipid accumulation via promoting phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and upregulating lipid β-oxidation enzyme acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1). Furthermore, dapagliflozin increased the expression of the autophagy-related markers LC3B and Beclin1, in parallel with a drop in p62 level. Similar effects were observed in PA-stimulated LO2 cells and HepG2 cells. Dapagliflozin treatment could also significantly activated AMPK and reduced the phosphorylation of mTOR in ZDF rats and PA-stimulated LO2 cells and HepG2 cells. We demonstrated that dapagliflozin ameliorates hepatic steatosis by decreasing lipogenic enzyme, while inducing fatty acid oxidation enzyme and autophagy, which could be associated with AMPK activation. Moreover, our results indicate that dapagliflozin induces autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway. These findings reveal a novel clinical application and functional mechanism of dapagliflozin in the treatment of NAFLD.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1479
Author(s):  
Miori Tanaka ◽  
Akari Sato ◽  
Yoshimi Kishimoto ◽  
Hideaki Mabashi-Asazuma ◽  
Kazuo Kondo ◽  
...  

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease, sometimes ranges from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Various hits including excessive hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, contribute to NASH development. Gallic acid (GA), a natural polyphenol, was reported to exert a protective effect on hepatic steatosis in animal models, but the precise molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we examined the effect of GA on hepatic lipid accumulation, apoptosis, and inflammatory response caused by hepatocyte–macrophage crosstalk. We demonstrated that GA attenuated palmitic acid (PA)-induced fat accumulation via the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in HepG2 cells. GA also ameliorated cell viability and suppressed apoptosis-related gene expression and caspase 3/7 activity induced by PA and H2O2. In a co-culture of lipid-laden Hepa 1-6 hepatocytes and RAW 264 macrophages, GA reduced inflammatory mediator expression and induced antioxidant enzyme expression. These results indicate that GA suppresses hepatic lipid accumulation, apoptosis, and inflammation caused by the interaction between hepatocytes and macrophages. The potential effects of GA observed in our study could be effective in preventing NASH and its complications.


2017 ◽  
Vol 234 (1) ◽  
pp. R1-R21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline E Geisler ◽  
Benjamin J Renquist

Fatty liver can be diet, endocrine, drug, virus or genetically induced. Independent of cause, hepatic lipid accumulation promotes systemic metabolic dysfunction. By acting as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ligands, hepatic non-esterified fatty acids upregulate expression of gluconeogenic, beta-oxidative, lipogenic and ketogenic genes, promoting hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and ketosis. The typical hormonal environment in fatty liver disease consists of hyperinsulinemia, hyperglucagonemia, hypercortisolemia, growth hormone deficiency and elevated sympathetic tone. These endocrine and metabolic changes further encourage hepatic steatosis by regulating adipose tissue lipolysis, liver lipid uptake, de novo lipogenesis (DNL), beta-oxidation, ketogenesis and lipid export. Hepatic lipid accumulation may be induced by 4 separate mechanisms: (1) increased hepatic uptake of circulating fatty acids, (2) increased hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis, (3) decreased hepatic beta-oxidation and (4) decreased hepatic lipid export. This review will discuss the hormonal regulation of each mechanism comparing multiple physiological models of hepatic lipid accumulation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is typified by increased hepatic lipid uptake, synthesis, oxidation and export. Chronic hepatic lipid signaling through PPARgamma results in gene expression changes that allow concurrent activity of DNL and beta-oxidation. The importance of hepatic steatosis in driving systemic metabolic dysfunction is highlighted by the common endocrine and metabolic disturbances across many conditions that result in fatty liver. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the metabolic dysfunction that develops as a consequence of hepatic lipid accumulation is critical to identifying points of intervention in this increasingly prevalent disease state.


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