Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0015695 (fatty liver)
13,941 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The liver plays a central role in whole-body lipid metabolism by governing the synthesis, oxidization, transport and excretion of lipids. The unfolded protein response (UPR) was identified as a signal transduction system that is activated by ER stress. Recent studies revealed a critical role of the UPR in hepatic lipid metabolism. The IRE1/XBP1 branch of the UPR is activated by high dietary carbohydrates and controls the expression of genes involved in fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis. PERK mediated eIF2alpha phosphorylation is also required for the expression of lipogenic genes and the development of hepatic steatosis, likely by activating C/EBP and PPARgamma transcription factors. Further studies to define the molecular pathways that lead to the activation of the UPR by nutritional cues in the liver, and their contribution to human metabolic disorders such as hepatic steatosis, atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes that are associated with dysregulation of lipid homeostasis, are warranted.
Cell Mol Life Sci 2009 Sep
PMID:Intersection of the unfolded protein response and hepatic lipid metabolism. 1946 85

In mammals, the liver integrates nutrient uptake and delivery of carbohydrates and lipids to peripheral tissues to control overall energy balance. Hepatocytes maintain metabolic homeostasis by coordinating gene expression programs in response to dietary and systemic signals. Hepatic tissue oxygenation is an important systemic signal that contributes to normal hepatocyte function as well as disease. Hypoxia-inducible factors 1 and 2 (HIF-1 and HIF-2, respectively) are oxygen-sensitive heterodimeric transcription factors, which act as key mediators of cellular adaptation to low oxygen. Previously, we have shown that HIF-2 plays an important role in both physiologic and pathophysiologic processes in the liver. HIF-2 is essential for normal fetal EPO production and erythropoiesis, while constitutive HIF-2 activity in the adult results in polycythemia and vascular tumorigenesis. Here we report a novel role for HIF-2 in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism. We found that constitutive activation of HIF-2 in the adult results in the development of severe hepatic steatosis associated with impaired fatty acid beta-oxidation, decreased lipogenic gene expression, and increased lipid storage capacity. These findings demonstrate that HIF-2 functions as an important regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and identify HIF-2 as a potential target for the treatment of fatty liver disease.
Mol Cell Biol 2009 Aug
PMID:Hypoxia-inducible factor 2 regulates hepatic lipid metabolism. 1952 26

Long term intake of high-glucose diet (HGD) may induce many diseases such as dyslipidemia, fatty liver and diabetes disease. Most of the research for molecular mechanisms of the association between HGD and the above diseases focus on the metabolism of glucose and lipid. However, there are few studies on molecular mechanism of the effect of HGD on digestion and absorption. We used HGD (containing 20% glucose) to feed C57BL/6J mice for 4 weeks, detected the expressions of 13,098 genes in jejunums of C57BL/6J mice with DNA microarray. Microarray analysis showed the expression of genes related to digestive enzyme, gastrointestinal peptide and nutrient transporters were significantly changed, which indicated that HGD induced the suppression of digestive enzyme gene expression, attenuation of alimentary tract movement and nutrient transportation. In one word, the microarray analysis suggested that HGD impaired the function of digestion and absorption in jejunum of C57BL/6J mice. We validated our microarray findings by conducting real-time RT-PCR assays on selected genes and detecting the activities of disaccharidases such as lactase, maltase and sucrase in jejunum of C57BL/6J mice.
Mol Biol Rep 2010 Apr
PMID:Microarray analysis of high-glucose diet-induced changes in mRNA expression in jejunums of C57BL/6J mice reveals impairment in digestion, absorption. 1961 90

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), consisting of a labile alpha subunit and a stable beta subunit, is a master regulator of hypoxia-responsive mRNAs. HIF alpha undergoes oxygen-dependent prolyl hydroxylation, which marks it for polyubiquitination by a complex containing the von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL). Among the three Phd family members, Phd2 appears to be the primary HIF prolyl hydroxylase. Phd3 is induced by HIF and, based on findings from in vitro studies, may participate in a HIF-regulatory feedback loop. Here, we report that Phd3 loss exacerbates the HIF activation, hepatic steatosis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and premature mortality observed in mice lacking Phd2 alone and produces a closer phenocopy of the changes seen in mice lacking pVHL than the loss of Phd2 alone. Importantly, the degree to which Phd3 can compensate for Phd2 loss and the degree to which the combined loss of Phd2 and Phd3 resembles pVHL loss appear to differ for different HIF-responsive genes and in different tissues. These findings highlight that the responses of different HIF target genes to changes in prolyl hydroxylase activity differ, quantitatively and qualitatively, in vivo and have implications for the development of paralog-specific prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors as therapeutic agents.
Mol Cell Biol 2009 Nov
PMID:A feedback loop involving the Phd3 prolyl hydroxylase tunes the mammalian hypoxic response in vivo. 1972 Jul 42

The temporal relationship of hepatic steatosis and changes in liver oxidative stress and fatty acid (FA) composition to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remain to be clearly defined. Recently, we developed an experimental model of hepatic steatosis and NASH, the transgenic spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) that overexpresses a dominant positive form of the human SREBP-1a isoform in the liver. These rats are genetically predisposed to hepatic steatosis at a young age that ultimately progresses to NASH in older animals. Young transgenic SHR versus SHR controls exhibited simple hepatic steatosis which was associated with significantly increased hepatic levels of oxidative stress markers, conjugated dienes, and TBARS, with decreased levels of antioxidative enzymes and glutathione and lower concentrations of plasma alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. Transgenic rats exhibited increased plasma levels of saturated FA, decreased levels of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), and increased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that excess fat accumulation in the liver in association with increased oxidative stress and disturbances in the metabolism of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids may precede and contribute to the primary pathogenesis of NASH.
Mol Cell Biochem 2010 Feb
PMID:Increased liver oxidative stress and altered PUFA metabolism precede development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in SREBP-1a transgenic spontaneously hypertensive rats with genetic predisposition to hepatic steatosis. 1975 59

Expression of adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADFP), residing on the surface of lipid droplets, correlates to hepatic fat storage. In the context of consequences and treatment of metabolic disorders, including hepatic steatosis, it is imperative to gain knowledge about the regulation of the human ADFP gene. The nuclear receptor liver-X-receptor (LXR) is a key regulator of hepatic fatty acid biosynthesis and cholesterol homeostasis as well as a potential drug target. Here, we report that two synthetic LXR ligands differently regulate human ADFP expression. The partial LXR agonist 3-[3-[[[2-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl](2,2- diphenylethyl)amino]propoxy]benzeneacetic acid hydrochloride (GW3965) significantly induces ADFP expression in human primary hepatocytes, whereas the full agonist N-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-N-[4-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1(trifluoromethyl)ethyl]phenyl] benzenesulfonamide (T0901317) does not. Bioinformatics analysis revealed several potential LXR response elements (LXREs) in the human ADFP gene. By using chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays, we show that LXR, upon stimulation with GW3965, directly regulates human ADFP transcription by binding to LXREs located in the 3'-untranslated and the 5'-flanking regions. The ligand-stimulated LXR recruitment was associated with recruitment of RNA polymerase II and the coactivators cAMP response element-binding protein-binding protein/p300 to the promoter region demonstrating that the identified LXREs are functional and able to induce transcription. Moreover, our results show that sequence identity of the hexamer repeats in DR4 elements is not sufficient to determine whether the element binds LXR or not. The partial agonist GW3965 specifically regulates ADFP gene transcription, and our data prove that the two synthetic LXR agonists, commonly used in experimental research, can differentially regulate gene expression. This has implications for pharmaceutical targeting of LXR.
Mol Pharmacol 2010 Jan
PMID:The human ADFP gene is a direct liver-X-receptor (LXR) target gene and differentially regulated by synthetic LXR ligands. 1984 33

Recent investigations indicate that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with hepatocytic lipid metabolism and induces hepatic steatosis. However, the actual lipid metabolism in HCV-infected liver has not been extensively investigated in humans. In this study, we evaluated the expression of lipid metabolism-associated genes in patients with HCV infection by real-time PCR. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-2 expression was unchanged and low density lipoprotein receptor expression was markedly reduced by 90% in HCV-infected liver. The expression of apolipoprotein B100, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein and ATP-binding cassette G5 was significantly increased. Up-regulation of cholesterol synthesis-associated genes, including HMG-CoA reductase, HMG-CoA synthase, farnesyl-diphosphate synthase and squalene synthase, confirmed enhanced de novo cholesterol synthesis. The expression of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and farnesoid X receptor was enhanced, while bile salt export pump expression was unchanged. Fatty acid synthase expression was increased which was accompanied by increased expression of liver X receptor alpha and SREBP-1c. In summary, the regulation of lipid metabolism was impaired and cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis continued to increase without negative feedback in HCV-infected liver. These changes may be beneficial for HCV replication.
Int J Mol Med 2009 Dec
PMID:Changes in the expression of cholesterol metabolism-associated genes in HCV-infected liver: a novel target for therapy? 1988 25

Oxidative stress and damage are characterized by decreased tissue antioxidant levels, consumption of tissue alpha-tocopherol, and increased lipid peroxidation. These processes occur earlier than necrosis in the liver, heart, kidney, and brain of weanling rats fed a choline deficient (CD) diet. In tissues, water-soluble antioxidants were analyzed as total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP), alpha-tocopherol content was estimated from homogenate chemiluminescence (homogenate-CL), and lipid peroxidation was evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Histopathology showed hepatic steatosis at days 1-7, tubular and glomerular necrosis in kidney at days 6 and 7, and inflammation and necrosis in heart at days 6 and 7. TRAP levels decreased by 18%, 48%, 56%, and 66% at day 7, with t(1/2) (times for half maximal change) of 2.0, 1.8, 2.5, and 3.0 days in liver, kidney, heart, and brain, respectively. Homogenate-CL increased by 97%, 113%, 18%, and 297% at day 7, with t(1/2) of 2.5, 2.6, 2.8, and 3.2 days in the four organs, respectively. TBARS contents increased by 98%, 157%, 104%, and 347% at day 7, with t(1/2) of 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, and 5.0 days in the four organs, respectively. Plasma showed a 33% decrease in TRAP and a 5-fold increase in TBARS at day 5. Oxidative stress and damage are processes occurring earlier than necrosis in the kidney and heart. In case of steatosis prior to antioxidant consumption and increased lipid peroxidation, no necrosis is observed in the liver.
Exp Mol Pathol 2010 Feb
PMID:Oxidative damage: the biochemical mechanism of cellular injury and necrosis in choline deficiency. 1991 31

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological term that encompasses a spectrum of abnormalities ranging from simple triglyceride accumulation in the hepatocytes (hepatic steatosis) to hepatic steatosis with inflammation (steatohepatitis, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH). NASH can also progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Steatohepatitis has been estimated to affect around 5% of the total population and 20% of those who are overweight. The mechanisms leading to NASH and its progression to cirrhosis and HCC remain unclear, but it is a condition typically associated with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia. This point corroborates the need for animal models and molecular markers that allow us to understand the mechanisms underlying this disease. Nowadays, there are numerous mice models to study abnormal liver function such as steatosis, NASH, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The study of the established animal models has provided many clues in the pathogenesis of steatosis and steatohepatitis, although these remain incompletely understood and no mice model completely fulfills the clinical features observed in humans. In addition, there is a lack of accurate sensitive diagnostic tests that do not involve invasive procedures. Current laboratory tests include some biochemical analysis, but their utility for diagnosing NASH is still poor. For that reason, a great effort is being made toward the identification and validation of novel biomarkers to assess NASH using high-throughput analysis based on genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The most recent discoveries and their validation will be discussed.
Methods Mol Biol 2010
PMID:Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, animal models, and biomarkers: what is new? 1995 47

Hyperhomocysteinemia has long been associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Its causes include both genetic and environmental factors. Although homocysteine is produced in every cell as an intermediate of the methionine cycle, the liver contributes the major portion found in circulation, and fatty liver is a common finding in homocystinuric patients. To understand the spectrum of proteins and associated pathways affected by hyperhomocysteinemia, we analyzed the mouse liver proteome of gene-induced (cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS)) and diet-induced (high methionine) hyperhomocysteinemic mice using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Nine proteins were identified whose expression was significantly changed by 2-fold (p < or = 0.05) as a result of genotype, 27 proteins were changed as a result of diet, and 14 proteins were changed in response to genotype and diet. Importantly, three enzymes of the methionine cycle were up-regulated. S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase increased in response to genotype and/or diet, whereas glycine N-methyltransferase and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase only increased in response to diet. The antioxidant proteins peroxiredoxins 1 and 2 increased in wild-type mice fed the high methionine diet but not in the CBS mutants, suggesting a dysregulation in the antioxidant capacity of those animals. Furthermore, thioredoxin 1 decreased in both wild-type and CBS mutants on the diet but not in the mutants fed a control diet. Several urea cycle proteins increased in both diet groups; however, arginase 1 decreased in the CBS(+/-) mice fed the control diet. Pathway analysis identified the retinoid X receptor signaling pathway as the top ranked network associated with the CBS(+/-) genotype, whereas xenobiotic metabolism and the NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response were associated with the high methionine diet. Our results show that hyperhomocysteinemia, whether caused by a genetic mutation or diet, alters the abundance of several liver proteins involved in homocysteine/methionine metabolism, the urea cycle, and antioxidant defense.
Mol Cell Proteomics 2010 Mar
PMID:The nutrigenetics of hyperhomocysteinemia: quantitative proteomics reveals differences in the methionine cycle enzymes of gene-induced versus diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia. 2000 33


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