Abstract
BackgroundExcessive intrahepatic lipid accumulation is the major characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We sought to identify the mechanisms involved in hepatic triglyceride (TG) homeostasis. Forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factors have been shown to play an important role in hepatic metabolism. However, little is known about the effect of FoxO3 on hepatic TG metabolism.MethodsLiver biopsy samples from patients with NALFD and liver tissues from high glucose and high sucrose (HFHS) fed mice, ob/ob mice and db/db mice were collected for protein and mRNA analysis. HepG2 cells were transfected with small interfering RNA to mediate FoxO3 knockdown, or adenovirus and plasmid to mediate FoxO3 overexpression. FoxO3-cDNA was delivered by adenovirus to the liver of C57BL/6 J male mice on a chow diet or on a high-fat diet, followed by determination of hepatic lipid metabolism. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) luciferase reporter gene plasmid was co-transfected into HepG2 cells with FoxO3 overexpression plasmid.ResultsFoxO3 expression was increased in the livers of HFHS mice, ob/ob mice, db/db mice and patients with NAFLD. Knockdown of FoxO3 reduced whereas overexpression of FoxO3 increased cellular TG concentrations in HepG2 cells. FoxO3 gain-of-function caused hepatic TG deposition in C57BL/6 J mice on a chow diet and aggravated hepatic steatosis when fed a high-fat diet. Analysis of the transcripts established the increased expression of genes related to TG synthesis, including SREBP1c, SCD1, FAS, ACC1, GPAM and DGAT2 in mouse liver. Mechanistically, overexpression of FoxO3 stimulated the expression of SREBP1c, whereas knockdown of FoxO3 inhibited the expression of SREBP1c. Luciferase reporter assays showed that SREBP1c regulated the transcriptional activity of the SREBP1c promoter.ConclusionsFoxO3 promotes the transcriptional activity of the SREBP1c promoter, thus leading to increased TG synthesis and hepatic TG accumulation.
Highlights
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the predominant cause of chronic liver disease
FoxO3 expression is elevated in the liver of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) models and NAFLD patients To determine whether there is a correlation between FoxO3 and NAFLD, we examined the expression of FoxO3 in the liver of different types of NAFLD models
According to the western blotting, the protein level of FoxO3 was upregulated in the livers of high fat and high sucrose (HFHS)-fed mice, ob/ob mice and db/db mice compared with the chow diet mice or wild-type (WT) mice (Fig. 1a, c, e)
Summary
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the predominant cause of chronic liver disease. NAFLD is a highly prevalent metabolic disease closely linked to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, leading to an increased risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney disease [2]. Disturbed lipid homeostasis and an excessive accumulation of triglyceride (TG) and other lipid species is the first step in the pathophysiology of NAFLD. Excessive intrahepatic lipid accumulation is the major characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We sought to identify the mechanisms involved in hepatic triglyceride (TG) homeostasis. Forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factors have been shown to play an important role in hepatic metabolism. Little is known about the effect of FoxO3 on hepatic TG metabolism
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