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Singal AK, Shah VH, Malhi H. Emerging targets for therapy in ALD: Lessons from NASH. Hepatology 2024; 80:223-237. [PMID: 36938877 PMCID: PMC10511666 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol-associated liver disease due to harmful alcohol use and NAFLD associated with metabolic syndrome are the 2 most common liver diseases worldwide. Control of respective risk factors is the cornerstone in the long-term management of these diseases. Furthermore, there are no effective therapies. Both diseases are characterized by metabolic derangements; thus, the focus of this review was to broaden our understanding of metabolic targets investigated in NAFLD, and how these can be applied to alcohol-associated liver disease. Conserved pathogenic pathways such as dysregulated lipid metabolism, cell death pathways including apoptosis and activation of innate immune cells, and stellate cells mediate both alcohol and NAFLDs, resulting in histological abnormalities of steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. However, pathways such as gut microbiome changes, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, inflammatory signaling, and microRNA abnormalities are distinct in these 2 diseases. In this review article, we describe conserved and distinct pathogenic pathways highlighting therapeutic targets that may be of potential in both diseases and those that are unique to each disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwani K. Singal
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Avera Transplant Institute, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
- VA Medical Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Harmeet Malhi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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2
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Serhan HA, Bao L, Cheng X, Qin Z, Liu CJ, Heth JA, Udager AM, Soellner MB, Merajver SD, Morikawa A, Merrill NM. Targeting fatty acid synthase in preclinical models of TNBC brain metastases synergizes with SN-38 and impairs invasion. NPJ Breast Cancer 2024; 10:43. [PMID: 38858374 PMCID: PMC11164988 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-024-00656-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid synthesis (FAS) has been shown to play a key role in the survival of brain-metastatic (BM) breast cancer. We demonstrate that the fatty acid synthase inhibitor TVB-2640 synergizes with the topoisomerase inhibitor SN-38 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) BM cell lines, upregulates FAS and downregulates cell cycle progression gene expression, and slows the motility of TNBC BM cell lines. The combination of SN-38 and TVB-2640 warrants further consideration as a potential therapeutic option in TNBC BMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habib A Serhan
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Liwei Bao
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Xu Cheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Zhaoping Qin
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Chia-Jen Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jason A Heth
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Aaron M Udager
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Matthew B Soellner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sofia D Merajver
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Aki Morikawa
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Nathan M Merrill
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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3
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Wang C, Zeng W, Wang L, Xiong X, Chen S, Huang Q, Zeng G, Huang Q. Asprosin aggravates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via inflammation and lipid metabolic disturbance mediated by reactive oxygen species. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22213. [PMID: 38798186 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Asprosin (ASP) is a newly-identified adipokine and plays important roles in energy metabolism homeostasis. However, there is no report on whether and how ASP is involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, in the study, we investigated the protective effects of ASP-deficiency on the liver in the NAFLD model mice and the detrimental effects of ASP treatment on the human normal hepatocytes (LO2 cell line). More important, we explored the underlying mechanism from the perspective of lipid metabolism and inflammation. In the in vivo experiments, our data showed that the ASP-deficiency significantly alleviated the high-fat diet-induced inflammation and NAFLD, inhibited the hepatic fat deposition and downregulated the expressions of fat acid synthase (FASN), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1); moreover, the ASP-deficiency attenuated the inflammatory state and inhibited the activation of the IKK/NF-κBp65 inflammation pathway. In the in vitro experiments, our results revealed that ASP treatment caused and even exacerbated the injury of LO2 cells induced by FFA; In contrast, the ASP treatment upregulated the expressions of PPARγ, FOXO1, FASN, ACC and acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and elevated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Accordingly, these results demonstrate that ASP causes NAFLD through disrupting lipid metabolism and promoting the inflammation mediated by ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaowen Wang
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenjing Zeng
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Li Wang
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaowei Xiong
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qianqian Huang
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Guohua Zeng
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiren Huang
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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4
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Portincasa P, Khalil M, Mahdi L, Perniola V, Idone V, Graziani A, Baffy G, Di Ciaula A. Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: From Pathogenesis to Current Therapeutic Options. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5640. [PMID: 38891828 PMCID: PMC11172019 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The epidemiological burden of liver steatosis associated with metabolic diseases is continuously growing worldwide and in all age classes. This condition generates possible progression of liver damage (i.e., inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma) but also independently increases the risk of cardio-metabolic diseases and cancer. In recent years, the terminological evolution from "nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" (NAFLD) to "metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease" (MAFLD) and, finally, "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease" (MASLD) has been paralleled by increased knowledge of mechanisms linking local (i.e., hepatic) and systemic pathogenic pathways. As a consequence, the need for an appropriate classification of individual phenotypes has been oriented to the investigation of innovative therapeutic tools. Besides the well-known role for lifestyle change, a number of pharmacological approaches have been explored, ranging from antidiabetic drugs to agonists acting on the gut-liver axis and at a systemic level (mainly farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists, PPAR agonists, thyroid hormone receptor agonists), anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory agents. The intrinsically complex pathophysiological history of MASLD makes the selection of a single effective treatment a major challenge, so far. In this evolving scenario, the cooperation between different stakeholders (including subjects at risk, health professionals, and pharmaceutical industries) could significantly improve the management of disease and the implementation of primary and secondary prevention measures. The high healthcare burden associated with MASLD makes the search for new, effective, and safe drugs a major pressing need, together with an accurate characterization of individual phenotypes. Recent and promising advances indicate that we may soon enter the era of precise and personalized therapy for MASLD/MASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piero Portincasa
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Mohamad Khalil
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Laura Mahdi
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Valeria Perniola
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Valeria Idone
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
- Aboca S.p.a. Società Agricola, 52037 Sansepolcro, Italy
| | - Annarita Graziani
- Institut AllergoSan Pharmazeutische Produkte Forschungs- und Vertriebs GmbH, 8055 Graz, Austria;
| | - Gyorgy Baffy
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02132, USA
| | - Agostino Di Ciaula
- Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePre-J), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.K.); (L.M.); (V.P.); (V.I.); (A.D.C.)
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5
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Huttasch M, Roden M, Kahl S. Obesity and MASLD: Is weight loss the (only) key to treat metabolic liver disease? Metabolism 2024:155937. [PMID: 38782182 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2024.155937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) closely associates with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle intervention and bariatric surgery aiming at substantial weight loss are cornerstones of MASLD treatment by improving histological outcomes and reducing risks of comorbidities. Originally developed as antihyperglycemic drugs, incretin (co-)agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors also reduce steatosis and cardiorenovascular events. Certain incretin agonists effectively improve histological features of MASLD, but not fibrosis. Of note, beneficial effects on MASLD may not necessarily require weight loss. Despite moderate weight gain, one PPARγ agonist improved adipose tissue and MASLD with certain benefit on fibrosis in post-hoc analyses. Likewise, the first THRβ-agonist was recently provisionally approved because of significant improvements of MASLD and fibrosis. We here discuss liver-related and metabolic effects induced by different MASLD treatments and their association with weight loss. Therefore, we compare results from clinical trials on drugs acting via weight loss (incretin (co)agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors) with those exerting no weight loss (pioglitazone; resmetirom). Furthermore, other drugs in development directly targeting hepatic lipid metabolism (lipogenesis inhibitors, FGF21 analogs) are addressed. Although THRβ-agonism may effectively improve hepatic outcomes, MASLD treatment concepts should consider all cardiometabolic risk factors for effective reduction of morbidity and mortality in the affected people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Huttasch
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Michael Roden
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Partner Düsseldorf, München-Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Sabine Kahl
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Partner Düsseldorf, München-Neuherberg, Germany.
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Castellano-Castillo D, Ramos-Molina B, Frutos MD, Arranz-Salas I, Reyes-Engel A, Queipo-Ortuño MI, Cardona F. RNA expression changes driven by altered epigenetics status related to NASH etiology. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116508. [PMID: 38579398 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing health problem due to the increased obesity rates, among other factors. In its more severe stage (NASH), inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning and fibrosis are present in the liver, which can further evolve to total liver dysfunction or even hepatocarcinoma. As a metabolic disease, is associated to environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle conditions, which in turn can influence the epigenetic landscape of the cells, affecting to the gene expression profile and chromatin organization. In this study we performed ATAC-sequencing and RNA-sequencing to interrogate the chromatin status of liver biopsies in subjects with and without NASH and its effects on RNA transcription and NASH etiology. NASH subjects showed transcriptional downregulation for lipid and glucose metabolic pathways (e.g., ABC transporters, AMPK, FoxO or insulin pathways). A total of 229 genes were differentially enriched (ATAC and mRNA) in NASH, which were mainly related to lipid transport activity, nuclear receptor-binding, dicarboxylic acid transporter, and PPARA lipid regulation. Interpolation of ATAC data with known liver enhancer regions showed differential openness at 8 enhancers, some linked to genes involved in lipid metabolism, (i.e., FASN) and glucose homeostasis (i.e., GCGR). In conclusion, the chromatin landscape is altered in NASH patients compared to patients without this liver condition. This alteration might cause mRNA changes explaining, at least partially, the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castellano-Castillo
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica Intercentros de Oncología Médica, Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA)-CIMES-UMA, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - Bruno Ramos-Molina
- Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain.
| | - María Dolores Frutos
- General and Digestive System Surgery Department, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia 31020, Spain
| | - Isabel Arranz-Salas
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Plataforma BIONAND (IBIMA), Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Malaga University, 2ª Planta, Campus Teatinos S/N, Málaga 29010, Spain; Department of Human Physiology, Human Histology, Anatomical Pathology and Physical Education, Malaga University, Málaga 29010, Spain; 11 Department of Anatomical Pathology, Virgen de la Victoria Hospital, Málaga, Spain
| | - Armando Reyes-Engel
- Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain
| | - María Isabel Queipo-Ortuño
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica Intercentros de Oncología Médica, Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA)-CIMES-UMA, Málaga 29010, Spain; Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain.
| | - Fernando Cardona
- Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain
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7
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Jiang Y, Wu L, Zhu X, Bian H, Gao X, Xia M. Advances in management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: from mechanisms to therapeutics. Lipids Health Dis 2024; 23:95. [PMID: 38566209 PMCID: PMC10985930 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-024-02092-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease that affects over 30% of the world's population. For decades, the heterogeneity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has impeded our understanding of the disease mechanism and the development of effective medications. However, a recent change in the nomenclature from NAFLD to MASLD emphasizes the critical role of systemic metabolic dysfunction in the pathophysiology of this disease and therefore promotes the progress in the pharmaceutical treatment of MASLD. In this review, we focus on the mechanism underlying the abnormality of hepatic lipid metabolism in patients with MASLD, and summarize the latest progress in the therapeutic medications of MASLD that target metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Jiang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lili Wu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Integrated Medicine, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hua Bian
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Mingfeng Xia
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan Institute for Metabolic Diseases, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Rd, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Wusong Branch of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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8
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Zhu S, Wu Z, Wang W, Wei L, Zhou H. A revisit of drugs and potential therapeutic targets against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: learning from clinical trials. J Endocrinol Invest 2024; 47:761-776. [PMID: 37839037 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02216-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, with a worldwide prevalence of 25%. Although numerous clinical trials have been conducted over the last few decades, an effective treatment has not been approved yet. Extensive research has accumulated a large amount of data and experience; however, the vast number of clinical trials and new therapeutic targets for NAFLD make it impossible to keep abreast of the relevant information. Therefore, a systematic analysis of the existing trials is necessary. METHODS Here, we reviewed clinical trials on NAFLD registered in the mandated federal database, ClinicalTrials.gov, to generate a detailed overview of the trials related to drugs and therapeutic targets for NAFLD treatment. Following screening for pertinence to therapy, a total of 440 entries were identified that included active trials as well as those that have already been completed, suspended, terminated, or withdrawn. RESULTS We summarize and systematically analyze the state, drug development pipeline, and discovery of treatment targets for NAFLD. We consider possible factors that may affect clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we discussed these results to explore the mechanisms responsible for clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION We summarised the landscape of current clinical trials and suggested the directions for future NAFLD therapy to assist internal medicine specialists in treating the whole clinical spectrum of this highly prevalent liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Zhu
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Z Wu
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - W Wang
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - L Wei
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
| | - H Zhou
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
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Simon TG, Wilechansky RM, Stoyanova S, Grossman A, Dichtel LE, Lauer GM, Miller KK, Hoshida Y, Corey KE, Loomba R, Chung RT, Chan AT. Aspirin for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Without Cirrhosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA 2024; 331:920-929. [PMID: 38502074 PMCID: PMC10951738 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.1215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Importance Aspirin may reduce severity of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and lower the incidence of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, in patients with MASLD. However, the effect of aspirin on MASLD is unknown. Objective To test whether low-dose aspirin reduces liver fat content, compared with placebo, in adults with MASLD. Design, Setting, and Participants This 6-month, phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at a single hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Participants were aged 18 to 70 years with established MASLD without cirrhosis. Enrollment occurred between August 20, 2019, and July 19, 2022, with final follow-up on February 23, 2023. Interventions Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive either once-daily aspirin, 81 mg (n = 40) or identical placebo pills (n = 40) for 6 months. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was mean absolute change in hepatic fat content, measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 6-month follow-up. The 4 key secondary outcomes included mean percentage change in hepatic fat content by MRS, the proportion achieving at least 30% reduction in hepatic fat, and the mean absolute and relative reductions in hepatic fat content, measured by magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). Analyses adjusted for the baseline value of the corresponding outcome. Minimal clinically important differences for study outcomes were not prespecified. Results Among 80 randomized participants (mean age, 48 years; 44 [55%] women; mean hepatic fat content, 35% [indicating moderate steatosis]), 71 (89%) completed 6-month follow-up. The mean absolute change in hepatic fat content by MRS was -6.6% with aspirin vs 3.6% with placebo (difference, -10.2% [95% CI, -27.7% to -2.6%]; P = .009). Compared with placebo, aspirin treatment significantly reduced relative hepatic fat content (-8.8 vs 30.0 percentage points; mean difference, -38.8 percentage points [95% CI, -66.7 to -10.8]; P = .007), increased the proportion of patients with 30% or greater relative reduction in hepatic fat (42.5% vs 12.5%; mean difference, 30.0% [95% CI, 11.6% to 48.4%]; P = .006), reduced absolute hepatic fat content by MRI-PDFF (-2.7% vs 0.9%; mean difference, -3.7% [95% CI, -6.1% to -1.2%]; P = .004]), and reduced relative hepatic fat content by MRI-PDFF (-11.7 vs 15.7 percentage points; mean difference, -27.3 percentage points [95% CI, -45.2 to -9.4]; P = .003). Thirteen participants (32.5%) in each group experienced an adverse event, most commonly upper respiratory tract infections (10.0% in each group) or arthralgias (5.0% for aspirin vs 7.5% for placebo). One participant randomized to aspirin (2.5%) experienced drug-related heartburn. Conclusions and Relevance In this preliminary randomized clinical trial of patients with MASLD, 6 months of daily low-dose aspirin significantly reduced hepatic fat quantity compared with placebo. Further study in a larger sample size is necessary to confirm these findings. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04031729.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey G. Simon
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert M. Wilechansky
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Stefania Stoyanova
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Alessandra Grossman
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Laura E. Dichtel
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Georg M. Lauer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Karen K. Miller
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Yujin Hoshida
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Kathleen E. Corey
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Rohit Loomba
- NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Raymond T. Chung
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Andrew T. Chan
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
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10
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Huang J, Tsang WY, Fang XN, Zhang Y, Luo J, Gong LQ, Zhang BF, Wong CN, Li ZH, Liu BL, Huang JL, Yang YM, Liu S, Ban LX, Chan YH, Guan XY. FASN Inhibition Decreases MHC-I Degradation and Synergizes with PD-L1 Checkpoint Blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Res 2024; 84:855-871. [PMID: 38486485 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) transformed the treatment landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, patients with attenuated MHC-I expression remain refractory to ICIs, and druggable targets for upregulating MHC-I are limited. Here, we found that genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of fatty acid synthase (FASN) increased MHC-I levels in HCC cells, promoting antigen presentation and stimulating antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, FASN inhibition reduced palmitoylation of MHC-I that led to its lysosomal degradation. The palmitoyltransferase DHHC3 directly bound MHC-I and negatively regulated MHC-I protein levels. In an orthotopic HCC mouse model, Fasn deficiency enhanced MHC-I levels and promoted cancer cell killing by tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Moreover, the combination of two different FASN inhibitors, orlistat and TVB-2640, with anti-PD-L1 antibody robustly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Multiplex IHC of human HCC samples and bioinformatic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data further illustrated that lower expression of FASN was correlated with a higher percentage of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. The identification of FASN as a negative regulator of MHC-I provides the rationale for combining FASN inhibitors and immunotherapy for treating HCC. SIGNIFICANCE Inhibition of FASN increases MHC-I protein levels by suppressing its palmitoylation and lysosomal degradation, which stimulates immune activity against hepatocellular carcinoma and enhances the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Huang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wai Ying Tsang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiao-Na Fang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Jie Luo
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lan-Qi Gong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Clinical Oncology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bai-Feng Zhang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Clinical Oncology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ching Ngar Wong
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zhi-Hong Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Bei-Lei Liu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Clinical Oncology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jin-Lin Huang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yu-Ma Yang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shan Liu
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Liu-Xian Ban
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Clinical Oncology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiu Hong Chan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Clinical Oncology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Cancer Metastasis and Personalized Therapy, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Rong S, Xia M, Vale G, Wang S, Kim CW, Li S, McDonald JG, Radhakrishnan A, Horton JD. DGAT2 inhibition blocks SREBP-1 cleavage and improves hepatic steatosis by increasing phosphatidylethanolamine in the ER. Cell Metab 2024; 36:617-629.e7. [PMID: 38340721 PMCID: PMC10939742 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) catalyzes the final step of triglyceride (TG) synthesis. DGAT2 deletion in mice lowers liver TGs, and DGAT2 inhibitors are under investigation for the treatment of fatty liver disease. Here, we show that DGAT2 inhibition also suppressed SREBP-1 cleavage, reduced fatty acid synthesis, and lowered TG accumulation and secretion from liver. DGAT2 inhibition increased phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) levels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and inhibited SREBP-1 cleavage, while DGAT2 overexpression lowered ER PE concentrations and increased SREBP-1 cleavage in vivo. ER enrichment with PE blocked SREBP-1 cleavage independent of Insigs, which are ER proteins that normally retain SREBPs in the ER. Thus, inhibition of DGAT2 shunted diacylglycerol into phospholipid synthesis, increasing the PE content of the ER, resulting in reduced SREBP-1 cleavage and less hepatic steatosis. This study reveals a new mechanism that regulates SREBP-1 activation and lipogenesis that is independent of sterols and SREBP-2 in liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunxing Rong
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Mingfeng Xia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Goncalo Vale
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Simeng Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Chai-Wan Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Shili Li
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Jeffrey G McDonald
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Arun Radhakrishnan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA
| | - Jay D Horton
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA.
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12
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Wei S, Wang L, Evans PC, Xu S. NAFLD and NASH: etiology, targets and emerging therapies. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103910. [PMID: 38301798 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) pose a significant threat to human health and cause a tremendous socioeconomic burden. Currently, the molecular mechanisms of NAFLD and NASH remain incompletely understood, and no effective pharmacotherapies have been approved. In the past five years, significant advances have been achieved in our understanding of the pathomechanisms and potential pharmacotherapies of NAFLD and NASH. Research advances include the investigation of the effects of the fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analog pegozafermin and the thyroid hormone receptor-β (THRβ) agonist resmetriom on hepatic fat content, NASH resolution and/or fibrosis regression. Future directions of NAFLD and NASH research (including combination therapy, organoids and humanized mouse models) are also discussed in this state-of-the-art review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulin Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China; Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Paul C Evans
- Centre for Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Suowen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
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13
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Menendez JA, Cuyàs E, Encinar JA, Vander Steen T, Verdura S, Llop‐Hernández À, López J, Serrano‐Hervás E, Osuna S, Martin‐Castillo B, Lupu R. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) signalome: A molecular guide for precision oncology. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:479-516. [PMID: 38158755 PMCID: PMC10920094 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The initial excitement generated more than two decades ago by the discovery of drugs targeting fatty acid synthase (FASN)-catalyzed de novo lipogenesis for cancer therapy was short-lived. However, the advent of the first clinical-grade FASN inhibitor (TVB-2640; denifanstat), which is currently being studied in various phase II trials, and the exciting advances in understanding the FASN signalome are fueling a renewed interest in FASN-targeted strategies for the treatment and prevention of cancer. Here, we provide a detailed overview of how FASN can drive phenotypic plasticity and cell fate decisions, mitochondrial regulation of cell death, immune escape and organ-specific metastatic potential. We then present a variety of FASN-targeted therapeutic approaches that address the major challenges facing FASN therapy. These include limitations of current FASN inhibitors and the lack of precision tools to maximize the therapeutic potential of FASN inhibitors in the clinic. Rethinking the role of FASN as a signal transducer in cancer pathogenesis may provide molecularly driven strategies to optimize FASN as a long-awaited target for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier A. Menendez
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
| | - Elisabet Cuyàs
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
| | - Jose Antonio Encinar
- Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE) and Molecular and Cell Biology Institute (IBMC)Miguel Hernández University (UMH)ElcheSpain
| | - Travis Vander Steen
- Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathologyMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
- Mayo Clinic Cancer CenterRochesterMNUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology LaboratoryMayo Clinic LaboratoryRochesterMNUSA
| | - Sara Verdura
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
| | - Àngela Llop‐Hernández
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
| | - Júlia López
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
| | - Eila Serrano‐Hervás
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de QuímicaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de QuímicaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
- ICREABarcelonaSpain
| | - Begoña Martin‐Castillo
- Metabolism & Cancer Group, Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE)Catalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
- Girona Biomedical Research InstituteGironaSpain
- Unit of Clinical ResearchCatalan Institute of OncologyGironaSpain
| | - Ruth Lupu
- Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathologyMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
- Mayo Clinic Cancer CenterRochesterMNUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology LaboratoryMayo Clinic LaboratoryRochesterMNUSA
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14
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Wang Y, Yu H, Cen Z, Zhu Y, Wu W. Drug targets regulate systemic metabolism and provide new horizons to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Metabol Open 2024; 21:100267. [PMID: 38187470 PMCID: PMC10770762 DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2023.100267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is the advanced stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with rapidly rising global prevalence. It is featured with severe hepatocyte apoptosis, inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis. The drugs directly targeting the processes of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis are currently under clinical investigation. Nevertheless, the long-term ineffectiveness and remarkable adverse effects are well documented, and new concepts are required to tackle with the root causes of NASH progression. We critically assess the recently validated drug targets that regulate the systemic metabolism to ameliorate NASH. Thermogenesis promoted by mitochondrial uncouplers restores systemic energy expenditure. Furthermore, regulation of mitochondrial proteases and proteins that are pivotal for intracellular metabolic homeostasis normalize mitochondrial function. Secreted proteins also improve systemic metabolism, and NASH is ameliorated by agonizing receptors of secreted proteins with small molecules. We analyze the drug design, the advantages and shortcomings of these novel drug candidates. Meanwhile, the structural modification of current NASH therapeutics significantly increased their selectivity, efficacy and safety. Furthermore, the arising CRISPR-Cas9 screen strategy on liver organoids has enabled the identification of new genes that mediate lipid metabolism, which may serve as promising drug targets. In summary, this article discusses the in-depth novel mechanisms and the multidisciplinary approaches, and they provide new horizons to treat NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, China
| | - Hanhan Yu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Zhipeng Cen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, 528200, China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
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15
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Silva AB, Martins AS, Tosta TAA, Loyola AM, Cardoso SV, Neves LA, de Faria PR, do Nascimento MZ. OralEpitheliumDB: A Dataset for Oral Epithelial Dysplasia Image Segmentation and Classification. JOURNAL OF IMAGING INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE 2024:10.1007/s10278-024-01041-w. [PMID: 38409608 DOI: 10.1007/s10278-024-01041-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Early diagnosis of potentially malignant disorders, such as oral epithelial dysplasia, is the most reliable way to prevent oral cancer. Computational algorithms have been used as an auxiliary tool to aid specialists in this process. Usually, experiments are performed on private data, making it difficult to reproduce the results. There are several public datasets of histological images, but studies focused on oral dysplasia images use inaccessible datasets. This prevents the improvement of algorithms aimed at this lesion. This study introduces an annotated public dataset of oral epithelial dysplasia tissue images. The dataset includes 456 images acquired from 30 mouse tongues. The images were categorized among the lesion grades, with nuclear structures manually marked by a trained specialist and validated by a pathologist. Also, experiments were carried out in order to illustrate the potential of the proposed dataset in classification and segmentation processes commonly explored in the literature. Convolutional neural network (CNN) models for semantic and instance segmentation were employed on the images, which were pre-processed with stain normalization methods. Then, the segmented and non-segmented images were classified with CNN architectures and machine learning algorithms. The data obtained through these processes is available in the dataset. The segmentation stage showed the F1-score value of 0.83, obtained with the U-Net model using the ResNet-50 as a backbone. At the classification stage, the most expressive result was achieved with the Random Forest method, with an accuracy value of 94.22%. The results show that the segmentation contributed to the classification results, but studies are needed for the improvement of these stages of automated diagnosis. The original, gold standard, normalized, and segmented images are publicly available and may be used for the improvement of clinical applications of CAD methods on oral epithelial dysplasia tissue images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Barbosa Silva
- Faculty of Computer Science (FACOM) - Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. João Naves de Ávila 2121, BLB, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
| | - Alessandro Santana Martins
- Federal Institute of Triângulo Mineiro (IFTM), R. Belarmino Vilela Junqueira, S/N, 38305-200, Ituiutaba, MG, Brazil
| | - Thaína Aparecida Azevedo Tosta
- Science and Technology Institute, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Av. Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1201, 12247-014, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriano Mota Loyola
- School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará - 1720, 38405-320, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Vitorino Cardoso
- School of Dentistry, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará - 1720, 38405-320, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Leandro Alves Neves
- Department of Computer Science and Statistics (DCCE), São Paulo State University (UNESP), R. Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, 38305-200, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo Rogério de Faria
- Department of Histology and Morphology, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Amazonas, S/N, 38405-320, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Zanchetta do Nascimento
- Faculty of Computer Science (FACOM) - Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. João Naves de Ávila 2121, BLB, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
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16
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Wang Y, Zheng J, Long Y, Wu W, Zhu Y. Direct degradation and stabilization of proteins: New horizons in treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 220:115989. [PMID: 38122854 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is featured with excessive hepatic lipid accumulation and its global prevalence is soaring. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the severe systemic inflammatory subtype of NAFLD, is tightly associated with metabolic comorbidities, and the hepatocytes manifest severe inflammation and ballooning. Currently the therapeutic options for treating NASH are limited. Potent small molecules specifically intervene with the signaling pathways that promote pathogenesis of NASH. Nevertheless they have obvious adverse effects and show long-term ineffectiveness in clinical trials. It poses the fundamental question to efficiently and safely inhibit the pathogenic processes. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) belongs to the direct degradation strategies and is a burgeoning strategy. It utilizes the small molecules to bind to the target proteins and recruit the endogenous proteasome, lysosome and autophagosome-mediated degradation machineries. They effectively and specifically degrade the target proteins. It has exhibited promising therapeutic effects in treatment of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases in a catalytic manner at low doses. We critically discuss the principles of multiple direct degradation strategies, especially PROTAC and ATTEC. We extensively analyze their emerging application in degradation of excessive pathogenic proteins and lipid droplets, which promote the progression of NASH. Moreover, we discuss the opposite strategy that utilizes the small molecules to recruit deubiquinases to stabilize the NASH/MASH-suppressing proteins. Their advantages, limitations, as well as the solutions to address the limitations have been analyzed. In summary, the innovative direct degradation strategies provide new insights into design of next-generation therapeutics to combat NASH with optimal safety paradigm and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, PR China.
| | - Jianan Zheng
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Yun Long
- Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, PR China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
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17
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Esler WP, Cohen DE. Pharmacologic inhibition of lipogenesis for the treatment of NAFLD. J Hepatol 2024; 80:362-377. [PMID: 37977245 PMCID: PMC10842769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The hepatic accumulation of excess triglycerides is a seminal event in the initiation and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hepatic steatosis occurs when the hepatic accrual of fatty acids from the plasma and de novo lipogenesis (DNL) is no longer balanced by rates of fatty acid oxidation and secretion of very low-density lipoprotein-triglycerides. Accumulating data indicate that increased rates of DNL are central to the development of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD. Whereas the main drivers in NAFLD are transcriptional, owing to both hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycaemia, the effectors of DNL are a series of well-characterised enzymes. Several have proven amenable to pharmacologic inhibition or oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown, with lead compounds showing liver fat-lowering efficacy in phase II clinical trials. In humans with NAFLD, percent reductions in liver fat have closely mirrored percent inhibition of DNL, thereby affirming the critical contributions of DNL to NAFLD pathogenesis. The safety profiles of these compounds have so far been encouraging. It is anticipated that inhibitors of DNL, when administered alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents, will become important agents in the management of human NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Esler
- Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Worldwide Research Development and Medical, Cambridge, MA 02139 United States.
| | - David E Cohen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 United States.
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18
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Guo Y, Sun Q, Wang S, Zhang M, Lei Y, Wu J, Wang X, Hu W, Meng H, Li Z, Xu L, Huang F, Qiu Z. Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids improve NAFLD by suppressing de novo lipogenesis through the AMPK-SREBP1 axis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117162. [PMID: 37690477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Along with the gradually increasing incidence, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has already been influencing the health of more and more people in the world. Corydalis saxicola Bunting (CSB), a valuable folk medicine, is the dried whole grass of a perennial herb, Yanhuanglian (Papaveraceae), which has significant effects on various hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and other liver diseases. Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids (CSBTA), a mixture of alkaloids extracted from CSB, exhibit widely-accepted hepatoprotective effects. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of CSBTA on NAFLD and the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS A mice model was established by high fat and high cholesterol diet (HFHCD) to study the benefits of CSBTA on the progression of NAFLD. The efficacy of CSBTA on NAFLD was revealed systematically via RNA-sequencing analysis. Further efficacy and molecular mechanism study were explored in mouse primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells stimulated with high energy with or without pharmacological inhibition or gene silencing. RESULTS CSBTA effectively improved the major hallmarks of NAFLD including liver lipid accumulation, liver injury, inflammation and fibrosis in HFHCD-fed mice. RNA sequencing and targeted qPCR analysis jointly evidenced CSBTA significantly suppressed the expression of Srebf1, Acc1 and Fasn which are the genes responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, stable isotope tracer test denoted CSBTA reduced lipid accumulation via interrupting fatty acid biosynthesis in hepatocytes or the liver. Mechanistically, CSBTA could impede SREBP1 maturation via AMPK activation, thereby reducing DNL-derived lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS CSBTA protected against hepatic steatosis and other hallmarks of NAFLD induced by HFHCD via suppressing DNL, through modulating the AMPK-SREBP1 axis. CSBTA may therefore have a therapeutic potential for NAFLD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Guo
- Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Qiushuang Sun
- Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Shijiao Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jiejie Wu
- Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Xinhong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Wenjun Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Haitao Meng
- Shimadzu (China) Co., LTD., Nanjing Branch, Nanjing, China.
| | - Zhiyu Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Luzhou Xu
- Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Zhixia Qiu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
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19
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Xu S, Wu X, Wang S, Xu M, Fang T, Ma X, Chen M, Fu J, Guo J, Tian S, Tian T, Cheng X, Yang H, Zhou J, Wang Z, Yin Y, Xu W, Xu F, Yan J, Wang Z, Luo S, Zhang XJ, Ji YX, Weng J. TRIM56 protects against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by promoting the degradation of fatty acid synthase. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e166149. [PMID: 38206764 PMCID: PMC10904058 DOI: 10.1172/jci166149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a disease continuum from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, there are currently no approved pharmacotherapies for NAFLD, although several drugs are in advanced stages of clinical development. Because of the complex pathophysiology and heterogeneity of NAFLD, the identification of potential therapeutic targets is clinically important. Here, we demonstrated that tripartite motif 56 (TRIM56) protein abundance was markedly downregulated in the livers of individuals with NAFLD and of mice fed a high-fat diet. Hepatocyte-specific ablation of TRIM56 exacerbated the progression of NAFLD, while hepatic TRIM56 overexpression suppressed it. Integrative analyses of interactome and transcriptome profiling revealed a pivotal role of TRIM56 in lipid metabolism and identified the lipogenesis factor fatty acid synthase (FASN) as a direct binding partner of TRIM56. TRIM56 directly interacted with FASN and triggered its K48-linked ubiquitination-dependent degradation. Finally, using artificial intelligence-based virtual screening, we discovered an orally bioavailable small-molecule inhibitor of FASN (named FASstatin) that potentiates TRIM56-mediated FASN ubiquitination. Therapeutic administration of FASstatin improved NAFLD and NASH pathologies in mice with an optimal safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics profile. Our findings provide proof of concept that targeting the TRIM56/FASN axis in hepatocytes may offer potential therapeutic avenues to treat NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suowen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiumei Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Geriatrics Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sichen Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyun Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Tingyu Fang
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Meijie Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jiajun Fu
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute and
- School of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Juan Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Song Tian
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tian Tian
- School of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Xu Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute and
| | - Hailong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute and
| | - Junjie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute and
| | - Zhenya Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanjun Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Wen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhua Yan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihua Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Sihui Luo
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute and
| | - Yan-Xiao Ji
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianping Weng
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Lonardo A, Ballestri S, Mantovani A, Targher G, Bril F. Endpoints in NASH Clinical Trials: Are We Blind in One Eye? Metabolites 2024; 14:40. [PMID: 38248843 PMCID: PMC10820221 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This narrative review aims to illustrate the notion that nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), recently renamed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is a systemic metabolic disorder featuring both adverse hepatic and extrahepatic outcomes. In recent years, several NASH trials have failed to identify effective pharmacological treatments and, therefore, lifestyle changes are the cornerstone of therapy for NASH. with this context, we analyze the epidemiological burden of NASH and the possible pathogenetic factors involved. These include genetic factors, insulin resistance, lipotoxicity, immuno-thrombosis, oxidative stress, reprogramming of hepatic metabolism, and hypoxia, all of which eventually culminate in low-grade chronic inflammation and increased risk of fibrosis progression. The possible explanations underlying the failure of NASH trials are also accurately examined. We conclude that the high heterogeneity of NASH, resulting from variable genetic backgrounds, exposure, and responses to different metabolic stresses, susceptibility to hepatocyte lipotoxicity, and differences in repair-response, calls for personalized medicine approaches involving research on noninvasive biomarkers. Future NASH trials should aim at achieving a complete assessment of systemic determinants, modifiers, and correlates of NASH, thus adopting a more holistic and unbiased approach, notably including cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic outcomes, without restricting therapeutic perspectives to histological surrogates of liver-related outcomes alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amedeo Lonardo
- AOU—Modena—Ospedale Civile di Baggiovara, 41126 Modena, Italy;
| | | | - Alessandro Mantovani
- Section of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Piazzale Stefani, 37126 Verona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Targher
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy;
- Metabolic Diseases Research Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore—Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy
| | - Fernando Bril
- Department of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL 35233, USA;
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21
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Worthmann A, Ridder J, Piel SYL, Evangelakos I, Musfeldt M, Voß H, O'Farrell M, Fischer AW, Adak S, Sundd M, Siffeti H, Haumann F, Kloth K, Bierhals T, Heine M, Pertzborn P, Pauly M, Scholz JJ, Kundu S, Fuh MM, Neu A, Tödter K, Hempel M, Knippschild U, Semenkovich CF, Schlüter H, Heeren J, Scheja L, Kubisch C, Schlein C. Fatty acid synthesis suppresses dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid use. Nat Commun 2024; 15:45. [PMID: 38167725 PMCID: PMC10762034 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44364-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are increasingly recognized for their health benefits, whereas a high production of endogenous fatty acids - a process called de novo lipogenesis (DNL) - is closely linked to metabolic diseases. Determinants of PUFA incorporation into complex lipids are insufficiently understood and may influence the onset and progression of metabolic diseases. Here we show that fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key enzyme of DNL, critically determines the use of dietary PUFA in mice and humans. Moreover, the combination of FASN inhibition and PUFA-supplementation decreases liver triacylglycerols (TAG) in mice fed with high-fat diet. Mechanistically, FASN inhibition causes higher PUFA uptake via the lysophosphatidylcholine transporter MFSD2A, and a diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2)-dependent incorporation of PUFA into TAG. Overall, the outcome of PUFA supplementation may depend on the degree of endogenous DNL and combining PUFA supplementation and FASN inhibition might be a promising approach to target metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Worthmann
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julius Ridder
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sharlaine Y L Piel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ioannis Evangelakos
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melina Musfeldt
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Voß
- Section / Core Facility Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marie O'Farrell
- Sagimet Biosciences Inc., 155 Bovet Rd., San Mateo, CA, 94402, USA
| | - Alexander W Fischer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sangeeta Adak
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Monica Sundd
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
| | - Hasibullah Siffeti
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Friederike Haumann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katja Kloth
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tatjana Bierhals
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Heine
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul Pertzborn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mira Pauly
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia-Josefine Scholz
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Suman Kundu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110021 and Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Marceline M Fuh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Axel Neu
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Tödter
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maja Hempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 440, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Uwe Knippschild
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Clay F Semenkovich
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hartmut Schlüter
- Section / Core Facility Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joerg Heeren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ludger Scheja
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Schlein
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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22
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Lan T, Geng XJ, Zhang SJ, Zeng XX, Ying JJ, Xu Y, Liu SY, Li P, Tong YH, Wang W, Mao ZJ, Wang SW. Si-Ni-San inhibits hepatic Fasn expression and lipid accumulation in MAFLD mice through AMPK/p300/SREBP-1c axis. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 123:155209. [PMID: 37984123 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soothing the liver and regulating qi is one of the core ideas of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of fatty liver. Si-Ni-San (SNS) is a well-known herbal formula in TCM for liver soothing and qi regulation in fatty liver treatment. However, its efficacy lacks modern scientific evidence. PURPOSE This study was aimed to investigate the impact of SNS on metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in mice and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, particularly its effects on lipid metabolism in hepatocytes. METHODS The therapeutic effect of SNS was evaluated using in vivo and in vitro models of high-fat/high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet-induced mice and palmitic acid (PA)-induced hepatocytes, respectively. Molecular biological techniques such as RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and western blotting were employed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of SNS in regulating lipid metabolism in hepatocytes. RESULTS Our findings revealed that SNS effectively reduced lipid accumulation in the livers of HFHC diet-induced mice and PA-induced hepatocytes. RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that SNS significantly down-regulated the expression of fatty acid synthase (Fasn) in the livers of HFHC-fed mice. Mechanistically, SNS inhibited Fasn expression and lipid accumulation by activating adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Activation of AMPK suppressed the activity of the transcriptional coactivator p300 and modulated the protein stability of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c). Importantly, p300 was required for the inhibition of Fasn expression and lipid accumulation by SNS. Furthermore, SNS activated AMPK by decreasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in hepatocytes. CONCLUSION This study provided novel evidence on the regulatory mechanisms underlying the effects of SNS on Fasn expression. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that SNS exerts suppressive effects on Fasn expression through modulation of the AMPK/p300/SREBP-1c axis. Consequently, this regulatory pathway mitigates excessive lipid accumulation and ameliorates MAFLD in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Lan
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Geng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Si-Jia Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xi-Xi Zeng
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Jun-Jie Ying
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Yi Xu
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Shi-Yu Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Ping Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yu-Hua Tong
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Preventive Treatment Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Affiliated Four-provinces Marginal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Quzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Quzhou 324000, China.
| | - Zhu-Jun Mao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China.
| | - Si-Wei Wang
- The Joint Innovation Center for Health & Medicine, the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou 324000, China.
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23
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Syed-Abdul MM. Lipid Metabolism in Metabolic-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). Metabolites 2023; 14:12. [PMID: 38248815 PMCID: PMC10818604 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a cluster of pathological conditions primarily developed due to the accumulation of ectopic fat in the hepatocytes. During the severe form of the disease, i.e., metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), accumulated lipids promote lipotoxicity, resulting in cellular inflammation, oxidative stress, and hepatocellular ballooning. If left untreated, the advanced form of the disease progresses to fibrosis of the tissue, resulting in irreversible hepatic cirrhosis or the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although numerous mechanisms have been identified as significant contributors to the development and advancement of MASLD, altered lipid metabolism continues to stand out as a major factor contributing to the disease. This paper briefly discusses the dysregulation in lipid metabolism during various stages of MASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Mufaqam Syed-Abdul
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
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24
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Machado MV. MASLD treatment-a shift in the paradigm is imminent. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1316284. [PMID: 38146424 PMCID: PMC10749497 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1316284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
MASLD prevalence is growing towards the leading cause of end-stage liver disease. Up to today, the most effective treatment is weight loss. Weight loss interventions are moving from lifestyle changes to bariatric surgery or endoscopy, and, more recently, to a new wave of anti-obesity drugs that can compete with bariatric surgery. Liver-targeted therapy is a necessity for those patients who already present liver fibrosis. The field is moving fast, and in the near future, we will testify to a disruptive change in MASLD treatment, similar to the paradigm-shift that occurred for hepatitis C almost one decade ago with direct antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Verdelho Machado
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Hospital de Vila Franca de Xira, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
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25
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Souchek J, Laliwala A, Houser L, Muraskin L, Vu Q, Mohs AM. Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitors Enhance Microtubule-Stabilizing and Microtubule-Destabilizing Drugs in Taxane-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1859-1869. [PMID: 38093839 PMCID: PMC10714433 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. Taxane chemotherapy is a staple therapy for men with metastatic prostate cancer, yet the median survival is less than 2 years in this setting. New strategies are needed to overcome taxane resistance to improve patient survival. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is overexpressed in many types of cancer, and several inhibitors have been designed in the past 30 years. Previously, we showed that the FASN inhibitor orlistat was able to synergize with taxanes in two established taxane-resistant (TxR) cell lines. In the current study, we investigated five FASN inhibitors-cerulenin, orlistat, triclosan, thiophenopyrimidine fasnall, and pyrazole derivative TVB-3166 for their potential to synergize with docetaxel (a microtubule stabilizer) and vinblastine (a microtubule destabilizer) in TxR cell lines. Orlistat, TVB-3166, and fasnall synergistically inhibited cell viability when combined with docetaxel and vinblastine in PC3-TxR and DU145-TxR cells. Confocal microscopy and immunoblot with an antidetyrosinated tubulin antibody demonstrated that enhanced microtubule stability was induced by the combined treatment of FASN inhibitors and docetaxel compared with docetaxel alone, while combinations of FASN inhibitors with vinblastine diminished microtubule stability compared to vinblastine alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua
J. Souchek
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
| | - Aayushi Laliwala
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
| | - Lucas Houser
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
| | - Lindsey Muraskin
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
| | - Quyen Vu
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
| | - Aaron M. Mohs
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University
of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
- Fred
& Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University
of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6858, United States
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26
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Mukhi D, Li L, Liu H, Doke T, Kolligundla LP, Ha E, Kloetzer K, Abedini A, Mukherjee S, Wu J, Dhillon P, Hu H, Guan D, Funai K, Uehara K, Titchenell PM, Baur JA, Wellen KE, Susztak K. ACSS2 gene variants determine kidney disease risk by controlling de novo lipogenesis in kidney tubules. J Clin Invest 2023; 134:e172963. [PMID: 38051585 PMCID: PMC10866669 DOI: 10.1172/jci172963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, over 800 million people are affected by kidney disease, yet its pathogenesis remains elusive, hindering the development of novel therapeutics. In this study, we used kidney-specific expression of quantitative traits and single-nucleus open chromatin analysis to show that genetic variants linked to kidney dysfunction on chromosome 20 target the acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family 2 (ACSS2). By generating ACSS2-KO mice, we demonstrated their protection from kidney fibrosis in multiple disease models. Our analysis of primary tubular cells revealed that ACSS2 regulated de novo lipogenesis (DNL), causing NADPH depletion and increasing ROS levels, ultimately leading to NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis. Additionally, we discovered that pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of fatty acid synthase safeguarded kidney cells against profibrotic gene expression and prevented kidney disease in mice. Lipid accumulation and the expression of genes related to DNL were elevated in the kidneys of patients with fibrosis. Our findings pinpoint ACSS2 as a critical kidney disease gene and reveal the role of DNL in kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhanunjay Mukhi
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Lingzhi Li
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Hongbo Liu
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Tomohito Doke
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Lakshmi P. Kolligundla
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Eunji Ha
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Konstantin Kloetzer
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Amin Abedini
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Sarmistha Mukherjee
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Junnan Wu
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Poonam Dhillon
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Hailong Hu
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
| | - Dongyin Guan
- Division of Endocrinology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Katsuhiko Funai
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Kahealani Uehara
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Paul M. Titchenell
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joseph A. Baur
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Wellen
- Department of Cancer Biology
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, and
| | - Katalin Susztak
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division
- Institutes for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
- Department of Genetics, and
- Penn-CHOP Kidney Innovation Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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27
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Jiang S, Wei X, Zhang Y, Wang L, Wang L, Wang M, Rong Y, Zhou J, Zhou Y, Wang H, Li T, Si N, Bian B, Zhao H. Biotransformed bear bile powder ameliorates diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice through modulating arginine biosynthesis via FXR/PXR-PI3K-AKT-NOS3 axis. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115640. [PMID: 37806086 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
NASH is a highly prevalent metabolic syndrome that has no specific approved agents up to now. BBBP, which mainly contains bile acids, possess various pharmacological properties and some bile acids are available for NASH treatment. Herein, the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of BBBP against NASH were systemically evaluated. In this study, mice received an HFHS diet over a 20-week period to induce NASH with or without BBBP intervention were used to evaluate the effect and underlying mechanisms of BBBP against NASH. Our results demonstrated that BBBP attenuated hepatic steatosis, reduced body weight gain and lipid concentrations, and improved sensitivity to insulin and tolerance to glucose in mice fed an HFHS diet. Metabolomics and transcriptomic analysis revealed that BBBP suppressed the arginine biosynthesis by up-regulating NOS3 expression and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was also regulated by BBBP, as indicated by 55 DEGs. Bioinformatic analysis predicted the regulatory effect of the FXR/PXR-PI3K-AKT-NOS3 axis on arginine biosynthesis-related metabolites. These results were further confirmed by the significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of NOS3, PI3K (Pik3r2), and AKT1. And the increased levels of arginine biosynthesis related-metabolites, such as urea, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, citrulline, arginine, and ornithine, were confirmed accurately based on targeted metabolomics analysis. Together, our study uncoded the complicated mechanisms of anti-NASH activities of BBBP, and provided critical evidence inspiring the discovery of innovative therapies based on BBBP in the treatment of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Jiang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xiaolu Wei
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Linna Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Lianmei Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Mengxiao Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yan Rong
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Junyi Zhou
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yanyan Zhou
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Hongjie Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Tao Li
- Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Nan Si
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Baolin Bian
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Haiyu Zhao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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28
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Ziamanesh F, Mohammadi M, Ebrahimpour S, Tabatabaei-Malazy O, Mosallanejad A, Larijani B. Unraveling the link between insulin resistance and Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease): A Narrative Review. J Diabetes Metab Disord 2023; 22:1083-1094. [PMID: 37975107 PMCID: PMC10638269 DOI: 10.1007/s40200-023-01293-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Objective Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming a significant global health concern, representing the leading cause of chronic liver disease and posing a substantial public health challenge. NAFLD is associated with higher insulin resistance (IR) levels, a key pathophysiological mechanism contributing to its development and progression. To counter this growing trend, it is crucial to raise awareness about NAFLD and promote healthy lifestyles to mitigate the impact of this disease. Methods Relevant studies regarding IR and NAFLD published until May 30, 2023, were extracted from Google PubMed, Scopus, and Web Of Science web databases. The following keywords were used: IR, diabetes mellitus, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome. Results IR leads to an accumulation of fatty acids within liver cells, resulting from increased glycolysis and decreased apolipoprotein B-100. Furthermore, the manifestations of NAFLD extend beyond liver-related morbidity and mortality, affecting multiple organs and giving rise to various non-communicable disorders such as diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease. Although lifestyle modification remains the primary treatment approach for NAFLD, alternative therapies, including pharmacological, herbal, and surgical interventions, may be considered. By implementing early and simple measures, cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma can be prevented. Conclusions There is a clear association between NAFLD and elevated levels of IR. Several metabolic conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, are closely interrelated with NAFLD and IR. Raising awareness about NAFLD and promoting a healthy lifestyle are crucial steps to reverse the impact of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fateme Ziamanesh
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohammadi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Sholeh Ebrahimpour
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Ozra Tabatabaei-Malazy
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Bagher Larijani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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29
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Luukkonen PK, Porthan K, Ahlholm N, Rosqvist F, Dufour S, Zhang XM, Lehtimäki TE, Seppänen W, Orho-Melander M, Hodson L, Petersen KF, Shulman GI, Yki-Järvinen H. The PNPLA3 I148M variant increases ketogenesis and decreases hepatic de novo lipogenesis and mitochondrial function in humans. Cell Metab 2023; 35:1887-1896.e5. [PMID: 37909034 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The PNPLA3 I148M variant is the major genetic risk factor for all stages of fatty liver disease, but the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. We studied the effect of this variant on hepatic metabolism in homozygous carriers and non-carriers under multiple physiological conditions with state-of-the-art stable isotope techniques. After an overnight fast, carriers had higher plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations and lower hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) compared to non-carriers. After a mixed meal, fatty acids were channeled toward ketogenesis in carriers, which was associated with an increase in hepatic mitochondrial redox state. During a ketogenic diet, carriers manifested increased rates of intrahepatic lipolysis, increased plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, and decreased rates of hepatic mitochondrial citrate synthase flux. These studies demonstrate that homozygous PNPLA3 I148M carriers have hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction leading to reduced DNL and channeling of carbons to ketogenesis. These findings have implications for understanding why the PNPLA3 variant predisposes to progressive liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panu K Luukkonen
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Kimmo Porthan
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Noora Ahlholm
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Fredrik Rosqvist
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xian-Man Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tiina E Lehtimäki
- Department of Radiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Wenla Seppänen
- Department of Radiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marju Orho-Melander
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Diabetes and Endocrinology, University Hospital Malmö, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Leanne Hodson
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Kitt Falk Petersen
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gerald I Shulman
- Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hannele Yki-Järvinen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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30
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Domingues I, Leclercq IA, Beloqui A. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Current therapies and future perspectives in drug delivery. J Control Release 2023; 363:415-434. [PMID: 37769817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects approximately 25% of the adult population worldwide. This pathology can progress into end-stage liver disease with life-threatening complications, and yet no pharmacologic therapy has been approved. NAFLD is commonly characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver and is in closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic disorders, which suggests that NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Regarding treatment options, the current validated strategy relies on lifestyle modifications (exercise and diet restrictions). Although there are no approved drug-based treatments, several clinical trials are ongoing. Novel targets are being discovered, and the repurposing of drugs that show promising effects in NAFLD is starting to gain more interest. The field of nanotechnology has been growing at an increasing rate, with new and more efficient drug delivery strategies being developed for NAFLD treatment. Nanocarriers can easily encapsulate drugs that need to be better protected from the organism to exert their effect or that need help at reaching their target, thereby helping achieve a better bioavailability. Drug delivery systems can also be designed to target the site of the disease, in this case, the liver. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge of NAFLD pathology, the targets being considered for clinical trials, and the current guidelines and ongoing clinical trials, with a specific focus on potential oral treatments for NAFLD using promising drug delivery strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Domingues
- UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials Group, Avenue Emmanuel Mounier 73, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabelle A Leclercq
- UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, Laboratory of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Avenue Emmanuel Mounier 53, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Ana Beloqui
- UCLouvain, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials Group, Avenue Emmanuel Mounier 73, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; WEL Research Institute, Avenue Pasteur, 6, 1300 Wavre, Belgium.
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31
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Mallick R, Bhowmik P, Duttaroy AK. Targeting fatty acid uptake and metabolism in cancer cells: A promising strategy for cancer treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115591. [PMID: 37774669 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite scientific development, cancer is still a fatal disease. The development of cancer is thought to be significantly influenced by fatty acids. Several mechanisms that control fatty acid absorption and metabolism are reported to be altered in cancer cells to support their survival. Cancer cells can use de novo synthesis or uptake of extracellular fatty acid if one method is restricted. This factor makes it more difficult to target one pathway while failing to treat the disease properly. Side effects may also arise if several inhibitors simultaneously target many targets. If a viable inhibitor could work on several routes, the number of negative effects might be reduced. Comparative investigations against cell viability have found several potent natural and manmade substances. In this review, we discuss the complex roles that fatty acids play in the development of tumors and the progression of cancer, newly discovered and potentially effective natural and synthetic compounds that block the uptake and metabolism of fatty acids, the adverse side effects that can occur when multiple inhibitors are used to treat cancer, and emerging therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Mallick
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
| | - Prasenjit Bhowmik
- Department of Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Asim K Duttaroy
- Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.
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32
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Tang W, Ding Z, Gao H, Yan Q, Liu J, Han Y, Hou X, Liu Z, Chen L, Yang D, Ma G, Cao H. Targeting Kindlin-2 in adipocytes increases bone mass through inhibiting FAS/PPAR γ/FABP4 signaling in mice. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4535-4552. [PMID: 37969743 PMCID: PMC10638509 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disease that primarily affects the elderly population, which greatly increases the risk of fractures. Here we report that Kindlin-2 expression in adipose tissue increases during aging and high-fat diet fed and is accompanied by decreased bone mass. Kindlin-2 specific deletion (K2KO) controlled by Adipoq-Cre mice or adipose tissue-targeting AAV (AAV-Rec2-CasRx-sgK2) significantly increases bone mass. Mechanistically, Kindlin-2 promotes peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) activation and downstream fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) expression through stabilizing fatty acid synthase (FAS), and increased FABP4 inhibits insulin expression and decreases bone mass. Kindlin-2 inhibition results in accelerated FAS degradation, decreased PPARγ activation and FABP4 expression, and therefore increased insulin expression and bone mass. Interestingly, we find that FABP4 is increased while insulin is decreased in serum of OP patients. Increased FABP4 expression through PPARγ activation by rosiglitazone reverses the high bone mass phenotype of K2KO mice. Inhibition of FAS by C75 phenocopies the high bone mass phenotype of K2KO mice. Collectively, our study establishes a novel Kindlin-2/FAS/PPARγ/FABP4/insulin axis in adipose tissue modulating bone mass and strongly indicates that FAS and Kindlin-2 are new potential targets and C75 or AAV-Rec2-CasRx-sgK2 treatment are potential strategies for OP treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanze Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhen Ding
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huanqing Gao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qinnan Yan
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jingping Liu
- Clinical Laboratory of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Yingying Han
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaoting Hou
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhengwei Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Litong Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dazhi Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guixing Ma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huiling Cao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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33
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Buyl K, Vrints M, Fernando R, Desmae T, Van Eeckhoutte T, Jans M, Van Der Schueren J, Boeckmans J, Rodrigues RM, De Boe V, Rogiers V, De Kock J, Beirinckx F, Vanhaecke T. Human skin stem cell-derived hepatic cells as in vitro drug discovery model for insulin-driven de novo lipogenesis. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 957:175989. [PMID: 37572939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is characterized by intrahepatic triglyceride accumulation and can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis. Hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL), activated by glucose and insulin, is a central pathway contributing to early-stage development of MASLD. The emerging global prevalence of MASLD highlights the urgent need for pharmaceutical intervention to combat this health threat. However, the identification of novel drugs that could inhibit hepatic DNL is hampered by a lack of reliable, insulin-sensitive, human, in vitro, hepatic models. Here, we report human skin stem cell-derived hepatic cells (hSKP-HPC) as a unique in vitro model to study insulin-driven DNL (iDNL), evidenced by both gene expression and lipid accumulation readouts. Insulin-sensitive hSKP-HPC showed increased sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) expression, a key transcription factor for DNL. Furthermore, this physiologically relevant in vitro human steatosis model allowed both inhibition and activation of the iDNL pathway using reference inhibitors and activators, respectively. Optimisation of the lipid accumulation assay to a high-throughput, 384-well format enabled the screening of a library of annotated compounds, delivering new insights on key players in the iDNL pathway and MASLD pathophysiology. Together, these results establish the value of the hSKP-HPC model in preclinical development of antisteatotic drugs to combat MASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolien Buyl
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Martine Vrints
- Galapagos NV, Industriepark Mechelen Noord, Generaal De Wittelaan L11 A3, B-2880, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Ruani Fernando
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Terry Desmae
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Eeckhoutte
- Galapagos NV, Industriepark Mechelen Noord, Generaal De Wittelaan L11 A3, B-2880, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Mia Jans
- Galapagos NV, Industriepark Mechelen Noord, Generaal De Wittelaan L11 A3, B-2880, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Jan Van Der Schueren
- Galapagos NV, Industriepark Mechelen Noord, Generaal De Wittelaan L11 A3, B-2880, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Joost Boeckmans
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robim M Rodrigues
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Veerle De Boe
- Department of Urology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ-Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vera Rogiers
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joery De Kock
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Filip Beirinckx
- Galapagos NV, Industriepark Mechelen Noord, Generaal De Wittelaan L11 A3, B-2880, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Tamara Vanhaecke
- Department of in Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium
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Bołdys A, Bułdak Ł, Maligłówka M, Surma S, Okopień B. Potential Therapeutic Strategies in the Treatment of Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1789. [PMID: 37893507 PMCID: PMC10608225 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59101789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease is one of the outstanding challenges in gastroenterology. The increasing incidence of the disease is undoubtedly connected with the ongoing obesity pandemic. The lack of specific symptoms in the early phases and the grave complications of the disease require an active approach to prompt diagnosis and treatment. Therapeutic lifestyle changes should be introduced in a great majority of patients; but, in many cases, the adherence is not satisfactory. There is a great need for an effective pharmacological therapy for Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease, especially before the onset of steatohepatitis. Currently, there are no specific recommendations on the selection of drugs to treat liver steatosis and prevent patients from progression toward more advanced stages (steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and cancer). Therefore, in this Review, we provide data on the clinical efficacy of therapeutic interventions that might improve the course of Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease. These include the drugs used in the treatment of obesity and hyperlipidemias, as well as affecting the gut microbiota and endocrine system, and other experimental approaches, including functional foods. Finally, we provide advice on the selection of drugs for patients with concomitant Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Łukasz Bułdak
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Medykow 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
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Yue C, Li D, Fan S, Tao F, Yu Y, Lu W, Chen Q, Yuan A, Wu J, Zhao G, Dong H, Hu Y. Long-term and liver-selected ginsenoside C-K nanoparticles retard NAFLD progression by restoring lipid homeostasis. Biomaterials 2023; 301:122291. [PMID: 37619263 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent hepatic disease characterized as lipid accumulation, yet without any approved drug. And development of therapeutic molecules is obstructed by low efficiency and organ toxicity. Herein, we develop a long-term, low-toxic and liver-selected nano candidate, nabCK, to alleviate NAFLD. NabCK is simply composed by natural compound ginsenoside compound K (CK) and albumin. As a major metabolite of ginseng, ginsenoside CK has excellently modulating functions for lipid metabolism, but accompanied by an extremely poor bioavailability <1%. Albumin is a key lipid carrier secreted and metabolized by livers. Thereby, it can improve solubility and liver-localization of CK. In adipocytes and hepatocytes, nabCK prevents lipid deposition and eliminates lipid droplets. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that nabCK rectifies various pathways that involved in steatosis development, including lipid absorption, lipid export, fatty acid biosynthesis, lipid storage and inflammation. All these pathways are modulated by mTOR, the pivotal feedback sensor that is hyperactive in NAFLD. NabCK suppresses mTOR activation to restores lipid homeostasis. In high-fat diet (HFD) induced NAFLD mice, nabCK retards development of steatosis and fibrosis, coupling a protective effect on cardiac tissues from lipotoxicity. Together, nabCK is a safe and potent candidate to offer benefits for NAFLD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Dandan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Shuxin Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Feng Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Wenjing Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Qian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Ahu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Jinhui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Guoping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
| | - Yiqiao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing , 210093, China; Institute of Drug R&D, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
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Zhang M, Bai X, Du Q, Xu J, Wang D, Chen L, Dong K, Chen Z, Yang J. The Different Mechanisms of Lipid Accumulation in Hepatocytes Induced by Oleic Acid/Palmitic Acid and High-Fat Diet. Molecules 2023; 28:6714. [PMID: 37764494 PMCID: PMC10536454 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the primary chronic liver disease worldwide, mainly manifested by hepatic steatosis. Hepatic lipids may be derived from dietary intake, plasma free fatty acid (FFA) uptake, or hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL). Currently, cellular and animal models of hepatocellular steatosis are widely used to study the pathogenesis of NAFLD and to investigate therapeutic agents. However, whether there are differences between the in vivo and in vitro models of the mechanisms that cause lipid accumulation has not been reported. We used OA/PA-induced NCTC 1469 cells and high-fat-diet-fed C57BL/6J mice to simulate a hepatocyte steatosis model of NAFLD and to detect indicators related to FFA uptake and DNL. In addition, when serological indicators were analysed in the mouse model, it was found that serum FASN levels decreased. The results revealed that, in the cellular model, indicators related to DNL were decreased, FASN enzyme activity was unchanged, and indicators related to FFA uptake were increased, including the high expression of CD36; while, in the animal model, indicators related to both FFA uptake and de novo synthesis were increased, including the high expression of CD36 and the increased protein levels of FASN with enhanced enzyme activity. In addition, after an analysis of the serological indicators in the mouse model, it was found that the serum levels of FASN were reduced. In conclusion, the OA/PA-induced cellular model can be used to study the mechanism of FFA uptake, whereas the high-fat-diet-induced mouse model can be used to study the mechanism of FFA uptake and DNL. Combined treatment with CD36 and FASN may be more effective against NAFLD. FASN in the serum can be used as one of the indicators for the clinical diagnosis of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Zhang
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Xue Bai
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Qian Du
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Jiaojiao Xu
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Danqing Wang
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Lei Chen
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Keting Dong
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
| | - Ziyue Chen
- School of Nursing, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China;
| | - Jianhong Yang
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China; (M.Z.); (X.B.); (Q.D.); (J.X.); (D.W.); (L.C.); (K.D.)
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Zhang J, Qiu Z, Zhang Y, Wang G, Hao H. Intracellular spatiotemporal metabolism in connection to target engagement. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115024. [PMID: 37516411 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
The metabolism in eukaryotic cells is a highly ordered system involving various cellular compartments, which fluctuates based on physiological rhythms. Organelles, as the smallest independent sub-cell unit, are important contributors to cell metabolism and drug metabolism, collectively designated intracellular metabolism. However, disruption of intracellular spatiotemporal metabolism can lead to disease development and progression, as well as drug treatment interference. In this review, we systematically discuss spatiotemporal metabolism in cells and cell subpopulations. In particular, we focused on metabolism compartmentalization and physiological rhythms, including the variation and regulation of metabolic enzymes, metabolic pathways, and metabolites. Additionally, the intricate relationship among intracellular spatiotemporal metabolism, metabolism-related diseases, and drug therapy/toxicity has been discussed. Finally, approaches and strategies for intracellular spatiotemporal metabolism analysis and potential target identification are introduced, along with examples of potential new drug design based on this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhixia Qiu
- Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongjie Zhang
- Clinical Pharmacokinetics Laboratory, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangji Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research Unit of PK-PD Based Bioactive Components and Pharmacodynamic Target Discovery of Natural Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Haiping Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
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Talamantes S, Lisjak M, Gilglioni EH, Llamoza-Torres CJ, Ramos-Molina B, Gurzov EN. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes mellitus as growing aetiologies of hepatocellular carcinoma. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100811. [PMID: 37575883 PMCID: PMC10413159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity-related complications such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well-established risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This review provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the role of steatosis, hyperinsulinemia and hepatic inflammation in HCC development and progression. We focus on recent findings linking intracellular pathways and transcription factors that can trigger the reprogramming of hepatic cells. In addition, we highlight the role of enzymes in dysregulated metabolic activity and consequent dysfunctional signalling. Finally, we discuss the potential uses and challenges of novel therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat NAFLD/T2D-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Talamantes
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Michela Lisjak
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Eduardo H. Gilglioni
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
| | - Camilo J. Llamoza-Torres
- Department of Hepatology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, 30120, Spain
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Bruno Ramos-Molina
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
| | - Esteban N. Gurzov
- Signal Transduction and Metabolism Laboratory, Laboratoire de Gastroentérologie Expérimental et Endotools, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, Brussels, 1070, Belgium
- Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia, 30120, Spain
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Avenue Pasteur 6, Wavre, 1300, Belgium
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Yi X, Zhu J, Liu W, Peng L, Lu C, Sun P, Huang L, Nie X, Huang S, Guo T, Zhu Y. Proteome Landscapes of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100604. [PMID: 37353004 PMCID: PMC10413158 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is among the top leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Particularly, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have been extensively investigated from the aspect of tumor biology. However, a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the molecular characteristics of HCC and CCA remains absent. Here, we characterized the proteome landscapes of HCC and CCA using the data-independent acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry (MS) method. By comparing the quantitative proteomes of HCC and CCA, we found several differences between the two cancer types. In particular, we found an abnormal lipid metabolism in HCC and activated extracellular matrix-related pathways in CCA. We next developed a three-protein classifier to distinguish CCA from HCC, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92, and an accuracy of 90% in an independent validation cohort of 51 patients. The distinct molecular characteristics of HCC and CCA presented in this study provide new insights into the tumor biology of these two major important primary liver cancers. Our findings may help develop more efficient diagnostic approaches and new targeted drug treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yi
- Center for ProtTalks, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Westlake Omics (Hangzhou) Biotechnology Co, Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li Peng
- Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cong Lu
- Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ping Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lingling Huang
- Westlake Omics (Hangzhou) Biotechnology Co, Ltd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiu Nie
- Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shi'ang Huang
- Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tiannan Guo
- Center for ProtTalks, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yi Zhu
- Center for ProtTalks, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Shao Y, Chen S, Han L, Liu J. Pharmacotherapies of NAFLD: updated opportunities based on metabolic intervention. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2023; 20:30. [PMID: 37415199 DOI: 10.1186/s12986-023-00748-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease that is becoming increasingly prevalent, and it ranges from simple steatosis to cirrhosis. However, there is still a lack of pharmacotherapeutic strategies approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which results in a higher risk of death related to carcinoma and cardiovascular complications. Of note, it is well established that the pathogenesis of NAFLD is tightly associated with whole metabolic dysfunction. Thus, targeting interconnected metabolic conditions could present promising benefits to NAFLD, according to a number of clinical studies. Here, we summarize the metabolic characteristics of the development of NAFLD, including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and intestinal metabolism, and provide insight into pharmacological targets. In addition, we present updates on the progresses in the development of pharmacotherapeutic strategies based on metabolic intervention globally, which could lead to new opportunities for NAFLD drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaodi Shao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Suzhen Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Liu Han
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
| | - Junli Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
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Yenilmez B, Harney S, DiMarzio C, Kelly M, Min K, Echeverria D, Bramato BM, Jackson SO, Reddig K, Kim JK, Khvorova A, Czech MP. Dual targeting of hepatocyte DGAT2 and stellate cell FASN alleviates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.05.547848. [PMID: 37461560 PMCID: PMC10350091 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.547848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a malady of multiple cell types associated with hepatocyte triglyceride (TG) accumulation, macrophage inflammation, and stellate cell-induced fibrosis, with no approved therapeutics yet available. Here, we report that stellate cell fatty acid synthase (FASN) in de novo lipogenesis drives the autophagic flux that is required for stellate cell activation and fibrotic collagen production. Further, we employ a dual targeting approach to NASH that selectively depletes collagen through selective stellate cell knockout of FASN (using AAV9-LRAT Cre in FASNfl/fl mice), while lowering hepatocyte triglyceride by depleting DGAT2 with a GalNac-conjugated, fully chemically modified siRNA. DGAT2 silencing in hepatocytes alone or in combination with stellate cell FASNKO reduced liver TG accumulation in a choline-deficient NASH mouse model, while FASNKO in hepatocytes alone (using AAV8-TBG Cre in FASNfl/fl mice) did not. Neither hepatocyte DGAT2 silencing alone nor FASNKO in stellate cells alone decreased fibrosis (total collagen), while loss of both DGAT2 plus FASN caused a highly significant attenuation of NASH. These data establish proof of concept that dual targeting of DGAT2 plus FASN alleviates NASH progression in mice far greater than targeting either gene product alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batuhan Yenilmez
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Shauna Harney
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Chloe DiMarzio
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Mark Kelly
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kyounghee Min
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Brianna M. Bramato
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Samuel O. Jackson
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Keith Reddig
- Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jason K. Kim
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Michael P. Czech
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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Musso G, Saba F, Cassader M, Gambino R. Lipidomics in pathogenesis, progression and treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): Recent advances. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 91:101238. [PMID: 37244504 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease affecting up to 30% of the general adult population. NAFLD encompasses a histological spectrum ranging from pure steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH can progress to cirrhosis and is becoming the most common indication for liver transplantation, as a result of increasing disease prevalence and of the absence of approved treatments. Lipidomic readouts of liver blood and urine samples from experimental models and from NASH patients disclosed an abnormal lipid composition and metabolism. Collectively, these changes impair organelle function and promote cell damage, necro-inflammation and fibrosis, a condition termed lipotoxicity. We will discuss the lipid species and metabolic pathways leading to NASH development and progression to cirrhosis, as well as and those species that can contribute to inflammation resolution and fibrosis regression. We will also focus on emerging lipid-based therapeutic opportunities, including specialized proresolving lipid molecules and macrovesicles contributing to cell-to-cell communication and NASH pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Musso
- Dept of Emergency Medicine, San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - Francesca Saba
- Dept. of Medical Sciences, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Cassader
- Dept. of Medical Sciences, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Roberto Gambino
- Dept. of Medical Sciences, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Harrison SA, Loomba R, Dubourg J, Ratziu V, Noureddin M. Clinical Trial Landscape in NASH. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 21:2001-2014. [PMID: 37059159 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2023.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease consists of a spectrum starting from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that may progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, or even liver failure. The prevalence of NASH has increased in parallel with the rising rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Given the high prevalence and deadly complications of NASH, there have been significant efforts to develop effective treatments. Phase 2A studies have assessed various mechanisms of action across the spectrum of the disease, while phase 3 studies have focused mainly on NASH and fibrosis stage 2 and higher, as these patients have a higher risk of disease morbidity and mortality. The primary efficacy endpoints also vary, by using noninvasive tests in early-phase trials while relying on liver histological endpoints in phase 3 studies as required by regulatory agencies. Despite initial disappointment due to the failure of several drugs, recent phase 2 and 3 studies have shown promising results, with the first Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for NASH expected to be approved in 2023. In this review, we discuss the various drugs under development for NASH, their mechanisms of action, and the results of their clinical trials. We also highlight the potential challenges in developing pharmacological therapies for NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Harrison
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Pinnacle Clinical Research, San Antonio, Texas.
| | - Rohit Loomba
- NAFLD Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego, San Diego California
| | | | - Vlad Ratziu
- Institute for Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Mazen Noureddin
- Houston Research Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
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44
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Huang X, Chen H, Wen S, Dong M, Zhou L, Yuan X. Therapeutic Approaches for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Established Targets and Drugs. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2023; 16:1809-1819. [PMID: 37366486 PMCID: PMC10290856 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s411400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as a multisystemic disease, is the most prevalent chronic liver disease characterized by extremely complex pathogenic mechanisms and multifactorial etiology, which often develops as a consequence of obesity, metabolic syndrome. Pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of NAFLD include diet, obesity, insulin resistance (IR), genetic and epigenetic determinants, intestinal dysbiosis, oxidative/nitrosative stress, autophagy dysregulation, hepatic inflammation, gut-liver axis, gut microbes, impaired mitochondrial metabolism and regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism. Some of the new drugs for the treatment of NAFLD are introduced here. All of them achieve therapeutic objectives by interfering with certain pathophysiological pathways of NAFLD, including fibroblast growth factors (FGF) analogues, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) agonists, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), fatty acid synthase inhibitor (FASNi), antioxidants, etc. This review describes some pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFLD and established targets and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Huang
- Graduate School of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huiling Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Song Wen
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meiyuan Dong
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ligang Zhou
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinlu Yuan
- Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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45
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Hasan SMN, Lou JW, Keszei AFA, Dai DL, Mazhab-Jafari MT. Atomic model for core modifying region of human fatty acid synthase in complex with Denifanstat. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3460. [PMID: 37308485 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39266-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid synthase (FASN) catalyzes the de novo synthesis of palmitate, a 16-carbon chain fatty acid that is the primary precursor of lipid metabolism and an important intracellular signaling molecule. FASN is an attractive drug target in diabetes, cancer, fatty liver diseases, and viral infections. Here, we develop an engineered full-length human FASN (hFASN) that enables isolation of the condensing and modifying regions of the protein post-translation. The engineered protein enables electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) structure determination of the core modifying region of hFASN to 2.7 Å resolution. Examination of the dehydratase dimer within this region reveals that unlike its close homolog, porcine FASN, the catalytic cavity is close-ended and is accessible only through one opening in the vicinity of the active site. The core modifying region exhibits two major global conformational variabilities that describe long-range bending and twisting motions of the complex in solution. Finally, we solved the structure of this region bound to an anti-cancer drug, Denifanstat (i.e., TVB-2640), demonstrating the utility of our approach as a platform for structure guided design of future hFASN small molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Naimul Hasan
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer W Lou
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander F A Keszei
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David L Dai
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammad T Mazhab-Jafari
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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46
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Wei W, Qin B, Wen W, Zhang B, Luo H, Wang Y, Xu H, Xie X, Liu S, Jiang X, Wang M, Tang Q, Zhang J, Yang R, Fan Z, Lyu H, Lin J, Li K, Lee MH. FBXW7β loss-of-function enhances FASN-mediated lipogenesis and promotes colorectal cancer growth. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:187. [PMID: 37202390 PMCID: PMC10195794 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01405-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Continuous de novo fatty acid synthesis is required for the biosynthetic demands of tumor. FBXW7 is a highly mutated gene in CRC, but its biological functions in cancer are not fully characterized. Here, we report that FBXW7β, a FBXW7 isoform located in the cytoplasm and frequently mutated in CRC, is an E3 ligase of fatty acid synthase (FASN). Cancer-specific FBXW7β mutations that could not degrade FASN can lead to sustained lipogenesis in CRC. COP9 signalosome subunit 6 (CSN6), an oncogenic marker of CRC, increases lipogenesis via interacting with and stabilizing FASN. Mechanistic studies show that CSN6 associates with both FBXW7β and FASN, and antagonizes FBXW7β's activity by enhancing FBXW7β autoubiquitination and degradation, which in turn prevents FBXW7β-mediated FASN ubiquitination and degradation, thereby regulating lipogenesis positively. Both CSN6 and FASN are positively correlated in CRC, and CSN6-FASN axis, regulated by EGF, is responsible for poor prognosis of CRC. The EGF-CSN6-FASN axis promotes tumor growth and implies a treatment strategy of combination of orlistat and cetuximab. Patient-derived xenograft experiments prove the effectiveness of employing orlistat and cetuximab combination in suppressing tumor growth for CSN6/FASN-high CRC. Thus, CSN6-FASN axis reprograms lipogenesis to promote tumor growth and is a target for cancer intervening strategy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxia Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Baifu Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Weijie Wen
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Haidan Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Yuzhi Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Xiaoshan Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Sicheng Liu
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Mengan Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Qin Tang
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Runxiang Yang
- Second Department of Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118, China
| | - Zongmin Fan
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Haiwen Lyu
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Junzhong Lin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Kai Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
| | - Mong-Hong Lee
- Guangdong Provincial Key laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disease, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
- Department of Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
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47
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Jeon YG, Kim YY, Lee G, Kim JB. Physiological and pathological roles of lipogenesis. Nat Metab 2023; 5:735-759. [PMID: 37142787 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-023-00786-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Lipids are essential metabolites, which function as energy sources, structural components and signalling mediators. Most cells are able to convert carbohydrates into fatty acids, which are often converted into neutral lipids for storage in the form of lipid droplets. Accumulating evidence suggests that lipogenesis plays a crucial role not only in metabolic tissues for systemic energy homoeostasis but also in immune and nervous systems for their proliferation, differentiation and even pathophysiological roles. Thus, excessive or insufficient lipogenesis is closely associated with aberrations in lipid homoeostasis, potentially leading to pathological consequences, such as dyslipidaemia, diabetes, fatty liver, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. For systemic energy homoeostasis, multiple enzymes involved in lipogenesis are tightly controlled by transcriptional and post-translational modifications. In this Review, we discuss recent findings regarding the regulatory mechanisms, physiological roles and pathological importance of lipogenesis in multiple tissues such as adipose tissue and the liver, as well as the immune and nervous systems. Furthermore, we briefly introduce the therapeutic implications of lipogenesis modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Geun Jeon
- Center for Adipocyte Structure and Function, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ye Young Kim
- Center for Adipocyte Structure and Function, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gung Lee
- Center for Adipocyte Structure and Function, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae Bum Kim
- Center for Adipocyte Structure and Function, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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48
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Francque S, Ratziu V. Future Treatment Options and Regimens for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Clin Liver Dis 2023; 27:429-449. [PMID: 37024217 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms that drive progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis as well as lessons learned from several clinical trials that have been conducted over the past 15 years guide our current regulatory framework and trial design. Targeting the metabolic drivers should probably be the backbone of therapy in most of the patients, with some requiring more specific intrahepatic antiinflammatory and antifibrotic actions to achieve success. New and innovative targets and approaches as well as combination therapies are currently explored, while awaiting a better understanding of disease heterogeneity that should allow for future individualized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Francque
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Paediatrics (LEMP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; InflaMed Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Translational Sciences in Inflammation and Immunology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Antwerp University Hospital, Drie Eikenstraat 665, Edegem B-2650, Belgium.
| | - Vlad Ratziu
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux De Paris, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, Paris Cedex 13 75651, France; INSERM UMRS 1138 CRC, Paris, France.
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49
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Boeckmans J, Gatzios A, Schattenberg JM, Koek GH, Rodrigues RM, Vanhaecke T. PNPLA3 I148M and response to treatment for hepatic steatosis: A systematic review. Liver Int 2023; 43:975-988. [PMID: 36719059 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unclear whether the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) rs738409 C-to-G single nucleotide polymorphism, resulting in the substitution of isoleucine to methionine at position 148 (I148M), impedes regression of hepatic steatosis when treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). OBJECTIVES Investigate if carriage of the PNPLA3 148M allele affects the anti-steatotic efficacy of all possible anti-NAFLD interventions, identify gaps in current knowledge and provide guidance for individual treatment. METHODS Research available in public databases was searched up to 13 November 2022. Studies were included if a treatment in NAFLD patients decreased hepatic steatosis in the pooled patient group or a PNPLA3 I148M polymorphism subgroup (II/IM/MM). The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-Of-Bias 2 Tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS Moderate evidence indicates that NAFLD patients homozygous for the PNPLA3 148M allele benefit less or not at all from omega-3 carboxylic acids to decrease liver fat, while the PNPLA3 148I allele shows moderate benefit. Low evidence suggests that interventions employing lifestyle changes are more effective to reduce liver fat in NAFLD patients homozygous for the PNPLA3 148M allele compared to patients with wild-type PNPLA3. CONCLUSIONS NAFLD patients homozygous for the PNPLA3 148M allele might not benefit from omega-3 carboxylic acids to reduce hepatic steatosis in contrast to patients with wild-type PNPLA3. Instead, patients with two PNPLA3 148M alleles should be especially advised to adopt lifestyle changes. Genotyping for PNPLA3 I148M should be encouraged in therapeutic studies for NAFLD. REGISTRATION NUMBER (PROSPERO) CRD42022375028.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joost Boeckmans
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Gatzios
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jörn M Schattenberg
- Metabolic Liver Research Center, Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ger H Koek
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Robim M Rodrigues
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tamara Vanhaecke
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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50
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Zhou T, Cao L, Du Y, Qin L, Lu Y, Zhang Q, He Y, Tan D. Gypenosides ameliorate high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice by regulating lipid metabolism. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15225. [PMID: 37065701 PMCID: PMC10103699 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gypenosides (GP), extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino, have been used to treat metabolic disorders, including lipid metabolism disorders and diabetes. Although recent studies have confirmed their beneficial effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the underlying therapeutic mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we explored the protective mechanism of GP against NAFLD in mice and provided new insights into the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Male C57BL6/J mice were divided into three experimental groups: normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and GP groups. The mice were fed an HFD for 16 weeks to establish an NAFLD model and then treated with GP for 22 weeks. The transcriptome and proteome of the mice livers were profiled using RNA sequencing and high-resolution mass spectrometry, respectively. The results showed that GP decreased serum lipid levels, liver index, and liver fat accumulation in mice. Principal component and heatmap analyses indicated that GP significantly modulated the changes in the expression of genes associated with HFD-induced NAFLD. The 164 differentially expressed genes recovered using GP were enriched in fatty acid and steroid metabolism pathways. Further results showed that GP reduced fatty acid synthesis by downregulating the expression of Srebf1, Fasn, Acss2, Acly, Acaca, Fads1, and Elovl6; modulated glycerolipid metabolism by inducing the expression of Mgll; promoted fatty acid transportation and degradation by inducing the expression of Slc27a1, Cpt1a, and Ehhadh; and reduced hepatic cholesterol synthesis by downregulating the expression of Tm7sf2, Ebp, Sc5d, Lss, Fdft1, Cyp51, Nsdhl, Pmvk, Mvd, Fdps, and Dhcr7. The proteomic data further indicated that GP decreased the protein expression levels of ACACA, ACLY, ACSS2, TM7SF2, EBP, FDFT1, NSDHL, PMVK, MVD, FDPS, and DHCR7 and increased those of MGLL, SLC27A1, and EHHADH. In conclusion, GP can regulate the key genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism in NAFLD mice, providing initial evidence for the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of GP in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhou
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Ligang Cao
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yimei Du
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Lin Qin
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yanliu Lu
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Qianru Zhang
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuqi He
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Daopeng Tan
- Guizhou Engineering Research Center of Industrial Key-technology for Dendrobium Nobile, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
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