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Lan YW, Chen WR, Chang GRL, Chen YC, Chong KY, Chuang KC, Kao YT, Chen MS, Chen CM. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member A1 (AKR1A1) exerts a protective function in alcohol-associated liver disease by reducing 4-HNE accumulation and p53 activation. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:18. [PMID: 38308335 PMCID: PMC10837880 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01200-0] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is influenced by the amount and duration of alcohol consumption. The resulting liver damage can range from reversible stages, such as steatosis, steatohepatitis and alcoholic fibrosis, to the advanced and irreversible stage of cirrhosis. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member A1 (AKR1A1) is a member of the aldo-keto reductase family that catalyzes the reduction of aldehyde groups to their corresponding alcohols in an NADPH-dependent manner. AKR1A1 was found to be downregulated in patients diagnosed with ALD. This study aims to interpret the protective effects of AKR1A1 on the development of ALD. METHODS A 5% alcohol-fed (AF) Akr1a1 knockout (Akr1a1-/-) mouse model and an AML12 hepatocyte model were used. The effects of AKR1A1 on liver function, inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and fibrosis were assessed by ELISA, western blotting, RT‒PCR, and a variety of histological staining methods in AF-induced wild-type (WT) and Akr1a1-/- mice compared to control liquid diet-fed (PF) WT and Akr1a1-/- mice. RESULTS The results demonstrated that AF-WT mice expressed higher levels of AKR1A1 than WT mice fed a control diet, and they did not show any noticeable liver steatosis. However, AF-Akr1a1-/- mice displayed a lower survival rate and more severe liver injury than AF-WT mice, as demonstrated by increased proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, fibrosis, and reduced antioxidant enzymes in their livers. Additionally, elevated levels of 4-HNE and p53 phosphorylation were observed in AF-Akr1a1-/- mice, suggesting that the loss of AKR1A1 led to increased 4-HNE accumulation and subsequent activation of p53, which contributed to the progression of ALD. Furthermore, in AML12 hepatocytes, Akr1a1 knockdown aggravated oxidative stress and steatosis induced by palmitic acid/oleic acid (P/O) inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and fibrosis induced by TGF-β1. CONCLUSIONS This loss-of-function study suggests that AKR1A1 plays a liver-protective role during chronic alcohol consumption by reducing the accumulation of 4-HNE and inhibiting 4-HNE-mediated p53 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Wei Lan
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Wan-Ru Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Gary Ro-Lin Chang
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Cheng Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Kowit-Yu Chong
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Medical Research Lab, Bone and Joint Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Cheng Chuang
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Tsung Kao
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Shan Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi, 600, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Mu Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, and Doctoral Program in Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Kuo Kuang Rd, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
- Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
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Ascorbate Is a Primary Antioxidant in Mammals. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196187. [PMID: 36234722 PMCID: PMC9572970 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascorbate (vitamin C in primates) functions as a cofactor for a number of enzymatic reactions represented by prolyl hydroxylases and as an antioxidant due to its ability to donate electrons, which is mostly accomplished through non-enzymatic reaction in mammals. Ascorbate directly reacts with radical species and is converted to ascorbyl radical followed by dehydroascorbate. Ambiguities in physiological relevance of ascorbate observed during in vivo situations could be attributed in part to presence of other redox systems and the pro-oxidant properties of ascorbate. Most mammals are able to synthesize ascorbate from glucose, which is also considered to be an obstacle to verify its action. In addition to animals with natural deficiency in the ascorbate synthesis, such as guinea pigs and ODS rats, three strains of mice with genetic removal of the responsive genes (GULO, RGN, or AKR1A) for the ascorbate synthesis have been established and are being used to investigate the physiological roles of ascorbate. Studies using these mice, along with ascorbate transporter (SVCT)-deficient mice, largely support its ability in protection against oxidative insults. While combined actions of ascorbate in regulating epigenetics and antioxidation appear to effectively prevent cancer development, pharmacological doses of ascorbate and dehydroascorbate may exert tumoricidal activity through redox-dependent mechanisms.
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Fujii J. Ascorbate is a multifunctional micronutrient whose synthesis is lacking in primates. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2021; 69:1-15. [PMID: 34376908 PMCID: PMC8325764 DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.20-181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ascorbate (vitamin C) is an essential micronutrient in primates, and exhibits multiple physiological functions. In addition to antioxidative action, ascorbate provides reducing power to α-ketoglutarate-dependent non-heme iron dioxygenases, such as prolyl hydroxylases. Demethylation of histones and DNA with the aid of ascorbate results in the reactivation of epigenetically silenced genes. Ascorbate and its oxidized form, dehydroascorbate, have attracted interest in terms of their roles in cancer therapy. The last step in the biosynthesis of ascorbate is catalyzed by l-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase whose gene Gulo is commonly mutated in all animals that do not synthesize ascorbate. One common explanation for this deficiency is based on the increased availability of ascorbate from foods. In fact, pathways for ascorbate synthesis and the detoxification of xenobiotics by glucuronate conjugation share the metabolic processes up to UDP-glucuronate, which prompts another hypothesis, namely, that ascorbate-incompetent animals might have developed stronger detoxification systems in return for their lack of ability to produce ascorbate, which would allow them to cope with their situation. Here, we overview recent advances in ascorbate research and propose that an enhanced glucuronate conjugation reaction may have applied positive selection pressure on ascorbate-incompetent animals, thus allowing them to dominate the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Fujii
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan
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Fujii J, Homma T, Miyata S, Takahashi M. Pleiotropic Actions of Aldehyde Reductase (AKR1A). Metabolites 2021; 11:343. [PMID: 34073440 PMCID: PMC8227408 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11060343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide an overview of the physiological roles of aldehyde reductase (AKR1A) and also discuss the functions of aldose reductase (AKR1B) and other family members when necessary. Many types of aldehyde compounds are cytotoxic and some are even carcinogenic. Such toxic aldehydes are detoxified via the action of AKR in an NADPH-dependent manner and the resulting products may exert anti-diabetic and anti-tumorigenic activity. AKR1A is capable of reducing 3-deoxyglucosone and methylglyoxal, which are reactive intermediates that are involved in glycation, a non-enzymatic glycosylation reaction. Accordingly, AKR1A is thought to suppress the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and prevent diabetic complications. AKR1A and, in part, AKR1B are responsible for the conversion of d-glucuronate to l-gulonate which constitutes a process for ascorbate (vitamin C) synthesis in competent animals. AKR1A is also involved in the reduction of S-nitrosylated glutathione and coenzyme A and thereby suppresses the protein S-nitrosylation that occurs under conditions in which the production of nitric oxide is stimulated. As the physiological functions of AKR1A are currently not completely understood, the genetic modification of Akr1a could reveal the latent functions of AKR1A and differentiate it from other family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Fujii
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan;
| | - Takujiro Homma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan;
| | - Satoshi Miyata
- Miyata Diabetes and Metabolism Clinic, 5-17-21 Fukushima, Fukushima-ku, Osaka 553-0003, Japan;
| | - Motoko Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan;
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