摘要
Abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism is a key component of fatty liver development with excess fat deposition in the liver through steatosis. Cystathionine gamma-lyase （CSE） is one of the enzymes that catalyze hydrogen sulfide （HAS） production in the liver. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of CSE/H2S in hepatic regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism. Wild-type （WT） and CSE knockout （CSE-KO） mice fed with high-fat diet （HFD） were analyzed for liver morphological and biochemical changes. HFD feeding of CSE-KO mice, not WT mice, markedly increased cholesterol levels in plasma and livers, and the sizes of the liver and gall bladder. Typical histological and biochemical changes of fatty liver disease were found in CSE-KO mice with damaged liver functions. The levels of plasma and liver triglyceride were significantly lower in HFD-fed CSE-KO mice than in HFD-fed WT mice. Moreover, the expression of nuclear receptors transcriptional factors, especially LXRα, in the liver was decreased in both control diet-or HFD-fed CSE-KO mice. Decreased expression of CYP7A1, an LXRα targeted gene, halted catabolism of cholesterol into bile and subsequently led to cholesterol accumulation in the liver and gall bladder. Since deficiency in CSE/H2S pathway results in high susceptibility to HFD- induced fatty liver, targeting at CSE/H2S pathway in the liver may represent a novel strategy against the development of fatty liver damage.
肝脂质代谢异常导致过度肝脂肪沉积和脂肪变性是脂肪肝发展的关键环节.胱硫脒-伽马-裂解酶(CSE)是在肝脏中催化硫化氢(H2S)生成的酶之一.本研究的目的是研究CSE/H2S在调控肝脏胆固醇和脂肪酸代谢中的作用.用高脂饮食(HFD)喂食野生型(WT)和CSE敲除(KO)小鼠后,对小鼠肝形态学和生物化学变化进行了分析.与WT小鼠不同,HFD喂食显著增加CSE-KO小鼠的血浆和肝脏胆固醇水平以及肝和胆囊的大小.这些CSE-KO小鼠呈现典型的脂肪肝组织学和生物化学变化以及肝功能损害.血浆和肝脏甘油三酯水平也比HFD喂养WT小鼠显著降低.核受体转录因子LXRα以及它的靶基因,CYP7A1,在对照组和HFD组CSE-KO小鼠肝脏中的表达都低于相应WT小鼠的水平.这些异常阻碍胆固醇分解成胆汁并导致胆固醇蓄积在肝脏和胆囊.由于CSE/H2S通路缺失造成对HFD诱导的脂肪肝的高易感性,肝脏CSE/H2S通路可能是治疗脂肪肝损伤的一个新的靶向.
基金
supported by an operating grant to RW from Canadian Institutes of Health Research
a Mid-career Investigator Award to LW from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Canada
