Regulation of hepatic inflammatory response and lipid metabolism in metabolic disease

dc.contributor.authorWu, Nan
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeHatch, Grant (Biochem & Med Genetics) Pierce, Grant (Physiology) Shiu, Robert (Physiology) Man, Ricky Y.K. (University of Hong Kong)en_US
dc.contributor.supervisorO, Karmin (Physiology)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-28T20:30:05Z
dc.date.available2014-03-28T20:30:05Z
dc.date.issued2009-10-1en_US
dc.date.issued2011-3-1en_US
dc.date.issued2013-10en_US
dc.degree.disciplinePhysiologyen_US
dc.degree.levelDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)en_US
dc.description.abstractHyperhomocysteinemia, an elevation of blood homocysteine levels, is a metabolic disorder associated with dysfunction of multiple organs. Previous studies have shown that hyperhomocysteinemia is related to fatty liver. However, the underlying mechanism remains speculative. The objective of the present study is to investigate the regulatory mechanism of hepatic inflammatory response and cholesterol metabolism during metabolic disorders. In the present study, hyperhomocysteinemia was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding a high-methionine diet. The mRNA and protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a pro-inflammatory factor, were significantly elevated in the liver of hyperhomocysteinemic rats. An activation of NF-B and a stimulation of oxidative stress were observed in the same liver tissue in which COX-2 was induced. Inhibition of NF-B or oxidative stress effectively abolished hepatic COX-2 expression, inhibited the formation of inflammatory foci, and improved liver function. Activity of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, was markedly elevated in the liver of hyperhomocysteinemic rats, which may contribute to the hepatic lipid accumulation induced by hyperhomocysteinemia. Administration of Berberine (5mg/ kg body weight/ day for 5 days) inhibited HMG-CoA reductase activity via upregulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mediated phosphorylation of HMG-CoA reductase. Berberine treatment reduced hepatic cholesterol content and ameliorated liver function. In addition, the regulatory mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase activation was investigated in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. There was a significant increase in hepatic HMG-CoA reductase mRNA and protein expression as well as enzyme activity. The DNA binding activity of sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-2 (a transcription factor of HMG-CoA reductase) and Sp1 (a transcription factor of SREBP-2) were both increased in the liver of mice fed a high-fat diet. The in vitro study in palmitic acid-treated HepG2 cells further confirmed that inhibition of Sp1 by siRNA transfection abolished palmitic acid-induced SREBP-2 and HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expression. In conclusion, the present study have demonstrated that (1) Hepatic COX-2 expression is induced via oxidative stress mediated NF-B activation during hyperhomocysteinemia; (2) Dietary berberine reduces cholesterol biosynthesis by elevating AMPK-mediated HMG-CoA reductase phosphorylation; (3) HMG-CoA reductase is upregulated by Sp1-mediated SREBP-2 activation in the liver during high-fat diet feeding.en_US
dc.description.noteMay 2013en_US
dc.identifier.citationInduction of hepatic cyclooxygenase-2 by hyperhomocysteinemia via nuclear factor-κB activationen_US
dc.identifier.citationRegulation of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis by berberine during hyperhomocysteinemiaen_US
dc.identifier.citationActivation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase during high fat diet feedingen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/23352
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherThe American Physiological Societyen_US
dc.publisherThe American Physiological Societyen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectLiveren_US
dc.subjectinflammatory responseen_US
dc.subjectcholesterol biosynthesisen_US
dc.subjecthyperhomocysteinemiaen_US
dc.subjecthigh fat dieten_US
dc.titleRegulation of hepatic inflammatory response and lipid metabolism in metabolic diseaseen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Wu_Nan.pdf
Size:
2.09 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.25 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed to upon submission
Description: