| 1. |
- Nuñez Durán, Esther, et al.
(author)
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Serine/threonine protein kinase 25 antisense oligonucleotide treatment reverses glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.
- 2018
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In: Hepatology communications. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 2471-254X. ; 2:1, s. 69-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are also at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. To date, no specific therapy exists for NAFLD/NASH, which has been recognized as one of the major unmet medical needs of the twenty-first century. We recently identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of energy homeostasis and NAFLD progression. Here, we investigated the effect of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting Stk25 on the metabolic and molecular phenotype of mice after chronic exposure to dietary lipids. We found that Stk25 ASOs efficiently reversed high-fat diet-induced systemic hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, improved whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated liver steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, apoptosis, hepatic stellate cell activation, and nutritional fibrosis in obese mice. Moreover, Stk25 ASOs suppressed the abundance of liver acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) protein, a key regulator of both lipid oxidation and synthesis, revealing the likely mechanism underlying repression of hepatic fat accumulation by ASO treatment. We also found that STK25 protein levels correlate significantly and positively with NASH development in human liver biopsies, and several common nonlinked single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human STK25 gene are associated with altered liver fat, supporting a critical role of STK25 in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in humans. Conclusion: Preclinical validation for the metabolic benefit of pharmacologically inhibiting STK25 in the context of obesity is provided. Therapeutic intervention aimed at reducing STK25 function may provide a new strategy for the treatment of patients with NAFLD, type 2 diabetes, and related complex metabolic diseases. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:69-83).
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| 2. |
- Fickert, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Characterization of animal models for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).
- 2014
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In: Journal of hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1600-0641 .- 0168-8278. ; 60:6
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholangiopathy characterized by biliary fibrosis, development of cholestasis and end stage liver disease, high risk of malignancy, and frequent need for liver transplantation. The poor understanding of its pathogenesis is also reflected in the lack of effective medical treatment. Well-characterized animal models are utterly needed to develop novel pathogenetic concepts and study new treatment strategies. Currently there is no consensus on how to evaluate and characterize potential PSC models, which makes direct comparison of experimental results and effective exchange of study material between research groups difficult. The International Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Study Group (IPSCSG) has therefore summarized these key issues in a position paper proposing standard requirements for the study of animal models of PSC.
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| 3. |
- Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich, et al.
(author)
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When bile acids don't get amidated.
- 2013
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In: Gastroenterology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1528-0012 .- 0016-5085. ; 144:5, s. 870-3
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 4. |
- Nevens, Frederik, et al.
(author)
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A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Obeticholic Acid in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.
- 2016
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In: The New England journal of medicine. - 1533-4406. ; 375:7, s. 631-43
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Primary biliary cholangitis (formerly called primary biliary cirrhosis) can progress to cirrhosis and death despite ursodiol therapy. Alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin levels correlate with the risk of liver transplantation or death. Obeticholic acid, a farnesoid X receptor agonist, has shown potential benefit in patients with this disease.
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| 5. |
- Sayin, Sama I., et al.
(author)
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Gut microbiota regulates bile acid metabolism by reducing the levels of tauro-beta-muricholic acid, a naturally occurring FXR antagonist.
- 2013
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In: Cell metabolism. - : Elsevier BV. - 1932-7420 .- 1550-4131. ; 17:2, s. 225-35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and further metabolized by the gut microbiota into secondary bile acids. Bile acid synthesis is under negative feedback control through activation of the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the ileum and liver. Here we profiled the bile acid composition throughout the enterohepatic system in germ-free (GF) and conventionally raised (CONV-R) mice. We confirmed a dramatic reduction in muricholic acid, but not cholic acid, levels in CONV-R mice. Rederivation of Fxr-deficient mice as GF demonstrated that the gut microbiota regulated expression of fibroblast growth factor 15 in the ileum and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) in the liver by FXR-dependent mechanisms. Importantly, we identified tauro-conjugated beta- and alpha-muricholic acids as FXR antagonists. These studies suggest that the gut microbiota not only regulates secondary bile acid metabolism but also inhibits bile acid synthesis in the liver by alleviating FXR inhibition in the ileum.
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| 6. |
- Abu-Hayyeh, Shadi, et al.
(author)
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Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy levels of sulfated progesterone metabolites inhibit farnesoid X receptor resulting in a cholestatic phenotype.
- 2013
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In: Hepatology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0270-9139 .- 1527-3350. ; 57:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most prevalent pregnancy-specific liver disease and is associated with an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes, including preterm labor and intrauterine death. The endocrine signals that cause cholestasis are not known but 3α-sulfated progesterone metabolites have been shown to be elevated in ICP, leading us to study the impact of sulfated progesterone metabolites on farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-mediated bile acid homeostasis pathways. Here we report that the 3β-sulfated progesterone metabolite epiallopregnanolone sulfate is supraphysiologically raised in the serum of ICP patients. Mice challenged with cholic acid developed hypercholanemia and a hepatic gene expression profile indicative of FXR activation. However, coadministration of epiallopregnanolone sulfate with cholic acid exacerbated the hypercholanemia and resulted in aberrant gene expression profiles for hepatic bile acid-responsive genes consistent with cholestasis. We demonstrate that levels of epiallopregnanolone sulfate found in ICP can function as a partial agonist for FXR, resulting in the aberrant expression of bile acid homeostasis genes in hepatoma cell lines and primary human hepatocytes. Furthermore, epiallopregnanolone sulfate inhibition of FXR results in reduced FXR-mediated bile acid efflux and secreted FGF19. Using cofactor recruitment assays, we show that epiallopregnanolone sulfate competitively inhibits bile acid-mediated recruitment of cofactor motifs to the FXR-ligand binding domain. Conclusion: Our results reveal a novel molecular interaction between ICP-associated levels of the 3β-sulfated progesterone metabolite epiallopregnanolone sulfate and FXR that couples the endocrine component of pregnancy in ICP to abnormal bile acid homeostasis. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;).
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| 7. |
- Zhang, C., et al.
(author)
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The acute effect of metabolic cofactor supplementation: a potential therapeutic strategy against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- 2020
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In: Molecular Systems Biology. - : EMBO. - 1744-4292. ; 16:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) continues to increase dramatically, and there is no approved medication for its treatment. Recently, we predicted the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of NAFLD using network analysis and identified metabolic cofactors that might be beneficial as supplements to decrease human liver fat. Here, we first assessed the tolerability of the combined metabolic cofactors including l-serine, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and l-carnitine by performing a 7-day rat toxicology study. Second, we performed a human calibration study by supplementing combined metabolic cofactors and a control study to study the kinetics of these metabolites in the plasma of healthy subjects with and without supplementation. We measured clinical parameters and observed no immediate side effects. Next, we generated plasma metabolomics and inflammatory protein markers data to reveal the acute changes associated with the supplementation of the metabolic cofactors. We also integrated metabolomics data using personalized genome-scale metabolic modeling and observed that such supplementation significantly affects the global human lipid, amino acid, and antioxidant metabolism. Finally, we predicted blood concentrations of these compounds during daily long-term supplementation by generating an ordinary differential equation model and liver concentrations of serine by generating a pharmacokinetic model and finally adjusted the doses of individual metabolic cofactors for future human clinical trials.
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| 8. |
- Hagstrom, H., et al.
(author)
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Morbidity, risk of cancer and mortality in 3645 HFE mutations carriers
- 2021
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In: Liver International. - : Wiley. - 1478-3223 .- 1478-3231. ; 41:3, s. 545-553
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background & Aims Mutations in the HFE gene can lead to hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) and have been suggested to increase the risk of extra-hepatic diseases, especially breast and colorectal cancer. Here we investigated long-term outcomes of Swedish patients with HFE mutations. Methods We identified 3645 patients with a homozygous p.C282Y (62%) or a compound heterozygous p.C282Y/p.H63D (38%) mutation from eight centres in Sweden between 1997 and 2017. These were matched 1:10 by age, sex and county of residence to reference individuals from the general population. We ascertained incident outcomes until the end of 2017 by linkage to national registers. Studied outcomes were HH, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), breast cancer (in women), colorectal cancer, type 1 and 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, Parkinson's disease and mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios for these outcomes. Results Median age at diagnosis was 52 years, 44% were females. During a mean follow-up of 7.9 years, we found an increased risk for HCC, HH, cirrhosis, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and death. Excess mortality was only seen in men. No increased risk was seen for colorectal or breast cancer. Liver-related outcomes were rare, with a cumulative incidence of HFE mutation carriers in a university hospital setting had an increased risk for mortality in men, along with increased risks of cirrhosis, HCC, diabetes type 2, and osteoarthritis. In general, the absolute risk for adverse outcomes was low and no increased risk for colon or breast cancer was observed.
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| 9. |
- Cansby, Emmelie, 1984, et al.
(author)
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Targeted Delivery of Stk25 Antisense Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes Protects Mice Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- 2019
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In: CMGH Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-345X. ; 7:3, s. 597-618
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are emerging as leading causes of liver disease worldwide. Currently, no specific pharmacologic therapy is available for NAFLD/NASH, which has been recognized as one of the major unmet medical needs of the 21st century. Our recent studies in genetic mouse models, human cell lines, and well-characterized patient cohorts have identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of hepatic lipid partitioning and NAFLD/NASH. Here, we studied the metabolic benefit of liver-specific STK25 inhibitors on NAFLD development and progression in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Methods: We developed a hepatocyte-specific triantennary N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting Stk25 and evaluated its effect on NAFLD features in mice after chronic exposure to dietary lipids. Results: We found that systemic administration of hepatocyte-targeting GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in obese mice effectively ameliorated steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, hepatic stellate cell activation, nutritional fibrosis, and hepatocellular damage in the liver compared with mice treated with GalNAc-conjugated nontargeting ASO, without any systemic toxicity or local tolerability concerns. We also observed protection against high-fat-diet–induced hepatic oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial function with Stk25 ASO treatment in mice. Moreover, GalNAc-Stk25 ASO suppressed lipogenic gene expression and acetyl-CoA carboxylase protein abundance in the liver, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying repression of hepatic steatosis. Conclusions: This study provides in vivo nonclinical proof-of-principle for the metabolic benefit of liver-specific inhibition of STK25 in the context of obesity and warrants future investigations to address the therapeutic potential of GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
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| 10. |
- Mardinoglu, Adil, 1982, et al.
(author)
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An Integrated Understanding of the Rapid Metabolic Benefits of a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet on Hepatic Steatosis in Humans
- 2018
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In: Cell Metabolism. - : Elsevier BV. - 1550-4131 .- 1932-7420. ; 27:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A carbohydrate-restricted diet is a widely recommended intervention for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but a systematic perspective on the multiple benefits of this diet is lacking. Here, we performed a short-term intervention with an isocaloric low-carbohydrate diet with increased protein content in obese subjects with NAFLD and characterized the resulting alterations in metabolism and the gut microbiota using a multi-omics approach. We observed rapid and dramatic reductions of liver fat and other cardiometabolic risk factors paralleled by (1) marked decreases in hepatic de novo lipogenesis; (2) large increases in serum beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, reflecting increased mitochondrial beta-oxidation; and (3) rapid increases in folate-producing Streptococcus and serum folate concentrations. Liver transcriptomic analysis on biopsy samples from a second cohort revealed downregulation of the fatty acid synthesis pathway and upregulation of folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and fatty acid oxidation pathways. Our results highlight the potential of exploring diet-microbiota interactions for treating NAFLD.
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