Research Article Details
Article ID: | A01998 |
PMID: | 34534913 |
Source: | Redox Biol |
Title: | Hepatic Regulator of G Protein Signaling 6 (RGS6) drives non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by promoting oxidative stress and ATM-dependent cell death. |
Abstract: | The pathophysiological mechanism(s) driving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the most prevalent chronic liver disease globally, have yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we identify regulator of G protein signaling 6 (RGS6), up-regulated in the livers of NAFLD patients, as a critical mediator of hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, inflammation, and cell death. Human patients with high hepatic RGS6 expression exhibited a corresponding high inflammatory burden, pronounced insulin resistance, and poor liver function. In mice, liver-specific RGS6 knockdown largely ameliorated high fat diet (HFD)-driven oxidative stress, fibrotic remodeling, inflammation, lipid deposition and cell death. RGS6 depletion allowed for maintenance of mitochondrial integrity restoring redox balance, improving fatty acid oxidation, and preventing loss of insulin receptor sensitivity in hepatocytes. RGS6 is both induced by ROS and increases ROS generation acting as a key amplification node to exacerbate oxidative stress. In liver, RGS6 forms a direct complex with ATM kinase supported by key aspartate residues in the RGS domain and is both necessary and sufficient to drive hyperlipidemia-dependent ATM phosphorylation. pATM and markers of DNA damage (γH2AX) were also elevated in livers from NAFLD patients particularly in samples with high RGS6 protein content. Unsurprisingly, RGS6 knockdown prevented ATM phosphorylation in livers from HFD-fed mice. Further, RGS6 mutants lacking the capacity for ATM binding fail to facilitate palmitic acid-dependent hepatocyte apoptosis underscoring the importance of the RGS6-ATM complex in hyperlipidemia-dependent cell death. Inhibition of RGS6, then, may provide a viable means to prevent or reverse liver damage by mitigating oxidative liver damage. |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.redox.2021.102105 |

Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
S01 | Improve insulin resistance | insulin sensitizer; insulin resistance; glucose tolerance | Biguanide: increases 5-AMP activated protein kinase signaling; SGLT-2 inhibitor; Thiazalidinedione: selective PPAR-γ agonists; GLP-1 agonist | Metformin; Empagliflozin; Canagliflozin; Rosiglitazone; Pioglitazone; Liraglutide | Details |
S03 | Anti-fibrosis | fibrosis | Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB); CCR2/CCR5 antagonist; Thyroid receptor β agonist; PEGylated human FGF21 analogue; Monoclonal antibody to lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2); Galectin-3 inhibitor; FGF19 variant | Losartan; Cenicriviroc; VK-2809; MGL-3196; Pegbelfermin; Simtuzumab; GR-MD-02; NGM282 | Details |
S04 | Anti-oxidative stress | oxidative stress | α-tocopherol: antioxidant | Vitamin E | Details |
S05 | Anti-inflammatory | inflammatory | Bile acid; TNF-a inhibitor; Dual PPAR-α and -δ agonists; Toll-Like Receptor; (TLR)-4 antagonist; Caspase inhibitor; ASK-1 inhibitor | Ursodeoxycholic Acid; Pentoxifylline; Elafibranor; JKB-121; Emricasan; Selonsertib; | Details |
S13 | Anti-apoptosis | hepatocyte apoptosis; hepatic autophagy; apoptosis | Pan-caspase inhibitor | Emricasan | Details |
Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I05 | 9352 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus | A diabetes that is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. A diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2 | disease of metabolism/inherited metabolic disorder/ carbohydrate metabolic disorder/glucose metabolism disease/diabetes/ diabetes mellitus | Details |
Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D579 | Emfilermin | Miscellany | -- | adipocytes | Enhance lipid metabolism | Under investigation | Details |
D010 | Amoxicillin | Chemical drug | DB01060 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D080 | Citrulline | Chemical drug | DB00155 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D182 | Insulin | Biological drug | DB00030 | INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D316 | S-adenosyl-L-methionine | Chemical drug | DB00118 | GNMT cofactor | Antiviral | Under clinical trials | Details |
D094 | Cysteamine | Chemical drug | DB00847 | GSS stimulant | Renal drug | Under clinical trials | Details |
D095 | Cysteamine bitartrate | Chemical drug | DB00847 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |