Research Article Details

Article ID: A45301
PMID: 25287814
Source: J Nutr Biochem
Title: High-protein diets prevent steatosis and induce hepatic accumulation of monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids.
Abstract: The hallmark of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is steatosis of unknown etiology. To test how dietary protein decreases steatosis, we fed female C57BL/6 J mice low-fat (8 en%) or high-fat (42 en%) combined with low-protein (11 en%), high-protein (HP; 35 en%) or extra-high-protein (HPX; 58 en%) diets for 3 weeks. The 35 en% protein diets reduced hepatic triglyceride, free fatty acid, cholesterol and phospholipid contents to ~50% of that in 11 en% protein diets. Every additional 10 en% protein reduced hepatic fat content ~1.5 g%. HP diets had no effect on lipogenic or fatty acid-oxidizing genes except Ppargc1α (+30%), increased hepatic PCK1 content 3- to 5-fold, left plasma glucose and hepatic glycogen concentration unchanged, and decreased inflammation and cell stress (decreased Fgf21 and increased Gsta expression). The HP-mediated decrease in steatosis correlated inversely with plasma branched-chain amino-acid (BCAA) concentrations and hepatic content of BCAA-derived monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) 14-methylpentadecanoic (14-MPDA; valine-derived) and, to a lesser extent, 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (isoleucine-derived). Liver lipid content was 1.6- to 1.8-fold higher in females than in males, but the anti-steatotic effect of HP diets was equally strong. The strong up-regulation of PCK1 and literature data showing an increase in phosphoenolpyruvate and a decline in tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in liver reveal that an increased efflux of these intermediates from mitochondria represents an important effect of an HP diet. The HP diet-induced increase in 14-MPDA and the dietary response in gene expression were more pronounced in females than males. Our findings are compatible with a facilitating role of valine-derived mmBCFAs in the antisteatotic effect of HP diets.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.07.005

Strategy ID Therapy Strategy Synonyms Therapy Targets Therapy Drugs
S02 Enhance lipid metabolism triglyceride-lowering; lipid tolerance; lipid metabolism 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) inhibitor; Decreases intestinal cholesterol absorption; FXR agonist; ACC inhibitor; FAS inhibitor; DGAT2 inhibitor; SCD-1 inhibitor Atorvastatin; Ezetimibe; Obeticholic Acid; GS-9674; GS-0976; TVB-2640; IONIS-DGAT2rx; Aramchol; Details

Target ID Target Name GENE Action Class UniProtKB ID Entry Name
T05 Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma PPARG agonist Nuclear hormone receptor P37231 PPARG_HUMAN Details
T10 Caspase-1 CASP1 inhibitor Enzyme P29466 CASP1_HUMAN Details
T18 Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 ACACA inhibitor Enzyme Q13085 ACACA_HUMAN Details
T20 Fatty acid synthase FASN inhibitor Enzyme P49327 FAS_HUMAN Details
T28 Fibroblast growth factor 21 FGF21 analogue Secreted Q9NSA1 FGF21_HUMAN Details

Diseases ID DO ID Disease Name Definition Class

Drug ID Drug Name Type DrugBank ID Targets Category Latest Progress
D258 Omega 3 PUFA Chemical drug DB11133 PPARG ligand; PPARA activator Hypolipidemic drug Under clinical trials Details
D579 Emfilermin Miscellany -- adipocytes Enhance lipid metabolism Under investigation Details
D328 Serine Chemical drug DB00133 SRR Improve insulin resistance Under clinical trials Details
D050 Branched-chain amino acids Biological drug -- -- -- Under clinical trials Details
D182 Insulin Biological drug DB00030 INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of -- Under clinical trials Details
D155 Glucagon Biological drug DB00040 GCGR agonist Antidiabetic drug Under clinical trials Details
D125 Epanova Chemical drug DB11133 PPARG ligand; PPARA activator Enhance lipid metabolism Under clinical trials Details