Research Article Details
Article ID: | A46411 |
PMID: | 18972440 |
Source: | Hepatology |
Title: | Alpha-lipoic acid decreases hepatic lipogenesis through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent and AMPK-independent pathways. |
Abstract: | UNLABELLED: Fatty liver is common in obese subjects with insulin resistance. Hepatic expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), which plays a major role in hepatic steatosis, is regulated by multiple factors, including insulin, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), liver X receptors (LXRs), and specificity protein 1. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a naturally occurring antioxidant, has been shown to decrease lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle by activating AMPK. Here we show that ALA decreases hepatic steatosis and SREBP-1c expression in rats on a high fat diet or given an LXR agonist. ALA increased AMPK phosphorylation in the liver and in cultured liver cells, and dominant-negative AMPK partially prevented ALA-induced suppression of insulin-stimulated SREBP-1c expression. ALA also inhibited DNA-binding activity and transcriptional activity of both specificity protein 1 and LXR. CONCLUSION: These results show that ALA prevents fatty liver disease through multiple mechanisms, and suggest that ALA can be used to prevent the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with insulin resistance. |
DOI: | 10.1002/hep.22496 |

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 |
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 |
I14 | 9970 | Obesity | An overnutrition that is characterized by excess body fat, traditionally defined as an elevated ratio of weight to height (specifically 30 kilograms per meter squared), has_material_basis_in a multifactorial etiology related to excess nutrition intake, decreased caloric utilization, and genetic susceptibility, and possibly medications and certain disorders of metabolism, endocrine function, and mental illness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity | disease of metabolism/acquired metabolic disease/ nutrition disease/overnutrition | Details |
Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D007 | Alpha-lipoic acid | Chemical drug | DB00166 | LIPT1 | Antioxidant drug | Under clinical trials | Details |
D328 | Serine | Chemical drug | DB00133 | SRR | Improve insulin resistance | Under clinical trials | Details |
D367 | Thioctic acid | Chemical drug | DB00166 | -- | Vitamin source drug | Under clinical trials | Details |
D080 | Citrulline | Chemical drug | DB00155 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D463 | Alphalipoic acid | Chemical drug | DB00166 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D182 | Insulin | Biological drug | DB00030 | INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |