mTORC1/NF-κB axis controls amino acid catabolism by regulating the expression of the key enzymes in human hepatocytes
Abstract Background In addition to serving as building blocks for protein synthesis, amino acids also provide energy and precursors that are used by cells through catabolism. Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a central coordinator of cellular metabolism. However, little is known regarding the function of mTORC1 in amino acid catabolism. The aims of this study were to explore the mechanism by which mTORC1 controls the conversion of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate and ornithine to putrescine, and mTORC1 regulates the expression amino acid catabolism-related genes in hepatocyte. Methods HL-7702 hepatocytes were treated with glutamate, ornithine, rapamycin or SC75741, alone or in combination; the plasmids pRNAT-U6.1/Neo-shRaptor and pIRES2-EGFP-Rheb were transfected into HL-7702 cells to silencing Raptor or overexpressing Rheb . The intracellular content of glutamate, oxaloacetate, α-ketoglutaric acid, and aspartic acid, and the intracellular level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were measured by ELISA. The concentrations of intracellular ornithine and putrescine were measured by HPLC. The mRNA level of amino acid catabolism-related genes was detected by qRT-PCR, and the protein level of mTORC1 and NF-κB was investigated by western blot. Results Our data showed that rapamycin inhibits the utilization of glutamate and ornithine in HL-7702 hepatocytes. mTORC1 regulates the expression of AST and ODC through the transcription factor NF-κB in response to glutamate or ornithine. Further, inactivated mTORC1 by Raptor silencing downregulated the expression of AST , ODC , GDH and GAD , while enhanced mTORC1 by Rheb overexpression upregulated NF-κB activation and the indicated genes expression in hepatocytes. Inhibited NF-κB by inhibitor SC75741 decreased the AST , ODC , GDH , and GAD expression. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that mTORC1 regulates amino acid catabolism by inducing the expression of AST , ODC , GDH , and GAD , which is mediated by NF-κB. This finding constitutes a novel mechanism by which amino acid catabolism is regulated in hepatocytes.