Radix Hedysari polysaccharide suppresses lipid metabolism dysfunction in a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathway activation

Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized as excess lipid accumulation in the liver which is not due to alcohol use, has emerged as one of the major health problems around the world. The dysregulated lipid metabolism creates a lipotoxic environment which promotes the development of NAFLD, especially the progression from simple steatosis (NAFL) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Purposeand Aim This review focuses on the mechanisms of lipid accumulation in the liver, with an emphasis on the metabolic fate of free fatty acids (FFAs) in NAFLD and presents an update on the relevant cellular processes/mechanisms that are involved in lipotoxicity. The changes in the levels of various lipid species that result from the imbalance between lipolysis/lipid uptake/lipogenesis and lipid oxidation/secretion can cause organellar dysfunction, e.g. ER stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, lysosomal dysfunction, JNK activation, secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and aggravate (or be exacerbated by) hypoxia which ultimately lead to cell death. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of how abnormal lipid metabolism leads to lipotoxicity and the cellular mechanisms of lipotoxicity in the context of NAFLD.

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A Narrative Review on the Role of AMPK on De Novo Lipogenesis in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Evidence from Human Studies

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10071822 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1822

Author(s):

Christian von Loeffelholz ◽

Sina M. Coldewey ◽

Andreas L. Birkenfeld

Keyword(s):

Liver Disease ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

De Novo ◽

Adenosine Monophosphate ◽

De Novo Lipogenesis ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is known as metabolic sensor in mammalian cells that becomes activated by an increasing adenosine monophosphate (AMP)/adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ratio. The heterotrimeric AMPK protein comprises three subunits, each of which has multiple phosphorylation sites, playing an important role in the regulation of essential molecular pathways. By phosphorylation of downstream proteins and modulation of gene transcription AMPK functions as a master switch of energy homeostasis in tissues with high metabolic turnover, such as the liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. Regulation of AMPK under conditions of chronic caloric oversupply emerged as substantial research target to get deeper insight into the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Evidence supporting the role of AMPK in NAFLD is mainly derived from preclinical cell culture and animal studies. Dysbalanced de novo lipogenesis has been identified as one of the key processes in NAFLD pathogenesis. Thus, the scope of this review is to provide an integrative overview of evidence, in particular from clinical studies and human samples, on the role of AMPK in the regulation of primarily de novo lipogenesis in human NAFLD.

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