Abstract 49: The Transcriptional Repressor MafG Regulates Cholesterol Catabolism

Elevated circulating cholesterol levels is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and therefore understanding pathways that affect cholesterol metabolism are important for potential treatment of CVD. The major route for cholesterol excretion is through its catabolism to bile acids. Specific bile acids are also potent signaling molecules that modulate metabolic pathways affecting lipid, glucose and bile acid homeostasis. Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver, and the key enzymes involved in bile acid synthesis ( Cyp7a1 , Cyp8b1 ) are regulated transcriptionally by the nuclear receptor FXR. We have identified an FXR-regulated pathway upstream of a transcriptional repressor that controls multiple bile acid metabolism genes. We identify MafG as an FXR target gene and show that hepatic MAFG overexpression represses genes of the bile acid synthetic pathway, and modifies the biliary bile acid composition. In contrast, MafG loss-of-function studies cause de-repression of the bile acid genes with concordant changes in biliary bile acid levels. Finally, we identify functional MafG response elements in bile acid metabolism genes using ChIP-Seq analysis. Our studies identify a molecular mechanism for the complex feedback regulation of bile acid synthesis controlled by FXR. The identification of this pathway will likely have important implications in metabolic diseases.

Ablating L-FABP in SCP-2/SCP-x null mice impairs bile acid metabolism and biliary HDL-cholesterol secretion

On the basis of their abilities to bind bile acids and/or cholesterol, the physiological role(s) of liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) and sterol carrier protein (SCP) 2/SCP-x (SCP-2/SCP-x) gene products in biliary bile acid and cholesterol formation was examined in gene-ablated male mice. L-FABP (LKO) or L-FABP/SCP-2/SCP-x [triple-knockout (TKO)] ablation markedly decreased hepatic bile acid concentration, while SCP-2/SCP-x [double-knockout (DKO)] ablation alone had no effect. In contrast, LKO increased biliary bile acid, while DKO and TKO had no effect on biliary bile acid levels. LKO and DKO also altered biliary bile acid composition to increase bile acid hydrophobicity. Furthermore, LKO and TKO decreased hepatic uptake and biliary secretion of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-derived 22-( N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-23,24-bisnor-5-cholen-3β-ol (NBD-cholesterol), while DKO alone had no effect. Finally, LKO and, to a lesser extent, DKO decreased most indexes contributing to cholesterol solubility in biliary bile. These results suggest different, but complementary, roles for L-FABP and SCP-2/SCP-x in biliary bile acid and cholesterol formation. L-FABP appears to function more in hepatic retention of bile acids as well as hepatic uptake and biliary secretion of HDL-cholesterol. Conversely, SCP-2/SCP-x may function more in formation and biliary secretion of bile acid, with less impact on hepatic uptake or biliary secretion of HDL-cholesterol.