Project description:Intestinal lipid absorption, the entry point for fats into the body, requires the coordinated actions of bile acids and lipases. Here, we uncover distinct yet cooperative roles of bile acids in driving the differential uptake of dietary fatty acids. We first decreased the bile acid pool size by disrupting the rate-limiting enzyme in bile acid synthesis, Cyp7a1, using liver-directed gene editing in mice. Compared with lipase inhibition, reduced bile acids prevented diet-induced obesity, increased anorectic hormones, suppressed excessive eating, and improved systemic lipid metabolism. Remarkably, decreasing bile acids selectively reduced the absorption of saturated fatty acids but preserved polyunsaturated fatty acids. By targeting additional bile acid enzymes, we identified specific functions of individual bile acid species. Mechanistically, we show that cholic acid preferentially solubilizes polyunsaturated fatty acids into mixed micelles for intestinal uptake. Our studies demonstrate that bile acids can selectively control fatty acid uptake, revealing insights for future interventions in metabolic diseases.
Project description:Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are unique endothelial cell typelining the sinusoids of the liver and we have shown that these cells respond in a unique matter when exposed to saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) and bile acids. We used microarray to analyze the transcriptional differences between the LSEC exposed to free fatty acids and bile acid receptor agonists to further shed light on their role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The Murine Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cell Line (TSEC) was treated with palmitic and oleic acid or the bile acid receptor agonist INT-767 for 8 hours. Total RNA was then harvested to determine transcriptional differences.
Project description:Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are unique endothelial cell typelining the sinusoids of the liver and we have shown that these cells respond in a unique matter when exposed to saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) and bile acids. We used microarray to analyze the transcriptional differences between the LSEC exposed to free fatty acids and bile acid receptor agonists to further shed light on their role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Project description:Obesity-induced insulin resistance of the liver is characterised by increased gluconeogenesis, which contributes to elevated blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Research into how fatty acids induce insulin resistance has commonly focused on the induction of insulin resistance. We hypothesise that by shifting focus to the reversal of an insulin resistant phenotype, novel insights can be made into the mechanisms by which insulin resistance can be overcome. Using global gene and lipid expression profiling, we aimed to identify biological pathways altered in parallel with restoration of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production using metformin and sodium salicylate. FAO hepatoma cells were treated with palmitate (0.075mM, 48h) with or without metformin (0.25mM) and sodium salicylate (2mM) in the final 24h of palmitate treatment, and effects on glucose production were determined. Microarray followed by gene set enrichment analysis was performed to investigate pathway regulation. A lipidomic analysis (HPLC-MS/MS) and measurement of secreted bile acids and cholesterol were performed. Reversal of palmitate-induced impairment of glucose production by metformin and sodium salicylate was characterised by down-regulated expression of metabolic pathways regulating acetyl-CoA to cholesterol and bile acid biosynthesis. Total levels of intracellular and secreted cholesterol and bile acids were not different between impaired and restored glucose production. Total intracellular levels of diacylgycerol, triacylglycerol and cholesterol esters increased with palmitate (impaired glucose production), however, these were not further altered with metformin and sodium salicylate (restored glucose production). Six individual lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side-chains were reduced by metformin and sodium salicylate. Widespread lipid metabolism changes induced by the reversal of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production with metformin and sodium salicylate were identified. While cholesterol and bile acid levels remained unchanged, the flux through these pathways may in part explain these findings. The identification of lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side chains being regulated alongside changes to glucose production may indicate potential mediators of glucose production and insulin resistance. Three-condition experiment, Vehicle, Palmitate (PA) and Palmitate (PA) + Metformin (Met) + Sodium Sailcylate (NaS) with biological replicates: 8 Vehicle, 20 PA and 20 PA+Met+NaS , independently grown and harvested. One replicate per array.
Project description:Bile acids are steroid compounds from the digestive tracts of vertebrates that enter agricultural environments in unusual high amounts with manure. Bacteria degrading bile acids can readily be isolated from soils and waters including agricultural areas. Under laboratory conditions, these bacteria transiently release steroid compounds as degradation intermediates into the environment. These compounds include androstadienediones (ADDs), which are C19-steroids with potential hormonal effects. Experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans showed that ADDs derived from bacterial bile acid degradation had effects on its tactile response, reproduction rate, and developmental speed. Additional experiments with a deletion mutant as well as transcriptomic analyses revealed that these effects might be conveyed by the putative testosterone receptor NHR-69. Soil microcosms showed that the natural microflora of agricultural soil is readily induced for bile acid degradation accompanied by the transient release of steroid intermediates. Establishment of a model system with a Pseudomonas strain and C. elegans in sand microcosms indicated transient release of ADDs during the course of bile acid degradation and negative effects on the reproduction rate of the nematode. This proof-of-principle study points at bacterial degradation of manure-derived bile acids as a potential and so-far overlooked risk for invertebrates in agricultural soils.
Project description:Obesity-induced insulin resistance of the liver is characterised by increased gluconeogenesis, which contributes to elevated blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Research into how fatty acids induce insulin resistance has commonly focused on the induction of insulin resistance. We hypothesise that by shifting focus to the reversal of an insulin resistant phenotype, novel insights can be made into the mechanisms by which insulin resistance can be overcome. Using global gene and lipid expression profiling, we aimed to identify biological pathways altered in parallel with restoration of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production using metformin and sodium salicylate. FAO hepatoma cells were treated with palmitate (0.075mM, 48h) with or without metformin (0.25mM) and sodium salicylate (2mM) in the final 24h of palmitate treatment, and effects on glucose production were determined. Microarray followed by gene set enrichment analysis was performed to investigate pathway regulation. A lipidomic analysis (HPLC-MS/MS) and measurement of secreted bile acids and cholesterol were performed. Reversal of palmitate-induced impairment of glucose production by metformin and sodium salicylate was characterised by down-regulated expression of metabolic pathways regulating acetyl-CoA to cholesterol and bile acid biosynthesis. Total levels of intracellular and secreted cholesterol and bile acids were not different between impaired and restored glucose production. Total intracellular levels of diacylgycerol, triacylglycerol and cholesterol esters increased with palmitate (impaired glucose production), however, these were not further altered with metformin and sodium salicylate (restored glucose production). Six individual lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side-chains were reduced by metformin and sodium salicylate. Widespread lipid metabolism changes induced by the reversal of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production with metformin and sodium salicylate were identified. While cholesterol and bile acid levels remained unchanged, the flux through these pathways may in part explain these findings. The identification of lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side chains being regulated alongside changes to glucose production may indicate potential mediators of glucose production and insulin resistance.
Project description:The contribution of the environment and, in particular, the gut flora to multiple sclerosis (MS) etiology is well documented but not well understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binds numerous molecules present in the environment and is a therapeutic target for MS: however, its precise function in T lymphocytes, the orchestrators of MS, has not been described. Here, we show that CD4 specific Ahr knockout drives recovery in an animal model of MS driven by a decrease in T cell fitness. At the mechanistic level, we show that the absence of AHR changes the gut microenvironment composition to generate metabolites, such as bile salts and short chain fatty acids, that impact T cell viability. Our study demonstrates a newly emerging role for AHR in mediating the interdependence between T lymphocytes and the microbiota while identifying new potential molecular targets for the treatment of MS and other autoimmune diseases.
Project description:The contribution of the environment and, in particular, the gut flora to multiple sclerosis (MS) etiology is well documented but not well understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binds numerous molecules present in the environment and is a therapeutic target for MS: however, its precise function in T lymphocytes, the orchestrators of MS, has not been described. Here, we show that CD4 specific Ahr knockout drives recovery in an animal model of MS driven by a decrease in T cell fitness. At the mechanistic level, we show that the absence of AHR changes the gut microenvironment composition to generate metabolites, such as bile salts and short chain fatty acids, that impact T cell viability. Our study demonstrates a newly emerging role for AHR in mediating the interdependence between T lymphocytes and the microbiota while identifying new potential molecular targets for the treatment of MS and other autoimmune diseases.
Project description:The contribution of the environment and, in particular, the gut flora to multiple sclerosis (MS) etiology is well documented but not well understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binds numerous molecules present in the environment and is a therapeutic target for MS: however, its precise function in T lymphocytes, the orchestrators of MS, has not been described. Here, we show that CD4 specific Ahr knockout drives recovery in an animal model of MS driven by a decrease in T cell fitness. At the mechanistic level, we show that the absence of AHR changes the gut microenvironment composition to generate metabolites, such as bile salts and short chain fatty acids, that impact T cell viability. Our study demonstrates a newly emerging role for AHR in mediating the interdependence between T lymphocytes and the microbiota while identifying new potential molecular targets for the treatment of MS and other autoimmune diseases.
Project description:The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is important for keeping homeostasis of biological processes and metabolism, yet the underlying biological mechanism is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify changes in the pig liver transcriptome induced by a diet enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and to characterize the biological mechanisms related to PUFA metabolism. Polish Landrace pigs (n =12) were fed diet enriched with linoleic acid (LA, omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3 family) or standard diet as a control. The fatty acids profiling was assayed in order to verify how feeding influenced the fatty acids content in liver, and subsequently next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG) between transcriptomes between dietary groups. The biological mechanisms and pathway interaction networks were identified by analysis in DAVID and Cytoscape tools. Fatty acids profile analysis indicated a higher contribution of PUFAs in liver for LA and ALA-enriched diet group, particularly for the omega-3 fatty acids family, but not omega-6. Next-generation sequencing identified 3,565 DEG, 1,484 of which were induced and 2,081 were suppressed by PUFA supplemenation. Low ratio of omega-6/-3 fatty acids resulted in modulation of fatty acids metabolism pathways and over-representation of genes involved in membrane composition, signal transduction and immune response pathways. In conclusion, a diet enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids altered the transcriptomic profile of the pig liver and affected a set of genes involved in metabolic pathways important to animal health status. Hepatic mRNA profiles of Polish Landrace pig breed fed two different diets, were generated by deep sequencing, using Illumina MiSeq. Experimental diet was enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3), while standard diet remain as a cotrol. 2 pooled samples each containing RNA extracts from 6 individuals livers were analyzed.