Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is crucial to the development of fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Quiescent HSCs contain lipid droplets (LDs), whose depletion upon activation induces a fibrogenic gene program. Here we show that liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-Fabp), an abundant cytosolic protein that modulates fatty acid (FA) metabolism in enterocytes and hepatocytes also modulates HSC FA utilization and in turn regulates the fibrogenic program. L-Fabp expression decreased 10-fold following HSC activation, concomitant with depletion of LDs. Primary HSCs isolated from L-FABP−/− mice contain fewer LDs than wild type (WT) HSCs, and exhibit upregulated expression of genes involved in HSC activation. Adenoviral L-Fabp transduction inhibited activation of passaged WT HSCs and increased both the expression of prolipogenic genes and also augmented intracellular lipid accumulation, including triglyceride and FA, predominantly palmitate. Freshly isolated HSCs from L-FABP−/− mice correspondingly exhibited decreased palmitate in the free FA pool. To investigate whether L-FABP deletion promotes HSC activation in vivo, we fed L-FABP−/− and WT mice a high fat diet supplemented with trans-fatty acids and fructose (TFF). TFF-fed L-FABP−/− mice exhibited reduced hepatic steatosis along with decreased LD abundance and size compared to WT mice. In addition, TFF-fed L-FABP−/− mice exhibited decreased hepatic fibrosis, with reduced expression of fibrogenic genes, compared to WT mice. Conclusion L-FABP deletion attenuates both diet-induced hepatic steatosis and fibrogenesis, despite the observation that L-Fabp paradoxically promotes FA and LD accumulation and inhibits HSC activation in vitro. These findings highlight the importance of cell-specific modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism in promoting fibrogenesis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induces experimental colitis and promotes colitis-associated cancer in rodents. In practice we observe potent inhibition of real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) using cDNA from DSS-exposed mouse tissues, which complicates gene expression analysis. Here we characterize DSS inhibition of qPCR in a wide array of murine tissues following ingestion of DSS. We examine different approaches to RNA purification prior to cDNA synthesis in order to optimize cDNA amplification and gene expression analysis. We find that poly-A purification of DSS-exposed RNA allows cDNA synthesis and permits reliable and cost-effective mRNA quantification for gene expression analysis in DSS-exposed tissue.

Evidence suggests a relationship between dietary fat intake, obesity and colorectal cancer, implying a role for fatty acid (FA) metabolism in intestinal tumorigenesis that is incompletely understood. Liver fatty acid binding protein (L-Fabp), a dominant intestinal FA binding protein, regulates intestinal FA trafficking and metabolism and L-Fabp deletion attenuates diet-induced obesity. Here we examined whether changes in intestinal FA metabolism following L-Fabp deletion modify adenoma development in ApcMin/+ mice. Compound L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+ mice were generated and fed a 10% fat diet balanced equally between saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+ mice displayed significant reductions in adenoma number and total polyp area compared to ApcMin/+controls, reflecting a significant shift in distribution toward smaller polyps. Adenomas from L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+ mice exhibited reductions in cellular proliferation, high-grade dysplasia and nuclear β-catenin translocation. Intestinal FA content was increased in L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+ mice and lipidomic profiling of intestinal mucosa revealed significant shifts to polyunsaturated FA species with reduced saturated FA species. L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+mice also demonstrated corresponding changes in mRNA expression of enzymes involved in FA elongation and desaturation. Furthermore, adenomas from L-Fabp−/−ApcMin/+mice displayed significant reductions in mRNA abundance of nuclear hormone receptors involved in cellular proliferation and in enzymes involved in lipogenesis. These findings collectively implicate L-Fabp as an important genetic modifier of intestinal tumorigenesis and identify FA trafficking and metabolic compartmentalization as an important pathway linking dietary fat intake, obesity and intestinal tumor formation.

<p>PDF - 79K, Relative abundance of DG species by genotype.</p>

<p>PDF - 81K, Relative abundance of TG species by genotype.</p>