Role of SREBPs in Liver Diseases: A Mini-review

Abstract

Sterol regulator element binding proteins (SREBPs) are a family of transcription factors involved in the biogenesis of cholesterol, fatty acids and triglycerides. They also regulate physiological functions of many organs, such as thyroid, brain, heart, pancreas and hormone synthesis. Beside the physiological effects, SREBPs participate in some pathological processes, diabetes, endoplasmic reticulum stress, atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease associated with SREBP expression changes. In the liver, SREBPs are involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatitis and hepatic cancer. There are several SREBP inhibitors that have potential for treating obesity, diabetes and cancer. This review assesses the recent findings about the roles of SREBPs in the physiology of organs’ function and pathogenesis of liver diseases.

The marine‐derived furanone reduces intracellular lipid accumulation in vitro by targeting LXRα and PPARα

“…SREBP-2 specifically activates the transcription of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, such as HMG-CoA reductase and LDLR, thereby regulating cholesterol biosynthesis. 48 The results of fenofibrate on SREBPs were consistent with previous reports. 51,52 Our data demonstrated that the lipid-lowering effect of this furanone may be partially attributed to the down-regulation of SREBP-2 in HepG2 cells.…”

“…SREBPs are important transcription factors involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism and homeostasis in the liver. 48 18,40 The elevated levels of these genes indicated that T0901317 treatment might increase the de novo lipogenesis in RAW264.7 cells and HepG2 cells, which were consistent with previous studies. 49,50 The low expression of these genes in the furanone-treated cells may partially explain the better TG-lowering effect of the furanone compared to T0901317 in RAW264.7 cells.…”

“…The low expression of these genes in the furanone‐treated cells may partially explain the better TG‐lowering effect of the furanone compared to T0901317 in RAW264.7 cells. SREBP‐2 specifically activates the transcription of genes involved in cholesterol metabolism, such as HMG‐CoA reductase and LDLR, thereby regulating cholesterol biosynthesis . The results of fenofibrate on SREBPs were consistent with previous reports .…”

“…SREBPs are important transcription factors involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism and homeostasis in the liver . SREBP‐1c regulates the expression of lipogenic genes, such as ACC and FAS, thereby regulating the fatty acid and TG synthesis.…”

Protective Effect of a Mixture of Astragalus membranaceus and Lithospermum erythrorhizon Extract against Hepatic Steatosis in High Fat Diet‐Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mice

“…It is generally recognized that the expression of lipogenesis-related proteins, such as SREBP-1c and FAS, are regulated by AMPK activation [12]. In the liver, SREBP-1c is an important transcription factor regulating fatty acid, cholesterol, and TG synthesis, and FAS is involved in lipid accumulation [57]. Previous studies have reported that downregulation of SREBP-1c and FAS, by the increased activation of AMPK, decreases lipid accumulation, and deposition, thereby improving hepatic steatosis [58,59].…”