(Press-News.org) Contact information: Nuria Noriega
comunicacion@cnio.es
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas (CNIO)
A CNIO research team discovers new regulators of the most prevalent liver disease
AP-1 proteins modulate fat accumulation in the liver, a disease termed fatty liver disease (FLD); the pharmacological manipulation of these proteins might help treating FLD in humans
Excessive alcohol consumption, as well as obesity leads to the accumulation of fat in the liver, a disease termed fatty liver disease (FLD) or steatosis. FLD is one of the most prevalent diseases in Western societies and affects about 30% of the adult population. Importantly, FLD increases the risk of liver failure, diabetes and cancer and no pharmacological therapies exist for this detrimental disease.
The Genes, Development and Disease research team led by Erwin Wagner, head of the BBVA Foundation-Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) Cancer Cell Biology Programme, in collaboration with Johan Auwerx from the EPFL in Lausanne, have discovered novel factors, the AP-1 proteins, which are critically involved in FLD pathogenesis. These results are featured on the cover of the latest issue of Cell Metabolism, the leading journal in the field of metabolism.
The CNIO team found that the AP-1 gene Fra-1 is reduced in the liver of obese mice. To study the functional contribution of these proteins to fat metabolism in the liver, researchers used transgenic mice with increased or decreased AP-1 expression in the liver.
Strikingly, increased expression of some of these genes, such as Fra-1 or Fra-2, in the liver of mice completely prevented the accumulation of fat and FLD. "In humans, unhealthy diet is the main cause of FLD. Therefore, we used a fat-rich diet to induce obesity and FLD in mice. When we switched on Fra-1 in the liver, all the fat disappeared, the effect was stunning", states first author Sebastian Hasenfuss. In addition, Fra-1 also prevented inflammation and liver damage in obese mice.
The CNIO researchers describe the mechanism underlying the effect of AP-1 proteins on fat metabolism. "AP-1 proteins are master regulators of fat metabolism", explains corresponding author Erwin Wagner. He adds that "these proteins control how the liver takes up fat from the blood stream."
Interestingly, the AP-1 proteins c-Fos or JunD, which are related to the Fra proteins, had the opposite effect on fat metabolism in the liver. The CNIO research team proposes that the imbalance between the different AP-1 proteins represents a key step in FLD pathogenesis.
###
The research has been funded by the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Foundation (F-BBVA), a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and the European Research Council.
Reference article: Regulation of steatohepatitis and PPARγ signaling by distinct AP-1 dimers. Hasenfuss SC, Bakiri L, Thomsen MK, Williams EG, Auwerx J, Wagner EF. Cell Metabolism (2013)
A CNIO research team discovers new regulators of the most prevalent liver disease
AP-1 proteins modulate fat accumulation in the liver, a disease termed fatty liver disease (FLD); the pharmacological manipulation of these proteins might help treating FLD in humans
2014-01-07
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: Added benefit not proven
2014-01-07
Teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: Added benefit not proven
Regarding side effects, there are both positive and negative effects in comparison with beta interferon 1a
Teriflunomide (trade name: Aubagio) has been approved in Germany ...
NREL finds a new cellulose digestion mechanism by a fast-eating enzyme
2014-01-07
NREL finds a new cellulose digestion mechanism by a fast-eating enzyme
CelA digests cellulose faster than enzymes from commercial preparations
Researchers at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered ...
MU researcher's study of African forest elephants helps guide research efforts in the US
2014-01-07
MU researcher's study of African forest elephants helps guide research efforts in the US
Study finds that human occupation of an area may not contribute to population decline of an endangered species
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Conservation of a protected or endangered ...
Story tips from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, January 2014
2014-01-07
Story tips from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, January 2014
To arrange for an interview with a researcher, please contact the Communications staff member identified at the end of each tip. For more information on ORNL and its research ...
Might more ravens -- aided by humans -- mean 'nevermore' for sage-grouse?
2014-01-07
Might more ravens -- aided by humans -- mean 'nevermore' for sage-grouse?
BOZEMAN (January 7, 2014) – A new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Idaho State University and the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that habitat fragmentation and the addition of ...
On-demand vaccines possible with engineered nanoparticles
2014-01-07
On-demand vaccines possible with engineered nanoparticles
Vaccines combat diseases and protect populations from outbreaks, but the life-saving technology leaves room for improvement. Vaccines usually are made en masse in centralized locations far removed from where they ...
Newly discovered 3-star system to challenge Einstein's theory of General Relativity
2014-01-07
Newly discovered 3-star system to challenge Einstein's theory of General Relativity
A newly discovered system of two white dwarf stars and a superdense pulsar--all packed within a space smaller than the Earth's orbit around the sun -- is enabling astronomers to probe ...
Embargoed news from Jan. 6, 2014 Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet
2014-01-07
Embargoed news from Jan. 6, 2014 Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet
Mediterranean diet without weight loss helps prevent diabetes
1. Mediterranean diet reduces diabetes incidence without calorie restriction, exercise, or weight loss
Older patients at ...
New fossils shed light on the origins of lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!)
2014-01-07
New fossils shed light on the origins of lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!)
New fossils from Belgium have shed light on the origin of some of the most well-known, and well-loved, modern mammals. Cats and dogs, as well as other carnivorous mammals ...
People lacking insurance not likely to migrate to obtain Medicaid coverage
2014-01-07
People lacking insurance not likely to migrate to obtain Medicaid coverage
States choosing Medicaid expansion shouldn't expect costly influx of individuals from states not expanding coverage; other studies examine accountable care organizations and communication-and-resolution ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Pink skies
Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research
Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered
% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?
An app can change how you see yourself at work
NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals
New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China
Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds
Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea
New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea
Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes
Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others
Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke
Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition
Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life
Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy
Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming
Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly
Alcohol makes male flies sexy
TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income
Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs
AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders
First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes
Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows
Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission
UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages
In pancreatic cancer, a race against time
Targeting FGFR2 may prevent or delay some KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancers
[Press-News.org] A CNIO research team discovers new regulators of the most prevalent liver diseaseAP-1 proteins modulate fat accumulation in the liver, a disease termed fatty liver disease (FLD); the pharmacological manipulation of these proteins might help treating FLD in humans