Complementary gene regulation by NRF1 and NRF2 protects against hepatic cholesterol overload
May G. Akl,
Lei Li,
Raquel Baccetto,
Sadhna Phanse,
Qingzhou Zhang,
Michael J. Trites,
Sherin McDonald,
Hiroyuki Aoki,
Mohan Babu,
Scott B. Widenmaier
Affiliations
May G. Akl
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
Lei Li
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Raquel Baccetto
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Sadhna Phanse
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
Qingzhou Zhang
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
Michael J. Trites
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Sherin McDonald
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Hiroyuki Aoki
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
Mohan Babu
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
Scott B. Widenmaier
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Corresponding author
Summary: Hepatic cholesterol overload promotes steatohepatitis. Insufficient understanding of liver stress defense impedes therapy development. Here, we elucidate the role of stress defense transcription factors, nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor-1 (NRF1) and -2 (NRF2), in counteracting cholesterol-linked liver stress. Using a diet that increases liver cholesterol storage, expression profiles and phenotypes of liver from mice with hepatocyte deficiency of NRF1, NRF2, or both are compared with controls, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing is undertaken to identify target genes. Results show NRF1 and NRF2 co-regulate genes that eliminate cholesterol and mitigate inflammation and oxidative damage. Combined deficiency, but not deficiency of either alone, results in severe steatohepatitis, hepatic cholesterol overload and crystallization, altered bile acid metabolism, and decreased biliary cholesterol. Moreover, therapeutic effects of NRF2-activating drug bardoxolone require NRF1 and are supplemented by NRF1 overexpression. Thus, we discover complementary gene programming by NRF1 and NRF2 that counteract cholesterol-associated fatty liver disease progression.
