Biochemical Pharmacology
Biochemical Pharmacology
3 years ago

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) deficiency improves high fat diet-induced obesity via induction of fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) expression

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) deficiency improves high fat diet-induced obesity via induction of fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) expression
Obesity has become a significant global health problem, and is a high risk factor for a variety of metabolic diseases. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 15 plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism. Xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR/NR1I2) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR/NR1I3) play important roles in xenobiotic detoxification and metabolism, and also are involved in the regulation of energy metabolism. However, the effects that PXR and CAR have on the regulation of FGF15 are unknown. Here, we found that body weight, hepatic triglyceride levels, liver steatosis, and hepatic mRNA expression levels of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1), the key enzymes in the bile acid classical synthesis pathway, were significantly decreased in high fat diet (HFD)-fed PXR knockout (KO) mice compared to HFD-fed wild-type mice. Interestingly, intestinal FGF15 expression levels were significantly elevated in HFD-fed PXR KO mice compared with HFD-fed wild-type mice. Additionally, serum total bile acid levels were significantly decreased in PXR KO mice than those in wild-type mice when fed a control diet or HFD. Total lipids in feces were significantly increased in HFD-fed PXR KO mice compared to HFD-fed wild-type mice. However, these alterations were not found in HFD-fed CAR KO mice. These results indicate that PXR deficiency improves HFD-induced obesity via induction of FGF15 expression, resulting in suppression of bile acid synthesis and reduction of lipid absorption, hepatic lipid accumulation and liver triglyceride levels. Our findings suggest that PXR may negatively regulate FGF15 expression and represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment for metabolic disorders such as obesity.

Publisher URL: www.sciencedirect.com/science

DOI: S0006295217305075

You might also like
Discover & Discuss Important Research

Keeping up-to-date with research can feel impossible, with papers being published faster than you'll ever be able to read them. That's where Researcher comes in: we're simplifying discovery and making important discussions happen. With over 19,000 sources, including peer-reviewed journals, preprints, blogs, universities, podcasts and Live events across 10 research areas, you'll never miss what's important to you. It's like social media, but better. Oh, and we should mention - it's free.

  • Download from Google Play
  • Download from App Store
  • Download from AppInChina

Researcher displays publicly available abstracts and doesn’t host any full article content. If the content is open access, we will direct clicks from the abstracts to the publisher website and display the PDF copy on our platform. Clicks to view the full text will be directed to the publisher website, where only users with subscriptions or access through their institution are able to view the full article.