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Reduction of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis stimulates biliary lipid secretion in mice
Author(s) -
Bijl Nora,
van Roomen Cindy P. A. A.,
Triantis Vassilis,
Sokolovic Milka,
Ottenhoff Roelof,
Scheij Saskia,
van Eijk Marco,
Boot Rolf G.,
Aerts Johannes M.,
Groen Albert K.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.22663
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , cholesterol 7 alpha hydroxylase , cholesterol , lipid metabolism , glycosphingolipid , glucose homeostasis , sterol , biology , chemistry , insulin resistance , insulin , biochemistry
Recent reports indicate that glycosphingolipids play an important role in regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. We have shown that the iminosugar N‐(5′‐adamantane‐1′‐yl‐methoxy)‐pentyl‐1‐deoxynojirimycin (AMP‐DNM), an inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, is a potent enhancer of insulin signaling in rodent models for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we determined whether AMP‐DNM also affects lipid homeostasis and, in particular, the reverse cholesterol transport pathway. Treatment of C57BL/6J mice with AMP‐DNM for 5 weeks decreased plasma levels of triglycerides and cholesterol by 35%, whereas neutral sterol excretion increased twofold. Secretion of biliary lipid also increased twofold, which resulted in a similar rise in bile flow. This effect was not due to altered expression levels or kinetics of the various export pumps involved in bile formation. However, the bile salt pool size increased and the expression of Cyp7A1 was up‐regulated. In vitro experiments using HepG2 hepatoma cell line revealed this to be due to inhibition of fibroblast growth factor‐19 (FGF19)‐mediated suppression of Cyp7A1 via the FGF receptor. Conclusion: Pharmacological modulation of glycosphingolipid metabolism showed surprising effects on lipid homeostasis in C57BL/6J mice. Upon administration of 100 mg AMP‐DNM/kg body weight/day, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased, biliary lipid secretion doubled and also the endpoint of reverse cholesterol transport, neutral sterol excretion, doubled. (H EPATOLOGY 2008.)