Expression and Clinical Significance of ATP Citrate Lyase in Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the role of ATP citrate lyase(ACLY)in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and the impact of this enzyme on the immune microenvironment of HCC.Methods We utilized the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal and the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis to identify the changes in ACLY expression and prognosis across different tumor types from The Cancer Genome Atlas.With HCC as the disease model,we analyzed the ACLY expression in HCC samples from the gene expression database.Furthermore,we collected the clinical specimens from HCC patients to verify the mRNA and protein levels of ACLY.In addition,we conducted transcriptome sequencing after knocking down the expression of ACLY to analyze the differentially expressed genes and investigated the impact of ACLY expression interference on cell proliferation and other functions.Finally,we explored the correlations of ACLY with immune cells and immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment,new antigens,and immune checkpoint genes.Results ACLY expression was significantly up-regulated in solid tumors including HCC(all P<0.05),and high ACLY expression was associated with overall survival rate in HCC(P=0.005).Furthermore,high ACLY expression affected the presence of immune cells(e.g.,tumor-associated fibroblasts)and the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism(all P<0.05).Conclusions ACLY is closely related to the occurrence and development of HCC and lipid metabolism abnormalities.Moreover,it has a specific impact on the immune microenvironment of HCC.

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Inactivation Induces Cell Senescence through Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1-Mediated Lipogenesis in Chang Cells

BACKGROUND: Enhanced lipogenesis plays a critical role in cell senescence via induction of expression of the mature form of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), which contributes to an increase in organellar mass, one of the indicators of senescence. We investigated the molecular mechanisms by which signaling molecules control SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis and senescence. METHODS: We developed cellular models for stress-induced senescence, by exposing Chang cells, which are immortalized human liver cells, to subcytotoxic concentrations (200 microM) of deferoxamine (DFO) and H2O2. RESULTS: In this model of stress-induced cell senescence using DFO and H2O2, the phosphorylation profile of glycogen synthase kinase 3alpha (GSK3alpha) and beta corresponded closely to the expression profile of the mature form of SREBP-1 protein. Inhibition of GSK3 with a subcytotoxic concentration of the selective GSK3 inhibitor SB415286 significantly increased mature SREBP1 expression, as well as lipogenesis and organellar mass. In addition, GSK3 inhibition was sufficient to induce senescence in Chang cells. Suppression of GSK3 expression with siRNAs specific to GSK3alpha and beta also increased mature SREBP1 expression and induced senescence. Finally, blocking lipogenesis with fatty acid synthase inhibitors (cerulenin and C75) and siRNA-mediated silencing of SREBP1 and ATP citrate lyase (ACL) significantly attenuated GSK3 inhibition-induced senescence. CONCLUSION: GSK3 inactivation is an important upstream event that induces SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis and consequent cell senescence.

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Inactivation Induces Cell Senescence through Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1-Mediated Lipogenesis in Chang Cells

BACKGROUND: Enhanced lipogenesis plays a critical role in cell senescence via induction of expression of the mature form of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), which contributes to an increase in organellar mass, one of the indicators of senescence. We investigated the molecular mechanisms by which signaling molecules control SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis and senescence. METHODS: We developed cellular models for stress-induced senescence, by exposing Chang cells, which are immortalized human liver cells, to subcytotoxic concentrations (200 microM) of deferoxamine (DFO) and H2O2. RESULTS: In this model of stress-induced cell senescence using DFO and H2O2, the phosphorylation profile of glycogen synthase kinase 3alpha (GSK3alpha) and beta corresponded closely to the expression profile of the mature form of SREBP-1 protein. Inhibition of GSK3 with a subcytotoxic concentration of the selective GSK3 inhibitor SB415286 significantly increased mature SREBP1 expression, as well as lipogenesis and organellar mass. In addition, GSK3 inhibition was sufficient to induce senescence in Chang cells. Suppression of GSK3 expression with siRNAs specific to GSK3alpha and beta also increased mature SREBP1 expression and induced senescence. Finally, blocking lipogenesis with fatty acid synthase inhibitors (cerulenin and C75) and siRNA-mediated silencing of SREBP1 and ATP citrate lyase (ACL) significantly attenuated GSK3 inhibition-induced senescence. CONCLUSION: GSK3 inactivation is an important upstream event that induces SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis and consequent cell senescence.

Characterization of regulatory elements on the promoter region of human ATP-citrate lyase

ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), an enzyme catalyzing the first step in biosynthesis of fatty acids, is induced during the lipogenesis and cholesterologenesis. We demonstrate that the region -213 to -128 of human ACL promoter is responsible for conferring glucose-mediated transcription. This region in the ACL promoter contains Sp1 binding sites determined by DNase I foot-printing assay. Gel retardation assay using oligonucleotides from -179 to -141 and -140 to -110 showed two specific DNA-protein complexes postulated to be formed by transcription factor Sp1. Competition gel shift and supershift assays have confirmed that these DNA-protein complexes were the result of induced Sp1 as well as another Sp1-related proteins. Western blot analysis also demonstrated that transcription factor Sp1 was slightly increased in the nuclear proteins extracted from Alexander cells following supplementation of glucose. In addition, expression of 110 kDa protein reacting with antibody against Sp3 was dramatically increased by glucose supplementation, while isoforms of Sp3, about 80 kDa in size was decreased in its amounts. Our results suggest that changes in the expression of Sp1 family proteins play an important role in activation of the ACL promoter by glucose.

Role of fatty acid binding protein in the modulation of inhibitory effect of fatty acids on fatty acid synthase and ATP-citrate lyase in developing human brain.

Inhibition of the activities of fatty acid synthase and ATP-citrate lyase (ATP-CL) by fatty acids and their CoA esters has been studied. Purified fatty acid binding protein from human fetal brain reverses this inhibition. This protein also activates the enzyme when added alone. ATP-citrate lyase and fatty acid synthase activity gradually increased with the advancement of gestation showing a relationship between high demand of fatty acid synthesis in developing brain and supply of its precursors.

Effect of FSH and insulin on lipogenesis in cultures of Sertoli cells from immature rats

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and insulin regulate glycide metabolism in Sertoli cells, thus stimulating lactate production. These stimulatory effects of FSH and insulin do not require protein synthesis, suggesting a modulation of enzyme activity and/or regulation of glucose transport. The present investigation was performed to characterize the hormonal control of lipid metabolism in Sertoli cells. The data indicate that FSH and insulin have a regulatory effect on lipid metabolism in Sertoli cells. After 8 h of preincubation with insulin (5 mug/ml), the activity of the enzyme ATP-citrate lyase in sultured Sertoli cells was increased from 0.19 to 0.34 nmol NAD+ formed mug protein(-1) min(-1). FSH (100 ng/ml) had no effect on this enzyme. Glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase activity was not affected by any of the hormones tested. When Sertoli cells from 19-day old rats were incubated with [1,2-14C] acetate for 90 or 360 min, the [14C] label was present predominantly in triglyceride and phospholipid fractions with minor amounts in other lipids. In Sertoli cells pretreated for 16 h with insulin and FSH, an increase in acetate incorporation into lipids was observed. Most of the label was in esterified lipids and this percentage increased with the time of treatment; this increase was remarkable in triglycerides of control cells (18.8 percent to 30.6 percent). Since Sertoli cell triglycerides participate in the control of spermatogenesis, the present data suggest that the hormonal control of lipid metabolism in Sertoli cells is important not only for maintaining the energy of the cell itself, but also for the control of the spermatogenesis process.

Regulation of ATP-citrate lyase gene transcription

It has been suggested that glucose metabolites and insulin are the most important factors inducing ATP-citrate lyase (ACL) by a high carbohydrate diet. We have used a primary culture of rat hepatocytes to confirm the role of glucose and insulin in terms of ACL gene expression. The results showed that glucose displayed a direct effect on ACL gene expression and the insulin helps the glucose effect. The nucleotide sequences from -512 to -485 of the ACL promoter are highly homologous (70%) to the sequences surrounding the carbohydrate response element (ChoRE) of the S14 gene. The gel retardation analysis using ChoRE of the S14 gene showed that the ACL promoter which contains the ChoRE-like sequence specifically inhibited the formation of the complex by the nuclear proteins isolated from rat liver. To localize the regions which are involved in the regulation of ACL gene expression, transient expression assay using ACL promoter-CAT (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) constructs containing various lengths of a 5' flanking region of the ACL gene were carried out. The proximal promoter region -419 to -1 containing several potential Sp1 binding sites showed the strong enhancing effect, which increases the transcription of CAT genes in the various cell lines, such as the CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cell, the HepG2 cell, and primary cultured rat hepatocytes. In response to glucose, among the ACL promoter-CAT constructs, only pNP33-CAT (-1342 to -1) showed a 2.64 fold increase in CAT activity by a high concentration of glucose. The activation of ACL gene expression by glucose seems to be regulated in a complicated manner involving interactions between the contexts of the several sequence elements and various transacting factors, which is not a simple mechanism directed only by a short sequence element.

Induction of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase by insulin in diabetic rat--effects of insulin on the contents of enzyme and its mRNA in cytosol, and the transcriptional activity in nuclei

The effects of insulin on ATP-citrate lyase, its mRNA in cytosol, and the transcriptional activity in nuclei of diabetic rat liver were studied. Experimental diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and livers were removed from rats at 0, 1, 3, 6, 16, and 72 hours after the administration of insulin. ATP-citrate lyase began to increase at 16 hours, and continuously increased until 72 hours. The amount of mRNA encoding ATP-citrate lyase increased abruptly at 16 hours, then decreased to near basal level in 72 hours. No change in the transcription rate was observed until 3 hours after insulin administration. However, the activity increased 4-fold at 6 hours and 7-fold at 16 hours, 16-fold at 6 hours and 28-fold at 16 hours when pGACL1 and pGACL2 were used as probes, respectively, preceding the increase in the amounts of mRNA and the enzyme. It is suggested that the increase in the amount of ATP-citrate lyase by insulin is primarily due to the increase in the transcriptional activity of the gene in nuclei, which results in the subsequent increase in the amount of mRNA for the biosynthesis of ATP-citrate lyase in cytosol.

Relationship between fatty acid synthesis, transport and total lipid content during human fetal lung development.

Levels of fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs), lipids as well as activities of fatty acid synthesizing enzymes such as fatty acid synthase and ATP-citrate lyase increase with gestation showing maximum at term in human fetal lung. However, the activity of ATP-citrate lyase showed the same trend up to 30 weeks of gestation before declining slightly at term. These results indicate the importance of supply and/or synthesis of fatty acids when lung surfactant synthesis begins; thereby showing a correlation between the FABPs, lipid pattern and the activities of fatty acid synthesizing enzymes during prenatal lung development.