Role of ChREBP in hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance

FEBS Lett. 2008 Jan 9;582(1):68-73. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.07.084. Epub 2007 Aug 14.

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is tightly associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity, but the molecular links between hepatic fat accumulation and insulin resistance are not fully identified. Excessive accumulation of triglycerides (TG) is one the main characteristics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and fatty acids utilized for the synthesis of TG in liver are available from the plasma non-esterified fatty acid pool but also from fatty acids newly synthesized through hepatic de novo lipogenesis. Recently, the transcription factor ChREBP (carbohydrate responsive element binding protein) has emerged as a central determinant of lipid synthesis in liver through its transcriptional control of key genes of the lipogenic pathway, including fatty acid synthase and acetyl CoA carboxylase. In this mini-review, we will focus on the importance of ChREBP in the physiopathology of hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance by discussing the physiological and metabolic consequences of ChREBP knockdown in liver of ob/ob mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Fatty Liver / physiopathology*
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Mlxipl protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Transcription Factors