Modulation of liver cholesterol homeostasis by choline supplementation during fibrosis resolution

Eiko Saijou; Yoshiko Kamiya; Katsunori Fujiki; Katsuhiko Shirahige; Ryuichiro Nakato

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36727

Modulation of liver cholesterol homeostasis by choline supplementation during fibrosis resolution

Heliyon. 2024 Aug 31;10(17):e36727. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36727. eCollection 2024 Sep 15.

Authors

Eiko Saijou¹, Yoshiko Kamiya¹, Katsunori Fujiki², Katsuhiko Shirahige², Ryuichiro Nakato¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan.
² Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan.

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a critical global health challenge, often leading to severe liver diseases without timely intervention. Choline deficiency has been linked to metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis, suggesting choline supplementation as a potential therapeutic approach. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of choline supplementation in liver fibrosis resolution and its effects on cholesterol homeostasis using a mouse model with induced liver fibrosis. Our findings reveal that choline supplementation significantly decreases blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels. Transcriptome analysis showed that choline supplementation primarily induces genes related to cholesterol homeostasis, suggesting a significant impact on liver cholesterol synthesis. However, choline supplementation did not significantly alter the expression of fibrosis-related, choline metabolism-related, or epigenetics-related genes. This study provides novel insights into the role of choline in liver health and cholesterol metabolism, potentially informing treatments for liver fibrosis and related conditions.

Keywords: 1; Cholesterol homeostasis; Choline supplementation; Hepatic regeneration; Keyword 3; Keyword 4; Keyword 5; Keyword2; Liver fibrosis; Transcriptome analysis.