Dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis is associated with various metabolic diseases, including atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. The sterol response element binding protein (SREBP)-2 transcription factor induces the expression of genes involved in de novo cholesterol biosynthesis and low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake, thus it plays a crucial role in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis....

In the corpulent James C. Russell corpulent (JCR:LA-cp) rat, hyperinsulinemia leads to induction of lipogenic enzymes via enhanced expression of sterol-regulatory-binding protein (SREBP)-1c. This results in increased hepatic lipid production and hypertriglyceridemia. Information regarding down-regulation of SREBP-1c and lipogenic enzymes by dietary fatty acids in this model is limited. We there...

Resveratrol (3,5,4-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural polyphenolic compound found in grapes and red wine and has been shown to exert protective effects on the liver preventing lipid accumulation induced by a high-fat diet. However, no studies have shown that the nutritional resveratrol intake by the parental generation has modified lipogenesis in an adult offspring. The aim of this study was to i...

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a heterogeneous group of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid. This study demonstrates the divergent effects of the cis-9 trans-11 (c9,t11-CLA) and trans-10 cis-12 (t10,c12-CLA) isomers of CLA on lipid metabolism and nutrient regulation of gene expression in ob/ob mice. The c9, t11-CLA diet decreased serum triacylglycerol (P = 0.01) and nonesterifi...

Aims: To examine the regulation of SREBP-1c and CAV1 by microRNA-29a (miR-29a) in cells infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in an attempt to control HCV-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods: In order to examine the manipulation of SREBP-1c and CAV1 by miR-29a, oleic acid (OA)-treated JFH-I-infected Huh-7 cells were used. OA was added 24 h post-transfection and gene expression wa...

Transcription of the gene encoding sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) is known to be activated by insulin in the liver. The resultant SREBP-1c protein activates transcription of the genes required for fatty acid synthesis. Here, we use SREBP-1c promoter reporter constructs to dissect the mechanism of insulin activation in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The data show that...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is increasingly recognized as one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as the alternative and complementary medicine, may provide some profound health benefit. "Jiang-Zhi" Granule (JZG) was composed based on TCM pathogenesis of NAFL: the retention of inner dampness, heat and blood stasis. This study inv...

Retinoic acid (RA) constitutes the major active ingredient of vitamin A and is required for various biological processes. The tissue RA level is maintained through a cascade of metabolic reactions where retinal dehydrogenases (RALDHs) catalyze the terminal reaction of RA biosynthesis from retinal, a rate-limiting step. We showed that dietary supplement of cholesterol enhanced the expression of ...

The mechanism by which insulin induces the expression of the sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) and glucokinase genes was investigated in cultured rat hepatocytes. Overexpression of an NH(2)-terminal fragment of IRS-1 that contains the pleckstrin homology and phosphotyrosine binding domains (insulin receptor substrate-1 NH(2)-terminal fragment [IRS-1N]) inhibited insulin-in...