Molecular Physiology of Liver Fatty Acid Transporters

描述（由申请方提供）：肝脂质蓄积与肝胰岛素抵抗的发生相关。特别地，在肥胖个体中，慢性升高的血清游离脂肪酸（FFA）和高胰岛素水平导致肝脏对FFA的摄取增加和脂质合成增加，从而导致肝脂肪变性。在这里，我们假设，肝脂肪酸三磷酸腺苷是多功能的蛋白质，促进蛋白质介导的脂肪酸摄取/激活以及胆汁激活，连接肝脂肪酸和固醇代谢。我们认为，抑制肝脏FATPs可能会改变器官间和细胞内的脂质通量，从而影响肝脏脂肪变性，胰岛素敏感性，全身葡萄糖稳态，以及胆汁相关疾病，如胆石症。我们将证明这种多功能的作用，在体外和体内，通过确定的相互依赖性的运输和酶活性的肝脏脂肪酸三磷酸腺苷，并通过确定机制，抑制肝脏脂肪酸三磷酸腺苷可以改善肝脂肪变性和其他肝胆疾病以及胰岛素抵抗。为了解决体内肝FATP抑制的生物学和治疗学意义，我们已经开发并实施了腺相关病毒（AAV）介导的shRNA表达系统、基因敲除方法和基于反义寡核苷酸（ASO）的方案，其将用于描述肝FATP抑制可以改善肥胖相关肝胆疾病和胰岛素敏感性的程度和机制。最终，我们的研究将证明肝脏FATPs是否可以代表治疗肥胖相关肝胆疾病以及糖尿病的新靶点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Accumulation of hepatic lipids has been linked to the development of hepatic insulin resistance. Particularly, in obese individuals chronically elevated serum free fatty acids (FFA) and high insulin levels lead to increased FFA uptake by the liver and increased synthesis of lipids resulting in hepatic steatosis. Here we postulate that hepatic FATPs are multifunctional proteins facilitating both protein-mediated fatty acid uptake/activation as well as bile activation, linking hepatic fatty acid and sterol metabolism. We propose that inhibiting liver FATPs may alter inter-organ and intracellular lipid fluxes and therefore influence hepatic steatosis, insulin sensitivity, whole body glucose homeostasis, as well as bile related diseases such as cholelithiasis. We will demonstrate this multifunctional role in vitro and in vivo by determining the interdependence of transport and enzymatic activities of hepatic FATPs and by determining the mechanism by which inhibition of hepatic FATPs can improve hepatosteatosis and other hepatobiliary disorders as well as insulin resistance. To address the biological and therapeutical implications of suppression of hepatic FATPs in vivo, we have developed and implemented adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated shRNA expression systems, genetic knockout approaches, and anti- sense oligo nucleotide (ASOs) based regiments which will be used to delineate the extend and mechanisms by which inhibition of hepatic FATPs can improve obesity related hepatobiliary disease and insulin sensitivity. Ultimately, our studies will demonstrate whether hepatic FATPs could represent novel targets for the treatment of obesity associated hepatobiliary diseases as well as diabetes.