Cover Story Current Issue
Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the human body by mass, making up approximately 40 % of total body weight. Furthermore, it accounts for the majority of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and is also highly involved in lipid metabolism. Lipids can accumulate in muscle through different distinct depots: as intramyocellular lipids (IMCL), stored as triglyceride-containing droplets within muscle cells and as intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), located between muscle fiber bundles beneath the deep muscle fascia. The muscular fat depots have been positively correlated with an increased body fat content in obesity, just like subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (SAT and VAT, respectively). IMCL, IMAT, VAT and SAT have additionally been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).
Current Issue
High salt supplementation of a MASH-inducing diet causes lean MASH phenotype with increased hepatic urea cycle activity and EIF5A hypusination
High salt supplementation of a MASH-inducing diet causes lean MASH phenotype with increased hepatic urea cycle activity and EIF5A hypusination
Background
MASLD/MASH can occur in lean individuals; however, the environmental triggers and molecular mechanisms underlying lean MASH are unclear, and suitable animal models are lacking.
Results
Mice fed a Western diet with liquid fructose (WDF) develops obesity and MASH (obese MASH). In contrast, high salt supplementation of WDF (HSWDF) produced a lean MASH phenotype with reduced steatosis but induced significant inflammation and fibrosis (lean MASH). In WDF-induced obese MASH, we observed decreased urea cycle activity and flux, along with reduced eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 A hypusination (EIF5AH) and mitochondrial biosynthesis. High salt supplementation of WDF unexpectedly ameliorated these alterations, enhanced hepatic fatty acid oxidation and reduced hepatosteatosis. However, single-cell sequencing revealed that dietary high salt was associated with pro-inflammatory responses in hepatic immune cell subpopulations.
Conclusions
In summary, we have established a dietary mouse model of lean MASH that differs from obese-MASH in hepatic urea cycle, mitochondrial protein synthesis, and immune cell activation, providing new mechanistic insight into lean MASH.
Articles in Press
High salt supplementation of a MASH-inducing diet causes lean MASH phenotype with increased hepatic urea cycle activity and EIF5A hypusination
High salt supplementation of a MASH-inducing diet causes lean MASH phenotype with increased hepatic urea cycle activity and EIF5A hypusination
Background
MASLD/MASH can occur in lean individuals; however, the environmental triggers and molecular mechanisms underlying lean MASH are unclear, and suitable animal models are lacking.
Results
Mice fed a Western diet with liquid fructose (WDF) develops obesity and MASH (obese MASH). In contrast, high salt supplementation of WDF (HSWDF) produced a lean MASH phenotype with reduced steatosis but induced significant inflammation and fibrosis (lean MASH). In WDF-induced obese MASH, we observed decreased urea cycle activity and flux, along with reduced eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 A hypusination (EIF5AH) and mitochondrial biosynthesis. High salt supplementation of WDF unexpectedly ameliorated these alterations, enhanced hepatic fatty acid oxidation and reduced hepatosteatosis. However, single-cell sequencing revealed that dietary high salt was associated with pro-inflammatory responses in hepatic immune cell subpopulations.
Conclusions
In summary, we have established a dietary mouse model of lean MASH that differs from obese-MASH in hepatic urea cycle, mitochondrial protein synthesis, and immune cell activation, providing new mechanistic insight into lean MASH.
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13th
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You are what you eat
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