Dietary fish oil up-regulates cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA in mouse liver leading to an increase in bile acid and cholesterol excretion

FEBS Lett. 2004 Feb 13;559(1-3):125-8. doi: 10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00049-3.

Abstract

To investigate the molecular events controlling reverse cholesterol transport, we compared gene expression of normal mouse liver to that of mice fed a long chain (LC) omega-3 fatty acid-enriched diet. Using cDNA microarrays, we assessed expression levels of 1176 genes, and we found that D-site binding protein (DBP) was three-fold increased in mice on a LC omega-3 fatty acid-rich diet compared to controls. DBP is known to increase transcriptional level of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (C7alpha), the rate-limiting enzyme for bile acid production and cholesterol excretion, and we found that C7alpha mRNA was also up-regulated by LC omega-3 fatty acids. Moreover, liver X receptor-alpha, another transcription factor up-regulating C7alpha, was three- to four-fold increased in liver of treated mice. On the other hand, we demonstrated that bile acid and cholesterol excretion were two-fold increased. These results show that LC omega-3 fatty acids control cholesterol metabolism in mice at a new endpoint.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bile Acids and Salts / metabolism*
  • Cholesterol / metabolism*
  • Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / pharmacology*
  • Fish Oils / pharmacology*
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Mice
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / biosynthesis
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated
  • Drb1 protein, mouse
  • Fish Oils
  • Liver X Receptors
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nr1h3 protein, mouse
  • Orphan Nuclear Receptors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Cholesterol
  • Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase