The ketone body β-Hydroxybutyrate mediated epigenetic chromatin β-hydroxybutyrylation protects kidneys

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Dec 21:2024.12.18.628574. doi: 10.1101/2024.12.18.628574.

Abstract

Starvation, intermittent fasting and exercise, all of which are recommended lifestyle modifiers share a common metabolic signature, ketogenesis to generate the ketone bodies, predominantly β-hydroxybutyrate. β-hydroxybutyrate exerts beneficial effects across various contexts, preventing or mitigating disease. We hypothesized that these dynamic health benefits of β-hydroxybutyrate might stem from its ability to regulate genome architecture through chromatin remodeling via histone β-hydroxybutyrylation, thereby influencing the transcriptome. Focusing on the kidney, which is an end organ protected by β-hydroxybutyrate, we examined histone β-hydroxybutyrylation-mediated chromatin remodeling. Notably, regions of the genome associated with lipid catabolism were predominantly in an open chromatin configuration, leading to active transcription and translation. Significant β-hydroxybutyrylation was observed in the kidneys and the most highly upregulated gene actively transcribed and translated was 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl CoA Synthase 2 ( Hmgcs2 ), a gene responsible for the biosynthesis of β-hydroxybutyrate in mitochondria. In contrast, regions with more compact chromatin structures were enriched with genes related to immune function such as protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C ( Ptprc ) and lymphocyte cytosolic protein 1 ( Lcp1 ), which exhibited reduced transcription and translation. These results reveal that renal epigenetic histone β-hydroxybutyrylation, which concurrently modulates both energy metabolism and immune function is a mechanism underlying the dynamic health effects of β-hydroxybutyrate to protect kidneys and lower hypertension.

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