The g0/g1 switch gene 2 is an important regulator of hepatic triglyceride metabolism

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 12;8(8):e72315. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072315. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Factors that regulate the disposal of hepatic triglycerides contribute to the development of hepatic steatosis. G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2) is a target of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and plays an important role in regulating lipolysis in adipocytes. Therefore, we investigated whether G0S2 plays a role in hepatic lipid metabolism. Adenovirus-mediated expression of G0S2 (Ad-G0S2) potently induced fatty liver in mice. The liver mass of Ad-G0S2-infected mice was markedly increased with excess triglyceride content compared to the control mice. G0S2 did not change cellular cholesterol levels in hepatocytes. G0S2 was found to be co-localized with adipose triglyceride lipase at the surface of lipid droplets. Hepatic G0S2 overexpression resulted in an increase in plasma Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/Very-Low-density (VLDL) lipoprotein cholesterol level. Plasma High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and ketone body levels were slightly decreased in Ad-G0S2 injected mice. G0S2 also increased the accumulation of neutral lipids in cultured HepG2 and L02 cells. However, G0S2 overexpression in the liver significantly improved glucose tolerance in mice. Livers expressing G0S2 exhibited increased 6-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1-3-diazol-4-yl) amino)-6-deoxyglucose uptake compared with livers transfected with control adenovirus. Taken together, our results provide evidence supporting an important role for G0S2 as a regulator of triglyceride content in the liver and suggest that G0S2 may be a molecular target for the treatment of insulin resistance and other obesity-related metabolic disorders.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Line
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, VLDL / blood
  • Fatty Liver / genetics
  • Fatty Liver / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Gene Expression
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Ketone Bodies / blood
  • Lipid Metabolism / genetics
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Triglycerides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Cholesterol, VLDL
  • G0S2 protein, human
  • Ketone Bodies
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Triglycerides
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

This work is supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (#30900631, #30890041); Education Department of Hubei Province, China (#T201212, #Q20122401) and the grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (973 program, 2010CB912502). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.