Multi-omics characterization of a diet-induced obese model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 24;10(1):1148. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-58059-7.

Abstract

To improve the understanding of the complex biological processes underlying the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a multi-omics approach combining bulk RNA-sequencing based transcriptomics, quantitative proteomics and single-cell RNA-sequencing was used to characterize tissue biopsies from histologically validated diet-induced obese (DIO) NASH mice compared to chow-fed controls. Bulk RNA-sequencing and proteomics showed a clear distinction between phenotypes and a good correspondence between mRNA and protein level regulations, apart from specific regulatory events discovered by each technology. Transcriptomics-based gene set enrichment analysis revealed changes associated with key clinical manifestations of NASH, including impaired lipid metabolism, increased extracellular matrix formation/remodeling and pro-inflammatory responses, whereas proteomics-based gene set enrichment analysis pinpointed metabolic pathway perturbations. Integration with single-cell RNA-sequencing data identified key regulated cell types involved in development of NASH demonstrating the cellular heterogeneity and complexity of NASH pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / etiology*
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / genetics
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / metabolism
  • Obesity / etiology*
  • Obesity / genetics
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • RNA / genetics
  • RNA / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Single-Cell Analysis
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • RNA