Teneligliptin Promotes Bile Acid Synthesis and Attenuates Lipid Accumulation in Obese Mice by Targeting the KLF15-Fgf15 Pathway

Chem Res Toxicol. 2020 Aug 17;33(8):2164-2171. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00192. Epub 2020 Jul 22.

Abstract

Bile acids (BAs) play essential physiological roles not only by facilitating the absorption and transport of nutrients but also by acting as a complex molecular signaling system. Reduced levels of BAs have been observed in obesity and other metabolic disorders. In the present study, we explored the effect of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor teneligliptin on BA synthesis, both in vitro and in vivo. In our in vivo experiments, we found that teneligliptin increased the liver, ileal, and serum BA concentrations in mice undergoing teneligliptin treatment for 10 weeks. We further found that in mice fed a high-fat diet, teneligliptin prevented an increase in markers of obesity (body weight, total cholesterol, total triglyceride, adipocyte size) while increasing the total serum and ileal levels of BA. Mechanistically, teneligliptin increased BA synthesis through the alternative synthesis pathway, as the levels of both 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) along with downstream oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7B1) but not sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) were increased. Importantly, teneligliptin suppressed the expression of the BA synthesis inhibitory factor Fgf15, which was mediated through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) signaling. Inhibition of KLF15 abolished this effect. Together, our results provide evidence of the potential benefit of teneligliptin in the treatment of metabolic disorders via increased BA production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Bile Acids and Salts / analysis
  • Bile Acids and Salts / biosynthesis*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / metabolism
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Obese
  • Pyrazoles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
  • Thiazolidines / administration & dosage
  • Thiazolidines / pharmacology*

Substances

  • 3-(4-(4-(3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)piperazin-1-yl)pyrrolidin-2-ylcarbonyl)thiazolidine
  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Klf15 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Thiazolidines
  • fibroblast growth factor 15, mouse
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors