A microbial metabolite inhibits the HIF-2α-ceramide pathway to mediate the beneficial effects of time-restricted feeding on MASH

Cell Metab. 2024 Aug 6;36(8):1823-1838.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.07.004. Epub 2024 Jul 29.

Abstract

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) is a potent dietary intervention for improving metabolic diseases, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASLD/MASH). However, the mechanism of this efficacy has remained elusive. Here, we show that TRF improves MASLD, which is associated with a significant enrichment of Ruminococcus torques (R. torques). Mechanistically, R. torques suppresses the intestinal HIF-2α-ceramide pathway via the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoic acid (HMP). We identify rtMor as a 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate reductase that synthesizes HMP in R. torques. Finally, we show that either the colonization of R. torques or oral HMP supplementation can ameliorate inflammation and fibrosis in a MASH mouse model. These findings identify R. torques and HMP as potential TRF mimetics for the treatment of metabolic disorders.

Keywords: MASLD/MASH; bacterial metabolites; gut microbiota; time-restricted feeding.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors* / metabolism
  • Ceramides* / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / metabolism
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Diseases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1
  • Ceramides