Hepatocyte-specific expression of human carboxylesterase 2 attenuates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice

• Published in: American journal of physiology: Gastrointestinal and liver physiology 2021-02, Vol.320 (2), p.G166-G174
• Main Authors: Xu, Yanyong, Pan, Xiaoli, Hu, Shuwei, Zhu, Yingdong, Cassim Bawa, Fathima, Li, Yuanyuan, Yin, Liya, Zhang, Yanqiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid - blood; 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid - metabolism; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Alanine Transaminase - metabolism; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Aspartate Aminotransferases - metabolism; Blood Glucose; Carboxylesterase; Carboxylesterase - genetics; Carboxylesterase - metabolism; Cholesterol; Diet - adverse effects; Fatty acids; Fatty liver; Gluconeogenesis; Glucose tolerance; Glycolysis; Hepatocytes - enzymology; High cholesterol diet; High fat diet; Hydrolase; Hydroxyproline - blood; Hydroxyproline - metabolism; Inflammation; Insulin; Lipid Metabolism; Lipid peroxidation; Lipogenesis; Lipolysis; Liver diseases; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred NOD; Mice, Transgenic; Mitochondria; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - chemically induced; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - therapy; Obesity - chemically induced; Oxidation; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sterol regulatory element-binding protein
• ISSN: 0193-1857; 1522-1547
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00315.2020

Human carboxylesterase 2 (CES2) has triacylglycerol hydrolase (TGH) activities and plays an important role in lipolysis. In this study, we aim to determine the role of human CES2 in the progression or reversal of steatohepatitis in diet-induced or genetically obese mice. High-fat/high-cholesterol/high-fructose (HFCF) diet-fed C57BL/6 mice or db/db mice were intravenously injected with an adeno-associated virus expressing human CES2 under the control of an albumin promoter. Human CES2 protected against HFCF diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in C57BL/6J mice and reversed steatohepatitis in db/db mice. Human CES2 also improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, human CES2 reduced hepatic triglyceride (T) and free fatty acid (FFA) levels by inducing lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation and inhibiting lipogenesis via suppression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1. Furthermore, human CES2 overexpression improved mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic function, and inhibited gluconeogenesis, lipid peroxidation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Our data suggest that hepatocyte-specific expression of human CES2 prevents and reverses steatohepatitis. Targeting hepatic CES2 may be an attractive strategy for treatment of NAFLD. Human CES2 attenuates high-fat/cholesterol/fructose diet-induced steatohepatitis and reverses steatohepatitis in mice. Mechanistically, human CES2 induces lipolysis, fatty acid and glucose oxidation, and inhibits hepatic glucose production, inflammation, lipid oxidation, and apoptosis. Our data suggest that human CES2 may be targeted for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).