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Berry intake changes hepatic gene expression and DNA methylation patterns associated with high-fat diet.

Heyman, Lovisa LU ; Seki, Yoshinori ; Storm, Petter LU orcid ; Jones, Helena LU ; Charron, Maureen J ; Berger, Karin LU orcid and Holm, Cecilia LU (2016) In Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 27. p.79-95
Abstract
The liver is a critical organ for regulation of energy homeostasis and fatty liver disease is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. We have previously found that lingonberries, blackcurrants and bilberries prevent, whereas açai berries exacerbate, the development of hepatic steatosis and obesity in the high-fat (HF)-fed C57BL/6J mouse model. In this follow-up study, we investigated the mechanisms behind these effects. Genome-wide hepatic gene expression profiling indicates that the protective effects of lingonberries and bilberries are accounted for by several-fold downregulation of genes involved in acute-phase and inflammatory pathways (e.g. Saa1, Cxcl1, Lcn2). In contrast, açai-fed mice exhibit marked upregulation of... (More)
The liver is a critical organ for regulation of energy homeostasis and fatty liver disease is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. We have previously found that lingonberries, blackcurrants and bilberries prevent, whereas açai berries exacerbate, the development of hepatic steatosis and obesity in the high-fat (HF)-fed C57BL/6J mouse model. In this follow-up study, we investigated the mechanisms behind these effects. Genome-wide hepatic gene expression profiling indicates that the protective effects of lingonberries and bilberries are accounted for by several-fold downregulation of genes involved in acute-phase and inflammatory pathways (e.g. Saa1, Cxcl1, Lcn2). In contrast, açai-fed mice exhibit marked upregulation of genes associated with steatosis (e.g. Cfd, Cidea, Crat) and lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis, which is in line with the exacerbation of HF-induced hepatic steatosis in these mice. In silico transcription factor analysis together with immunoblot analysis identified NF-κB, STAT3 and mTOR as upstream regulators involved in mediating the observed transcriptional effects. To gain further insight into mechanisms involved in the gene expression changes, the HELP-tagging assay was used to identify differentially methylated CpG sites. Compared to the HF control group, lingonberries induced genome-wide hypermethylation and specific hypermethylation of Ncor2, encoding the corepressor NCoR/SMRT implicated in the regulation of pathways of metabolic homeostasis and inflammation. We conclude that the beneficial metabolic effects of lingonberries and bilberries are associated with downregulation of inflammatory pathways, whereas for blackcurrants, exerting similar metabolic effects, different mechanisms of action appear to dominate. NF-κB, STAT3 and mTOR are potential targets of the health-promoting effects of berries. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
volume
27
pages
79 - 95
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:26423886
  • wos:000367409800010
  • scopus:84952864920
  • pmid:26423886
ISSN
1873-4847
DOI
10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.022
project
ANTIDIABETIC FOOD CENTRE
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e6c2b900-d707-4e5d-b46a-9645ba51d840 (old id 8159875)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26423886?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 09:52:24
date last changed
2022-04-11 23:39:36
@article{e6c2b900-d707-4e5d-b46a-9645ba51d840,
  abstract     = {{The liver is a critical organ for regulation of energy homeostasis and fatty liver disease is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. We have previously found that lingonberries, blackcurrants and bilberries prevent, whereas açai berries exacerbate, the development of hepatic steatosis and obesity in the high-fat (HF)-fed C57BL/6J mouse model. In this follow-up study, we investigated the mechanisms behind these effects. Genome-wide hepatic gene expression profiling indicates that the protective effects of lingonberries and bilberries are accounted for by several-fold downregulation of genes involved in acute-phase and inflammatory pathways (e.g. Saa1, Cxcl1, Lcn2). In contrast, açai-fed mice exhibit marked upregulation of genes associated with steatosis (e.g. Cfd, Cidea, Crat) and lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis, which is in line with the exacerbation of HF-induced hepatic steatosis in these mice. In silico transcription factor analysis together with immunoblot analysis identified NF-κB, STAT3 and mTOR as upstream regulators involved in mediating the observed transcriptional effects. To gain further insight into mechanisms involved in the gene expression changes, the HELP-tagging assay was used to identify differentially methylated CpG sites. Compared to the HF control group, lingonberries induced genome-wide hypermethylation and specific hypermethylation of Ncor2, encoding the corepressor NCoR/SMRT implicated in the regulation of pathways of metabolic homeostasis and inflammation. We conclude that the beneficial metabolic effects of lingonberries and bilberries are associated with downregulation of inflammatory pathways, whereas for blackcurrants, exerting similar metabolic effects, different mechanisms of action appear to dominate. NF-κB, STAT3 and mTOR are potential targets of the health-promoting effects of berries.}},
  author       = {{Heyman, Lovisa and Seki, Yoshinori and Storm, Petter and Jones, Helena and Charron, Maureen J and Berger, Karin and Holm, Cecilia}},
  issn         = {{1873-4847}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{79--95}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry}},
  title        = {{Berry intake changes hepatic gene expression and DNA methylation patterns associated with high-fat diet.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1344284/8862238}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.022}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}