The liver is characterized by sexually dimorphic gene expression translating into sex-specific differences in lipid, drug, steroid hormone and xenobiotic metabolism, with distinct responses of males and females to environmental challenges. Here, we investigated the role of the KRAB-associated protein 1 (KAP1) epigenetic regulator in this process. Liver-specific KAP1 knockout led to strikingly sexually dimorphic phenotypic disturbances, including male-predominant steatosis and hepatic tumors with upregulation of AKT and ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. This correlated with sex-specific transcriptional dysregulation of a wide range of metabolic genes, notably those involved in retinol and sex hormone processing as well as in detoxification. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing indicated that a number of dysregulated genes are direct targets of the KRAB/KAP1 repression system. Those genes include sexually dimorphic Cyp2d9, Gstϕ, Slp Cyp2a, Cyp2b and Cyp3a gene clusters. Additionally, we identified a male-restricted KAP1 binding site in the fsp27 (fat specific protein 27) gene, correlating with its male-predominant upregulation upon Kap1 deletion, suggesting that the latter might be an important trigger in the development of male-specific hepatosteatosis and secondary tumorigenesis. Conclusion: This work reveals KRAB/KAP1-mediated transcriptional regulation as a central event in the metabolic control hormones, drugs and xenobiotics in the liver, and further links disturbances in these processes with hepatic carcinogenesis.

Liver-specific ablation of KRAB associated protein 1 in mice leads to male-predominant hepatosteatosis and development of liver adenoma / K. Bojkowska, F. Aloisio, M. Cassano, A. Kapopoulou, F. de Sio, N. Zangger, S. Offner, C. Cartoni, C. Thomas, S. Quenneville, K. Johnsson, D. Trono. - In: HEPATOLOGY. - ISSN 1527-3350. - 56:4(2012 Oct), pp. 1279-1290. [10.1002/hep.25767]

Liver-specific ablation of KRAB associated protein 1 in mice leads to male-predominant hepatosteatosis and development of liver adenoma

M. Cassano;
2012

Abstract

The liver is characterized by sexually dimorphic gene expression translating into sex-specific differences in lipid, drug, steroid hormone and xenobiotic metabolism, with distinct responses of males and females to environmental challenges. Here, we investigated the role of the KRAB-associated protein 1 (KAP1) epigenetic regulator in this process. Liver-specific KAP1 knockout led to strikingly sexually dimorphic phenotypic disturbances, including male-predominant steatosis and hepatic tumors with upregulation of AKT and ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. This correlated with sex-specific transcriptional dysregulation of a wide range of metabolic genes, notably those involved in retinol and sex hormone processing as well as in detoxification. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing indicated that a number of dysregulated genes are direct targets of the KRAB/KAP1 repression system. Those genes include sexually dimorphic Cyp2d9, Gstϕ, Slp Cyp2a, Cyp2b and Cyp3a gene clusters. Additionally, we identified a male-restricted KAP1 binding site in the fsp27 (fat specific protein 27) gene, correlating with its male-predominant upregulation upon Kap1 deletion, suggesting that the latter might be an important trigger in the development of male-specific hepatosteatosis and secondary tumorigenesis. Conclusion: This work reveals KRAB/KAP1-mediated transcriptional regulation as a central event in the metabolic control hormones, drugs and xenobiotics in the liver, and further links disturbances in these processes with hepatic carcinogenesis.
Embryonic stem-cells; nuclear receptor; gene-expression; sex-differences; inflammation; repression; regulator; chromatin; pathways; disease
Settore BIO/17 - Istologia
ott-2012
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/618797
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