title: Nonalcoholic steatosis and steatohepatitis. I. Molecular mechanism for polyunsaturated fatty acid regulation of gene transcription.
abstract: This review addresses the hypothesis that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly those of the n-3 family, play pivotal roles as "fuel partitioners" in that they direct fatty acids away from triglyceride storage and toward oxidation and they enhance glucose flux to glycogen. In doing this, PUFA may reduce the risk of enhanced cellular apoptosis associated with excessive cellular lipid accumulation. PUFA exert their beneficial effects by upregulating the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation while simultaneously downregulating genes encoding proteins of lipid synthesis. PUFA govern oxidative gene expression by activating the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha. PUFA suppress lipogenic gene expression by reducing the nuclear abundance and DNA binding affinity of transcription factors responsible for imparting insulin and carbohydrate control to lipogenic and glycolytic genes. In particular, PUFA suppress the nuclear abundance and expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 and reduce the DNA binding activities of nuclear factor Y, stimulatory protein 1, and possibly hepatic nuclear factor-4. Collectively, the studies discussed suggest that the fuel "repartitioning" and gene expression actions of PUFA should be considered among the criteria used in defining the dietary needs of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids and in establishing the dietary ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids needed for optimum health benefit.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program of Nutrition and Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. stevedclarke@mail.utexas.edu
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; C497387:SREBF1 protein, human; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C402244:nuclear factor Y