title: Endotoxin regulates the maturation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 through the induction of cytokines.
abstract: Endotoxin (LPS), by raising the levels of cytokines, markedly influences lipid metabolism. To clarify the molecular mechanism of this effect, we examined the action of endotoxin in vitro and in vivo on the regulation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1). In HepG2 cells stimulated with LPS, a dose-dependent increase in the level of the mature form of SREBP-1 was observed. For in vivo studies, endotoxin was administered intraperitoneally to CD1 mice fed with a standard or a cholesterol-enriched diet to increase the basal levels of circulating and liver cholesterol. Endotoxin raised cholesterol levels and stimulated the maturation of hepatic SREBP-1 in both normal and cholesterol-fed mice, indicating that the lipogenic effect of LPS was independent of endogenous sterol levels. To assess whether the lipogenic effect of endotoxin was linked to cytokine production, we administered LPS to C57Bl/6J endotoxin-sensitive and to C3H/HeJ endotoxin-resistant mice, which do not produce tumor necrosis factor in response to LPS. Significant induction of cholesterol levels and SREBP-1 activation was observed only in C57Bl/6J mice, indicating that cytokine production is crucial for the regulation of SREBP-1, and that the transcriptional activation of cholesterol biosynthesis may be part of the acute-phase response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research, Via Eritrea 62, 20157 Milan, Italy. diomede@marionegri.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diomede
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C497387:SREBF1 protein, human; C497388:Srebf1 protein, mouse; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002784:Cholesterol