title: Progression of diet induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is accompanied by increased expression of Kruppel-like-factor 10 in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kruppel-like-factor (KLF) 10 is identified as transforming growth factor (TGF) β inducible early gene and is reported to suppress lipogenic genes. Although previous studies report that TGFβ plays an important role in progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) by regulating liver fibrosis, the association of KLF10 and NASH has never been explored. Thus we evaluated expressions and changes of KLF10 in diet induced NASH and in NASH which was alleviated by ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). We also assessed KLF10 in quiescent and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were given high fat, sucrose diet (HFSD) at least for 12 weeks up to 48 weeks and sacrificed at 12, 24 and 48 weeks thereafter. In other groups, either standard diet (SD) or HFSD was given for 24 weeks at which point mice fed with HFSD were divided into two groups, and were given either UDCA in combination with HFSD or vehicle with HFSD. Mice under SD were given vehicle. HSCs were isolated from C57BL/6 mice in order to evaluated KLF10 expression in activated HSCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mice were found to acquire liver steatosis and inflammation starting from week 12 of HFSD feeding, although significant liver fibrosis was noticed by week 24. Increased TGFβ and collagen α1(I) (Col1α(I)) expression was also apparent from week 24. However, expression of KLF10 mRNA started to increase from week 12, earlier than TGFβ gene. Up-regulation of KLF10 was accompanied by suppressed carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) that is known to be protective against insulin resistance. The mice fed with HFSD and UDCA had decreased Colα(I) mRNA that was coincided with reduced TGFβ and KLF10 expression. Expression of ChREBP was also recovered by UDCA administration. Enhanced KLF10 was noticed in activated HSCs when quiescent cell showed minimal expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that KLF10 expression was significantly increased in diet induced NASH and collagen producing activated HSCs. We also noticed that this up-regulation of KLF10 was accompanied by increased TGFβ signaling genes and suppressed ChREBP expression. These observations suggest possible association of KLF10 and NASH progression.
authors.forename: Ja Kyung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwan Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hye Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Woon Kyu
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eunju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-720, Republic of Korea. mdflorence@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Jung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018450:Disease Progression; D051765:Early Growth Response Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D051765:Early Growth Response Transcription Factors; C569958:KLF10 protein, mouse; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors