3-Hydroxyisobutyric acid dehydrogenase deficiency: Expanding the clinical spectrum and quantitation of D- and L-3-Hydroxyisobutyric acid by an LC-MS/MS method.

A deficiency of 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid dehydrogenase (HIBADH) has been recently identified as a cause of primary 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria in two siblings; the only previously recognized primary cause had been a deficiency of methylmalonic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme that is immediately downstream of HIBADH in the valine catabolic pathway and is encoded by the ALDH6A1 gene. Here we report on three additional patients from two unrelated families who present with marked and persistent elevations of urine L-3-hydroxyisobutyric acid (L-3HIBA) and a range of clinical findings. Molecular genetic analyses revealed novel, homozygous variants in the HIBADH gene that are private within each family. Evidence for pathogenicity of the identified variants is presented, including enzymatic deficiency of HIBADH in patient fibroblasts. This report describes new variants in HIBADH as an underlying cause of primary 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria and expands the clinical spectrum of this recently identified inborn error of valine metabolism. Additionally, we describe a quantitative method for the measurement of D- and L-3HIBA in plasma and urine and present the results of a valine restriction therapy in one of the patients.

Transiently elevated plasma methionine, S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine: Unreported laboratory findings in a patient with NGLY1 deficiency, a congenital disorder of deglycosylation.

We report on a 5-year-old female born to consanguineous parents, ascertained at the age of 23 months for an elevated plasma methionine level, a mildly abnormal total plasma homocysteine (tHcy), and elevated aminotransferases. She had global developmental delay, microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, hypotonia, nystagmus and tremor in her upper extremities. Metabolic investigations demonstrated elevations in plasma methionine, plasma S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and plasma S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), with normal urine adenosine levels. Some of the elevations persisted for over 1 year. Sequencing of the ADK and AHCY genes was negative for causative variants. Plasma methionine normalized 1 year after ascertainment, but SAM and SAH continued to be elevated for six more months before normalization, and aminotransferases remained mildly elevated. Whole exome sequencing demonstrated a homozygous pathogenic variant; NM_018297.3(NGLY1):c.1405C>T (p.Arg469*) in exon 9 of the NGLY1 gene, for which both parents were heterozygous. To our knowledge, this is the first report of NGLY1 deficiency with elevations in plasma methionine, SAM and SAH and a slight elevation of tHcy. Less than 20 patients have been reported with NGLY1 deficiency worldwide and this case expands on the biochemical phenotype of this newly discovered inborn error of metabolism.

Characterization of the C584R variant in the mtDNA depletion syndrome gene FBXL4, reveals a novel role for FBXL4 as a regulator of mitochondrial fusion.

Mutations in FBXL4 (F-Box and Leucine rich repeat protein 4), a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein with an unknown function, cause mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. We report two siblings, from consanguineous parents, harbouring a previously uncharacterized homozygous variant in FBXL4 (c.1750 T > C; p.Cys584Arg). Both patients presented with encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and cardiac hypertrophy, which are reported features of FBXL4 impairment. Remarkably, dichloroacetate (DCA) administration to the younger sibling improved metabolic acidosis and reversed cardiac hypertrophy. Characterization of FBXL4 patient fibroblasts revealed severe bioenergetic defects, mtDNA depletion, fragmentation of mitochondrial networks, and abnormalities in mtDNA nucleoids. These phenotypes, observed with other pathogenic FBXL4 variants, confirm the pathogenicity of the p.Cys584Arg variant. Although treating FBXL4 fibroblasts with DCA improved extracellular acidification, in line with reduced lactate levels in patients, DCA treatment did not improve any of the other mitochondrial functions. Nonetheless, we highlight DCA as a potentially effective drug for the management of elevated lactate and cardiomyopathy in patients with pathogenic FBXL4 variants. Finally, as the exact mechanism through which FBXL4 mutations lead to mtDNA depletion was unknown, we tested the hypothesis that FBXL4 promotes mitochondrial fusion. Using a photo-activatable GFP fusion assay, we found reduced mitochondrial fusion rates in cells harbouring a pathogenic FBXL4 variant. Meanwhile, overexpression of wildtype FBXL4, but not the p.Cys584Arg variant, promoted mitochondrial hyperfusion. Thus, we have uncovered a novel function for FBXL4 in promoting mitochondrial fusion, providing important mechanistic insights into the pathogenic mechanism underlying FBXL4 dysfunction.

Pivotal role of inter-organ aspartate metabolism for treatment of mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier 2 (citrin) deficiency, based on the mouse model.

Previous studies using citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) dehydrogenase (mGPD) double-knockout mice have demonstrated that increased dietary protein reduces the extent of carbohydrate-induced hyperammonemia observed in these mice. This study aimed to further elucidate the mechanisms of this effect. Specific amino acids were initially found to decrease hepatic G3P, or increase aspartate or citrulline levels, in mGPD-knockout mice administered ethanol. Unexpectedly, oral glycine increased ammonia in addition to lowering G3P and increasing citrulline. Subsequently, simultaneous glycine-plus-sucrose (Gly + Suc) administration led to a more severe hyperammonemic state in double-KO mice compared to sucrose alone. Oral arginine, ornithine, aspartate, alanine, glutamate and medium-chain triglycerides all lowered blood ammonia following Gly + Suc administration, with combinations of ornithine-plus-aspartate (Orn + Asp) or ornithine-plus-alanine (Orn + Ala) suppressing levels similar to wild-type. Liver perfusion and portal vein-arterial amino acid differences suggest that oral aspartate, similar to alanine, likely activated ureagenesis from ammonia and lowered the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio through conversion to alanine in the small intestine. In conclusion, Gly + Suc administration induces a more severe hyperammonemic state in double-KO mice that Orn + Asp or Orn + Ala both effectively suppress. Aspartate-to-alanine conversion in the small intestine allows for effective oral administration of either, demonstrating a pivotal role of inter-organ aspartate metabolism for the treatment of citrin deficiency.

A New Patient With Intermediate Severe Salla Disease With Hypomyelination: A Literature Review for Salla Disease.

BACKGROUND: Likely pathogenic variants in SLC17A5 results in allelic disorders of free sialic acid metabolism including (1) infantile free sialic acid storage disease with severe global developmental delay, coarse facial features, hepatosplenomegaly, and cardiomegaly; (2) intermediate severe Salla disease with moderate to severe global developmental delay, hypotonia, and hypomyelination with or without coarse facial features, and (3) Salla disease with normal appearance, mild cognitive dysfunction, and spasticity. PATIENT DESCRIPTION: This five-year-old girl presented with infantile-onset severe global developmental delay, truncal hypotonia, and generalized dystonia following normal development during her first six months of life. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed marked hypomyelination and a thin corpus callosum at age 19 months, both unchanged on follow-up at age 28 months. Urine free sialic acid was moderately elevated. Cerebrospinal fluid free sialic acid was marginally elevated. Sequencing of SLC17A5 revealed compound heterozygous likely pathogenic variants, namely, a known missense (c.291G>A) variant and a novel truncating (c.819+1G>A) variant, confirming the diagnosis of Salla disease at age 3.5 years. CONCLUSION: We report a new patient with intermediate severe Salla disease. Normal or marginally elevated urine or cerebrospinal fluid free sialic acid levels cannot exclude Salla disease. In patients with progressive global developmental delay and hypomyelination on brain magnetic resonance imaging, Salla disease should be included into the differential diagnosis.

Oral aversion to dietary sugar, ethanol and glycerol correlates with alterations in specific hepatic metabolites in a mouse model of human citrin deficiency.

Mice carrying simultaneous homozygous mutations in the genes encoding citrin, the mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier 2 (AGC2) protein, and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD), are a phenotypically representative model of human citrin (a.k.a., AGC2) deficiency. In this study, we investigated the voluntary oral intake and preference for sucrose, glycerol or ethanol solutions by wild-type, citrin (Ctrn)-knockout (KO), mGPD-KO, and Ctrn/mGPD double-KO mice; all substances that are known or suspected precipitating factors in the pathogenesis of human citrin deficiency. The double-KO mice showed clear suppressed intake of sucrose, consuming less with progressively higher concentrations compared to the other mice. Similar observations were made when glycerol or ethanol were given. The preference of Ctrn-KO and mGPD-KO mice varied with the different treatments; essentially no differences were observed for sucrose, while an intermediate intake or similar to that of the double-KO mice was observed for glycerol and ethanol. We next examined the hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate, citrate, citrulline, lysine, glutamate and adenine nucleotide levels following forced enteral administration of these solutions. A strong correlation between the simultaneous increased hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate and decreased ATP or total adenine nucleotide content and observed aversion of the mice during evaluation of their voluntary preferences was found. Overall, our results suggest that the aversion observed in the double-KO mice to these solutions is initiated and/or mediated by hepatic metabolic perturbations, resulting in a behavioral response to increased hepatic cytosolic NADH and a decreased cellular adenine nucleotide pool. These findings may underlie the dietary predilections observed in human citrin deficient patients.

Mechanism for increased hepatic glycerol synthesis in the citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double-knockout mouse: Urine glycerol and glycerol 3-phosphate as potential diagnostic markers of human citrin deficiency.

The mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier isoform 2 (citrin) and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD) double-knockout mouse has been a useful model of human citrin deficiency. One of the most prominent findings has been markedly increased hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) following oral administration of a sucrose solution. We aimed to investigate whether this change is detectable outside of the liver, and to explore the mechanism underlying the increased hepatic G3P in these mice. We measured G3P and its metabolite glycerol in plasma and urine of the mice under various conditions. Glycerol synthesis from fructose was also studied using the liver perfusion system. The citrin/mGPD double-knockout mice showed increased urine G3P and glycerol under normal, fed conditions. We also found increased plasma glycerol under fasted conditions, while oral administration of different carbohydrates or ethanol led to substantially increased plasma glycerol. Fructose infusion to the perfused liver of the double-knockout mice augmented hepatic glycerol synthesis, and was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the lactate/pyruvate (L/P) ratio. Co-infusion of either pyruvate or phenazine methosulfate, a cytosolic oxidant, with fructose corrected the high L/P ratio, leading to reduced glycerol synthesis. Overall, these findings suggest that hepatic glycerol synthesis is cytosolic NADH/NAD(+) ratio-dependent and reveal a likely regulatory mechanism for hepatic glycerol synthesis following a high carbohydrate load in citrin-deficient patients. Therefore, urine G3P and glycerol may represent potential diagnostic markers for human citrin deficiency.

A novel genetic locus linked to pro-inflammatory cytokines after virulent H5N1 virus infection in mice.

BACKGROUND: Genetic variation in the human population is a key determinant of influenza disease severity. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the antiviral gene IFITM3 was linked to outcomes during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. To identify variant host genes associated with increased virus replication and severe disease, we performed a quantitative trait locus analysis on pro-inflammatory cytokine production 48 hours after intranasal infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus. RESULTS: Pro-inflammatory cytokines CCL2, TNFα and IFN-α, were measured by ELISA in lung homogenates of DBA/2J (D2), C57BL/6J (B6) and 44 different BXD recombinant inbred mouse strains. Virus titer was also assessed in a subset of these animals. CCL2 (8-fold), TNFα (24-fold) and IFN-α (8-fold) concentrations varied significantly among the different BXD RI strains. Importantly, cytokine concentration correlated very well (r =0.86-0.96, P <0.0001) with virus titer suggesting that early cytokine production is due to increased virus infection and replication. Linkage analysis of cytokine concentration revealed a significant locus on chromosome 6 associated with differences in TNFα, IFN-α and CCL2 cytokine concentration (LRS =26). This locus accounted for nearly 20% of the observed phenotypic variation in the BXD population studied. Sequence and RNA expression analysis identified several candidate host genes containing missense mutations or deletions; Samd9l, Ica1, and Slc25a13. To study the role of Slc25a13, we obtained Slc25a13 knockout line, but upon challenge with H5N1 influenza virus observed no effect on CCL2 production, or morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: A novel genetic locus on chromosome 6 modulates early pro-inflammatory cytokine production and virus replication after highly pathogenic influenza virus infection. Candidate genes, Samd9l and Ica1, may be important for the control of influenza virus infection and pathogenesis.

Effects of supplementation on food intake, body weight and hepatic metabolites in the citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double-knockout mouse model of human citrin deficiency.

The C57BL/6:Slc23a13(-/-);Gpd2(-/-) double-knockout (a.k.a., citrin/mitochondrial glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase double knockout or Ctrn/mGPD-KO) mouse displays phenotypic attributes of both neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis (NICCD) and adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2), making it a suitable model of human citrin deficiency. In the present study, we show that when mature Ctrn/mGPD-KO mice are switched from a standard chow diet (CE-2) to a purified maintenance diet (AIN-93M), this resulted in a significant loss of body weight as a result of reduced food intake compared to littermate mGPD-KO mice. However, supplementation of the purified maintenance diet with additional protein (from 14% to 22%; and concomitant reduction or corn starch), or with specific supplementation with alanine, sodium glutamate, sodium pyruvate or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), led to increased food intake and body weight gain near or back to that on chow diet. No such effect was observed when supplementing the diet with other sources of fat that contain long-chain fatty acids. Furthermore, when these supplements were added to a sucrose solution administered enterally to the mice, which has been shown previously to lead to elevated blood ammonia as well as altered hepatic metabolite levels in Ctrn/mGPP-KO mice, this led to metabolic correction. The elevated hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate and citrulline levels after sucrose administration were suppressed by the administration of sodium pyruvate, alanine, sodium glutamate and MCT, although the effect of MCT was relatively small. Low hepatic citrate and increased lysine levels were only found to be corrected by sodium pyruvate, while alanine and sodium glutamate both corrected hepatic glutamate and aspartate levels. Overall, these results suggest that dietary factors including increased protein content, supplementation of specific amino acids like alanine and sodium glutamate, as well as sodium pyruvate and MCT all show beneficial effects on citrin deficiency by increasing the carbohydrate tolerance of Ctrn/mGPD-KO mice, as observed through increased food intake and maintenance of body weight.

Metabolomic analysis reveals hepatic metabolite perturbations in citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double-knockout mice, a model of human citrin deficiency.

The citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD) double-knockout mouse displays phenotypic attributes of both neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis and adult-onset type II citrullinemia, making it a suitable model of human citrin deficiency. In the present study, we investigated metabolic disturbances in the livers of wild-type, citrin (Ctrn) knockout, mGPD knockout, and Ctrn/mGPD double-knockout mice following oral sucrose versus saline administration using metabolomic approaches. By using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry, we found three general groupings of metabolite changes in the livers of the double-knockout mice following sucrose administration that were subsequently confirmed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry or enzymatic methods: a marked increase of hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate, a generalized decrease of hepatic tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, and alterations of hepatic amino acid levels related to the urea cycle or lysine catabolism including marked increases in citrulline and lysine. Furthermore, concurrent oral administration of sodium pyruvate with sucrose ameliorated the hyperammonemia induced by sucrose, as had been shown previously, as well as almost completely normalizing the hepatic metabolite perturbations found. Overall, we have identified additional metabolic disturbances in double-KO mice following oral sucrose administration, and provided further evidence for the therapeutic use of sodium pyruvate in our mouse model of citrin deficiency.

Analyzing complex traits with congenic strains.

Congenic strains continue to be a fundamental resource for dissecting the genetic basis of complex traits. Traditionally, genetic variants (QTLs) that account for phenotypic variation in a panel of congenic strains are sought first by comparing phenotypes for each strain to the host (reference) strain, and then by examining the results to identify a common chromosome segment that provides the best match between genotype and phenotype across the panel. However, this "common-segment" method has significant limitations, including the subjective nature of the genetic model and an inability to deal formally with strain phenotypes that do not fit the model. We propose an alternative that we call "sequential" analysis and that is based on a unique principle of QTL analysis where each strain, corresponding to a single genotype, is tested individually for QTL effects rather than testing the congenic panel collectively for common effects across heterogeneous backgrounds. A minimum spanning tree, based on principles of graph theory, is used to determine the optimal sequence of strain comparisons. For two traits in two panels of congenic strains in mice, we compared results for the sequential method with the common-segment method as well as with two standard methods of QTL analysis, namely, interval mapping and multiple linear regression. The general utility of the sequential method was demonstrated with analysis of five additional traits in congenic panels from mice and rats. Sequential analysis rigorously resolved phenotypic heterogeneity among strains in the congenic panels and found QTLs that other methods failed to detect.

Genetic resistance to diet-induced obesity in chromosome substitution strains of mice.

Discovery of genes that confer resistance to diseases such as diet-induced obesity could have tremendous therapeutic impact. We previously demonstrated that the C57BL/6J-Chr(A/J)/NaJ panel of chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) is a unique model for studying resistance to diet-induced obesity. In the present study, three replicate CSS surveys showed remarkable consistency, with 13 A/J-derived chromosomes reproducibly conferring resistance to high-fat-diet-induced obesity. Twenty CSS intercrosses, one derived from each of the 19 autosomes and chromosome X, were used to determine the number and location of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on individual chromosomes and localized six QTLs. However, analyses of mean body weight in intercross progeny versus C57BL/6J provided strong evidence that many QTLs discovered in the CSS surveys eluded detection in these CSS intercrosses. Studies of the temporal effects of these QTLs suggest that obesity resistance was dynamic, with QTLs acting at different ages or after different durations of diet exposure. Thus, these studies provide insight into the genetic architecture of complex traits such as resistance to diet-induced obesity in the C57BL/6J-Chr(A/J)/NaJ CSSs. Because some of the QTLs detected in the CSS intercrosses were not detected using a traditional C57BL/6J x A/J intercross, our results demonstrate that surveys of CSSs and congenic strains derived from them are useful complementary tools for analyzing complex traits.

Genetic factors for resistance to diet-induced obesity and associated metabolic traits on mouse chromosome 17.

Obesity is associated with increased susceptibility to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension, a combination of traits that comprise the traditional definition of the metabolic syndrome. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is also associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite the high prevalence of obesity and its related conditions, their etiologies and pathophysiology remains unknown. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD. Previous genetic analysis of high-fat, diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J male mice using a panel of B6-Chr(A/J)/NaJ chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) demonstrated that 17 CSSs conferred resistance to high-fat, diet-induced obesity. One of these CSS strains, CSS-17, which is homosomic for A/J-derived chromosome 17, was analyzed further and found to be resistant to diet-induced steatosis. In the current study we generated seven congenic strains derived from CCS-17, fed them either a high-fat, simple-carbohydrate (HFSC) or low-fat, simple-carbohydrate (LFSC) diet for 16 weeks and then analyzed body weight and related traits. From this study we identified several quantitative trait loci (QTLs). On a HFSC diet, Obrq13 protects against diet-induced obesity, steatosis, and elevated fasting insulin and glucose levels. On the LFSC diet, Obrq13 confers lower hepatic triglycerides, suggesting that this QTL regulates liver triglycerides regardless of diet. Obrq15 protects against diet-induced obesity and steatosis on the HFSC diet, and Obrq14 confers increased final body weight and results in steatosis and insulin resistance on the HFSC diet. In addition, on the LFSC diet, Obrq 16 confers decreased hepatic triglycerides and Obrq17 confers lower plasma triglycerides on the LFSC diet. These congenic strains provide mouse models to identify genes and metabolic pathways that are involved in the development of NAFLD and aspects of diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Genetic architecture of complex traits: large phenotypic effects and pervasive epistasis.

The genetic architecture of complex traits underlying physiology and disease in most organisms remains elusive. We still know little about the number of genes that underlie these traits, the magnitude of their effects, or the extent to which they interact. Chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) enable statistically powerful studies based on testing engineered inbred strains that have single, unique, and nonoverlapping genetic differences, thereby providing measures of phenotypic effects that are attributable to individual chromosomes. Here, we report a study of phenotypic effects and gene interactions for 90 blood, bone, and metabolic traits in a mouse CSS panel and 54 traits in a rat CSS panel. Two key observations emerge about the genetic architecture of these traits. First, the traits tend to be highly polygenic: across the genome, many individual chromosome substitutions each had significant phenotypic effects and, within each of the chromosomes studied, multiple distinct loci were found. Second, strong epistasis was found among the individual chromosomes. Specifically, individual chromosome substitutions often conferred surprisingly large effects (often a substantial fraction of the entire phenotypic difference between the parental strains), with the result that the sum of these individual effects often dramatically exceeded the difference between the parental strains. We suggest that strong, pervasive epistasis may reflect the presence of several phenotypically-buffered physiological states. These results have implications for identification of complex trait genes, developmental and physiological studies of phenotypic variation, and opportunities to engineer phenotypic outcomes in complex biological systems.

Citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double knock-out mice recapitulate features of human citrin deficiency.

Citrin is the liver-type mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier that participates in urea, protein, and nucleotide biosynthetic pathways by supplying aspartate from mitochondria to the cytosol. Citrin also plays a role in transporting cytosolic NADH reducing equivalents into mitochondria as a component of the malate-aspartate shuttle. In humans, loss-of-function mutations in the SLC25A13 gene encoding citrin cause both adult-onset type II citrullinemia and neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis, collectively referred to as human citrin deficiency. Citrin knock-out mice fail to display features of human citrin deficiency. Based on the hypothesis that an enhanced glycerol phosphate shuttle activity may be compensating for the loss of citrin function in the mouse, we have generated mice with a combined disruption of the genes for citrin and mitochondrial glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The resulting double knock-out mice demonstrated citrullinemia, hyperammonemia that was further elevated by oral sucrose administration, hypoglycemia, and a fatty liver, all features of human citrin deficiency. An increased hepatic lactate/pyruvate ratio in the double knock-out mice compared with controls was also further elevated by the oral sucrose administration, suggesting that an altered cytosolic NADH/NAD(+) ratio is closely associated with the hyperammonemia observed. Microarray analyses identified over 100 genes that were differentially expressed in the double knock-out mice compared with wild-type controls, revealing genes potentially involved in compensatory or downstream effects of the combined mutations. Together, our data indicate that the more severe phenotype present in the citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double knock-out mice represents a more accurate model of human citrin deficiency than citrin knock-out mice.

Mice with a deletion in the gene for CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta are protected against diet-induced obesity.

The CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) is required for adipocyte differentiation and maturation. We have studied the role of the transcription factor, C/EBPbeta, in the development of diet-induced obesity. Mice with a deletion in the gene for C/EBPbeta (C/EBPbeta(-/-)) and wild-type mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% fat) for 12 weeks. The C/EBPbeta(-/-) mice lost body fat, whereas the wild-type mice increased their total body fat on a high-fat diet. The C/EBPbeta(-/-) mice had lower levels of blood triglycerides, free fatty acids, cholesterol, and hepatic triglyceride accumulation compared with the wild-type mice, thus protecting them from diet-induced obesity and fatty liver on a high-fat diet. Deletion of C/EBPbeta gene resulted in greatly reducing hepatic lipogenic genes, acetyl CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase and increasing the expression of beta-oxidation genes in the brown adipose tissue. CO(2) production was significantly higher in the C/EBPbeta(-/-) mice as was the level of uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 and UCP-3 in the muscle. In conclusion, the transcription factor C/EBPbeta is an important regulator in controlling lipid metabolism and in the development of diet-induced obesity.

Pyruvate ameliorates the defect in ureogenesis from ammonia in citrin-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mutations in SLC25A13, encoding the mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier citrin, cause adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2) in humans. We have previously reported that although citrin-knockout (Ctrn-/-) mice fail to display symptoms of CTLN2, liver perfusion revealed a deficit in ureogenesis from ammonia accompanied by an increase in the perfusate lactate-to-pyruvate (L/P) ratio. The present study explores the effects of pyruvate, aspartate and citrate on improving the abnormalities observed in the Ctrn-/- liver. METHODS: We measured the rate of ureogenesis from ammonium chloride using the liver-perfusion system. RESULTS: Pyruvate infusion lowered the L/P ratio and corrected the deficit in ureogenesis in the Ctrn-/- liver. This effect was found to be dose-dependent in both instances. Phenazine methosulfate, a cytosolic oxidant, also improved the rate of ureogenesis in the Ctrn-/- liver and led to a fall in the L/P ratio. The addition of aspartate or citrate did not change either the rate of ureogenesis or the L/P ratio in the Ctrn-/- liver. CONCLUSIONS: Citrin deficiency disturbs urea synthesis primarily as a result of an elevated cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio owing to limited reoxidation of reducing equivalents. Clinically, pyruvate may have a therapeutic benefit for CTLN2 patients.

Slc25a13-knockout mice harbor metabolic deficits but fail to display hallmarks of adult-onset type II citrullinemia.

Adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in SLC25A13, the gene encoding the mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier citrin. The absence of citrin leads to a liver-specific, quantitative decrease of argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS), causing hyperammonemia and citrullinemia. To investigate the physiological role of citrin and the development of CTLN2, an Slc25a13-knockout (also known as Ctrn-deficient) mouse model was created. The resulting Ctrn-/- mice were devoid of Slc25a13 mRNA and citrin protein. Liver mitochondrial assays revealed markedly decreased activities in aspartate transport and the malate-aspartate shuttle. Liver perfusion also demonstrated deficits in ureogenesis from ammonia, gluconeogenesis from lactate, and an increase in the lactate-to-pyruvate ratio within hepatocytes. Surprisingly, Ctrn-/- mice up to 1 year of age failed to show CTLN2-like symptoms due to normal hepatic ASS activity. Serological measures of glucose, amino acid, and ammonia metabolism also showed no significant alterations. Nitrogen-loading treatments produced only minor changes in the hepatic ammonia and amino acid levels. These results suggest that citrin deficiency alone may not be sufficient to produce a CTLN2-like phenotype in mice. These observations are compatible, however, with the variable age of onset, incomplete penetrance, and strong ethnic bias seen in CTLN2 where additional environmental and/or genetic triggers are now suspected.