Induction of peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase by 3-thia fatty acid, in hepatoma cells and hepatocytes in culture is modified by dexamethasone and insulin.

The effects of tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) (50 microM), dexamethasone (0.25 microM) and insulin (0.4 microM) on induction of peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase activity and mRNA levels were studied in short term cultures of Morris 7800C1 and MH1C1 hepatoma cells and of rat hepatocytes. Dexamethasone and TTA resulted in parallel increases in the enzyme activity and the steady state mRNA content in the hepatoma cells. Combination of dexamethasone and TTA resulted in a synergistic and parallel stimulation of both the enzyme activity and the mRNA levels up to 11-12-fold and maximal changes were observed after 14 days of treatment. Semiquantitative immunoblot analyses of acyl-CoA oxidase were in concordance with enzyme and mRNA results. Insulin counteracted the inductive effects of dexamethasone and TTA on all parameters. The half-life of the acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA increased after treatment with the 3-thia fatty acid (t1/2 = 10.0 h +/- 0.4) compared to control (t1/2 = 5.9 h +/- 0.3). However, in combination with dexamethasone there was no further increase in the mRNA stability (t1/2 = 8.0 h +/- 0.3). Southern blot analysis did not reveal any changes on the oxidase gene level in any treatment group. TTA alone or in combination with dexamethasone did not affect the expression of either the glucocorticoid receptor or the peroxisomal proliferator acting receptor (PPAR) steady state mRNA levels. In cultured hepatocytes the acyl-CoA oxidase was modified in similar manner by these treatments, but the changes were less marked. We suggest that the changes in peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase activity in hepatoma cells are due to a major effect on the level of mRNA, involving both transcriptional effects and message stabilization.

Thia fatty acids, metabolism and metabolic effects.

(1) The chemical properties of thia fatty acids are similar to normal fatty acids, but their metabolism (see below: points 2-6) and metabolic effects (see below: points 7-15) differ greatly from these and are dependent upon the position of the sulfur atom. (2) Long-chain thia fatty acids and alkylthioacrylic acids are activated to their CoA esters in endoplasmatic reticulum. (3) 3-Thia fatty acids cannot be beta-oxidized. They are metabolized by extramitochondrial omega-oxidation and sulfur oxidation in the endoplasmatic reticulum followed by peroxisomal beta-oxidation to short sulfoxy dicarboxylic acids. (4) 4-Thia fatty acids are beta-oxidized mainly in mitochondria to alkylthioacryloyl-CoA esters which accumulate and are slowly converted to 2-hydroxy-4-thia acyl-CoA which splits spontaneously to an alkylthiol and malonic acid semialdehyde-CoA ester. The latter presumably is hydrolyzed and metabolized to acetyl-CoA and CO2. (5) Both 3- and 4-thiastearic acid are desaturated to the corresponding thia oleic acids. (6) Long-chain 3- and 4-thia fatty acids are incorporated into phospholipids in vivo, particularly in heart, and in hepatocytes and other cells in culture. (7) Long-chain 3-thia fatty acids change the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids: in heart, the content of n-3 fatty acids increases and n-6 fatty acids decreases. (8) 3-Thia fatty acids increase fatty acid oxidation in liver through inhibition of malonyl-CoA synthesis, activation of CPT I, and induction of CPT-II and enzymes of peroxisomal beta-oxidation. Activation of fatty acid oxidation is the key to the hypolipidemic effect of 3-thia fatty acids. Also other lipid metabolizing enzymes are induced. (9) Fatty acid- and cholesterol synthesis is inhibited in hepatocytes. (10) The nuclear receptors PPAR alpha and RXR alpha are induced by 3-thia fatty acids. (11) The induction of enzymes and of PPAR alpha and RXR alpha are increased by dexamethasone and counteracted by insulin. (12) 4-Thia fatty acids inhibit fatty acid oxidation and induce fatty liver in vivo. The inhibition presumably is explained by accumulation of alkylthioacryloyl-CoA in the mitochondria. This metabolite is a strong inhibitor of CPT-II. (13) Alkylthioacrylic acids inhibits both fatty acid oxidation and esterification. Inhibition of esterification presumably follows accumulation of extramitochondrial alkylthioacryloyl-CoA, an inhibitor of microsomal glycerophosphate acyltransferase. (14) 9-Thia stearate is a strong inhibitor of the delta 9-desaturase in liver and 10-thia stearate of dihydrosterculic acid synthesis in trypanosomes. (15) Some attempts to develop thia fatty acids as drugs are also reviewed.

Retinoid X receptor (RXR alpha) gene expression is regulated by fatty acids and dexamethasone in hepatic cells.

This work describes the molecular mechanism of fatty acid and hormonal modulation of retinoid X receptor (RXR alpha) in rat liver. We examined the effects of different fatty acids (myristic-, stearic-, linolenic-, oleic-, arachidonic- and tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA)) and the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone on RXR alpha mRNA and protein steady-state levels in hepatoma cells and cultured hepatocytes. Fatty acids induced the RXR alpha gene expression where TTA showed the most inductive effect (three-fold induction). Dexamethasone alone resulted in a stronger induction (up to seven-fold in hepatocytes), and in combination with fatty acids, an additive or synergistic effect was observed. The RXR alpha protein level in cultured hepatocytes showed a similar pattern of regulation, with a slight inductive effect of fatty acids and an additive or synergistic effect was observed in combination with dexamethasone. Our results indicate that the RXR alpha gene expression is under distinct regulation by fatty acids and dexamethasone acid which strongly suggests a coupling with the lipid metabolizing system and the retinoid signaling pathway.

The effects of long-term administration of 3-thia fatty acid, a peroxisome proliferator, to Morris 7800 C1 hepatoma cells.

Morris 7800 C1 hepatoma cells were grown in the presence of 80 microM tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA), a peroxisome proliferator, for 1 year (long-term-treated cells). The growth of the Morris 7800 C1 hepatoma cells was inhibited in cells treated with TTA for up to 8 days. Treatment of the cells with TTA for 1 year did not reduce growth further. The growth inhibition was easily reversed by insulin (0.4 microM). Peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) (EC 1.3.99.3) activity was increased 5.5 times in cells treated with TTA for 3 days. In the cells treated with TTA for 1 year the ACO activity was increased only two times. A similar ACO mRNA half-life (two times the control) was found in cells treated with TTA for 1 year and for 3 days. This implies a loss of effect of TTA on the transcription rate of the ACO gene in long-term-treated cells.

Induction of the three peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes is synergistically regulated by dexamethasone and fatty acids, and counteracted by insulin in Morris 7800C1 hepatoma cells in culture.

This work describes the molecular mechanism of hormonal modulation of fatty-acid peroxisomal beta oxidation in liver. Morris 7800C1 hepatoma cells and isolated hepatocytes were cultured in the presence of myristic acid (1 mM) and tetradecylthioacetic acid, a 3-thia fatty acid (50 microM), separately or in combination with dexamethasone (0.25 microM) or insulin (0.4 microM). Myristic acid stimulated acyl-CoA oxidase and a synergistic action was observed with dexamethasone. Parallel changes were recognized in enzyme protein and mRNA levels as quantified from immunoblots and Northern analyses. Myristic acid and tetradecylthioacetic acid had similar effects on this enzyme, while insulin inhibited the basal activity and blocked all inductions by the fatty acids and dexamethasone. Parallel mRNA and immunoblot analyses of the subsequent enzymes in the peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway, enoyl-CoA hydratase/3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/delta 3,delta 2-enoyl-CoA isomerase and 3-oxoacyl-CoA thiolase, showed an even stronger induction by tetradecylthioacetic acid and dexamethasone, while the counteraction by insulin was maintained in both 7800C1 hepatoma cells and hepatocytes. In hepatoma cells, the thiolase always showed the most pronounced induction (about 40-fold) after 14 days, with parallel changes in protein and mRNA levels. The results suggest that the changes in peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes in 7800C1 hepatoma cells are due to a major effect on steady-state mRNA levels giving rise to corresponding alterations in enzyme protein. These results may be explained by regulation at the level of transcription of corresponding genes, but mRNA stability changes and/or translational effects may also be of importance.

Gene transcription of the retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) is regulated by fatty acids and hormones in rat hepatic cells.

This work describes the molecular mechanisms of fatty acid and hormonal modulations of the retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) in rat liver cells. We examined the effects of different fatty acids (myristic, stearic, oleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids, EPA, and the peroxisomal proliferator TTA) and several hormones (the glucocorticoid analogue dexamethasone, insulin, and retinoic acid) on the RXRalpha mRNA and protein levels in rat hepatoma cells and cultured hepatocytes. The fatty acids induced the RXRalpha gene expression resulting in up to 3-fold induction. Dexamethasone alone induced the mRNA level and, in combination with fatty acids, an additive or synergistic effect was observed. The dexamethasone-increased mRNA level was obliterated by insulin. The same pattern of regulation of the protein level was observed when determined in cultured hepatocytes, but the induced protein level showed a lower magnitude of stimulation than the mRNA level. This could indicate a post-transcriptional modulation of the RXRalpha gene expression. Time course studies showed a maximal induction of mRNA and protein levels after 18 h and 48 h, respectively. Our results uniformly show that the RXRalpha gene expression is under distinct regulation by fatty acids and hormones which suggests a coupling with the lipid metabolizing system and the hormonal signaling pathway.

Uptake and receptor binding of dexamethasone in cultured 7800 C1 hepatoma cells in relation to regulation of cell growth and peroxisomal beta-oxidation.

1. Uptake and binding of dexamethasone to glucocorticoid receptor has been studied in Morris hepatoma 7800 C1 cells in relation to its effect on cell growth and peroxisomal beta-oxidation. 2. Intact cells showed saturable, specific dexamethasone binding of limited capacity and Scatchard analysis revealed one single class of binding sites with equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.24 nM similar to other glucocorticoid receptors. However, the binding capacity of 24 fmol/mg cell protein is less than 5% of previously reported values. 3. Uptake of [3H]dexamethasone by intact cells was temperature dependent giving a linear Arrhenius plot with a calculated energy of activation of 58.5 kJ mol-1 x degree-1. 4. Cytosol fractions had specific binding proteins for glucocorticoid hormones with sedimentation coefficient of ca 7S. No specific binding sites for [3H]dexamethasone was demonstrated in purified membrane fractions. 5. Dexamethasone and the synthetic fatty acid analogue tetradecylthio acetic acid (TTA) both inhibited the growth of the 7800 C1 cells and induced the peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase activity. A combination of the two compounds gave additive effects. Both these effects of dexamethasone and TTA were counteracted by insulin. 6. We conclude that dexamethasone induces growth inhibition and enzyme induction by binding to functional intracellular glucocorticoid receptors. The action of dexamethasone is consistent with a dissolution in the membrane from where it diffuses passively into the cell and binds to specific receptors in an energy dependent step. 6. The synergistic action of dexamethasone and TTA and the counteraction exerted by insulin are not due to changes in the dexamethasone receptor affinity or binding capacity.

Dexamethasone and insulin demonstrate marked and opposite regulation of the steady-state mRNA level of the peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in hepatic cells. Hormonal modulation of fatty-acid-induced transcription.

Fatty acids and the peroxisomal proliferator, 3-tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) stimulate transcription of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes. Recently, we have shown that their actions are markedly modulated by dexamethasone and insulin which show synergistic and inhibitory effects, respectively. In this study, we describe the regulation of the peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), a member of the steroid-hormone-receptor superfamily, in a similar manner by hormones and fatty acids, supporting the hypothesis that PPAR may act as a ligand-activated transcription factor. Northern-blot analysis of steady-state mRNA levels revealed three different specific transcripts for PPAR of 10.2, 4.6 and 1.8 kb, and the former two being regulated in hepatic tissue, hepatocytes and hepatoma cells. Dexamethasone produced a pronounced overall stimulatory effect (15.3-fold) in rat hepatocytes, while insulin blocked this action completely. Minor inductions of PPAR mRNA (up to twofold induction) were observed when different fatty acids were administrated alone. However, in combination with dexamethasone, additive or synergistic actions, mounting to 24-fold stimulation, were observed, while insulin always exerted an over-riding down-regulatory effect. In non-fasting rats receiving dexamethasone, elevation of serum insulin, a slight increase in serum free fatty acids accompanied by PPAR mRNA level increases of 2.4-fold and stimulation of liver peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA were observed. Our results suggest that PPAR mRNA expression is under strict hormonal control and that the fatty acids and hormones affect PPAR mRNA levels in a manner analogous to the regulation of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes. The PPAR gene-regulating unit apparently contains hormone-response elements (HRE) for dexamethasone and insulin, which are thus functionally important for PPAR transcription in liver cells, making a significant enhancement or inhibition of the physiological actions of fatty acids possible.