RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ezetimibe markedly reduces hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol in rats fed on fish oil by increasing the expression of cholesterol efflux transporters
JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP jpet.120.265660
DO 10.1124/jpet.120.265660
A1 Yuji Tanaka
A1 Takanori Ikeda
A1 Hiroshi Ogawa
A1 Toshinori Kamisako
YR 2020
UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2020/05/04/jpet.120.265660.abstract
AB Besides diet therapy, hypolipidemic pharmacological therapy may be a crucial component of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) treatment. Ezetimibe may be a promising drug for treatment of NAFLD. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are abundant in fish oil, reduces serum and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides in rodents. The aim of this study was to examine the combined effects of dietary fish oil and ezetimibe on lipid metabolism in rats. Seven-week old male SD rats were allocated to four different diets containing 1) 10% soybean oil (C), 2) 10% fish oil (F), 3) 10% soybean oil + 0.005% ezetimibe (E), and 4) 10% fish oil + 0.005% ezetimibe (F+E) for 4 weeks, when the liver, jejunum, blood, and fecal samples were collected. Compared to the C group, the F+E-diet decreased hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol 84% and 86%, but it did not increase fecal cholesterol. In liver, the expression of lipogenic enzymes were decreased in F+E diet, whereas β-oxidation related genes were not increased. Abcg5/g8 mRNA expression were increased 1380%/442% when ezetimibe was added to the F-diet. These gene expression changes are related to the decrease in hepatic lipids. In jejunum, Abcg5/g8 mRNA were increased 244%/841% when ezetimibe was added to the F-diet. Hepatic induction of Abcg5/8 rather than intestinal induction correlates with the marked decrease in liver cholesterol when ezetimibe was added to the F-diet. These data suggest that fish oil diet and ezetimibe in combination may be beneficial therapy for NAFLD by increasing hepatic Abcg5/g8 and decreasing lipogenic genes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There is currently no single treatment for NAFLD. Thus, lifestyle modifications including dietary regulation and physical activity are also important options. In this study, ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, was evaluated for the treatment of liver steatosis in rats fed on the different diets. We found that ezetimibe and fish oil in combination markedly improved fatty liver by increasing cholesterol efflux transporters. The combination therapy of fish oil agents and ezetimibe may be effective for NAFLD.