Active AKT2 stimulation of SREBP1/SCD1-mediated lipid metabolism boosts hepatosteatosis and cancer

In this study, we demonstrated that high-fat diet potentiated mouse liver AKT2. Hepatic AKT2 hyperactivation through gain-of-function mutation of Akt2 (Akt2E17K) caused spontaneous hepatosteatosis, injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and eventually HCC in mice. AKT2 activation also exacerbated lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine hydrochloride-induced injury/inflammation and N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)-induced HCC. A positive correlation between AKT2 activity and SCD1 expression was observed in human HCC samples. Activated AKT2 enhanced the production of monounsaturated fatty acid which was dependent on SREBP1 upregulation of SCD1. Blockage of active SREBP1 and ablation of SCD1 reduced steatosis, inflammation, and tumor burden in DEN-treated Akt2E17K mice. Therefore, AKT2 activation is crucial for the development of steatosis-associated HCC which can be treated with blockage of AKT2-SREBP1-SCD1 signaling cascade.PMID:38244769 | DOI:10.1016/j.trsl.2024.01.005

Source: Translational Research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine - January 20, 2024 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Fuqiang Huang Na Zhao Pei Cai Mengjie Hou Shuhui Yang Bohao Zheng Qian Ma Jingpeng Jiang Xiaochen Gai Yilei Mao Lianmei Wang Zhongdong Hu Xiaojun Zha Fangming Liu Hongbing Zhang Source Type: research