The liver X receptors (LXRs) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that are bound and activated by oxysterols. These receptors serve as sterol sensors to regulate the transcription of gene products that control intracellular cholesterol homeostasis through catabolism and transport. In this report, we describe a novel LXR target, the sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c gene (SREBP-1c), which encodes a membrane-bound transcription factor of the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper family. SREBP-1c expression was markedly increased in mouse tissues in an LXR-dependent manner by dietary cholesterol and synthetic agonists for both LXR and its heterodimer partner, the retinoid X receptor (RXR). Expression of the related gene products, SREBP-1a and SREBP-2, were not increased. Analysis of the mouse SREBP-1c gene promoter revealed an RXR/LXR DNA-binding site that is essential for this regulation. The transcriptional increase in SREBP-1c mRNA by RXR/LXR was accompanied by a similar increase in the level of the nuclear, active form of the SREBP-1c protein and an increase in fatty acid synthesis. Because this active form of SREBP-1c controls the transcription of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, our results reveal a unique regulatory interplay between cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism.

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid, appetite-stimulating peptide hormone secreted by the food-deprived stomach. Serine-3 of ghrelin is acylated with an eight-carbon fatty acid, octanoate, which is required for its endocrine actions. Here, we identify GOAT (Ghrelin O-Acyltransferase), a polytopic membrane-bound enzyme that attaches octanoate to serine-3 of ghrelin. Analysis of the mouse genome revealed that GOAT belongs to a family of 16 hydrophobic membrane-bound acyltransferases that includes Porcupine, which attaches long-chain fatty acids to Wnt proteins. GOAT is the only member of this family that octanoylates ghrelin when coexpressed in cultured endocrine cell lines with prepro-ghrelin. GOAT activity requires catalytic asparagine and histidine residues that are conserved in this family. Consistent with its function, GOAT mRNA is largely restricted to stomach and intestine, the major ghrelin-secreting tissues. Identification of GOAT will facilitate the search for inhibitors that reduce appetite and diminish obesity in humans.

The liver provides for long-term energy needs of the body by converting excess carbohydrate into fat for storage. Insulin is one factor that promotes hepatic lipogenesis, but there is increasing evidence that glucose also contributes to the coordinated regulation of carbohydrate and fat metabolism in liver by mechanisms that are independent of insulin. In this study, we show that the transcription factor, carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP), is required both for basal and carbohydrate-induced expression of several liver enzymes essential for coordinated control of glucose metabolism, fatty acid, and the synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides in vivo.

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Ghrelin O -acyltransferase (GOAT) attaches octanoate to proghrelin, which is processed to ghrelin, an octanoylated peptide hormone that stimulates release of growth hormone (GH) from pituitary cells. Elimination of the gene encoding ghrelin or its receptor produces only mild phenotypes in mice. Thus, the essential function of ghrelin is obscure. Here, we eliminate the Goat gene in mice, thereby eliminating all octanoylated ghrelin from blood. On normal or high fat diets, Goat −/− mice grew and maintained the same weights as wild-type (WT) littermates. When subjected to 60% calorie restriction, WT and Goat −/− mice both lost 30% of body weight and 75% of body fat within 4 days. In both lines, fasting blood glucose initially declined equally. After 4 days, glucose stabilized in WT mice at 58–76 mg/dL. In Goat −/− mice, glucose continued to decline, reaching 12–36 mg/dL on day 7. At this point, WT mice showed normal physical activity, whereas Goat −/− mice were moribund. GH rose progressively in calorie-restricted WT mice and less in Goat −/− mice. Infusion of either ghrelin or GH normalized blood glucose in Goat −/− mice and prevented death. Thus, an essential function of ghrelin in mice is elevation of GH levels during severe calorie restriction, thereby preserving blood glucose and preventing death.

Transcription of the gene encoding sterol regulatory elementbinding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) is known to be activated by insulin in the liver. The resultant SREBP-1c protein activates transcription of the genes required for fatty acid synthesis. Here, we use SREBP-1c promoter reporter constructs to dissect the mechanism of insulin activation in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The data show that a complete insulin response (increase of 6-to 11-fold) requires two binding sites for liver X receptors (LXRs), which are nuclear receptors that are activated by oxygenated sterols. Disruption of these binding sites did not lower basal transcription but severely reduced the response to insulin. In contrast, disruption of the closely linked binding sites for SREBPs and nuclear factor Y lowered basal transcription drastically but still permitted a 4-to 7-fold increase in response to insulin. Arachidonic acid, an inhibitor of LXR activation, blocked the response to insulin. We conclude that insulin activates the SREBP-1c promoter primarily by increasing the activity of LXRs, possibly through production of a ligand that activates LXRs or their heterodimerizing partner, the retinoid X receptor. Nuclear SREBPs and nuclear factor Y play permissive roles.

Type-I interferon (IFN) protects against viruses yet it also has a poorly understood suppressive influence on inflammation. Here we report that activated mouse macrophages lacking the IFN-stimulated gene, cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (Ch25h), and that are unable to produce the oxysterol 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) overproduce inflammatory interleukin 1 (IL-1) family cytokines. 25-HC acts by antagonizing sterol response element-binding protein (SREBP) processing to reduce Il1b transcription and to broadly repress IL1-activating inflammasomes. In accord with these dual actions of 25-HC, Ch25h-deficient mice exhibit increased sensitivity to septic shock, exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and a stronger ability to repress bacterial growth. These findings identify an oxysterol, 25-HC, as a critical mediator in the negative-feedback pathway of IFN signaling on IL1-family cytokine production and inflammasome activity.

25-adaptive immune system ͉ cholesterol 25-hydroxylase ͉ innate immune system ͉ negative regulation ͉ oxysterol