Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Physician-Scientist Development
    • Reviews
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Resource and Technical Advances
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Reviews
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
Anterograde regulation of mitochondrial genes and FGF21 signaling by hepatic LSD1
Yang Cao, Lingyi Tang, Kang Du, Kitt Paraiso, Qiushi Sun, Zhengxia Liu, Xiaolong Ye, Yuan Fang, Fang Yuan, Hank Chen, Yumay Chen, Xiaorong Wang, Clinton Yu, Ira L. Blitz, Ping H. Wang, Lan Huang, Haibo Cheng, Xiang Lu, Ken W.Y. Cho, Marcus Seldin, Zhuyuan Fang, Qin Yang
Yang Cao, Lingyi Tang, Kang Du, Kitt Paraiso, Qiushi Sun, Zhengxia Liu, Xiaolong Ye, Yuan Fang, Fang Yuan, Hank Chen, Yumay Chen, Xiaorong Wang, Clinton Yu, Ira L. Blitz, Ping H. Wang, Lan Huang, Haibo Cheng, Xiang Lu, Ken W.Y. Cho, Marcus Seldin, Zhuyuan Fang, Qin Yang
View: Text | PDF
Research Article Endocrinology

Anterograde regulation of mitochondrial genes and FGF21 signaling by hepatic LSD1

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Mitochondrial biogenesis and function are controlled by anterograde regulatory pathways involving more than 1000 nuclear-encoded proteins. Transcriptional networks controlling the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we show that histone demethylase LSD1 KO from adult mouse liver (LSD1-LKO) reduces the expression of one-third of all nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes and decreases mitochondrial biogenesis and function. LSD1-modulated histone methylation epigenetically regulates nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes. Furthermore, LSD1 regulates gene expression and protein methylation of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1), which controls the final step of NAD+ synthesis and limits NAD+ availability in the nucleus. Lsd1 KO reduces NAD+-dependent SIRT1 and SIRT7 deacetylase activity, leading to hyperacetylation and hypofunctioning of GABPβ and PGC-1α, the major transcriptional factor/cofactor for nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes. Despite the reduced mitochondrial function in the liver, LSD1-LKO mice are protected from diet-induced hepatic steatosis and glucose intolerance, partially due to induction of hepatokine FGF21. Thus, LSD1 orchestrates a core regulatory network involving epigenetic modifications and NAD+ synthesis to control mitochondrial function and hepatokine production.

Authors

Yang Cao, Lingyi Tang, Kang Du, Kitt Paraiso, Qiushi Sun, Zhengxia Liu, Xiaolong Ye, Yuan Fang, Fang Yuan, Hank Chen, Yumay Chen, Xiaorong Wang, Clinton Yu, Ira L. Blitz, Ping H. Wang, Lan Huang, Haibo Cheng, Xiang Lu, Ken W.Y. Cho, Marcus Seldin, Zhuyuan Fang, Qin Yang

×

Figure 8

FGF21 is involved in LSD1-regulated glucose and lipid metabolism.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
FGF21 is involved in LSD1-regulated glucose and lipid metabolism.
(A and...
(A and B) Generation of liver-specific LSD1 and FGF21 double-KO in adult mice (FL-LDKO). (A) Liver Fgf21 mRNA expression and (B) serum FGF21 levels in LSD1-LKO and FL-LDKO mice (n = 6–10 per group). (C–F) FGF21 KO in the liver of LSD1-LKO partially reverses metabolic phenotypes;.(C) Liver triglyceride levels (n = 6–9). (D) Hepatic expression of genes for fatty acid uptake (Cd36) and triglyceride secretion (ApoB, ApoA4, and ApoA5). (E) Triglyceride secretion stimulated by Triton WR-1339 (n = 6–8 per group). (F) Glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) (n = 13–15 per group). Data are shown as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05 versus control; #P < 0.05 versus LSD1-LKO by 1-way ANOVA (A–D) or 2-way ANOVA (E–F) with Bonferroni post hoc test. (G) Summary of LSD1-regulated mitochondrial gene expression and mitokine production. LSD1 controls nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene expression and function through 2 major mechanisms. First, LSD1 modulates H3K4 methylation to epigenetically prime mitochondrial gene expression. Second, LSD1 regulates the expression and methylation of the NAD+ synthetic enzyme NMNAT1, altering SIRT1 and SIRT7 function, which further modulates mitochondrial transcription factor and cofactor activity. Furthermore, LSD1 is involved in the retrograde signal induced by mitochondrial stress to modulate the production of mitokines such as FGF21, which in turn regulate systemic glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism.

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts