Liver sphingomyelin synthase 1 deficiency causes steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and tumorigenesis: An effect of glucosylceramide accumulation

Summary Glucosylceramide (GluCer) was accumulated in sphingomyelin synthase 1 (SMS1) but not SMS2 deficient mouse tissues. In current study, we studied GluCer accumulation-mediated metabolic consequences. Livers from liver-specific Sms1/global Sms2 double-knockout (dKO) exhibited severe steatosis under a high-fat diet. Moreover, chow diet-fed ≥6-month-old dKO mice had liver impairment, inflammation, and fibrosis, compared with wild type and Sms2 KO mice. RNA sequencing showed 3- to 12-fold increases in various genes which are involved in lipogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Further, we found that direct GluCer treatment (in vitro and in vivo) promoted hepatocyte to secrete more activated TGFβ1, which stimulated more collagen 1α1 production in hepatic stellate cells. Additionally, GluCer promoted more β-catenin translocation into the nucleus, thus promoting tumorigenesis. Importantly, human NASH patients had higher liver GluCer synthase and higher plasma GluCer. These findings implicated that GluCer accumulation is one of triggers promoting the development of NAFLD into NASH, then, fibrosis, and tumorigenesis.
Graphical abstract
Highlights • Sphingomyelin synthase 1 deficiency causes glucosylceramide accumulation • Glucosylceramide accelerates liver steatosis, steatohepatitis, and tumorigenesis • Glucosylceramide stimulates TGFβ1 activation, which mediates liver fibrosis • Human NASH patients have higher glucosylceramide synthase in their livers
Genetics; Molecular genetics; Omics