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Probing metabolic memory in the hepatic response to fasting
Merel Defour1, Guido J E J Hooiveld1, Michel van Weeghel2
1Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Physiological Genomics
|October 19, 2020
Summary
Previous fasting does not create a metabolic memory in the liver. Studies show that prior fasting exposure did not alter the liver
Area of Science:
- Metabolic regulation
- Liver physiology
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Tissues may exhibit altered responses after prior exposure to a stimulus.
- The concept of 'metabolic memory' suggests previous metabolic events could influence future responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if prior fasting influences the liver's response to a subsequent fast.
- To test for a 'metabolic memory' effect in the mouse liver.
Main Methods:
- Mice underwent overnight fasting, with prior fasting exposures.
- Analysis included plasma metabolites, liver triglycerides, transcriptome, and metabolome.
- Humanized mouse livers were used to assess cross-species gene regulation.
Main Results:
- Fasting significantly altered plasma metabolites, liver composition, and gene expression.
- Prior fasting did not change fasting-induced metabolic or transcriptomic responses.
- Gene regulation showed modest similarity between mouse and human liver cells.
Conclusions:
- Previous fasting exposure does not induce a metabolic memory in the liver.
- The liver's response to fasting is not significantly modulated by prior fasting.
- Data offers insights into liver metabolism and fasting, with cross-species comparisons.
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