Definition of a novel growth factor-dependent signal cascade for the suppression of bile acid biosynthesis

Genes Dev. 2003 Jul 1;17(13):1581-91. doi: 10.1101/gad.1083503. Epub 2003 Jun 18.

Abstract

The nuclear bile acid receptor FXR has been proposed to play a central role in the feedback repression of the gene encoding cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), the first and rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of bile acids. We demonstrate that FXR directly regulates expression of fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19), a secreted growth factor that signals through the FGFR4 cell-surface receptor tyrosine kinase. In turn, FGF-19 strongly suppresses expression of CYP7A1 in primary cultures of human hepatocytes and mouse liver through a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent pathway. This signaling cascade defines a novel mechanism for feedback repression of bile acid biosynthesis and underscores the vital role of FXR in the regulation of multiple pathways of cholesterol catabolism in the liver.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthracenes / pharmacology
  • Bile Acids and Salts / biosynthesis*
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chenodeoxycholic Acid / pharmacology
  • Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / genetics*
  • Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / agonists
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Repression
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / genetics
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / metabolism*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Isoxazoles / pharmacology
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Response Elements
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Transcription Factors / agonists
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Anthracenes
  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • FGF19 protein, human
  • Isoxazoles
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • farnesoid X-activated receptor
  • Chenodeoxycholic Acid
  • pyrazolanthrone
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors
  • Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • GW 4064