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Polyunsaturated fatty acid regulation of hepatic gene transcription

  • The Role of Fatty Acids in Gene Expression
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the n-6 and n-3 families inhibit transcription of a number of hepatic lipogenic and glycolytic genes, e.g. fatty acid synthase. In contrast, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids exert no suppressive action on lipogenic gene expression. The unique PUFA regulation of gene expression extends beyond the liver to include genes such as adipocyte glucose transporter-4, lymphocyte stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2, and interleukins. Some of the transcriptional effects of PUFA appear to be mediated by eicosanoids, but PUFA suppression of lipogenic and glycolytic genes is independent of eicosanoid synthesis and appears to involve a nuclear mechanism directly modified by PUFA. With the recent cloning of a fatty acid-activated nuclear factor termed peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) has come the suggestion that PPAR may be the PUFA response factor. This review, however, presents several lines of evidence that indicate that the PPAR and n-6 and n-3 PUFA regulation of lipogenic and glycolytic gene transcription involve separate and independent mechanisms. Thus PPAR appears not to be the PUFA response factor.

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Abbreviations

ETYA:

eicosatetraynoic acid

FAS:

fatty acid synthase

NIDDM:

noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

PPAR:

peroxisome-prolifcrator-activated receptor

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acids

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Human Ecology, University of Texas-Austin, 78712-1907, Austin, Texas

    Steven D. Clarke

  2. Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Michigan State University, 48824-1101, East Lansing, Michigan

    Donald B. Jump

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Clarke, S.D., Jump, D.B. Polyunsaturated fatty acid regulation of hepatic gene transcription. Lipids 31, S7–S11 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02637044

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