Detecting

Targeting

Lack of GPNMB Is Associated With Altered Lipid and Glucose Metabolism and Disrupted Diurnal Hepatic Glycogen Regulation

Authors

Eliz Maria de Oliveira Furtado, Lina Jegodzinski, Juliano Jefferson da Silva, Ana Flávia Tostes, Lucas dos Santos, Pietra Souza Barsanele, Beatriz Santana-Lima, Luciana Chagas Caperuto, Mery Natali Silva Abreu, Darko Castven, Andrea Schenk, Danusa Soares Dias, Jens U. Marquardt, Maristela Oliveira Poletini, Leonardo Vinícius Monteiro de Assis, Maria Nathália Moraes

Journal

The FASEB Journal

Abstract

Higher serum levels of GPNMB are linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Disruption of circadian rhythms also influences the development and progression of MASLD. In this study, we investigated how GPNMB modulates hepatic glycogen metabolism and its potential interaction with the hepatic circadian clock. Male DBA/2 J mice, either wild-type (GP+) or carrying an inactivating Gpnmb mutation (GP), were fed a high-fat diet (48.4% fat) supplemented with 30% fructose in drinking water for 12 weeks. Despite similar weight gain, GP mice displayed greater global fat mass accumulation and elevated serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, GP mice showed improved glucose tolerance, whereas GP+ mice developed impaired glycemic control. Indirect calorimetry under thermoneutral conditions (30°C) revealed loss of diurnal rhythmicity in energy expenditure (EE) in GP mice, which was independent of food intake. Despite its preserved rhythms, hepatic clock gene expression in GP mice showed increased MESOR (e.g., Per1, Per2, and Nr1d1) and increased amplitude (e.g., Nr1d1), indicating higher expression levels throughout the day. GPNMB deficiency further impaired hepatic glycogen storage dynamics, which was attributed to reduced AKT phosphorylation (indicative of defective insulin signaling), reduced FOXO1 phosphorylation, and increased PEPCK-M. Translating our findings to human MASLD patients, GPNMB expression obtained from liver biopsies showed a clear increase across MASLD progression. Importantly, patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and diabetes who received anti-diabetic treatment showed a reduction in hepatic GPNMB expression. Collectively, our findings suggest that GPNMB plays a role in metabolic adaptation to obesogenic diets, as a Gpnmb loss-of-function model reveals an association with impaired hepatic insulin signaling and glycogen metabolism despite improved systemic glucose tolerance in mice, whereas hepatic GPNMB upregulation correlates with MASLD progression in humans.

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Supporting media

Member authors

Research area

B04

Exploiting

Targeting

Chronotherapy of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

MASLD is prevalent and a major risk factor for cirrhosis and liver cancer. Exercise is effective but limited by compliance. This project investigates how exercise timing interacts with hepatocyte circadian clocks to affect metabolism and MASLD progression.

Chronotherapy of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

MASLD is prevalent and a major risk factor for cirrhosis and liver cancer. Exercise is effective but limited by compliance. This project investigates how exercise timing interacts with hepatocyte circadian clocks to affect metabolism and MASLD progression.

B02

Detecting

Exploiting

Circadian desynchronization and epigenetic alteration crosstalk on the development and resolution of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis

A coordinated circadian-epigenetic network maintains liver metabolic homeostasis. Disruption of circadian rhythms or epigenetic regulation alters metabolism and inflammation, contributing to steatohepatitis. This project explores their interaction.

Circadian desynchronization and epigenetic alteration crosstalk on the development and resolution of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis

A coordinated circadian-epigenetic network maintains liver metabolic homeostasis. Disruption of circadian rhythms or epigenetic regulation alters metabolism and inflammation, contributing to steatohepatitis. This project explores their interaction.