Expression and Function of mARC: Roles in Lipogenesis and Metabolic Activation of Ximelagatran

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 17;10(9):e0138487. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138487. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Recently two novel enzymes were identified in the outer mitochondrial membrane, mARC1 and mARC2. These molybdenum containing enzymes can reduce a variety of N-hydroxylated compounds, such as N-hydroxy-guanidines and sulfohydroxamic acids, as well as convert nitrite into nitric oxide (NO). However, their endogenous functions remain unknown. Here we demonstrate a specific developmental pattern of expression of these enzymes. mARC1, but not mARC2, was found to be expressed in fetal human liver, whereas both, in particular mARC2, are abundant in adult liver and also expressed in omental and subcutaneous fat. Caloric diet restriction of obese patients caused a decreased expression of mARC2 in liver, similar to that seen in the livers of starved rats. Knock down of mARC2 expression by siRNA in murine adipocytes had statistically significant effect on the level of diglycerides and on the fatty acid composition of some triglycerides, concomitantly a clear trend toward the reduced formation of most of triglyceride and phospholipid species was observed. The involvement of mARC2 in the metabolism of the hepatotoxic drug ximelagatran was evaluated in hepatocytes and adipocytes. Ximelagatran was shown to cause oxidative stress and knock down of mARC2 in adipocytes prevented ximelagatran induced inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. In conclusion, our data indicate that mARC1 and mARC2 have different developmental expression profiles, and that mARC2 is involved in lipogenesis, is regulated by nutritional status and responsible for activation of ximelagatran into a mitotoxic metabolite(s).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Activation, Metabolic / drug effects*
  • Activation, Metabolic / physiology*
  • Adipocytes / drug effects
  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Azetidines / pharmacology*
  • Benzylamines / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Chemokine CCL7 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipogenesis / drug effects*
  • Lipogenesis / physiology*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Membranes / drug effects
  • Mitochondrial Membranes / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Azetidines
  • Benzylamines
  • Chemokine CCL7
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • ximelagatran

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the IMI MIP-DILI project (Grant Agreement number 115336), The Swedish Research Council and Stockholm County Council (ALF). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.