Gene Linked to Liver Fat Regulation Responds to Fish Oil in Mouse Study

This laboratory study in mice examined a gene called TMEM135, which appears to help control how the liver manages fat. When researchers altered this gene, the liver’s DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) levels dropped, and the liver ramped up its own fat-production pathways, including one driven by a molecule called SREBP. Interestingly, this shift did not immediately cause fat buildup in the liver on its own.

The researchers found that a separate cellular system, called peroxisomal metabolism, seemed to act as a buffer, keeping fat from accumulating even as the liver’s chemistry shifted toward more fat production. When this buffering system was also disabled, the mice developed noticeable fat accumulation in the liver.

When the mice with the altered gene were given fish oil, their DHA levels were restored and the fat-production signals calmed down. The study also found changes in how certain proteins involved in sugar metabolism were chemically modified, suggesting a link between fat availability, fat production, and how the liver processes glucose.