Valproic acid influences the expression of genes implicated with hyperglycaemia-induced complement and coagulation pathways

Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 25;11(1):2163. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81794-4.

Abstract

Because the liver plays a major role in metabolic homeostasis and secretion of clotting factors and inflammatory innate immune proteins, there is interest in understanding the mechanisms of hepatic cell activation under hyperglycaemia and whether this can be attenuated pharmacologically. We have previously shown that hyperglycaemia stimulates major changes in chromatin organization and metabolism in hepatocytes, and that the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) is able to reverse some of these metabolic changes. In this study, we have used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate how VPA influences gene expression in hepatocytes. Interesting, we observed that VPA attenuates hyperglycaemia-induced activation of complement and coagulation cascade genes. We also observe that many of the gene activation events coincide with changes to histone acetylation at the promoter of these genes indicating that epigenetic regulation is involved in VPA action.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blood Coagulation / drug effects
  • Blood Coagulation / genetics*
  • Complement System Proteins / drug effects
  • Complement System Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / blood*
  • Hyperglycemia / genetics*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Valproic Acid / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Histones
  • Valproic Acid
  • Complement System Proteins