Mof plays distinct roles in hepatic lipid metabolism under healthy or non-alcoholic fatty liver conditions

The disturbance of hepatic lipid metabolism has a strong association with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and diabetes. Mof, an acetyltransferase involved in obesity and carbon metabolism, has not been thoroughly examined in its connection to hepatic metabolism. We aimed to explore the impact of Mof on hepatic lipid metabolism. The alteration of Mof expression was found in both obese mice and NAFLD human liver. The genes regulated by Mof were closely associated with lipid metabolism. In normal mice or hepatic cells, the down-regulation or inhibition of Mof resulted in increased lipid accumulation due to decreased PPARα expression. Conversely, in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice or hepatic cells treated with palmitic acid, the inhibition of Mof led to improved lipid metabolism, attributed to the reduction in p-mTOR/mTOR levels. In summary, Mof exhibited distinct roles in lipid metabolism under different conditions. The inhibition of Mof may hold potential as a therapeutic target for hepatic lipid metabolism disturbances.