Transcriptomic analysis reveals a novel regulatory factor of ECHDC1 involved in lipid metabolism of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the highest incidence of chronic liver disease worldwide characterized by lipid accumulation in the liver. The full understanding of the lipogenesis of NAFLD is extreme importance. Here, whole-genome transcriptome analysis was performed on liver tissues of NAFLD patients and healthy controls to identify the differentially expressed genes and find new pathways and target genes related to the lipogenesis of NAFLD. Combined with the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we found 86 overlapping genes, many of which are related to lipid metabolism of NAFLD. ECHDC1 is one of 86 overlapping genes, and its role in NAFLD has not been reported. The expression of ECHDC1 was significantly increased in liver tissue of patients with NAFLD than that of healthy controls, and oil Red O intensity was positively correlated with the expression levels of ECHDC1. Inhibition of ECHDC1 expression in HepG2 cells by RNAi significantly reduced intracellular lipid droplet number in vitro. In summary, this study analyzed pathogenic factors related to NAFLD at the whole-genome level and demonstrated that ECHDC1 may be involved in the occurrence and development of NAFLD by regulating hepatic lipid metabolism.