Hepatic FoxOs regulate lipid metabolism via modulation of expression of the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase gene

FoxO transcription factors have been implicated in lipid metabolism; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, in an effort to elucidate such mechanisms, we examined the phenotypic consequences of liver-specific deletion of three members of the FoxO family: FoxO1, FoxO3, and FoxO4. These liver-specific triply null mice, designated LTKO, exhibited elevated triglycerides in the liver on regular chow diet. More remarkably, LTKO mice developed severe hepatic steatosis following placement on a high fat diet. Further analyses revealed that hepatic NAD⁺ levels and Sirt1 activity were decreased in the liver of the LTKO mice relative to controls. At the mechanistic level, expression profile analyses showed that LTKO livers had significantly down-regulated expression of the nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) gene encoding the rate-limiting enzyme in the salvage pathway of NAD⁺ biosynthesis. Luciferase reporter assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated that Nampt is a transcriptional target gene of FoxOs. Significantly, overexpression of Nampt gene reduced, whereas knockdown increased, hepatic triglyceride levels in vitro and in vivo. Thus, FoxOs control the Nampt gene expression and the NAD ⁺ signaling in the regulation of hepatic triglyceride homeostasis.