Ablation of the deubiquitinase USP15 ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs due to the accumulation of fat in the liver, leading to fatal liver diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying NAFLD is critical for its prevention and therapy. Here, we observed that deubiquitinase USP15 expression was upregulated in the livers of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and liver biopsies of patients with NAFLD or NASH. USP15 interacts with lipid-accumulating proteins such as FABPs and perilipins to reduce ubiquitination and increase their protein stability. Furthermore, the severity of NAFLD induced by an HFD and NASH induced by a fructose/palmitate/cholesterol/trans-fat (FPC) diet was significantly ameliorated in hepatocyte-specific USP15 knockout mice. Thus, our findings reveal an unrecognized function of USP15 in the lipid accumulation of livers, which exacerbates NAFLD to NASH by overriding nutrients and inducing inflammation. Therefore, targeting USP15 can be used in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD and NASH.