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HEPATOLOGY, VOLUME 62, NUMBER 1 (SUPPL) AASLD ABSTRACTS 877A<br />

released from damaged hepatocytes. Therefore, TLR3 might be<br />

a novel therapeutic target for liver fibrosis.<br />

Disclosures:<br />

The following authors have nothing to disclose: Wonhyo Seo, Hyuk-Soo Eun, So<br />

Yeon Kim, Seol-Hee Park, Jong-Min Jeong, Won-Mook Choi, Myung-Ho Kim,<br />

Won-IL Jeong<br />

Effects of ASK1 inhibitors on fatty acid metabolism<br />

1359<br />

Efficacy of an ASK1 Inhibitor to Reduce Fibrosis and<br />

Steatosis in a Murine Model of NASH is Associated with<br />

Normalization of Lipids and Hepatic Gene Expression<br />

and a Reduction in Serum Biomarkers of Inflammation<br />

and Fibrosis<br />

Satyajit Karnik 1 , Michael R. Charlton 2 , Li Li 1 , Michelle Nash 1 ,<br />

Maisoun Sulfab 1 , David Newstrom 1 , Erik G. Huntzicker 1 , Dorothy<br />

French 1 , Zachary D. Goodman 3 , Tracy Shafizadeh 4 , Steve Watkins<br />

4 , David Breckenridge 1 , Daniel Tumas 1 ; 1 Biology Research,<br />

Gilead Sciences, Foster City, CA; 2 Gastroenterology and Hepatology,<br />

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; 3 Center for Liver Diseases,<br />

Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA; 4 Metabolon Inc, West<br />

Sacramento, CA<br />

BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE: ASK1 is a kinase that is activated<br />

by various stimuli including oxidative stress, TGF-β, and<br />

hyperglycemia. ASK1 induces apoptosis, fibrosis, and metabolic<br />

dysfunction by activating p38 and JNK1. We previously<br />

demonstrated that ASK1 inhibition is efficacious in preclinical<br />

models of NASH and liver fibrosis. GS-4997, a first-in-class,<br />

oral small molecule ASK1 inhibitor, is being investigated in a<br />

Phase 2 clinical trial in NASH. Here, we further characterize<br />

the efficacy of ASK1 inhibition in a murine model of NASH by<br />

evaluating hepatic gene expression, hepatic and serum lipids,<br />

and serum biomarkers and cytokines. METHODS: NASH was<br />

induced in male C57BL/6 mice by administration of a diet<br />

high in fat, cholesterol, and sugar for 240 days. Animals were<br />

subsequently treated with either placebo or a selective, small<br />

molecule inhibitor of ASK1 for 90 days (n=15/group). Endpoints<br />

included steatosis evaluated by morphometry, clinical<br />

pathology, liver hydroxyproline levels, liver and plasma lipids<br />

by chromatography, hepatic gene expression by microarray,<br />

serum levels cytokines and fibrosis biomarkers by Luminex and<br />

ELISA. RESULTS: ASK1 inhibition reduced hepatic fibrosis, steatosis,<br />

and insulin resistance. ASK1 inhibitor treated animals<br />

had increased lipid metabolism and decreased de novo lipogenesis<br />

vs. controls as evaluated by lipid profiling in liver.<br />

ASK1 inhibitor treated animals had a 26% decrease in lipogenesis,<br />

a 21% decrease in stearoyl-CoA desaturase, and a<br />

78% increase in delta-5 desaturase relative to placebo controls<br />

as reflected in the plasma lipidome (Table). Consistent with<br />

these effects, gene networks regulating fatty acid synthesis,<br />

lipid metabolism, and cholesterol biosynthesis were differentially<br />

expressed in ASK1 inhibitor treated animals vs. placebo<br />

controls. Serum levels of IL-6, and the fibrosis markers osteopontin,<br />

hyaluronic acid, and TIMP-1 were reduced by 50%,<br />

35%, 33% and 41%, respectively, in ASK1 inhibitor treated<br />

animals vs. controls. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic benefit<br />

of an ASK1 inhibitor in reducing hepatic steatosis and fibrosis<br />

was associated with normalization of fatty acid synthesis and<br />

lipid metabolism. These data enhance our understanding of the<br />

mechanisms of action of ASK1 inhibition and further support<br />

evaluation of the ASK1 inhibitor, GS-4997, in patients with<br />

NASH.<br />

Disclosures:<br />

Satyajit Karnik - Consulting: Monsoon Dx; Employment: Gilead Sciences<br />

Michael R. Charlton - Grant/Research Support: GIlead Sciences, Merck, Janssen,<br />

AbbVie, Novartis<br />

Li Li - Employment: Gilead Sciences<br />

Michelle Nash - Employment: Gilead Sciences<br />

Erik G. Huntzicker - Employment: Gilead Sciences; Stock Shareholder: Gilead<br />

Sciences<br />

Dorothy French - Employment: Gilead Sciences; Stock Shareholder: Genentech<br />

- Roche<br />

Zachary D. Goodman - Consulting: Gilead Sciences, Abbvie; Grant/Research<br />

Support: Gilead Sciences, Fibrogen, Galectin Therapeutics, Intercept, Synageva,<br />

Conatus, Tobira, Exalenz<br />

David Breckenridge - Employment: Gilead Sciences<br />

Daniel Tumas - Employment: Gilead Sciences, Inc<br />

The following authors have nothing to disclose: Maisoun Sulfab, David Newstrom,<br />

Tracy Shafizadeh, Steve Watkins<br />

1360<br />

Endothelial Niche Derived Notch Signaling Pathway Balanced<br />

Liver Regeneration and Fibrosis in Distinct Ways<br />

Lin Wang; Hepatic Surgery, Fourth Military Medical University,<br />

Xi`an, China<br />

Abstract: Traumatic or toxic damage to the liver is often<br />

associated with liver regeneration and fibrosis. Liver sinusoidal<br />

endothelial niche has been addressed to modulate liver<br />

regeneration and fibrosis. Previously we found, Notch signaling<br />

was involved into the determination of liver sinusoidal<br />

endothelial cell (SEC) proliferation and differentiation by an<br />

angiocrine manner, and consequently influenced liver regeneration.<br />

However, the specific modulations and cell communications<br />

by endothelial niche-derived Notch signaling on<br />

liver reconstruction are still unknown. In this study, by using<br />

endothelial specific Notch Intracellular Domain (NICD) activated<br />

transgenic models (VeCad-CreERT-NICD) to persistently<br />

activate Notch signal, we firstly found SEC fenestration and<br />

sieve plates dramatically decreased both in vivo and in vitro.<br />

Meanwhile, sinusoidal perfusion and SEC endocytosis ability<br />

were significantly compromised compared to the control.<br />

Intriguingly, incapable hepatocyte proliferation, activated<br />

hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and liver malfunction were more<br />

remarkable in VeCad-CreERT-NICD mice. In 70% hepatectomy<br />

models, hepatocyte regeneration was largely blocked by NICD<br />

activation. By contrast, hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl 4<br />

injection<br />

was apparently aggravated in Notch activated models.<br />

Excitingly, in different co-culture systems, isolated primary SEC<br />

with loss of fenestrations by Notch activation disrupted wild<br />

type hepatocyte proliferation, but initiated HSC activation. To<br />

illustrate the underlying mechanisms, we detected Wnt2, which<br />

was considered as a mitogen of hepatocytes, was downregulated<br />

in VeCad-CreERT-NICD SEC. Overexpression of Wnt2<br />

successfully restored incapable hepatocyte proliferation in<br />

Notch activated mice. Besides, prominently increased ET1 was<br />

noticed in Notch activated SEC and potentially accelerated<br />

liver fibrosis in a Notch-ET1 dependent manner. Conclusion:<br />

We demonstrated Notch signal as a bi-directional switch in<br />

balancing hepatic regeneration and fibrosis through sinusoidal<br />

endothelial niche derived pro-regenerative Notch-Wnt2 versus<br />

pro-fibrotic Notch-ET1 pathways.

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