Anterograde Regulation of Nuclear-encoded Mitochondrial Genes and FGF21 Signaling by Hepatic Histone Demethylase LSD1

Mitochondrial biogenesis and function are controlled by anterograde regulatory pathways involving more than one thousand proteins encoded by nuclear genome. Transcriptional networks controlling the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes remain elucidated. Here we show that histone demethylase LSD1 knockout from adult mouse liver (LSD1-LKO) reduces one-third of all nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes and decreases mitochondrial biogenesis and function. LSD1-modulated histone methylation epigenetically regulates nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes. Furthermore, LSD1 targets methylation of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1), the rate-limiting enzyme for nuclear NAD+ synthesis. Hepatic LSD1 knockout reduces NAD+-dependent Sirt1 and Sirt7 deacetylase activity, leading to hyperacetylation and hypofunctioning of GABP? and PGC-1?, the major transcriptional factor/cofactor for nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes. Despite the reduced mitochondrial function, LSD1-LKO mice are protected from diet-induced hepatic steatosis and glucose intolerance, partially due to induction of hepatokine FGF21. Thus, LSD1 orchestrates a core regulatory network involving epigenetic modifications and NAD+ synthesis to control mitochondrial function and hepatokine production. Overall design: ChIP-seq analysis of LSD1 and LSD1-targeted H3K4me2 in liver