Liver ALKBH5 regulates glucose and lipid homeostasis independently through GCGR and mTORC1 signaling

Science. 2025 Feb 28;387(6737):eadp4120. doi: 10.1126/science.adp4120. Epub 2025 Feb 28.

Abstract

Maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis is crucial for health, with dysregulation leading to metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). This study identifies alkylation repair homolog protein 5 (ALKBH5), an RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase, as a major regulator in metabolic disease. ALKBH5 is up-regulated in the liver during obesity and also phosphorylated by protein kinase A, causing its translocation to the cytosol. Hepatocyte-specific deletion of Alkbh5 reduces glucose and lipids by inhibiting the glucagon receptor (GCGR) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathways. Targeted knockdown of hepatic Alkbh5 reverses T2DM and MAFLD in diabetic mice, highlighting its therapeutic potential. This study unveils a regulatory mechanism wherein ALKBH5 orchestrates glucose and lipid homeostasis by integrating the GCGR and mTORC1 pathways, providing insight into the regulation of metabolic diseases.

MeSH terms

  • AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase* / genetics
  • AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase* / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / metabolism
  • Glucose* / metabolism
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Homeostasis
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism* / genetics
  • Liver* / enzymology
  • Liver* / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase
  • Glucose
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • ALKBH5 protein, mouse
  • ALKBH5 protein, human