# Hepatic UGT2B-Mediated Testosterone Clearance Promotes Lipid Accumulation in High-Fat-Diet-Induced MASLD

## TL;DR

This study shows that increased liver clearance of testosterone in mice on a high-fat diet leads to reduced testosterone levels and worsened fatty liver disease.

## Contribution

The study reveals a novel mechanistic link between UGT2B-mediated testosterone metabolism and lipid accumulation in MASLD.

## Key findings

- HFD increased cholesterol and activated cholesterol synthesis and testosterone metabolism pathways in mice.
- UGT2B inhibition in vitro allowed testosterone to reduce lipid accumulation and downregulate lipid pathways.
- UGT2B-mediated testosterone clearance explains the clinical paradox of low testosterone in MASLD.

## Abstract

Background and Objective: Male individuals diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) frequently present with decreased blood testosterone concentrations concomitant with increased levels of hepatic cholesterol, the fundamental substrate for testosterone synthesis; however, the mechanistic relationship between these phenomena remains inadequately elucidated. This study aimed to examine the involvement of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and testosterone metabolism in the pathogenesis of MASLD. Methods: An MASLD model was established in male C57BL/6J mice subjected to a high-fat diet (HFD). Comprehensive analyses, including hepatic transcriptomics, metabolomics, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, were conducted. Additionally, in vitro experiments were performed using AML-12 hepatocytes treated with oleic acid and testosterone, with or without the presence of a uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B (UGT2B) enzyme inhibitor. Results: The HFD elevated cholesterol levels and activated cholesterol synthesis and testosterone metabolic pathways, notably characterized by upregulation of UGT2B enzymes and their transcriptional regulator, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Blood testosterone increased initially but decreased after 24 weeks of HFD. In vitro, testosterone alone did not affect oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation, but inhibiting UGT2B enabled testosterone levels to reduce lipid deposition and downregulate lipid uptake and synthesis pathways. Conclusions: The HFD induces dynamic, UGT2B-mediated hepatic testosterone metabolism. Compensatory early testosterone increase is offset by enhanced UGT2B-mediated clearance, resulting in eventual testosterone depletion and the loss of its protective effects against hepatic lipid accumulation. This explains the clinical paradox and suggests targeting the hepatic UGT2B enzymes as a potential MASLD treatment.