Therapeutic efficacy of mitochondria-targeted esculetin in the improvement of NAFLD-NASH via modulating AMPK-SIRT1 axis

•Mito-Esc administration significantly improves high fat diet-induced NAFLD-NASH.•High fat diet-induced macrophage infiltration is markedly inhibited by Mito-Esc treatment in liver and adipose tissues.•Mito-Esc, by regulating pre-adipocyte differentiation via AMPK-SIRT1 axis, reduces adipose tissue hypertrophy.•Mito-Esc mediated activation of AMPK-SIRT1 axis regulates palmitate-induced lipid accumulation. Mitochondrial dysfunction due to deregulated production of mitochondria-derived ROS is implicated in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recently, we synthesized a novel mitochondria-targeted esculetin (Mito-Esc) and investigated its dose–response therapeutic efficacy in mitigating high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD and NASH in Apoe-/- mice. Mito-Esc administration, compared to simvastatin and pioglitazone, dose-dependently caused a significant reduction in body weight, improved lipid profile, glucose homeostasis, and pro-inflammatory cytokines level. Mito-Esc administration reduced adipose tissue hypertrophy and lipid accumulation presumably by regulating the levels of CD36, PPAR-γ, EBP-α, and their target genes. Mechanistically, Mito-Esc-induced activation of the AMPK1α-SIRT1 axis inhibited pre-adipocyte differentiation. Conversely, Mito-Esc failed to regulate pre-adipocyte differentiation under AMPK/SIRT1 depleted conditions. In parallel, Mito-Esc administration ameliorated HFD-induced steatosis, fibrosis of the liver, and NAFLD-associated atheromatous plaque formation in the aorta. Importantly, Mito-Esc administration inhibited HFD-induced infiltration of macrophages, a marker of steatohepatitis, in the adipose and liver tissues. The results of the in vitro studies showed that Mito-Esc treatment significantly inhibits TGF-β-induced hepatic stellate cell differentiation as well as the fibrotic markers. Consistent with the above observations, Mito-Esc treatment by activating the AMPK-SIRT1 pathway markedly reversed palmitate-induced mitochondrial superoxide production, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Together, the therapeutic efficacy of Mito-Esc in the mitigation of HFD-induced lipotoxicity, and the associated NASH is in part, mediated by potentiating the AMPK-SIRT1 axis.