Loss of FoxO in skeletal muscle leads to disrupted muscle metabolism and exacerbates starvation-induced hepatic steatosis

M Mamoru Oyabu (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) M Manato Sakaue (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) A Atsushi Kubo (Laboratory of Stem Cell Regeneration and Adaptation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka) K Kiyoshi Yoshioka (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) R Runa Kawaguchi (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) H Haruki Yamamoto (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) Y Yuzuka Kinjo (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University) J Jungin Kwon (Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University) H Hiroki Nishi (Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) D Daisuke Yamanaka (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) T Tomoki Sato (Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka) D Daiki Mori (Laboratory of Stem Cell Regeneration and Adaptation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka) T Takahiro Eguchi (Brain-Skeletal Muscle Connection in Aging Project Team, Geroscience Research Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology) N Naoki Ito (Brain-Skeletal Muscle Connection in Aging Project Team, Geroscience Research Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology) S So-ichiro Fukada T Takayoshi Suganami (Department of Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University) S Shinji Miura (Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka) Y Yusuke Ono (Department of Muscle Development and Regeneration, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University) F Fumihiko Hakuno (Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) S Shin-ichiro Takahashi (Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo) T Tsuyoshi Goto (Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University) Y Yasutomi Kamei (Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University)

Abstract

Up to a third of the global population is afflicted by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease with excessive triglyceride accumulation in the liver. Prolonged fasting rapidly causes hepatic steatosis via excessive influx of free fatty acids from adipose tissue. However, it is unclear whether skeletal muscle is involved in the etiology of hepatic steatosis during starvation. Here, we demonstrate a critical connection between the liver and skeletal muscle via FoxO transcription factors. During prolonged fasting, hepatic steatosis was exacerbated in skeletal muscle–specific FoxO-deficient mice (mFoxO1,3,4 −/− ) despite preventing skeletal muscle wasting, suggesting that skeletal muscle FoxOs prevent hepatic steatosis during energy deprivation. FoxO deficiency in skeletal muscle weakened fatty acid oxidation and induced abnormal glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle during fasting. Mechanistically, the starvation-induced transcriptional regulation of triglyceride lipase was attenuated in skeletal muscle of FoxO-deficient mice. Conversely, skeletal muscle–specific FOXO1 overexpression was sufficient to increase triglyceride lipase in vivo and protected the liver from Western diet–induced metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis-like phenotype. Taken together, our results demonstrate the physiological importance of skeletal muscle FoxO signaling on the liver pathophysiology.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 15
Published April 14, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (22)

M

Mamoru Oyabu

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

M

Manato Sakaue

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

A

Atsushi Kubo

Laboratory of Stem Cell Regeneration and Adaptation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka

K

Kiyoshi Yoshioka

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

R

Runa Kawaguchi

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

H

Haruki Yamamoto

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

Y

Yuzuka Kinjo

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University

J

Jungin Kwon

Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University

H

Hiroki Nishi

Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

D

Daisuke Yamanaka

Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

T

Tomoki Sato

Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka

D

Daiki Mori

Laboratory of Stem Cell Regeneration and Adaptation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Osaka

T

Takahiro Eguchi

Brain-Skeletal Muscle Connection in Aging Project Team, Geroscience Research Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology

N

Naoki Ito

Brain-Skeletal Muscle Connection in Aging Project Team, Geroscience Research Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology

S

So-ichiro Fukada

T

Takayoshi Suganami

Department of Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University

S

Shinji Miura

Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka

Y

Yusuke Ono

Department of Muscle Development and Regeneration, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University

F

Fumihiko Hakuno

Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

S

Shin-ichiro Takahashi

Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

T

Tsuyoshi Goto

Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University

Y

Yasutomi Kamei

Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University