Chronic succinate exposure does not cause liver injury.

Abstract

Patients with metabolic syndrome and liver dysfunction demonstrate elevated levels of succinate in the circulation. Succinate has been causally associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in multiple animal models and via different mechanisms including interaction with succinate receptor-1 (SUCNR-1) in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), activity of AMP-associated protein kinase (AMPK) and others. While skeletal muscle is a major source of endogenous succinate, here, using a transgenic mouse with muscle specific ablation of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHC knockout animal) we show that sustained, long term endogenous elevation of blood succinate does not cause liver injury. Both macroscopically and histologically, livers from transgenic animals appear similar to wild-type counterparts. Moreover, tests for liver function and other biochemical serum surrogates of organ integrity; and measurements of oxygen consumption by high resolution respirometry, do not indicate evidence of succinate-induced liver toxicity in transgenic animals. This data suggests that chronically elevated endogenous succinate causes no conspicuous evidence of liver dysfunction at histological, biochemical or metabolic levels.