Ubxn4 deficiency aggravates hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet-fed mice

Background and Aims: UBX domain-containing protein 4 (ubxn4) is a discrete protein domain that binds p97/valosin-containing protein (VCP), a molecular chaperone involved in endoplasmic-reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD). Ubxn4 is highly expressed in the liver and loss of ubxn4 resulted in activation of ER stress in worms. We therefore hypothesized that deficiency of ubxn4 in mice would be susceptible to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).