Table 3.

Target genes and related signalling pathways activated by SCFAs.

Target genes	Complexes/pathway	Function	References
SREBP-1	ATP-CL	Reducing the supply of substrate	[39]
CYP7A1	/	Promoting the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids	[40]
SREBP2	/	Augmenting cholesterol uptake in vascular cells	[40,41]
LDLR	/	Augmenting cholesterol uptake in vascular cells	[40,41]
ABCA1	/	Accelerating cholesterol transport from the liver	[42]
ApoA-1	/	Promoting cellular cholesterol efflux	[43]
NPC1L1	/	Playing a vital role in intestinal cholesterol absorption	[44]
ABCG5/8	/	Promoting cholesterol efflux from the duodenum	[44,45]
UCP2	AMPK	Inducing liver autophagyvia	[46]
PPARγ	UCP2	Inducing liver autophagyvia	[46]
FFAR2	TNF-α, Gi	Reducing the inflammatory response of the liver and inhibiting lipolysis and plasma FFA levels	[47,48]
FFAR3	PPARα	Affecting lipid metabolism	[49]
GPR109A	/	Improving the hepatic inflammatory response	[50,51]

Abbreviations: SREBP-1, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1; CYP7A1, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase; SREBP2, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2; LDLR, LDL receptor; ABCA1, ATP binding cassette transporter protein A1; ApoA-1, apolipoprotein A1; NPC1L1, Niemann-Pick C1-like 1; ABCG5/8, ATP-binding cassette transport proteins G5 and G8, GPR43, G protein-coupled receptor 43; UCP2, uncoupling protein 2; AMPK, activating the 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein ktinase; PPARγ, peroshorthorxisome proliferator-activated; receptor γ, FFAR2, free fatty acid receptor 2; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; FFAR3, free fatty acid receptor 3; PPARα, pshort-chaineroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α; GPR109A, G protein-coupled receptor 109A