RIMKLA

RIMKLA is a protein kinase that plays a crucial role in liver health by activating BHMT1 through phosphorylation at the threonine 45 site. This activation is key to mitigating fatty liver disease and hyperhomocysteinemia. With a significant presence in the liver, RIMKLA's diminished expression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients underscores its importance in liver metabolism. The enzyme's kinase activity is essential, as it enhances BHMT1's ability to convert homocysteine to methionine, reducing blood homocysteine levels and preventing AP1 activation by homocysteine. This, in turn, suppresses the expression of genes like FASN and CD36, which are involved in fatty acid synthesis and uptake, leading to a decrease in liver fat accumulation. By regulating BHMT1 and inhibiting homocysteine-induced AP1 activation, RIMKLA is vital for maintaining hepatic metabolic equilibrium and could offer a new therapeutic target for the treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia and NAFLD, with the RIMKLA-BHMT1 axis being a focal point for such interventions.