Hepatocyte PPARα Is Essential for Triglyceride-Lowering Effect of Pemafibrate

We previously demonstrated that a clinically relevant dose of pemafibrate (PEM), a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) modulator (SPPARMα), reduces serum triglyceride (TG) levels in mice via hepatic PPARα activation. However, the specific contribution of hepatocyte PPARα remains unclear. To address this, male Ppara-floxed (Pparafl/fl) and hepatocyte-specific Ppara-disrupted (PparaΔHep) mice were fed a diet with or without a clinically relevant dose of PEM (0.00005%) for four weeks. In Pparafl/fl mice, PEM significantly reduced circulating TG and non-esterified fatty acid levels by enhancing hepatic fatty acid uptake and β-oxidation. In contrast, these effects were absent in PparaΔHep mice. Notably, PEM did not activate PPARα in extrahepatic tissues, including white/brown adipose tissue, kidney, and skeletal muscle in either genotype. These findings underscore the essential role of hepatocyte PPARα in mediating the pharmacological effects of PEM at clinically relevant doses.