Suksdorfin Promotes Adipocyte Differentiation and Improves Abnormalities in Glucose Metabolism via PPARγ Activation

Although the Apiaceae herb family has been traditionally used for the management of type 2 diabetes, its molecular mechanism has not been clarified. Coumarin derivatives, which are abundant in plants of the Apiaceae family, were evaluated for their effects on adipogenesis. We found that suksdorfin significantly promoted adipocyte differentiation and enhanced production of adiponectin, an anti-diabetic adipokine. We also demonstrated that suksdorfin activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a master regulator of adipogenesis. Furthermore, we showed metabolic disorders in obese diabetic KK-A^y mice were attenuated by suksdorfin feeding. Suksdorfin intake induced adipocyte miniaturization and increased expression levels of PPARγ target genes related to adipocyte differentiation. These results indicated that suksdorfin induces adipogenesis in white adipose tissue (WAT) via the activation of PPARγ, leading to improvement of obesity-induced metabolic disorders. Therefore, suksdorfin-mediated amelioration of WAT dysfunctions might be responsible for the anti-diabetic effects of traditional herbal medicine therapy with Apiaceae.     

Comparative molecular profiling of the PPARα/γ activator aleglitazar: PPAR selectivity, activity and interaction with cofactors

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a family of nuclear hormone receptors that control the expression of genes involved in a variety of physiologic processes, through heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor and complex formation with various cofactors. Drugs or treatment regimens that combine the beneficial effects of PPARα and γ agonism present an attractive therapeutic strategy to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Aleglitazar is a dual PPARα/γ agonist currently in phase III clinical development for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who recently experienced an acute coronary event. The potency and efficacy of aleglitazar was evaluated in a head-to-head comparison with other PPARα, γ and δ ligands. A comprehensive, 12-concentration dose-response analysis using a cell-based assay showed aleglitazar to be highly potent, with EC(50) values of 5 nM and 9 nM for PPARα and PPARγ, respectively. Cofactor recruitment profiles confirmed that aleglitazar is a potent and balanced activator of PPARα and γ. The efficacy and potency of aleglitazar are discussed in relation to other dual PPARα/γ agonists, in context with the published X-ray crystal structures of both PPARα and γ.     

Skp2 Regulates Subcellular Localization of PPARγ by MEK Signaling Pathways in Human Breast Cancer

Nuclear hormone receptor family member PPARγ plays an important role in mammary gland tumorigenesis. Previous studies have shown PPARγ has cytoplasmic activities upon tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) stimulation. However, the clinical pathological significance of cytoplasmic PPARγ is not completely understood in human breast cancer. Skp2 is oncogenic, and its frequent amplification and overexpression correlated with the grade of malignancy. In this study, the role of cytoplasmic PPARγ and Skp2 expression was investigated in human breast cancer progression. Therefore, immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin sections of 70 specimens. Furthermore, Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy analysis were used to study the relationship between expression of cytoplasmic PPARγ and Skp2 expression in human breast cancer cells in vitro. Results showed that the expression of cytoplasmic PPARγ was positively correlated with Skp2 expression (p < 0.05), and correlated significantly with estrogen receptor (p = 0.026) and pathological grade (p = 0.029), respectively. In addition, Skp2 overexpression can provoke cytoplasmic localization of PPARγ upon MEK1-dependent mechanisms in human breast cancer cells by nuclear-cytosolic fractionation technology and immunofluorescence microscopy analysis. Using RNA interference technology, we also found that down-regulated Skp2 reduced the phosphorylation level of MEK1 and significantly reversed TPA-induced nuclear export of PPARγ in MDA-MB-231 cells. The changes in the subcellular localization of PPARγ may represent a novel target for selective interference in patients with breast cancer.     

4-Hydroxyderricin,as a PPARγ Agonist,Promotes Adipogenesis,Adiponectin Secretion,and Glucose Uptake in 3T3-L1 Cells

Adipocyte differentiation plays a pivotal role in maintaining the production of small‐size adipocytes with insulin sensitivity, and impaired adipogenesis is implicated in insulin resistance. 4‐Hydroxyderricin (4‐HD), a phytochemical component of Angelica keiskei, possesses diverse biological properties such as anti‐inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antitumor. In the present study, we investigated the effects of 4‐HD on adipocyte differentiation. 4‐HD promoted lipid accumulation in 3T3‐L1 cells, upregulated both peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)‐γ mRNA and protein expression, and acted as a ligand for PPARγ in the luciferase assay. Moreover, 4‐HD increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of adiponectin. Additionally, it promoted insulin‐dependent glucose uptake into 3T3‐L1 adipocytes and increased Akt phosphorylation and glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 mRNA expression. In summary, these findings suggest that 4‐HD, which promoted adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity in 3T3‐L1 cells, might be a phytochemical with potent insulin‐sensitizing effects.     

Fatty Acid-Specific Alterations in Leptin,PPARα, and CPT-1 Gene Expression in the Rainbow Trout

It is known that fatty acids (FA) regulate lipid metabolism by modulating the expression of numerous genes. In order to gain a better understanding of the effect of individual FA on lipid metabolism related genes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), an in vitro time‐course study was implemented where twelve individual FA (butyric 4:0; caprylic 8:0; palmitic (PAM) 16:0; stearic (STA) 18:0; palmitoleic16:1n‐7; oleic 18:1n‐9; 11‐cis‐eicosenoic 20:1n‐9; linoleic (LNA) 18:2n‐6; α‐linolenic (ALA) 18:3n‐3; eicosapentenoic (EPA) 20:5n‐3; docosahexaenoic (DHA) 22:6n‐3; arachidonic (ARA) 20:4n‐6) were incubated in rainbow trout liver slices. The effect of FA administration over time was evaluated on the expression of leptin, PPARα and CPT‐1 (lipid oxidative related genes). Leptin mRNA expression was down regulated by saturated fatty acids (SFA) and LNA, and was up regulated by monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and long chain PUFA, whilst STA and ALA had no effect. PPARα and CPT‐1mRNA expression were up regulated by SFA, MUFA, ALA, ARA and DHA; and down regulated by LNA and EPA. These results suggest that there are individual and specific FA induced modifications of leptin, PPARα and CPT‐1 gene expression in rainbow trout, and it is envisaged that such results may provide highly valuable information for future practical applications in fish nutrition.     

Sida rhomboidea. Roxb Leaf Extract Down-Regulates Expression of PPARγ2 and Leptin Genes in High Fat Diet Fed C57BL/6J Mice and Retards in Vitro 3T3L1 Pre-Adipocyte Differentiation

Sida rhomboidea. Roxb leaf extract (SRLE) is being used by the populace of North-East India to alleviate symptoms of diabetes and obesity. We have previously reported its hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic properties. In this study, we report the effect of SRLE on (i) in vivo modulation of genes controlling high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and (ii) in vitro 3T3L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation and leptin release. Supplementation with SRLE significantly prevented HFD induced increment in bodyweight, plasma lipids and leptin, visceral adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy. Also, SRLE supplementation reduced food intake, down regulated PPARγ2, SREBP1c, FAS and LEP expressions and up-regulated CPT-1 in epididymal adipose tissue compared to obese mice. In vitro adipogenesis of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes was significantly retarded in the presence of SRLE extract. Also decreased triglyceride accumulation, leptin release and glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate dehydrogenase activity along with higher glycerol release without significant alteration of viability of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes, was recorded. Our findings suggest that prevention of HFD induced visceral adiposity is primarily by down regulation of PPARγ2 and leptin gene expression coupled with attenuation of food intake in C57BL/6J mice. SRLE induced prevention of pre-adipocytes differentiation, and leptin release further substantiated these findings and scientifically validates the potential application of SRLE as a therapeutic agent against obesity.     

Structural and Dynamical Insight into PPARγ Antagonism: In Silico Study of the Ligand-Receptor Interactions of Non-Covalent Antagonists

The structural and dynamical properties of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) nuclear receptor have been broadly studied in its agonist state but little is known about the key features required for the receptor antagonistic activity. Here we report a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in combination with free energy estimation of the recently discovered class of non-covalent PPARγ antagonists. Their binding modes and dynamical behavior are described in details. Two key interactions have been detected within the cavity between helices H3, H11 and the activation helix H12, as well as with H12. The strength of the ligand-amino acid residues interactions has been analyzed in relation to the specificity of the ligand dynamical and antagonistic features. According to our results, the PPARγ activation helix does not undergo dramatic conformational changes, as seen in other nuclear receptors, but rather perturbations that occur through a significant ligand-induced reshaping of the ligand-receptor and the receptor-coactivator binding pockets. The H12 residue Tyr473 and the charge clamp residue Glu471 play a central role for the receptor transformations. Our results also demonstrate that MD can be a helpful tool for the compound phenotype characterization (full agonists, partial agonists or antagonists) when insufficient experimental data are available.     

Effect of Si/Al Ratio on CO2 – CH4 Adsorption and Selectivity in Synthesized SAPO-34

Impact of Si/Al ratio on the adsorption capacity and separation selectivity of CO₂/CH₄ in SAPO-34 has been investigated. SAPO-34 samples were synthesized with two Si/Al ratios (0.2 and 0.3). A batch adsorption volumetric apparatus was used to measure the adsorption equilibrium capacity and derive the equilibrium isotherms. The tests were performed in a wide range of pressure from normal to 3000 kPa and three levels of temperatures from 277 to 298 K. Results proved decreasing Si/Al ratio, from 0.3 to 0.2, improved CO₂ separation from CH₄.     

Astaxanthin,a Carotenoid,Stimulates Immune Responses by Enhancing IFN-γ and IL-2 Secretion in Primary Cultured Lymphocytes in Vitro and ex Vivo

Astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant carotenoid, plays a major role in modulating the immune response. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory effects of astaxanthin on cytokine production in primary cultured lymphocytes both in vitro and ex vivo. Direct administration of astaxanthin (70–300 nM) did not produce cytotoxicity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 µg/ mL)- or concanavalin A (Con A, 10 µg/ mL)-activated lymphocytes, whereas astaxanthin alone at 300 nM induced proliferation of splenic lymphocytes (p < 0.05) in vitro. Although astaxanthin, alone or with Con A, had no apparent effect on interferon (INF-γ) and interleukin (IL-2) production in primary cultured lymphocytes, it enhanced LPS-induced INF-γ production. In an ex vivo experiment, oral administration of astaxanthin (0.28, 1.4 and 7 mg/kg/day) for 14 days did not cause alterations in the body or spleen weights of mice and also was not toxic to lymphocyte cells derived from the mice. Moreover, treatment with astaxanthin significantly increased LPS-induced lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo but not Con A-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis revealed that administration of astaxanthin significantly enhanced INF-γ production in response to both LPS and Con A stimulation, whereas IL-2 production increased only in response to Con A stimulation. Also, astaxanthin treatment alone significantly increased IL-2 production in lymphocytes derived from mice, but did not significantly change production of INF-γ. These findings suggest that astaxanthin modulates lymphocytic immune responses in vitro, and that it partly exerts its ex vivo immunomodulatory effects by increasing INF-γ and IL-2 production without inducing cytotoxicity.     

Characterization of 2-Fluoro-2’-deoxyadenosine in Duplex,G-Quadruplex and i-Motif

Among various kinds of fluorine-substituted biomolecules, 2-fluoroadenine (2FA) and its derivatives have been actively investigated as therapeutic reagents, radio-sensitizers, and ¹⁹F NMR probes. In spite of their excellent properties, DNA containing 2FA has not been studied well. For fundamental understanding and future applications to the development of functional nucleic acids, we characterized 2FA-containing oligonucleotides for canonical right-handed DNA duplex, G-quadruplex, and i-motif structures. Properties of 2FA were similar to native adenine due to the small size of the fluorine atom, but it showed unique features caused by high electronegativity. This work provides useful information for future application of 2FA-modified DNA.     

Deactivation of a Pt/Silica–Alumina Catalyst and Effect on Selectivity in the Hydrocracking of n-Hexadecane

The deactivation behavior of a bifunctional catalyst consisting of platinum on amorphous silica–alumina was studied in the hydrocracking of n-hexadecane. The initial decline in activity and the change in selectivity were monitored at the following reaction conditions: pressure = 30 bar; temperature = 310 °C; hydrogen-to-hexadecane feed molar ratio = 10. Initially, hexadecane conversion and selectivity to cracking products decreased rapidly with time-on-stream, and stabilized after 40 h on stream. This could be related to an initial loss of metal surface area, which decreased the activity of monofunctional hydrogenolysis generating cracking products. The acidic function seemed to be unaffected under these reaction conditions. The stable catalyst was exposed to a lower hydrogen-to-hexadecane ratio to accelerate deactivation by coking. A decline in the activity of both functions was observed. The activity of the acidic function could be almost completely recovered by oxidative regeneration, while the metal activity was only partially recovered.     

Differential Regulation of ABCA1 and Macrophage Cholesterol Efflux by Elaidic and Oleic Acids

Trans fatty acid consumption is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. This increased risk has been attributed to decreased levels of HDL cholesterol and increased levels of LDL cholesterol. However, the mechanism by which trans fatty acid modulates cholesterol transit remains poorly defined. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated macrophage cholesterol efflux is the rate-limiting step initiating apolipoprotein A-I lipidation. In this study, elaidic acid, the most abundant trans fatty acid in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, was shown to stabilize macrophage ABCA1 protein levels in comparison to that of its cis fatty acid isomer, oleic acid. The mechanism responsible for the disparate effects of oleic and elaidic acid on ABCA1 levels was through accelerated ABCA1 protein degradation in cells treated with oleic acid. In contrast, no apparent differences were observed in ABCA1 mRNA levels, and only minor changes were observed in Liver X receptor/Retinoic X receptor promoter activity in cells treated with elaidic and oleic acid. Efflux of both tracers and cholesterol mass revealed that elaidic acid slightly increased ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux, while oleic acid led to decreased ABCA1-mediated efflux. In conclusion, these studies show that cis and trans structural differences in 18 carbon n-9 monoenoic fatty acids variably impact cholesterol efflux through disparate effects on ABCA1 protein degradation.     

Interferon-��1b Increases Th2 Response in Neuromyelitis Optica

A Japanese randomized controlled study showed that Interferon â (IFN-â1b) therapy is clinically effective in decreasing the frequency of attacks in multiple sclerosis (MS), even in optico-spinal MS (OSMS). However, recent studies have shown that IFN-â (IFN-â1a/IFN-â1b) treatment was not effective in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients and that the diminished benefit of IFN-â treatment in NMO may be due to different immune responses to IFN-â. We determined longitudinally the expression of CCR5, CXCR3 and CCR4 on CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells in the blood from patients with NMO and MS treated with IFN-â1b. During a 12-month period of IFN-â1b therapy, the annualized relapse rate decreased in MS patients but not in NMO patients. There was no significant difference in the expression of the chemokine receptors between NMO and MS at baseline. The percentages of CD4+CCR5+ and CD4+CXCR3+ T cells, representative of the Th1 response, were decreased in both NMO and MS after treatment. The percentage of CD4+CCR4+ T cells, representative of the Th2 response, was decreased in MS, but those for NMO was significantly increased compared with the pretreatment levels. Our results indicate that IFN-â1b-induced up-modulation of the Th2 response in NMO patients may be the source of differences in the therapeutic response to IFN-â1b therapy. In the present study, Th2 predominance is involved in the pathogenesis of NMO.     

Ghrelin Attenuates Liver Fibrosis through Regulation of TGF-β1 Expression and Autophagy

Ghrelin is a stomach-derived growth hormone secretagogue that promotes various physiological effects, including energy metabolism and amelioration of inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective mechanism of ghrelin against liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ (2.0 mL/kg of 10% CCl₄ v/v solution in peanut oil) two times per week for eight weeks. Ghrelin (10 μg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected two times per week for eight weeks. A second murine liver fibrosis model was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) and concurrent ghrelin administration for four weeks. Hematoxylin eosin (H&E), and Masson’s trichrome were used to detect pathological changes to liver tissue. Western blotting was used to detect protein levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3), I-collage, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) 1, phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB), and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3). In addition, qRT-PCR was used to detect mRNA levels of TGF-β1, I-collage, α-SMA, MMP2, TIMP1 and LC3, while levels of TGF-β1, p-Smad3, I-collage, α-SMA, and LC3 were detected immunohistochemically. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were significantly decreased by ghrelin treatment. Ghrelin administration also significantly reduced the extent of pathological changes in both murine liver fibrosis models. Expression levels of I-collage and α-SMA in both models were clearly reduced by ghrelin administration. Furthermore, ghrelin treatment decreased protein expression of TGF-β1 and p-Smad3. The protein levels of NF-κB and LC3 were increased in the CCl₄- and BDL-treatment groups but were significantly reduced following ghrelin treatment. In addition, ghrelin inhibited extracellular matrix formation by decreasing NF-κB expression and maintaining the balance between MMP2 and TIMP1. Our results demonstrated that ghrelin attenuates liver fibrosis via inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smad3 and NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as autophagy suppression.     

Design,Synthesis, and in vitro Evaluation of P2X7 Antagonists

The P2X7 receptor is a promising target for the treatment of various diseases due to its significant role in inflammation and immune cell signaling. This work describes the design, synthesis, and in vitro evaluation of a series of novel derivatives bearing diverse scaffolds as potent P2X7 antagonists. Our approach was based on structural modifications of reported (adamantan-1-yl)methylbenzamides able to inhibit the receptor activation. The adamantane moieties and the amide bond were replaced, and the replacements were evaluated by a ligand-based pharmacophore model. The antagonistic potency of the synthesized analogues was assessed by two-electrode voltage clamp experiments, using Xenopus laevis oocytes that express the human P2X7 receptor. SAR studies suggested that the replacement of the adamantane ring by an aryl-cyclohexyl moiety afforded the most potent antagonists against the activation of the P2X7 cation channel, with analogue 2-chloro-N-[1-(3-(nitrooxymethyl)phenyl)cyclohexyl)methyl]benzamide ( 56 ) exhibiting the best potency with an IC₅₀ value of 0.39 μM.     

Structure-Guided Tuning of a Selectivity Switch towards Ribonucleosides in Trypanosoma brucei Purine Nucleoside 2′-Deoxyribosyltransferase

The use of nucleoside 2′-deoxyribosyltransferases (NDTs) as biocatalysts for the industrial synthesis of nucleoside analogues is often hindered by their strict preference for 2′-deoxyribonucleosides. It is shown herein that a highly versatile purine NDT from Trypanosoma brucei (TbPDT) can also accept ribonucleosides as substrates; this is most likely because of the distinct role played by Asn53 at a position that is usually occupied by Asp in other NDTs. Moreover, this unusual activity was improved about threefold by introducing a single amino acid replacement at position 5, following a structure-guided approach. Biophysical and biochemical characterization revealed that the TbPDT_Y5F variant is a homodimer that displays maximum activity at 50 °C and pH 6.5 and shows a remarkably high melting temperature of 69 °C. Substrate specificity studies demonstrate that 6-oxopurine ribonucleosides are the best donors (inosine>guanosine≫adenosine), whereas no significant preferences exist between 6-aminopurines and 6-oxopurines as base acceptors. In contrast, no transferase activity could be detected on xanthine and 7-deazapurines. TbPDT_Y5F was successfully employed in the synthesis of a wide range of modified ribonucleosides containing different purine analogues.