Serum levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) are positively associated with visceral adiposity in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

Molecular targets for diabetes mellitus-associated erectile dysfunction

Protein expression profiles in rat corporal smooth muscle tissue were compared between animal models of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ-DM) and age-matched controls (AMCs) at 1 week and 2 months after induction of hyperglycemia with STZ treatment. At each time point, protein samples from four STZ-DM and four AMC rat corpora tissues were prepared independently and analyzed together across multiple quantitative two-dimensional gels using a pooled internal standard sample to quantify expression changes with statistical confidence. A total of 170 spots were differential expressed among the four experimental groups. A subsequent mass spectrometry analysis of the 170 spots identified a total of 57 unique proteins. Network analysis of these proteins using MetaCore suggested altered activity of transcriptional factors that are of too low abundance to be detected by the two-dimensional gel method. The proteins that were down-regulated with diabetes include isoforms of collagen that are precursors to fibril-forming collagen type 1; Hsp47, which assists and mediates the proper folding of procollagen; and several proteins whose abundance is controlled by sex hormones (e.g. CRP1 and A2U). On the other hand, proteins seen or predicted to be up-regulated include proteins involved in cell apoptosis (e.g. p53, 14-3-3-gamma, Serpinf1, Cct4, Cct5, and Sepina3n), proteins that neutralize the biological activity of nerve growth factor (e.g. anti-NGF 30), and proteins involved in lipid metabolism (e.g. apoA-I and apoA-IV). Subsequent Western blot validation analysis of p53, 14-3-3-gamma, and Hsp47 confirmed increased p53 and 14-3-3-gamma and decreased Hsp47 levels in separate samples. According to the results from the Western blot analysis, Hsp47 protein showed a approximately 3-fold decrease at 1 week and was virtually undetectable at 2 months in diabetic versus control. Taken together, our results identify novel candidate proteins playing a role in erectile dysfunction in diabetes resulting from STZ treatment.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor inhibits lysosomal degradation of Bcl-xL and apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) has several biological actions on tumor cells, but its effects are cell-type dependent. The aim of this study was to examine the pathophysiological role of PEDF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PEDF expression was examined in various hepatoma cell lines and human HCC tissues, and was seen in various hepatoma cell lines including HepG2 cells. In human HCC tissues, PEDF expression was higher than in adjacent non-HCC tissues. In addition, serum PEDF levels were higher in HCC patients than in non-HCC patients, and curative treatment of HCC caused significant reductions in serum PEDF levels compared with pretreatment levels. In vitro experiments, camptothecin (CPT) was used to induce apoptosis and the effect of PEDF was investigated by knockdown of the PEDF gene in CPT-treated HepG2 cells. Knockdown of the PEDF gene enhanced CPT-induced apoptosis, simultaneously down-regulating Bcl-xL expression in HepG2 cells. Expression of apoptosis-related molecules and effects of bafilomycin A1 on CPT-induced apoptosis were also examined in PEDF gene knockdown HepG2 cells. Treatment with bafilomycin A1 suppressed CPT-induced decreases in Bcl-xL expression and increases in apoptosis in PEDF gene knockdown HepG2 cells. PEDF may, therefore, exert anti-apoptotic effects through inhibition of lysosomal degradation of Bcl-xL in CPT-treated HepG2 cells.

Positive association of circulating levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) with pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in a general population

We have recently found that serum levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a glycoprotein with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, are elevated in proportion to the accumulation of the number of the components of the metabolic syndrome. Since formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) progress under the metabolic syndrome and that PEDF could inhibit the AGE-elicited tissue damage, it is conceivable that PEDF levels may be increased as a counter-system against AGEs in patients with the metabolic syndrome. However, correlation between circulating levels of AGEs and PEDF in humans remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the relationship between serum AGE and PEDF levels in a general population and examined the effects of AGEs on PEDF gene expression in vitro. One hundred ninety-six Japanese subjects in a general population underwent a complete history and physical examination, determination of blood chemistries, including serum levels of AGEs and PEDF. In multiple regression analyses, creatinine, body mass index, triglycerides, AGEs and insulin were independently correlated with serum PEDF levels. AGEs dose-dependently increased PEDF gene expression in cultured adipocytes and liver cells. Our present study demonstrated first that circulating AGEs were one of the independent correlates of serum levels of PEDF. Adipose tissue and liver may be target organs for the AGE-induced PEDF overexpression in humans. Serum PEDF levels may be elevated in response to circulating AGEs as a counter-system against the AGE-elicited tissue damage.