Integration of insulin and amino acid signals that regulate hepatic metabolism-related gene expression in rainbow trout: role of TOR

Regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by dietary carbohydrate levels and lipid sources in gilthead sea bream juveniles

The long-term effects on growth performance, body composition, plasma metabolites, liver and intestine glucose and lipid metabolism were assessed in gilthead sea bream juveniles fed diets without carbohydrates (CH–) or carbohydrate-enriched (20 % gelatinised starch, CH+) combined with two lipid sources (fish oil; or vegetable oil (VO)). No differences in growth performance among treatments were observed. Carbohydrate intake was associated with increased hepatic transcripts of glucokinase but not of 6-phosphofructokinase. Expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was down-regulated by carbohydrate intake, whereas, unexpectedly, glucose 6-phosphatase was up-regulated. Lipogenic enzyme activities (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase) and ∆6 fatty acyl desaturase (FADS2) transcripts were increased in liver of fish fed CH+ diets, supporting an enhanced potential for lipogenesis and long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis. Despite the lower hepatic cholesterol content in CH+ groups, no influence on the expression of genes related to cholesterol efflux (ATP-binding cassette G5) and biosynthesis (lanosterol 14α-demethylase, cytochrome P450 51 cytochrome P450 51 (CYP51A1); 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase) was recorded at the hepatic level. At the intestinal level, however, induction of CYP51A1 transcripts by carbohydrate intake was recorded. Dietary VO led to decreased plasma phospholipid and cholesterol concentrations but not on the transcripts of proteins involved in phospholipid biosynthesis (glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase) and cholesterol metabolism at intestinal and hepatic levels. Hepatic and muscular fatty acid profiles reflected that of diets, despite the up-regulation ofFADS2transcripts. Overall, this study demonstrated that dietary carbohydrates mainly affected carbohydrate metabolism, lipogenesis and LC-PUFA biosynthesis, whereas effects of dietary lipid source were mostly related with tissue fatty acid composition, plasma phospholipid and cholesterol concentrations, and LC-PUFA biosynthesis regulation. Interactions between dietary macronutrients induced modifications in tissue lipid and glycogen content.

The five glucose-6-phosphatase paralogous genes are differentially regulated by insulin alone or combined with high level of amino acids and/or glucose in trout hepatocytes

A recent analysis of the newly sequenced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) genome suggested that duplicated gluconeogenic g6pc paralogues, fixed in this genome after the salmonid-specific 4th whole genome duplication, may have a role in the setting up of the glucose-intolerant phenotype in this carnivorous species. This should be due to the sub- or neo-functionalization of their regulation. In the present short communication we thus addressed the question of the regulation of these genes by insulin, hormone involved in the glucose homeostasis, and its interaction with glucose and amino acids in vitro. The stimulation of trout hepatocytes with insulin revealed an atypical up-regulation of g6pcb2 ohnologues and confirmed the sub- or neo-functionalization of the five g6pc genes at least at the regulatory level. Intriguingly, when hepatocytes were cultured with high levels of glucose and/or AAs in presence of insulin, most of the g6pc paralogues were up-regulated. It strongly suggested a cross-talk between insulin and nutrients for the regulation of these genes. Moreover these results strengthened the idea that g6pc duplicated genes may significantly contribute to the setting up of the glucose-intolerant phenotype in trout via their atypical regulation by insulin alone or in interaction with nutrients. These findings open new perspectives to better understand in vivo glucose-intolerant phenotype in trout fed a high carbohydrate diet.

Postprandial nutrient-sensing and metabolic responses after partial dietary fishmeal replacement by soyabean meal in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.)

In this study, we chose a carnivorous fish, turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.), to examine its nutrient-sensing and metabolic responses after ingestion of diets with fishmeal (FM), or 45% of FM replaced by soyabean meal (34·6% dry diet) balanced with or without essential amino acids (EAA) to match the amino acid profile of FM diet for 30 d. After a 1-month feeding trial, fish growth, feed efficiency and nutrient retention were markedly reduced by soyabean meal-incorporated (SMI) diets. Compared with the FM diet, SMI led to a reduction of postprandial influx of free amino acids, hypoactivated target of rapamycin signalling and a hyperactivated amino acid response pathway after refeeding, a status associated with reduced protein synthesis, impaired postprandial glycolysis and lipogenesis. These differential effects were not ameliorated by matching an EAA profile of soyabean meal to that of the FM diet through dietary amino acid supplementation. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the FM diet and SMI diets led to distinct nutrient-sensing responses, which in turn modulated metabolism and determined the utilisation efficiency of diets. Our results provide a new molecular explanation for the role of nutrient sensing in the inferior performance of aquafeeds in which FM is replaced by soyabean meal.

Lysine and Leucine Deficiencies Affect Myocytes Development and IGF Signaling in Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata)

Optimizing aquaculture production requires better knowledge of growth regulation and improvement in diet formulation. A great effort has been made to replace fish meal for plant protein sources in aquafeeds, making necessary the supplementation of such diets with crystalline amino acids (AA) to cover the nutritional requirements of each species. Lysine and Leucine are limiting essential AA in fish, and it has been demonstrated that supplementation with them improves growth in different species. However, the specific effects of AA deficiencies in myogenesis are completely unknown and have only been studied at the level of hepatic metabolism. It is well-known that the TOR pathway integrates the nutritional and hormonal signals to regulate protein synthesis and cell proliferation, to finally control muscle growth, a process also coordinated by the expression of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs). This study aimed to provide new information on the impact of Lysine and Leucine deficiencies in gilthead sea bream cultured myocytes examining their development and the response of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), MRFs, as well as key molecules involved in muscle growth regulation like TOR. Leucine deficiency did not cause significant differences in most of the molecules analyzed, whereas Lysine deficiency appeared crucial in IGFs regulation, decreasing significantly IGF-I, IGF-II and IGF-IRb mRNA levels. This treatment also down-regulated the gene expression of different MRFs, including Myf5, Myogenin and MyoD2. These changes were also corroborated by a significant decrease in proliferation and differentiation markers in the Lysine-deficient treatment. Moreover, both Lysine and Leucine limitation induced a significant down-regulation in FOXO3 gene expression, which deserves further investigation. We believe that these results will be relevant for the production of a species as appreciated for human consumption as it is gilthead sea bream and demonstrates the importance of an adequate level of Lysine in fishmeal diet formulation for optimum growth.

Influence of plasma macronutrient levels on hepatic metabolism: role of regulatory networks in homeostasis and disease states

Multilevel regulations by metabolic, signaling and transcription pathways form a complex network that works to provide robust metabolic regulation in the liver. This analysis indicates that dietary perturbations in these networks can lead to insulin resistance.

Hepatic fatty acid biosynthesis is more responsive to protein than carbohydrate in rainbow trout during acute stimulations

The link between dietary carbohydrate/protein and de novo lipogenesis (DNL) remains debatable in carnivorous fish. We aimed to evaluate and compare the response of hepatic lipogenic gene expression to dietary carbohydrate intake/glucose and dietary protein intake/amino acids (AAs) during acute stimulations using both in vivo and in vitro approaches. For the in vivo trial, three different diets and a controlled-feeding method were employed to supply fixed amount of dietary protein or carbohydrate in a single meal; for the in vitro trial, primary hepatocytes were stimulated with a low or high level of glucose (3 mM or 20 mM) and a low or high level of AAs (one-fold or four-fold concentrated AAs). In vitro data showed that a high level of AAs upregulated the expression of enzymes involved in DNL [fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ATP citrate lyase (ACLY)], lipid bioconversion [elongation of very long chain fatty acids like-5 (Elovl5), Elovl2, Δ6 fatty acyl desaturase (D6D) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1)], NADPH production [glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and malic enzyme (ME)], and transcriptional factor sterol regulatory element binding protein 1-like, while a high level of glucose only elevated the expression of ME. Data in trout liver also showed that high dietary protein intake induced higher lipogenic gene expression (FAS, ACLY, and Elovl2) regardless of dietary carbohydrate intake, while high carbohydrate intake markedly suppressed the expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and Elovl5. Overall, we conclude that, unlike rodents or humans, hepatic fatty acid biosynthetic gene expression in rainbow trout is more responsive to dietary protein intake/AAs than dietary carbohydrate intake/glucose during acute stimulations. This discrepancy probably represents one important physiological and metabolic difference between carnivores and omnivores.

Manganese deficiency or excess caused the depression of intestinal immunity, induction of inflammation and dysfunction of the intestinal physical barrier, as regulated by NF-κB, TOR and Nrf2 signalling, in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Intestinal mucosal immune components and mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines, tight junction proteins, antioxidant enzymes and related signalling molecules in young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) under dietary manganese (Mn) deficiency or excess were investigated. Fish were fed the diets containing graded levels of Mn [3.65-27.86 mg Mn kg(-1) diet] for 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that Mn deficiency significantly decreased the lysozyme and acid phosphatase (ACP) activities, up-regulated tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 8 and the signalling factor nuclear factor-κB p65, and down-regulated interleukin 10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor β1, inhibitor of signalling factors κB-α and target of rapamycin mRNA levels in the proximal intestine (PI), mid intestine (MI) and distal intestine (DI). However, Mn deficiency did not change the C3 content in the PI, whereas it decreased the C3 contents in the MI and DI. Additionally, Mn depletion also resulted in significantly low mRNA levels for tight junction proteins (claudin-b, claudin-c, claudin-15, occludin and zonula occludens-1), antioxidant enzymes (MnSOD, GPx and CAT) and NF-E2-related factor-2 in the intestines of fish. Excessive Mn exhibited toxic effects similar to Mn deficiency, where optimal Mn contents reversed those indicators. In conclusion, Mn deficiency or excess causes the depression of intestinal immunity, induction of inflammation and dysfunction of the intestinal physical barrier relating to NF-κB, TOR and Nrf2 signalling in grass carp. Furthermore, quadratic regression analysis at 95% maximum response of lysozyme and acid phosphatase activities in the distal intestine of young grass carp revealed the optimum dietary Mn levels to be 8.90 and 8.99 mg kg(-1) diet, respectively.

Differences in growth, fillet quality, and fatty acid metabolism-related gene expression between juvenile male and female rainbow trout

Sexual maturation occurs at the expense of stored energy and nutrients, including lipids; however, little is known regarding sex effects on nutrient regulatory mechanisms in rainbow trout prior to maturity. Thirty-two, 14-month-old, male and female rainbow trout were sampled for growth, carcass yield, fillet composition, and gene expression of liver, white muscle, and visceral adipose tissue. Growth parameters, including gonadosomatic index, were not affected by sex. Females had higher percent separable muscle yield, but there were no sex effects on fillet proximate composition. Fillet shear force indicated females produce firmer fillets than males. Male livers had greater expression of three cofactors within the mTOR signaling pathway that act to inhibit TORC1 assembly; mo25, rictor, and pras40. Male liver also exhibited increased expression of β-oxidation genes cpt1b and ehhadh. These findings are indicative of increased mitochondrial β-oxidation in male liver. Females exhibited increased expression of the mTOR cofactor raptor in white muscle and had higher expression levels of several genes within the fatty acid synthesis pathway, including gpat, srebp1, scd1, and cd36. Female muscle also had increased expression of β-oxidation genes cpt1d and cpt2. Increased expression of both fatty acid synthesis and β-oxidation genes suggests female muscle may have greater fatty acid turnover. Differences between sexes were primarily associated with variation of gene expression within the mTOR signaling pathway. Overall, data suggest there is differential regulation of gene expression in male and female rainbow trout tissues prior to the onset of sexual maturity that may lead to nutrient repartitioning during maturation.

Acute rapamycin treatment improved glucose tolerance through inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Our aim was to investigate the potential role of TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling pathway in the regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism in rainbow trout. Fasted fish were first treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of rapamycin or vehicle and then submitted to a second intraperitoneal administration of glucose 4 h later. Our results revealed that intraperitoneal administration of glucose induced hyperglycemia for both vehicle and rapamycin treatments, which peaked at 2 h. Plasma glucose level in vehicle-treated fish was significantly higher than in rapamycin-treated fish at 8 and 17 h, whereas it remained at the basal level in rapamycin-treated fish. Glucose administration significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K1) in vehicle-treated fish, while rapamycin completely abolished the activation of S6K1 in rapamycin-treated fish, without inhibiting the phosphorylation of Akt on Thr-308 or Ser-473. Despite the lack of significant variation in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA abundance, mRNA abundance for glucokinase (GK), glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) I and II, and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) was reduced by rapamycin 17 h after glucose administration. The inhibition effect of rapamycin on GK and FBPase was further substantiated at the activity level. The suppression of GK gene expression and activity by rapamycin provided the first in vivo evidence in fish that glucose regulates hepatic GK gene expression and activity through a TORC1-dependent manner. Unlike in mammals, we observed that acute rapamycin treatment improved glucose tolerance through the inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis in rainbow trout.

IGF-I and amino acids effects through TOR signaling on proliferation and differentiation of gilthead sea bream cultured myocytes

Skeletal muscle growth and development is controlled by nutritional (amino acids, AA) as well as hormonal factors (insulin-like growth factor, IGF-I); however, how its interaction modulates muscle mass in fish is not clearly elucidated. The purpose of this study was to analyze the development of gilthead sea bream cultured myocytes to describe the effects of AA and IGF-I on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) expression, as well as on the transduction pathways involved in its signaling (TOR/AKT). Our results showed that AA and IGF-I separately increased the number of PCNA-positive cells and, together produced a synergistic effect. Furthermore, AA and IGF-I, combined or separately, increased significantly Myogenin protein expression, whereas MyoD was not affected. These results indicate a role for these factors in myocyte proliferation and differentiation. At the mRNA level, AA significantly enhanced PCNA expression, but no effects were observed on the expression of the MRFs or AKT2 and FOXO3 upon treatment. Nonetheless, we demonstrated for the first time in gilthead sea bream that AA significantly increased the gene expression of TOR and its downstream effectors 4EBP1 and 70S6K, with IGF-I having a supporting role on 4EBP1 up-regulation. Moreover, AA and IGF-I also activated TOR and AKT by phosphorylation, respectively, being this activation decreased by specific inhibitors. In summary, the present study demonstrates the importance of TOR signaling on the stimulatory role of AA and IGF-I in gilthead sea bream myogenesis and contributes to better understand the potential regulation of muscle growth and development in fish.

Postprandial molecular responses in the liver of the barramundi, Lates calcarifer

The regulation of gene expression by nutrients is an important mechanism governing energy storage and growth in most animals, including fish. At present, very few genes that regulate intermediary metabolism have been identified in barramundi, nor is there any understanding of their nutritional regulation. In this study, a partial barramundi liver transcriptome was assembled from next-generation sequencing data and published barramundi EST sequences. A large number of putative metabolism genes were identified in barramundi, and the changes in the expression of 24 key metabolic regulators of nutritional pathways were investigated in barramundi liver over a time series immediately after a meal of a nutritionally optimised diet for this species. Plasma glucose and free amino acid levels showed a mild postprandial elevation which peaked 2 h after feeding, and had returned to basal levels within 4 or 8 h, respectively. Significant activation or repression of metabolic nuclear receptor regulator genes were observed, in combination with activation of glycolytic and lipogenic pathways, repression of the final step of gluconeogenesis and activation of the Akt-mTOR pathway. Strong correlations were identified between a number of different metabolic genes, and the coordinated co-regulation of these genes may underlie the ability of this fish to utilise dietary nutrients. Overall, these data clearly demonstrate a number of unique postprandial responses in barramundi compared with other fish species and provide a critical step in defining the response to different dietary nutrient sources.

Metabolic consequences of microRNA-122 inhibition in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory molecules which post-transcriptionally regulate mRNA stability and translation. Several microRNAs have received attention due to their role as key metabolic regulators. In spite of the high evolutionary conservation of several miRNAs, the role of miRNAs in lower taxa of vertebrates has not been studied with regard to metabolism. The liver-specific and highly abundant miRNA-122 is one of the most widely studied miRNA in mammals, where it has been implicated in the control of hepatic lipid metabolism. Following our identification of acute postprandial, nutritional and endocrine regulation of hepatic miRNA-122 isomiRNA expression in rainbow trout, we used complementary in silico and in vivo approaches to study the role of miRNA-122 in rainbow trout metabolism. We hypothesized that the role of miRNA-122 in regulating lipid metabolism in rainbow trout is conserved to that in mammals and that modulation of miRNA-122 function would result in altered lipid homeostasis and secondarily altered glucose homeostasis, since lipogenesis has been suggested to act as glucose sink in trout.

Results

Our results show that miRNA-122 was functionally inhibited in vivo in the liver. Postprandial glucose concentrations increased significantly in rainbow trout injected with a miRNA-122 inhibitor, and this effect correlated with decreases in hepatic FAS protein abundance, indicative of altered lipogenic potential. Additionally, miRNA-122 inhibition resulted in a 20% decrease in plasma cholesterol concentration, an effect associated with increased expression of genes involved in cholesterol degradation and excretion.

Conclusions

Overall evidence suggests that miRNA-122 may have evolved in early vertebrates to support liver-specific metabolic functions. Nevertheless, our data also indicate that metabolic consequences of miRNA-122 inhibition may differ quantitatively between vertebrate species and that distinct direct molecular targets of miRNA-122 may mediate metabolic effects between vertebrate species, indicating that miRNA-122 - mRNA target relationships may have undergone species-specific evolutionary changes.

Post-prandial regulation of hepatic glucokinase and lipogenesis requires the activation of TORC1 signalling in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

To assess the potential involvement of TORC1 (target of rapamycin complex 1) signalling in the regulation of post-prandial hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism-related gene expression in trout, we employed intraperitoneal administration of rapamycin to achieve an acute inhibition of the TOR pathway. Our results reveal that rapamycin inhibits the phosphorylation of TORC1 and its downstream effectors (S6K1, S6 and 4E-BP1), without affecting Akt and the Akt substrates Forkhead-box Class O1 (FoxO1) and glycogen synthase kinase 3α/β (GSK 3α/β). These results indicate that acute administration of rapamycin in trout leads to the inhibition of TORC1 activation. No effect is observed on the expression of genes involved in gluconeogenesis, glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation, but hepatic TORC1 inhibition results in decreased sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) gene expression and suppressed fatty acid synthase (FAS) and glucokinase (GK) at gene expression and activity levels, indicating that FAS and GK activity is controlled at a transcriptional level in a TORC1-dependent manner. This study demonstrates for the first time in fish that post-prandial regulation of hepatic lipogenesis and glucokinase in rainbow trout requires the activation of TORC1 signalling.

Myostatin induces atrophy of trout myotubes through inhibiting the TORC1 signaling and promoting Ubiquitin-Proteasome and Autophagy-Lysosome degradative pathways

Myostatin (MSTN) is well known as a potent inhibitor of muscle growth in mammals and has been shown to both inhibit the growth promoting TORC1 signaling pathway and promote Ubiquitin-Proteasomal and Autophagy-Lysosomal degradative routes. In contrast, in non-mammalian species, despite high structural conservation of MSTN sequence, functional conservation is only assumed. Here, we show that treatment of cultured trout myotubes with human recombinant MSTN (huMSTN) resulted in a significant decrease of their diameter by up to 20%, validating the use of heterologous huMSTN in our in vitro model to monitor the processes by which this growth factor promotes muscle wasting in fish. Accordingly, huMSTN stimulation prevented the full activation by IGF1 of the TORC1 signaling pathway, as revealed by the analysis of the phosphorylation status of 4E-BP1. Moreover, the levels of the proteasome-dependent protein Atrogin1 exhibited an increase in huMSTN treated cells. Likewise, we observed a stimulatory effect of huMSTN treatment on the levels of LC3-II, the more reliable marker of the Autophagy-Lysosomal degradative system. Overall, these results show for the first time in a piscine species the effect of MSTN on several atrophic and hypertrophic pathways and support a functional conservation of this growth factor between lower and higher vertebrates.

Postprandial regulation of growth- and metabolism-related factors in zebrafish

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been proposed as a possible model organism for nutritional physiology. However, this potential has not yet been realized and studies on the field remain scarce. In this work, we investigated in this species the effect of a single meal as well as that of an increase in the ratio of dietary carbohydrates/proteins on the postprandial expression of several hepatic and muscle metabolism-related genes and proteins. Fish were fed once either a commercial diet (experiment 1) or one of two experimental diets (experiment 2) containing different protein and carbohydrate levels after 72 h of starvation. Refeeding induced the postprandial expression of genes of glycolysis (GK, HK1) and lipogenesis (FAS, G6PDH, ACCa) and inhibited those of gluconeogenesis (cPEPCK) and beta-oxidation (CPT1b) in the viscera. In the muscle, refeeding increased transcript levels of myogenesis (Myf5, Myogenin), inhibited those of Ub-proteasomal proteolytic system (Atrogin1, Murf1a, Murf1b), and induced the activation of key signaling factors of protein synthesis (Akt, 4EBP1, S6K1, S6). However, diet composition had a low impact on the studied factors. Together, these results highlight some specificity of the zebrafish metabolism and demonstrate the interest and the limits of this species as a model organism for nutritional physiology studies.

Leucine induces myofibrillar protein accretion in cultured skeletal muscle through mTOR dependent and -independent control of myosin heavy chain mRNA levels

SCOPE

Nutritional intervention during muscle wasting aims to attenuate net muscle protein loss. Branched chain amino acids, especially leucine, are able to stimulate the anabolic mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling cascade and protein synthesis. It has been suggested that muscle myofibrillar protein expression is more responsive to amino acid supplementation compared to cytoplasmic proteins, although accretion of myofibrillar proteins has not extensively been investigated. We hypothesized that leucine specifically increases myofibrillar protein synthesis in skeletal muscle.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This hypothesis was investigated in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells using physiologically relevant culture conditions. Leucine supplementation specifically increased myofibrillar protein accretion, including myosin heavy chain-slow and -fast and myosin light chain 1 and -3 in C2C12 cells. Neither total protein content, nor de novo protein synthesis was affected, despite leucine-induced increased 4E-BP1 and S6K1 phosphorylation. Leucine supplementation did not affect myogenesis, measured by creatine kinase activity and myoblast fusion, either. Remarkably, leucine-induced increased myofibrillar protein accretion was accompanied by elevated MyHC mRNA levels, which involved mTOR-dependent and -independent regulation of MyHC-4 and MyHC-7 gene-expression, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study clearly demonstrates myofibrillar and not generic protein accretion in skeletal muscle following leucine supplementation, and suggests this involves pre-translational control of MyHC expression by leucine.

Response of hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism to a mixture or single fatty acids: Possible presence of fatty acid-sensing mechanisms

To assess the hypothesis that an acute dietary fatty acid (FA) supply may improve glucose tolerance in rainbow trout, we orally administered fish with fish oil (FO; 10mL.kg(-1), one time), which were then subjected to a glucose tolerance test and sampled 6h after injection. Parameters related to glucose and lipid metabolism were then assessed. The results suggest that when both nutrients were administered at the same time, an increased potential for lipogenesis occurred concomitantly with a lower level of glycaemia. In a second experiment we administered intraperitoneally a single FA present in the FO mixture such as oleic acid (60 or 300μg.kg(-1)) whereas octanoic acid (60 or 300μg.kg(-1)) was used as negative control (absent from the FO). However, the effects of both FA were similar in reducing the potential of lipid synthesis and oxidation, and in enhancing the potential of glucose synthesis and glycogenesis. Differences found between FO and single FA administration show that response to FA was dependent on the treatment (mixture vs. single FA) but also comply with the idea that an interaction between FA and glucose rather than FA alone are in the origin of the results reported. The administration of individual FA such as oleic and octanoic acid failed in enhancing lipogenesis and reducing plasma glucose levels and thus in explaining results obtained with FO. However, results provide evidence that FA even provided at a low dose play a key role in the regulation of several putative components of a FA sensing system present in rainbow trout liver.

Apparent low ability of liver and muscle to adapt to variation of dietary carbohydrate:protein ratio in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exhibits high dietary amino acid requirements and an apparent inefficiency to use dietary carbohydrates. Using this species, we investigated the metabolic consequences of long-term high carbohydrates/low protein feeding. Fish were fed two experimental diets containing either 20 % carbohydrates/50 % proteins (C20P50), or high levels of carbohydrates at the expense of proteins (35 % carbohydrates/35 % proteins – C35P35). The expression of genes related to hepatic and muscle glycolysis (glucokinase (GK), pyruvate kinase and hexokinase) illustrates the poor utilisation of carbohydrates irrespective of their dietary levels. The increased postprandial GK activity and the absence of inhibition of the gluconeogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase activity support the hypothesis of the existence of a futile cycle around glucose phosphorylation extending postprandial hyperglycaemia. After 9 weeks of feeding, the C35P35-fed trout displayed lower body weight and feed efficiency and reduced protein and fat gains than those fed C20P50. The reduced activation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4-E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in the muscle in this C35P35 group suggests a reduction in protein synthesis, possibly contributing to the reduction in N gain. An increase in the dietary carbohydrate:protein ratio decreased the expression of genes involved in amino acid catabolism (serine dehydratase and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase E1α and E1β), and increased that of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, suggesting a higher reliance on lipids as energy source in fish fed high-carbohydrate and low-protein diets. This probably also contributes to the lower fat gain. Together, these results show that different metabolic pathways are affected by a high-carbohydrate/low-protein diet in rainbow trout.

Postprandial regulation of hepatic microRNAs predicted to target the insulin pathway in rainbow trout

Rainbow trout are carnivorous fish and poor metabolizers of carbohydrates, which established this species as a model organism to study the comparative physiology of insulin. Following the recent characterisation of key roles of several miRNAs in the insulin action on hepatic intermediary metabolism in mammalian models, we investigated the hypothesis that hepatic miRNA expression is postprandially regulated in the rainbow trout and temporally coordinated in the context of insulin-mediated regulation of metabolic gene expression in the liver. To address this hypothesis, we used a time-course experiment in which rainbow trout were fed a commercial diet after short-term fasting. We investigated hepatic miRNA expression, activation of the insulin pathway, and insulin regulated metabolic target genes at several time points. Several miRNAs which negatively regulate hepatic insulin signaling in mammalian model organisms were transiently increased 4 h after the meal, consistent with a potential role in acute postprandial negative feed-back regulation of the insulin pathway and attenuation of gluconeogenic gene expression. We equally observed a transient increase in omy- miRNA-33 and omy-miRNA-122b 4 h after feeding, whose homologues have potent lipogenic roles in the liver of mammalian model systems. A concurrent increase in the activity of the hepatic insulin signaling pathway and the expression of lipogenic genes (srebp1c, fas, acly) was equally observed, while lipolytic gene expression (cpt1a and cpt1b) decreased significantly 4 h after the meal. This suggests lipogenic roles of omy-miRNA-33 and omy-miRNA-122b may be conserved between rainbow trout and mammals and that these miRNAs may furthermore contribute to acute postprandial regulation of de novo hepatic lipid synthesis in rainbow trout. These findings provide a framework for future research of miRNA regulation of hepatic metabolism in trout and will help to further elucidate the metabolic phenotype of rainbow trout.

Methionine restriction affects the phenotypic and transcriptional response of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to carbohydrate-enriched diets

Mammalian studies report that methionine restriction (MR) as a dietary regimen extends life span, delays the onset of age-related diseases and enhances fat oxidation in obese subjects with metabolic syndromes. However, the underlying cellular signalling pathways are poorly understood. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a glucose-intolerant species, providing an excellent model for the study of carbohydrate metabolism. MR diets in combination with 12 % (+/-) and 22 % (+/-) carbohydrate-rich meals were fed to rainbow trout for a period of 8 weeks and phenotypic and transcript expression changes in the liver and white muscle were assessed. Fish fed MR diets, irrespective of carbohydrate load, were shown to abolish the glucose-intolerant phenotype 6 h post-feeding. There was a distinct switch in glucose and glycogen content in the liver of fish fed MR diets, with a significantly higher concentration of glycogen, suggesting reduced glycolytic capacity. Transcriptional responses to MR demonstrated decreased expression of hepatic fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory binding protein 1, PPARγ coactivator 1-α and PPARα, indicative of a reduction in the de novo synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, and a potential decrease in hepatic fat oxidative capacity. Muscle adenylate charge was depressed under MR, and increased expression of AMP-activated protein kinase α1 was detected, indicative of reduced energy availability. Total DNA methylation showed that carbohydrate load, rather than MR, dictated hypomethylation of genomic DNA. This is the first study which demonstrates that MR can abolish a glucose-intolerant phenotype in trout, and identifies trout as a suitable model for studying metabolic syndromes.

Glucose metabolism in fish: a review

Teleost fishes represent a highly diverse group consisting of more than 20,000 species living across all aquatic environments. This group has significant economical, societal and environmental impacts, yet research efforts have concentrated primarily on salmonid and cyprinid species. This review examines carbohydrate/glucose metabolism and its regulation in these model species including the role of hormones and diet. Over the past decade, molecular tools have been used to address some of the downstream components of these processes and these are incorporated to better understand the roles played by carbohydrates and their regulatory paths. Glucose metabolism remains a contentious area as many fish species are traditionally considered glucose intolerant and, therefore, one might expect that the use and storage of glucose would be considered of minor importance. However, the actual picture is not so clear since the apparent intolerance of fish to carbohydrates is not evident in herbivorous and omnivorous species and even in carnivorous species, glucose is important for specific tissues and/or for specific activities. Thus, our aim is to up-date carbohydrate metabolism in fish, placing it to the context of these new experimental tools and its relationship to dietary intake. Finally, we suggest that new research directions ultimately will lead to a better understanding of these processes.

New insights into the signaling system and function of insulin in fish

Fish have provided essential information about the structure, biosynthesis, evolution, and function of insulin (INS) as well as about the structure, evolution, and mechanism of action of insulin receptors (IR). INS, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and IGF-2 share a common ancestor; INS and a single IGF occur in Agnathans, whereas INS and distinct IGF-1 and IGF-2s appear in Chondrichthyes. Some but not all teleost fish possess multiple INS genes, but it is not clear if they arose from a common gene duplication event or from multiple separate gene duplications. INS is produced by the endocrine pancreas of fish as well as by several other tissues, including brain, pituitary, gastrointestinal tract, and adipose tissue. INS regulates various aspects of feeding, growth, development, and intermediary metabolism in fish. The actions of INS are mediated through the insulin receptor (IR), a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family. IRs are widely distributed in peripheral tissues of fish, and multiple IR subtypes that derive from distinct mRNAs have been described. The IRs of fish link to several cellular effector systems, including the ERK and IRS-PI3k-Akt pathways. The diverse effects of INS can be modulated by altering the production and release of INS as well as by adjusting the production/surface expression of IR. The diverse actions of INS in fish as well as the diverse nature of the neural, hormonal, and environmental factors known to affect the INS signaling system reflects the various life history patterns that have evolved to enable fish to occupy a wide range of aquatic habitats.

Regulation of de novo hepatic lipogenesis by insulin infusion in rainbow trout fed a high-carbohydrate diet

Carbohydrate energy intake in excess of total energy expenditure is converted to fat. In fish, the liver is considered to be the main lipogenic tissue. Its regulation by insulin is not fully understood, and some of the available in vivo findings are contradictory. In this study, bovine insulin was infused for 5 d into rainbow trout fed a high-carbohydrate diet, and variables of de novo hepatic lipogenesis were measured. We found that hepatic lipogenesis in trout is stimulated by insulin, reflected in enhanced mRNA and protein abundance and enzyme activity of ATP-citrate lyase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase. These results were further supported by parallel changes in enzymes acting as NAD phosphate donors, especially those participating in the pentose phosphate pathway. This is the first time that the main enzymes involved in de novo hepatic lipogenesis have been studied at the molecular, protein, and activity levels in fish. We hypothesize that some of the delayed changes found in the different levels of regulation were probably related to the insulin resistance achieved by the trout liver after 5 d of insulin infusion. We assessed enzyme activity and mRNA abundance of lipid oxidation-related enzymes in the livers of insulin-infused fish in which paradoxically increased β-oxidation potential was found. The insulin-stimulated de novo hepatic lipogenesis in carbohydrate-fed trout reinforces the hypothesis that this pathway may act as an important sink for excess glucose, which could ultimately contribute to improved glucose homeostasis in this carnivorous and glucose-intolerant species when fed high-carbohydrate diets.

FoxO1 is not a key transcription factor in the regulation of myostatin (mstn-1a and mstn-1b) gene expression in trout myotubes

In mammals, much evidence has demonstrated the important role of myostatin (MSTN) in regulating muscle mass and identified the transcription factor forkhead box O (FoxO) 1 as a key regulator of its gene expression during atrophy. However, in trout, food deprivation leads to muscle atrophy without an increase of the expression of mstn genes in the muscle. We therefore studied the relationship between FoxO1 activity and the expression of both mstn genes (mstn1a and mstn1b) in primary culture of trout myotubes. To this aim, two complementary studies were undertaken. In the former, FoxO1 protein activity was modified with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) treatment, and the consequences on the expression of both mstn genes were monitored. In the second experiment, the expression of both studied genes was modified with growth hormone (GH) treatment, and the activation of FoxO1 protein was investigated. We found that IGF-I induced the phosphorylation of FoxO1 and FoxO4. Moreover, under IGF-I stimulation, FoxO1 was no longer localized in the nucleus, indicating that this growth factor inhibited FoxO1 activity. However, IGF-I treatment had no effect on mstn1a and mstn1b expression, suggesting that FoxO1 would not regulate the expression of mstn genes in trout myotubes. Furthermore, the treatment of myotubes with GH decreased the expression of both mstn genes but has no effect on the phosphorylation of FoxO1, FoxO3, and FoxO4 nor on the nuclear translocation of FoxO1. Altogether, our results showed that mstn1a and mstn1b expressions were not associated with FoxO activity, indicating that FoxO1 is likely not a key regulator of mstn genes in trout myotubes.

Dietary carbohydrate-to-protein ratio affects TOR signaling and metabolism-related gene expression in the liver and muscle of rainbow trout after a single meal

Most teleost fish are known to require high levels of dietary proteins. Such high-protein intake could have significant effects, particularly on insulin-regulated gene expression. We therefore analyzed the effects of an increase in the ratio of dietary carbohydrates/proteins on the refeeding activation of the Akt-target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways in rainbow trout and the effects on the expression of several genes related to hepatic and muscle metabolism and known to be regulated by insulin, amino acids, and/or glucose. Fish were fed once one of three experimental diets containing high (H), medium (M), or low (L) protein (P) or carbohydrate (C) levels after 48 h of feed deprivation. Activation of the Akt/TOR signaling pathway by refeeding was severely impaired by decreasing the proteins-to-carbohydrates ratio. Similarly, postprandial regulation of several genes related to glucose (Glut4, glucose-6-phosphatase isoform 1), lipid (fatty acid synthase, ATP-citrate lyase, sterol responsive element binding protein, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase), and amino acid metabolism (serine dehydratase and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase E2 subunit) only occurred when fish were fed the high-protein diet. On the other hand, diet composition had a low impact on the expression of genes related to muscle protein degradation. Interestingly, glucokinase was the only gene of those monitored whose expression was significantly upregulated by increased carbohydrate intake. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that macro-nutrient composition of the diet strongly affected the insulin/amino acids signaling pathway and expression pattern of genes related to metabolism.

L-leucine, L-methionine, and L-lysine are involved in the regulation of intermediary metabolism-related gene expression in rainbow trout hepatocytes

Using rainbow trout hepatocytes stimulated with l-leucine, l-methionine, or l-lysine in the presence or absence of bovine insulin, we investigated the ability of these amino acids to mimic the effects of a pool of amino acids on protein kinase B (Akt)/target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways and expression of 6 genes known to be subjected to insulin and/or amino acid regulation [glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucokinase (GK), pyruvate kinase (PK), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and serine dehydratase (SDH)]. Emphasis was placed on leucine, known to be a signaling molecule in mammals, and methionine and lysine that are essential amino acids limiting in plant-based diets for fish. In the presence of insulin, leucine (but not methionine or lysine) phosphorylated Akt and ribosomal protein S6 as previously observed with a pool of amino acids, suggesting that leucine might participate in the activation of the TOR pathway by amino acids in fish, as in mammals. G6Pase, PEPCK, GK, and SDH gene expression were higher in leucine-treated cells compared with control cells. Leucine combined with insulin reduced G6Pase gene expression by 90% and increased FAS gene expression > 4-fold compared with the control treatment. Methionine weakly decreased G6Pase, GK, and SDH gene expression and lysine weakly but significantly decreased the mRNA level of PEPCK. Thus, leucine regulated gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis, but not glycolysis, in the same way as a pool of amino acids. Methionine appeared to be involved in the regulation of specific genes, whereas lysine only had limited effects. These findings are particularly relevant regarding the involvement of amino acids in the regulation of metabolism-related gene expression.