HMG CoA reductase and LDL receptor genes are regulated differently by 15-ketosterols in Hep G2 cells

Jiaogulan tea (Gpostemma pentaphyllum) potentiates the antidiabetic effect of white tea via the AMPK and PI3K pathways in C57BL/6 mice

The use of plant-based beverages to interfere with the onset of diabetes may be a promising approach towards type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Solanum nigrum Polyphenol Extracts Inhibit Hepatic Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Lipogenesis in High-Fat-Diet-Treated Mice

Patients with diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia are all high-risk groups for fatty liver; however, the mechanism of fatty liver formation is not completely understood. Studies have indicated that abnormal fat metabolism, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance are positively correlated with peroxidation and abnormal cytokine production. Recent studies have revealed that Solanum nigrum extracts (SNE) possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, antihyperlipidemia, and liver protection abilities. Therefore, the present study investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of an SNE on nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL)-induced hepatitis. In vivo data demonstrated that the SNE reduced blood triglyceride, sugar, and cholesterol levels, as well as fat accumulation, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation in high-fat-diet-treated mice. The results indicated that the SNE downregulated the expression of fatty acid synthase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), and sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) through the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway and upregulated the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha. Furthermore, we prepared a Solanum nigrum polyphenol extract (SNPE) from the SNE; the SNPE reduced hepatic lipid (oleic acid) accumulation. Therefore, SNE have the potential to alleviate NAFL-induced hepatitis, and polyphenolic compounds are the main components of SNE. Moreover, SNE can be used to develop health-food products for preventing NAFL disease.

Molecular markers for animal biotechnology: sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.) HMG-CoA reductase mRNA

Modern technologies may improve fish production and quality and, at the same time, reduce environmental impact with benefits on the public perception of the industry. To be economically profitable, these modern technologies request an increase of rearing density that, however, could affect fish welfare. With the aim to search for molecular biomarkers to describe fish welfare, we have recently compared gene expression of sea bass farmed at different population densities by differential display obtaining six bands differentially expressed. In this paper, we have cloned the mRNA corresponding to one of those differentially expressed bands obtaining a 3860-bp sequence with an ORF of 2664 bp. Its virtual translation originated a 887-aa polypeptide that, by comparison with the other sequences available in the public data bases, resulted to be the 3-hydroxil-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR). In sea bass, as for the other species, the N- and C-terminus portions are the most conserved and are linked by an hydrophilic region that appears to be quite variable. Due to its role in the synthesis of cholesterol, HMGCR mRNA could be a good biomarker for detecting fish welfare. For this reason, we also followed, by real-time PCR, its expression after crowding stress comparing it with mRNA levels of HSP 70 and 90: HMGCR mRNA resulted highly expressed in the fishes farmed at 100 kg/m(3).