Overexpression of protein kinase STK25 in mice exacerbates ectopic lipid accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle

Muscle ultrasound to identify prednisone-induced muscle damage in adults with nephrotic syndrome

Steroid myopathy is a non-inflammatory toxic myopathy that primarily affects the proximal muscles of the lower limbs. Due to its non-specific symptoms, it is often overshadowed by patients' underlying conditions. Prolonged or high-dosage use of glucocorticoids leads to a gradual decline in muscle mass. There are no tools available to identify the course of steroid myopathy before the patient displays substantial clinical symptoms. In this study, we investigated individuals with nephrotic syndrome receiving prednisone who underwent muscle ultrasound to obtain cross-sectional and longitudinal pictures of three major proximal muscles in the lower limbs: the vastus lateralis, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Our findings revealed that grip strength was impaired in the prednisolone group, creatine kinase levels were reduced within the normal range; echo intensity of the vastus lateralis and medial gastrocnemius muscles was enhanced, the pennation angle was reduced, and the tibialis anterior muscle exhibited increased echo intensity and decreased thickness. The total dose of prednisone and the total duration of treatment impacted the degree of muscle damage. Our findings indicate that muscle ultrasound effectively monitors muscle structure changes in steroid myopathy. Combining clinical symptoms, serum creatine kinase levels, and grip strength improves the accuracy of muscle injury evaluation.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Clinical Associations of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Pancreas Disease

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Pancreas disease (NAFPD), characterized by fat accumulation in pancreatic tissue, is an emerging clinical entity. However, the clinical associations, the underlying molecular drivers, and the pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFPD have not yet been characterized in detail. The NAFPD spectrum not only includes infiltration and accumulation of fat within and between pancreatic cells but also involves several inflammatory processes, dysregulation of physiological metabolic pathways, and hormonal defects. A deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is key to correlate NAFPD with clinical entities including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, as well as pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. The aim of this review is to examine the pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFPD and to assess the possible causative/predictive risk factors of NAFPD-related clinical syndromes.

Knockout of STE20-type kinase TAOK3 does not attenuate diet-induced NAFLD development in mice

OBJECTIVE

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the primary hepatic consequence of obesity, is affecting about 25% of the global adult population. The aim of this study was to examine the in vivo role of STE20-type protein kinase TAOK3, which has been previously reported to regulate hepatocellular lipotoxicity in vitro, in the development of NAFLD and systemic insulin resistance in the context of obesity.

METHODS

Taok3 knockout mice and wild-type littermates were challenged with a high-fat diet. Various in vivo tests were performed to characterize the whole-body metabolism. NAFLD progression in the liver, and lipotoxic damage in adipose tissue, kidney, and skeletal muscle were compared between the genotypes by histological assessment, immunofluorescence microscopy, protein and gene expression profiling, and biochemical assays. Intracellular lipid accumulation and oxidative/ER stress were analyzed in cultured human and mouse hepatocytes where TAOK3 was knocked down by small interfering RNA. The expression of TAOK3-related STE20-type kinases was quantified in different organs from high-fat diet-fed Taok3-/- and wild-type mice.

RESULTS

TAOK3 deficiency had no impact on body weight or composition, food consumption, locomotor activity, or systemic glucose or insulin homeostasis in obese mice. Consistently, Taok3-/- mice and wild-type littermates developed a similar degree of high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, and we detected no difference in lipotoxic damage of adipose tissue, kidney, or skeletal muscle when comparing the two genotypes. In contrast, the silencing of TAOK3 in vitro markedly suppressed ectopic lipid accumulation and metabolic stress in mouse and human hepatocytes. Interestingly, the hepatic mRNA abundance of several TAOK3-related kinases, which have been previously implicated to increase the risk of NAFLD susceptibility, was significantly elevated in Taok3-/- vs. wild-type mice.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to the in vitro observations, genetic deficiency of TAOK3 in mice failed to mitigate the detrimental metabolic consequences of chronic exposure to dietary lipids, which may be partly attributable to the activation of liver-specific compensation response for the genetic loss of TAOK3 by related STE20-type kinases.

STK25: a viable therapeutic target for cancer treatments?

Serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) is a critical regulator of ectopic lipid storage, glucose and insulin homeostasis, fibrosis, and meta-inflammation. More and more studies have revealed a strong correlation between STK25 and human diseases. On the one hand, STK25 can affect glucose and fatty acid metabolism in normal cells or tumors. On the other hand, STK25 participates in autophagy, cell polarity, cell apoptosis, and cell migration by activating various signaling pathways. This article reviews the composition and function of STK25, the energy metabolism and potential drugs that may target STK25, and the research progress of STK25 in the occurrence and development of tumors, to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of tumors.

Targeting protein modifications in metabolic diseases: molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies

The ever-increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) represents a major public health burden worldwide. The most common form of NCD is metabolic diseases, which affect people of all ages and usually manifest their pathobiology through life-threatening cardiovascular complications. A comprehensive understanding of the pathobiology of metabolic diseases will generate novel targets for improved therapies across the common metabolic spectrum. Protein posttranslational modification (PTM) is an important term that refers to biochemical modification of specific amino acid residues in target proteins, which immensely increases the functional diversity of the proteome. The range of PTMs includes phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, neddylation, glycosylation, palmitoylation, myristoylation, prenylation, cholesterylation, glutathionylation, S-nitrosylation, sulfhydration, citrullination, ADP ribosylation, and several novel PTMs. Here, we offer a comprehensive review of PTMs and their roles in common metabolic diseases and pathological consequences, including diabetes, obesity, fatty liver diseases, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis. Building upon this framework, we afford a through description of proteins and pathways involved in metabolic diseases by focusing on PTM-based protein modifications, showcase the pharmaceutical intervention of PTMs in preclinical studies and clinical trials, and offer future perspectives. Fundamental research defining the mechanisms whereby PTMs of proteins regulate metabolic diseases will open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Is insulin resistance tissue-dependent and substrate-specific? The role of white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle

Insulin resistance (IR) refers to a reduction in the ability of insulin to exert its metabolic effects in organs such as adipose tissue (AT) and skeletal muscle (SM), leading to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is the main cause of IR, however not all subjects with obesity develop clinical insulin resistance, and not all clinically insulin-resistant people have obesity. Recent evidence implies that IR onset is tissue-dependent (AT or SM) and/or substrate-specific (glucometabolic or lipometabolic). Therefore, the aims of the present review are 1) to describe the glucometabolic and lipometabolic activities of insulin in AT and SM in the maintenance of whole-body metabolic homeostasis, 2) to discuss the pathophysiology of substrate-specific IR in AT and SM, and 3) to highlight novel validated tests to assess tissue and substrate-specific IR that are easy to perform in clinical practice. In AT, glucometabolic IR reduces glucose availability for glycerol and fatty acid synthesis, thus decreasing the esterification and synthesis of signaling bioactive lipids. Lipometabolic IR in AT impairs the antilipolytic effect of insulin and lipogenesis, leading to an increase in circulating FFAs and generating lipotoxicity in peripheral tissues. In SM, glucometabolic IR reduces glucose uptake, whereas lipometabolic IR impairs mitochondrial lipid oxidation, increasing oxidative stress and inflammation, all of which lead to metabolic inflexibility. Understanding tissue-dependent and substrate-specific IR is of paramount importance for early detection before clinical manifestations and for the development of more specific treatments or direct interventions to prevent chronic life-threatening diseases.

Translational proteomics and phosphoproteomics: Tissue to extracellular vesicles

We are currently experiencing a rapidly developing era in terms of translational and clinical medical sciences. The relatively mature state of nucleic acid examination has significantly improved our understanding of disease mechanism and therapeutic potential of personalized treatment, but misses a large portion of phenotypic disease information. Proteins, in particular phosphorylation events that regulates many cellular functions, could provide real-time information for disease onset, progression and treatment efficacy. The technical advances in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry have realized large-scale and unbiased proteome and phosphoproteome analyses with disease relevant samples such as tissues. However, tissue biopsy still has multiple shortcomings, such as invasiveness of sample collection, potential health risk for patients, difficulty in protein preservation and extreme heterogeneity. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have offered a great promise as a unique source of protein biomarkers for non-invasive liquid biopsy. Membranous EVs provide stable preservation of internal proteins and especially labile phosphoproteins, which is essential for effective routine biomarker detection. To aid efficient EV proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses, recent developments showcase clinically-friendly EV techniques, facilitating diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Ultimately, we envision that with streamlined sample preparation from tissues and EVs proteomics and phosphoproteomics analysis will become routine in clinical settings.

Alternative to Sugar, Honey Does Not Provoke Insulin Resistance in Rats Based on Lipid Profiles, Inflammation, and IRS/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways Modulation

Insulin resistance (IR) is the central link to metabolic syndrome (MS), and IR prevention has become the key to overcoming this worldwide public health problem. A diet rich in simple sugars is an important pathogenic factor in IR development. To investigate the effect of honey on IR compared to the sugar-water diet, we analyzed phenolics and oligosaccharides in jujube honey and rape honey based on LC-MS and silane derivatization/GC-MS. The effects of different diets on glucose and lipid profile, histopathology and IR-related mechanism pathways were analyzed and compared by equal sugar levels intervention of fructose, fructose + glucose and two kinds of unifloral honey (high-/low-dose) in rats. The results suggested that sugar-equivalent honey, which differs from sugar solution, especially 17.1 g/kg BW jujube honey rich in phenolics (1.971 mg/100 g of isoquercitrin) and oligosaccharides (2.18 g/100 g of turanose), suppressed IR via maintaining glucose (OGTT and ITT) and lipid (TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and NEFA) homeostasis, improving histological structural abnormalities of the liver, adipose and skeletal muscle, reducing oxidative stress (GSH-Px and MDA) and inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α), modulating the NF-κB (NF-κB gene expression was down-regulated to 0.94) and IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways (e.g., AKT and GLUT2 expression in liver increased by 4.56 and 13.37 times, respectively) as well as reshaping the gut microbiota. These revealed a potential nutritional contribution of substituting honey for simple sugar in the diet, providing a theoretical basis for controlling IR development via dietary modification and supplementation.

STK25 inhibits PKA signaling by phosphorylating PRKAR1A

In the heart, protein kinase A (PKA) is critical for activating calcium handling and sarcomeric proteins in response to beta-adrenergic stimulation leading to increased myocardial contractility and performance. The catalytic activity of PKA is tightly regulated by regulatory subunits that inhibit the catalytic subunit until released by cAMP binding. Phosphorylation of type II regulatory subunits promotes PKA activation; however, the role of phosphorylation in type I regulatory subunits remain uncertain. Here, we utilize human induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to identify STK25 as a kinase of the type Iα regulatory subunit PRKAR1A. Phosphorylation of PRKAR1A leads to inhibition of PKA kinase activity and increased binding to the catalytic subunit in the presence of cAMP. Stk25 knockout in mice diminishes Prkar1a phosphorylation, increases Pka activity, and augments contractile response to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Together, these data support STK25 as a negative regulator of PKA signaling through phosphorylation of PRKAR1A.

Silencing of STE20-type kinase STK25 in human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells is atheroprotective

Recent studies highlight the importance of lipotoxic damage in aortic cells as the major pathogenetic contributor to atherosclerotic disease. Since the STE20-type kinase STK25 has been shown to exacerbate ectopic lipid storage and associated cell injury in several metabolic organs, we here investigate its role in the main cell types of vasculature. We depleted STK25 by small interfering RNA in human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells exposed to oleic acid and oxidized LDL. In both cell types, the silencing of STK25 reduces lipid accumulation and suppresses activation of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways as well as lowering oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Notably, in smooth muscle cells, STK25 inactivation hinders the shift from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. Together, we provide several lines of evidence that antagonizing STK25 signaling in human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells is atheroprotective, highlighting this kinase as a new potential therapeutic target for atherosclerotic disease.

Silencing of STK25, an STE20-type kinase, in human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells reduces lipid accumulation and suppresses inflammation and fibrotic pathways, ultimately exerting atheroprotective effects.

Downregulation of STK25 promotes autophagy via the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway in colorectal cancer

Autophagy plays a crucial role in colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Our previous study suggested that serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) regulates aerobic glycolysis in CRC cells. Glycolysis modulates cellular autophagy during tumor growth; however, the role of STK25 in autophagy remains unclear. In this study, we found that STK25 expression was decreased in CRC tissues and CRC patients with high STK25 expression had a favorable prognosis. Functional assays suggested that STK25 inhibition promoted autophagy in CRC cells. Overexpression of STK25 exhibited the opposite effects. Moreover, the results of western blot demonstrated that silencing STK25 induced autophagy by activating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Therefore, STK25 could be a potential indicator for therapies targeting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in CRC.

Characterization of Strip1 Expression in Mouse Cochlear Hair Cells

Striatin-interacting protein 1 (Strip1) is a core component of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, which is involved in embryogenesis and development, circadian rhythms, type 2 diabetes, and cancer progression. However, the expression and role of Strip1 in the mammalian cochlea remains unclear. Here we studied the expression and function of Strip1 in the mouse cochlea by using Strip1 knockout mice. We first found that the mRNA and protein expression of Strip1 increases as mice age starting from postnatal day (P) 3 and reaches its highest expression level at P30 and that the expression of Strip1 can be detected by immunofluorescent staining starting from P14 only in cochlear HCs, and not in supporting cells (SCs). Next, we crossed Strip1 heterozygous knockout (Strip +/−) mice to obtain Strip1 homozygous knockout (Strip1−/−) mice for studying the role of Strip1 in cochlear HCs. However, no Strip1−/− mice were obtained and the ratio of Strip +/− to Strip1+/+ mice per litter was about 2:1, which suggested that homozygous Strip1 knockout is embryonic lethal. We measured hearing function and counted the HC number in P30 and P60 Strip +/− mice and found that they had normal hearing ability and HC numbers compared to Strip1+/+ mice. Our study suggested that Strip1 probably play important roles in HC development and maturation, which needs further study in the future.

Impacts of Selected Dietary Nutrient Intakes on Skeletal Muscle Insulin Sensitivity and Applications to Early Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

As the largest tissue in the body, skeletal muscle not only plays key roles in movement and glucose uptake and utilization but also mediates insulin sensitivity in the body by myokines. Insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle is a major feature of type 2 diabetes (T2D). A weakened response to insulin could lead to muscle mass loss and dysfunction. Increasing evidence in skeletal muscle cells, rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans has shown that restriction of caloric or protein intake positively mediates insulin sensitivity. Restriction of essential or nonessential amino acids was reported to facilitate glucose utilization and regulate protein turnover in skeletal muscle under certain conditions. Furthermore, some minerals, such as zinc, chromium, vitamins, and some natural phytochemicals such as curcumin, resveratrol, berberine, astragalus polysaccharide, emodin, and genistein, have been shown recently to protect skeletal muscle cells, mice, or humans with or without diabetes from insulin resistance. In this review, we discuss the roles of nutritional interventions in the regulation of skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. A comprehensive understanding of the nutritional regulation of insulin signaling would contribute to the development of tools and treatment programs for improving skeletal muscle health and for preventing T2D.

Depletion of protein kinase STK25 ameliorates renal lipotoxicity and protects against diabetic kidney disease

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of severe renal disease worldwide and the single strongest predictor of mortality in diabetes patients. Kidney steatosis has emerged as a critical trigger in the pathogenesis of DKD; however, the molecular mechanism of renal lipotoxicity remains largely unknown. Our recent studies in genetic mouse models, human cell lines, and well-characterized patient cohorts have identified serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) as a critical regulator of ectopic lipid storage in several metabolic organs prone to diabetic damage. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of STK25 aggravates renal lipid accumulation and exacerbates structural and functional kidney injury in a mouse model of DKD. Reciprocally, inhibiting STK25 signaling in mice ameliorates diet-induced renal steatosis and alleviates the development of DKD-associated pathologies. Furthermore, we find that STK25 silencing in human kidney cells protects against lipid deposition, as well as oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Together, our results suggest that STK25 regulates a critical node governing susceptibility to renal lipotoxicity and that STK25 antagonism could mitigate DKD progression.

Nanoplastics impact the zebrafish (Danio rerio) transcriptome: Associated developmental and neurobehavioral consequences

Microplastics (MPs) are a ubiquitous pollutant detected not only in marine and freshwater bodies, but also in tap and bottled water worldwide. While MPs have been extensively studied, the toxicity of their smaller counterpart, nanoplastics (NPs), is not well documented. Despite likely large-scale human and animal exposure to NPs, the associated health risks remain unclear, especially during early developmental stages. To address this, we investigated the health impacts of exposures to both 50 and 200 nm polystyrene NPs in larval zebrafish. From 6 to 120 h post-fertilization (hpf), developing zebrafish were exposed to a range of fluorescent NPs (10-10,000 parts per billion). Dose-dependent increases in accumulation were identified in exposed larval fish, potentially coinciding with an altered behavioral response as evidenced through swimming hyperactivity. Notably, exposures did not impact mortality, hatching rate, or deformities; however, transcriptomic analysis suggests neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction at both high and low concentrations. Furthermore, results of this study suggest that NPs can accumulate in the tissues of larval zebrafish, alter their transcriptome, and affect behavior and physiology, potentially decreasing organismal fitness in contaminated ecosystems. The uniquely broad scale of this study during a critical window of development provides crucial multidimensional characterization of NP impacts on human and animal health.

Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicle Phosphoproteomics through Chemical Affinity Purification

The invasive nature and the pain caused to patients inhibit the routine use of tissue biopsy-based procedures for cancer diagnosis and surveillance. The analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from biofluids has recently gained significant traction in the liquid biopsy field. EVs offer an essential "snapshot" of their precursor cells in real time and contain an information-rich collection of nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and so on. The analysis of protein phosphorylation, as a direct marker of cellular signaling and disease progression could be an important stepping stone to successful liquid biopsy applications. Here we introduce a rapid EV isolation method based on chemical affinity called EVtrap (extracellular vesicle total recovery and purification) for the EV phosphoproteomics analysis of human plasma. By incorporating EVtrap with high-performance mass spectrometry (MS), we were able to identify over 16 000 unique peptides representing 2238 unique EV proteins from just 5 μL of plasma sample, including most known EV markers, with substantially higher recovery levels compared with ultracentrifugation. Most importantly, more than 5500 unique phosphopeptides representing almost 1600 phosphoproteins in EVs were identified using only 1 mL of plasma. Finally, we carried out a quantitative EV phosphoproteomics analysis of plasma samples from patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease or kidney cancer, identifying dozens of phosphoproteins capable of distinguishing disease states from healthy controls. The study demonstrates the potential feasibility of our robust analytical pipeline for cancer signaling monitoring by tracking plasma EV phosphorylation.

The STRIPAK Complex Regulates Response to Chemotherapy Through p21 and p27

The STRIPAK complex has been linked to a variety of biological processes taking place during embryogenesis and development, but its role in cancer has only just started to be defined. Here, we expand on previous work indicating a role for the scaffolding protein STRIP1 in cancer cell migration and metastasis. We show that cell cycle arrest and decreased proliferation are seen upon loss of STRIP1 in MDA-MB-231 cells due to the induction of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors, including p21 and p27. We demonstrate that p21 and p27 induction is observed in a subpopulation of cells having low DNA damage response and that the p21^high/γH2AX^low ratio within single cells can be rescued by depleting MST3&4 kinases. While the loss of STRIP1 decreases cell proliferation and tumor growth, cells treated with low dosage of chemotherapeutics in vitro paradoxically escape therapy-induced senescence and begin to proliferate after recovery. This corroborates with already known research on the dual role of p21 and indicates that STRIP1 also plays a contradictory role in breast cancer, suppressing tumor growth, but once treated with chemotherapeutics, allowing for possible recurrence and decreased patient survival.

Measuring the Kinase Activity of GCKIII Proteins In Vitro

One of the CCM genes, CCM3/PDCD10, binds to the protein kinase family GCKIII, which comprises MST3/STK24, SOK1/STK25, and MST4/STK26. These proteins have been shown to have the same effect as CCM3, both in endothelial cells and in animal models such as zebrafish and are most likely involved in CCM pathogenesis. We describe here an in vitro kinase assay of GCKIII proteins which can be used to study their regulation in endothelial and other cells under different circumstances.

STRIPAK, a highly conserved signaling complex, controls multiple eukaryotic cellular and developmental processes and is linked with human diseases

The striatin-interacting phosphatases and kinases (STRIPAK) complex is evolutionary highly conserved and has been structurally and functionally described in diverse lower and higher eukaryotes. In recent years, this complex has been biochemically characterized better and further analyses in different model systems have shown that it is also involved in numerous cellular and developmental processes in eukaryotic organisms. Further recent results have shown that the STRIPAK complex functions as a macromolecular assembly communicating through physical interaction with other conserved signaling protein complexes to constitute larger dynamic protein networks. Here, we will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the architecture, function and regulation of the STRIPAK complex and discuss key issues and future perspectives, linked with human diseases, which may form the basis of further research endeavors in this area. In particular, the investigation of bi-directional interactions between STRIPAK and other signaling pathways should elucidate upstream regulators and downstream targets as fundamental parts of a complex cellular network.

STK25 Regulates Cardiovascular Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Hypercholesterolemia

Objective- Recent cohort studies have shown that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), associate with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, independently of conventional cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological link between NAFLD/NASH and cardiovascular disease still remain unclear. Our previous studies have identified STK25 (serine/threonine protein kinase 25) as a critical determinant in ectopic lipid storage, meta-inflammation, and progression of NAFLD/NASH. The aim of this study was to assess whether STK25 is also one of the mediators in the complex molecular network controlling the cardiovascular disease risk. Approach and Results- Atherosclerosis was induced in Stk25 knockout and transgenic mice, and their wild-type littermates, by gene transfer of gain-of-function mutant of PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), which induces the downregulation of hepatic LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor), combined with an atherogenic western-type diet. We found that Stk25^-/- mice displayed reduced atherosclerosis lesion area as well as decreased lipid accumulation, macrophage infiltration, collagen formation, and oxidative stress in aortic lesions compared with wild-type littermates, independently from alterations in dyslipidemia. Reciprocally, Stk25 transgenic mice presented aggravated plaque formation and maturation compared with wild-type littermates despite similar levels of fasting plasma cholesterol. We also found that STK25 protein was expressed in all layers of the aorta, suggesting a possible direct role in cardiovascular disease. Conclusions- This study provides the first evidence that STK25 plays a critical role in regulation of cardiovascular disease risk and suggests that pharmacological inhibition of STK25 function may provide new possibilities for prevention/treatment of atherosclerosis.

Protein kinase MST3 modulates lipid homeostasis in hepatocytes and correlates with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in humans

Ectopic lipid storage in the liver is considered the main risk factor for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Understanding the molecular networks controlling hepatocellular lipid deposition is therefore essential for developing new strategies to effectively prevent and treat this complex disease. Here, we describe a new regulator of lipid partitioning in human hepatocytes: mammalian sterile 20-like (MST) 3. We found that MST3 protein coats lipid droplets in mouse and human liver cells. Knockdown of MST3 attenuated lipid accumulation in human hepatocytes by stimulating β-oxidation and triacylglycerol secretion while inhibiting fatty acid influx and lipid synthesis. We also observed that lipogenic gene expression and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase protein abundance were reduced in MST3-deficient hepatocytes, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the decreased lipid storage. Furthermore, MST3 expression was positively correlated with key features of NASH (i.e., hepatic lipid content, lobular inflammation, and hepatocellular ballooning) in human liver biopsies. In summary, our results reveal a role of MST3 in controlling the dynamic metabolic balance of liver lipid catabolism vs. lipid anabolism. Our findings highlight MST3 as a potential drug target for the prevention and treatment of NASH and related complex metabolic diseases.-Cansby, E., Kulkarni, N. M., Magnusson, E., Kurhe, Y., Amrutkar, M., Nerstedt, A., Ståhlman, M., Sihlbom, C., Marschall, H.-U., Borén, J., Blüher, M., Mahlapuu, M. Protein kinase MST3 modulates lipid homeostasis in hepatocytes and correlates with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in humans.

MST Kinases and Metabolism

Since the discovery of the mammalian sterile twenty (MST) kinase family of proteins (MST1/STK4, MST2/STK3, MST3/STK24, and SOK1/STK25), much has been done that adds to our knowledge of their structure, regulation, and function. In the last few years, a series of articles has unveiled a previous unknown relation of these kinases with metabolic regulation and the homeostasis of metabolic tissues. The aim of this review is to bring together this body of data to provide a detailed picture of the current knowledge about these proteins, metabolism, and some of the associated diseases.

p21WAF1/Cip1 Regulation by hYSK1 Activates SP-1 Transcription Factor and Increases MMP-2 Expression under Hypoxic Conditions

The hYSK1, a serine/threonine kinase (STK)-25, has been implicated in a variety of cellular functions including cell migration and polarity. We have recently reported that hYSK1 down-regulated the expression and functions of p16^INK4a, a cell cycle regulatory protein, thereby enhancing migration and growth of cancer cells under hypoxic conditions. In this study, we further investigated the mechanisms underlying downregulation of p16^INK4a and anti-migratory function of hYSK1. Our study revealed that p21^WAF1/Cip1 is a novel binding partner of hYSK1. Moreover, the interaction between hYSK1 and p21^WAF1/Cip1 led to the inhibition of SP-1 transcriptional activity, as revealed by a significant down-regulation of SP-1-mediated transactivation of p16^INK4a promoter, and accelerated MMP-2 expression. Conversely, the knock-down of hYSK1 enhanced the p16^INK4a promoter activity and protein expression, and diminished MMP-2 transcription and protein levels in hypoxic conditions as compared to control. Taken together, hYSK1 blocks the p21^WAF1/Cip1 functions by direct interaction and inhibits the p16^INK4a expression and induces MMP-2 expression by its regulations of SP-1 transcriptional activity under the hypoxia conditions.

Targeted Delivery of Stk25 Antisense Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes Protects Mice Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are emerging as leading causes of liver disease worldwide. Currently, no specific pharmacologic therapy is available for NAFLD/NASH, which has been recognized as one of the major unmet medical needs of the 21st century. Our recent studies in genetic mouse models, human cell lines, and well-characterized patient cohorts have identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of hepatic lipid partitioning and NAFLD/NASH. Here, we studied the metabolic benefit of liver-specific STK25 inhibitors on NAFLD development and progression in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

METHODS

We developed a hepatocyte-specific triantennary N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting Stk25 and evaluated its effect on NAFLD features in mice after chronic exposure to dietary lipids.

RESULTS

We found that systemic administration of hepatocyte-targeting GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in obese mice effectively ameliorated steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, hepatic stellate cell activation, nutritional fibrosis, and hepatocellular damage in the liver compared with mice treated with GalNAc-conjugated nontargeting ASO, without any systemic toxicity or local tolerability concerns. We also observed protection against high-fat-diet-induced hepatic oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial function with Stk25 ASO treatment in mice. Moreover, GalNAc-Stk25 ASO suppressed lipogenic gene expression and acetyl-CoA carboxylase protein abundance in the liver, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying repression of hepatic steatosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides in vivo nonclinical proof-of-principle for the metabolic benefit of liver-specific inhibition of STK25 in the context of obesity and warrants future investigations to address the therapeutic potential of GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Investigation of post-translational modifications in type 2 diabetes

The investigation of post-translational modifications (PTMs) plays an important role for the study of type 2 diabetes. The importance of PTMs has been realized with the advancement of analytical techniques. The challenging detection and analysis of post-translational modifications is eased by different enrichment methods and by high throughput mass spectrometry based proteomics studies. This technology along with different quantitation methods provide accurate knowledge about the changes happening in disease conditions as well as in normal conditions. In this review, we have discussed PTMs such as phosphorylation, N-glycosylation, O-GlcNAcylation, acetylation and advanced glycation end products in type 2 diabetes which have been characterized by high throughput mass spectrometry based proteomics analysis.

Mitochondria, the NLRP3 Inflammasome, and Sirtuins in Type 2 Diabetes: New Therapeutic Targets

SIGNIFICANCE

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia can lead to the development of comorbidities such as atherosclerosis and microvascular/macrovascular complications. Both type 2 diabetes and its complications are related to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Type 2 diabetes is also a chronic inflammatory condition that leads to inflammasome activation and the release of proinflammatory mediators, including interleukins (ILs) IL-1β and IL-18. Moreover, sirtuins are energetic sensors that respond to metabolic load, which highlights their relevance in metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Recent Advances: Over the past decade, great progress has been made in clarifying the signaling events regulated by mitochondria, inflammasomes, and sirtuins. Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) is the best characterized inflammasome, and the generation of oxidant species seems to be critical for its activation. NLRP3 inflammasome activation and altered sirtuin levels have been observed in type 2 diabetes. Critical Issue: Despite increasing evidence of the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress and of their participation in type 2 diabetes physiopathology, therapeutic strategies to combat type 2 diabetes that target NLRP3 inflammasome and sirtuins are yet to be consolidated.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

In this review article, we attempt to provide an overview of the existing literature concerning the crosstalk between mitochondrial impairment and the inflammasome, with particular attention to cellular and mitochondrial redox metabolism and the potential role of the NLRP3 inflammasome and sirtuins in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. In addition, we discuss potential targets for therapeutic intervention based on these molecular interactions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 749-791.

High Fat With High Sucrose Diet Leads to Obesity and Induces Myodegeneration

Skeletal muscle utilizes both free fatty acids (FFAs) and glucose that circulate in the blood stream. When blood glucose levels acutely increase, insulin stimulates muscle glucose uptake, oxidation, and glycogen synthesis. Under these conditions, skeletal muscle preferentially oxidizes glucose while the oxidation of fatty acids (FAs) oxidation is reciprocally decreased. In metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance, such as diabetes and obesity, both glucose uptake, and utilization muscle are significantly reduced causing FA oxidation to provide the majority of ATP for metabolic processes and contraction. Although the causes of this metabolic inflexibility or disrupted "glucose-fatty acid cycle" are largely unknown, a diet high in fat and sugar (HFS) may be a contributing factor. This metabolic inflexibility observed in models of obesity or with HFS feeding is detrimental because high rates of FA oxidation in skeletal muscle can lead to the buildup of toxic metabolites of fat metabolism and the accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which further exacerbate the insulin resistance. Further, HFS leads to skeletal muscle atrophy with a decrease in myofibrillar proteins and phenotypically characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength. Overactivation of ubiquitin proteasome pathway, oxidative stress, myonuclear apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction are some of the mechanisms involved in muscle atrophy induced by obesity or in mice fed with HFS. In this review, we will discuss how HFS diet negatively impacts the various physiological and metabolic mechanisms in skeletal muscle.

STK25 regulates oxidative capacity and metabolic efficiency in adipose tissue

Whole-body energy homeostasis at over-nutrition critically depends on how well adipose tissue remodels in response to excess calories. We recently identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of ectopic lipid storage in non-adipose tissue and systemic insulin resistance in the context of nutritional stress. Here, we investigated the role of STK25 in regulation of adipose tissue dysfunction in mice challenged with a high-fat diet. We found that overexpression of STK25 in high-fat-fed mice resulted in impaired mitochondrial function and aggravated hypertrophy, inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in adipose depots. Reciprocally, Stk25-knockout mice displayed improved mitochondrial function and were protected against diet-induced excessive fat storage, meta-inflammation and fibrosis in brown and white adipose tissues. Furthermore, in rodent HIB-1B cell line, STK25 depletion resulted in enhanced mitochondrial activity and consequently, reduced lipid droplet size, demonstrating an autonomous action for STK25 within adipocytes. In summary, we provide the first evidence for a key function of STK25 in controlling the metabolic balance of lipid utilization vs lipid storage in brown and white adipose depots, suggesting that repression of STK25 activity offers a potential strategy for establishing healthier adipose tissue in the context of chronic exposure to dietary lipids.

STK25-induced inhibition of aerobic glycolysis via GOLPH3-mTOR pathway suppresses cell proliferation in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) is critical in regulating whole-body glucose and insulin homeostasis and the accumulation of ectopic lipids. The Warburg effect, also known as aerobic glycolysis, is an essential metabolic characteristic of cancer cells. However, the effects of STK25 on aerobic glycolysis of cancer cells remain unexplored. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of STK25 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

The influences of STK25 on the cell proliferation were evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays. The roles of STK25 in aerobic glycolysis were determined by glucose uptake and lactate production assays. The interaction between STK25 and GOLPH3 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation, GST pull-down, and His-tag pull-down assays. Western blot was used to measure the expression of glycolytic genes, and the status of kinases in mTOR pathway. Moreover, a xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the effects of STK25 in vivo. The prognostic significance of STK25 was analyzed using public CRC datasets by a log-rank test.

RESULTS

STK25 suppressed proliferation, glycolysis and glycolytic gene expression in CRC cells. STK25 interacted with GOLPH3 and mediated glycolysis through GOLPH3-regulated mTOR signaling. Consistent with these observations, silencing of STK25 promoted tumor growth and glycolytic gene expression in an in vivo xenograft mouse model. Moreover, high levels of STK25 correlated with favorable prognosis in patients with CRC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that STK25 negatively regulates the proliferation and glycolysis via GOLPH3-dependent mTOR signaling. Accordingly, STK25 could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.

The manifold role of the mitochondria in skeletal muscle insulin resistance

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The role of mitochondria in the development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance has been an area of intense investigation and debate for over 20 years. The mitochondria is a multifaceted organelle that plays an integral part in substrate metabolism and cellular signalling. This article aims to summarize the current findings and thought regarding the relationship between mitochondria and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.

RECENT FINDINGS

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance was earlier thought to result from deficiency in mitochondrial oxidative capacity and ectopic lipid accumulation. Recent evidence suggests that skeletal muscle insulin resistance in high-energy intake models (i.e. obesity) results primarily from disrupted mitochondrial bioenergetics and alterations in mitochondrial-associated cell signalling. These signalling pathways include reactive oxygen species and redox balance, fatty acid β-oxidation intermediates, mitochondrial derived peptides, sirtuins, microRNAs and novel nuclear-encoded, mitochondria-acting peptides.

SUMMARY

The pathophysiology of skeletal muscle insulin resistance is likely multifactorial involving many coordinated physiological processes. However, it is apparent that the mitochondria play an essential role in skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in health, ageing and in numerous metabolic diseases. Deciphering the manifold functions of the mitochondria will allow us to understand the complex relationship between mitochondria and skeletal muscle insulin resistance.

Serine/threonine protein kinase 25 antisense oligonucleotide treatment reverses glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are also at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. To date, no specific therapy exists for NAFLD/NASH, which has been recognized as one of the major unmet medical needs of the twenty‐first century. We recently identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of energy homeostasis and NAFLD progression. Here, we investigated the effect of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting Stk25 on the metabolic and molecular phenotype of mice after chronic exposure to dietary lipids. We found that Stk25 ASOs efficiently reversed high‐fat diet‐induced systemic hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, improved whole‐body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated liver steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, apoptosis, hepatic stellate cell activation, and nutritional fibrosis in obese mice. Moreover, Stk25 ASOs suppressed the abundance of liver acetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) protein, a key regulator of both lipid oxidation and synthesis, revealing the likely mechanism underlying repression of hepatic fat accumulation by ASO treatment. We also found that STK25 protein levels correlate significantly and positively with NASH development in human liver biopsies, and several common nonlinked single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in the human STK25 gene are associated with altered liver fat, supporting a critical role of STK25 in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in humans. Conclusion: Preclinical validation for the metabolic benefit of pharmacologically inhibiting STK25 in the context of obesity is provided. Therapeutic intervention aimed at reducing STK25 function may provide a new strategy for the treatment of patients with NAFLD, type 2 diabetes, and related complex metabolic diseases. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:69–83)

Protein kinase STK25 aggravates the severity of non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease in mice

Characterising the molecular networks that negatively regulate pancreatic β-cell function is essential for understanding the underlying pathogenesis and developing new treatment strategies for type 2 diabetes. We recently identified serine/threonine protein kinase 25 (STK25) as a critical regulator of ectopic fat storage, meta-inflammation, and fibrosis in liver and skeletal muscle. Here, we assessed the role of STK25 in control of progression of non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease in the context of chronic exposure to dietary lipids in mice. We found that overexpression of STK25 in high-fat-fed transgenic mice aggravated diet-induced lipid storage in the pancreas compared with that of wild-type controls, which was accompanied by exacerbated pancreatic inflammatory cell infiltration, stellate cell activation, fibrosis and apoptosis. Pancreas of Stk25 transgenic mice also displayed a marked decrease in islet β/α-cell ratio and alteration in the islet architecture with an increased presence of α-cells within the islet core, whereas islet size remained similar between genotypes. After a continued challenge with a high-fat diet, lower levels of fasting plasma insulin and C-peptide, and higher levels of plasma leptin, were detected in Stk25 transgenic vs wild-type mice. Furthermore, the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was impaired in high-fat-fed Stk25 transgenic mice during glucose tolerance test, in spite of higher net change in blood glucose concentrations compared with wild-type controls, suggesting islet β-cell dysfunction. In summary, this study unravels a role for STK25 in determining the susceptibility to diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease in mice in connection to obesity. Our findings highlight STK25 as a potential drug target for metabolic disease.

Diabetes and dyslipidemia: characterizing lipoprotein metabolism

Premature atherosclerosis in diabetes accounts for much of the decreased life span. New treatments have reduced this risk considerably. This review explores the relationship among the disturbances in glucose, lipid, and bile salt metabolic pathways that occur in diabetes. In particular, excess nutrient intake and starvation have major metabolic effects, which have allowed us new insights into the disturbance that occurs in diabetes. Metabolic regulators such as the forkhead transcription factors, the farnesyl X transcription factors, and the fibroblast growth factors have become important players in our understanding of the dysregulation of metabolism in diabetes and overnutrition. The disturbed regulation of lipoprotein metabolism in both the intestine and the liver has been more clearly defined over the past few years, and the atherogenicity of the triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, and - in tandem - low levels of high-density lipoproteins, is seen now as very important. New information on the apolipoproteins that control lipoprotein lipase activity has been obtained. This is an exciting time in the battle to defeat diabetic atherosclerosis.