Expression of PI3-K, PKB and GSK-3 β in the skeletal muscle tissue of gestational diabetes mellitus

A New Diterpenoid of Indonesian Scoparia dulcis Linn: Isolation and Cytotoxic Activity against MCF-7 and T47D Cell Lines

Scoparia dulcis Linn plays an important role in treatment because it contains active compounds that are proven to have a variety of activities, including cytotoxicity on various cancer cells. The objective of this study is to isolate and identify the cytotoxic compounds in the ethyl acetate fraction of Scoparia dulcis, observe cell cycle inhibition and induction of apoptosis in vitro, and carry out molecular studies using in silico studies. A new diterpene compound was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Scoparia dulcis L. of Indonesian origin. Chromatographic methods were used to isolate the compound, spectroscopic methods were used to elucidate its structure, and these data were compared with those reported in the literature. The compound was tested for its cytotoxic activity against two breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and T47D). The results of the isolated compound showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 and T47D breast cancer cells at IC50 70.56 ± 1.54 and <3.125 ± 0.43 µg/mL, respectively. The compound inhibited the growth of MCF-7 and T47D breast cancer cells and the accumulation of cells in the G1 phases, and it induced apoptosis. Based on a spectroscopic analysis, the isolated compound was identified as 2α-hydroxyscopadiol, which is a new diterpenoid. A docking study revealed that the isolate's hydroxyl groups are essential for interacting with crucial residues on the active sites of the ER and PR and caspase-9. The isolate inhibits ER and PR activity with binding energies of -8.2 kcal/mol and -7.3 kcal/mol, respectively. In addition, the isolate was also able to induce apoptosis through the activation of the caspase-9 pathway with an affinity of -9.0 kcal/mol. In conclusion, the isolated compound from S. dulcis demonstrated anticancer activity based on in vitro and in silico studies.

circMAP3K4 regulates insulin resistance in trophoblast cells during gestational diabetes mellitus by modulating the miR-6795-5p/PTPN1 axis

Background

Insulin resistance (IR) during gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been linked to dysregulated insulin-PI3K/Akt pathway. A defective insulin-PI3K/Akt pathway and dysregulated circular RNA (circRNA) levels have been observed in the placentas of patients with GDM; however, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear.

Methods

circRNAs potentially associated with GDM were selected through bioinformatics analysis and initially identified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in 9 GDM patients and 9 healthy controls, of which circMAP3K4 was further validated in additional 84 samples by qPCR. circMAP3K4 identity and localization were verified. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to evaluate the correlation between circMAP3K4 expression in the placental tissues of GDM patients and IR-related indicators. An IR model of trophoblasts was constructed using glucosamine. Interactions between miR-6795-5p and circMAP3K4 or PTPN1 were confirmed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The circMAP3K4/miR-6795-5p/PTPN1 axis and key markers in the insulin-PI3K/Akt pathway in placentas and trophoblasts were evaluated through qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and western blotting. The role of circMAP3K4 in glucose metabolism and cell growth in trophoblasts was determined using the glucose uptake and CCK8 assay, respectively.

Results

circMAP3K4 was highly expressed in the placentas of patients with GDM and the IR trophoblast model; this was associated with a dysregulated insulin-PI3K/Akt pathway. circMAP3K4 in the placentas of GDM patients was positively correlated with weight gain during pregnancy and time-glucose area under the curve of OGTT. circMAP3K4 and PTPN1 could both bind to miR-6795-5p. miR-6795-5p and PTPN1 were downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in the placentas of GDM patients and the IR trophoblast model. circMAP3K4 silencing or miR-6795-5p overexpression partially reversed the decrease in glucose uptake, inhibition in cell growth, and downregulated IRS1 and Akt phosphorylation in IR-trophoblasts; this restoration was reversed upon co-transfection with an miR-6795-5p inhibitor or PTPN1.

Conclusion

circMAP3K4 could suppress the insulin-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway via miR-6795-5p/PTPN1 axis, probably contributing to GDM-related IR.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03386-8.

Sulforaphane Regulates Glucose and Lipid Metabolisms in Obese Mice by Restraining JNK and Activating Insulin and FGF21 Signal Pathways

The most common complications of obesity are metabolic disorders such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hyperglycemia, and low-grade inflammation. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a hydrolysate of glucosinolate (GLS) that is found in large quantities in cruciferous vegetables. The objective of this research was to evaluate the mechanism by which SFN relieves obesity complications in obese mice. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet to induce obesity and treated daily with 10 mg/(kg body weight (bw)) SFN for 8 weeks, while a positive control group was treated daily with 300 mg/(kg bw) metformin. Our results indicated that SFN attenuated NAFLD, inflammation, oxidative stress, adipose tissue hypertrophy, and insulin resistance, as well as regulated glucose and lipid metabolism. SFN regulated glucose and lipid metabolism by deactivating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and blocking the inhibitory effect of the insulin signaling pathway. SFN also regulated glucose metabolism by alleviating fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) resistance. Our research provides an empirical basis for clinical treatment with SFN in obesity.

Visceral adipose tissue alteration of PI3KR1 expression is associated with gestational diabetes but not promoter DNA methylation

Obesity and diabetes are at an epidemic rate, as well as growing incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) which causes pregnancy risks, and harm in both maternal and child health. It remains unclear which molecular mechanisms are driving the functional differences between visceral and subcutaneous fat and how these types directly affect an individual’s health outcome. Paired abdominal subcutaneous and omental visceral adipose tissue were collected from women with GDM (n = 20) and with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n = 22) during planned caesarian section. Both groups had similar maternal age (average 32.5 years) and BMI at delivery (average 33.3 kg/m²). Adipose tissue mRNA expression analyses of insulin signalling genes: PI3KCA, PI3KR1, IRS1 and IRS2 showed significantly decreased PI3KR1 expression (−23%) in visceral fat in GDM with no association to promoter DNA methylation. Reduced visceral fat PI3KR1 expression appears to be a pathogenic factor in GDM but not through altered promoter methylation.

Elevated iron status and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was to assess the relationship between elevated iron status, measured as hemoglobin and ferritin levels, and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The present study was recorded in PROSPERO (2013:CRD42013005717). The selected studies were identified through a systematic review of scientific literature published in The Cochrane Library and PubMed/MEDLINE databases from their inception until March 10, 2016, in addition to citation tracking and hand-searches. The search strategy of original articles combined several terms for hemoglobin, ferritin, pregnancy, and GDM. OR and 95% CI of the selected studies were used to identify associations between hemoglobin and/or ferritin levels with the risk of GDM. Summary estimates were calculated by combining inverse-variance using fixed-effects model. 2468 abstracts were initially found during the search. Of these, 11 with hemoglobin and/or ferritin data were selected for the meta-analyses. We observed that high hemoglobin (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.23-1.88), as well as ferritin (OR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.48-2.96) levels were linked to an increased risk of GDM. Low heterogeneity was observed in hemoglobin (I²  = 33.3%, P = 0.151) and ferritin (I²  = 0.7%, P = 0.418) meta-analyses, respectively. Publication bias was not appreciated. High hemoglobin or ferritin levels increase the risk of GDM by more than 50% and more than double, respectively, in the first and third trimester. Therefore, determining of hemoglobin or ferritin concentration in early pregnancy might be a useful tool for recognizing pregnant women at risk of GDM.

Erythropoietin and diabetes mellitus

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a 30.4 kDa growth factor and cytokine that governs cell proliferation, immune modulation, metabolic homeostasis, vascular function, and cytoprotection. EPO is under investigation for the treatment of variety of diseases, but appears especially suited for the treatment of disorders of metabolism that include diabetes mellitus (DM). DM and the complications of this disease impact a significant portion of the global population leading to disability and death with currently limited therapeutic options. In addition to its utility for the treatment of anemia, EPO can improve cardiac function, reduce fatigue, and improve cognition in patients with DM as well as regulate cellular energy metabolism, obesity, tissue repair and regeneration, apoptosis, and autophagy in experimental models of DM. Yet, EPO can have adverse effects that involve the vasculature system and unchecked cellular proliferation. Critical to the cytoprotective capacity and the potential for a positive clinical outcome with EPO are the control of signal transduction pathways that include protein kinase B, the mechanistic target of rapamycin, Wnt signaling, mammalian forkhead transcription factors of the O class, silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and AMP activated protein kinase. Therapeutic strategies that can specifically target and control EPO and its signaling pathways hold great promise for the development of new and effective clinical treatments for DM and the complications of this disorder.

FoxO Transcription Factors and Regenerative Pathways in Diabetes Mellitus

Mammalian forkhead transcription factors of the O class (FoxO) are exciting targets under consideration for the development of new clinical entities to treat metabolic disorders and diabetes mellitus (DM). DM, a disorder that currently affects greater than 350 million individuals globally, can become a devastating disease that leads to cellular injury through oxidative stress pathways and affects multiple systems of the body. FoxO proteins can regulate insulin signaling, gluconeogenesis, insulin resistance, immune cell migration, and cell senescence. FoxO proteins also control cell fate through oxidative stress and pathways of autophagy and apoptosis that either lead to tissue regeneration or cell demise. Furthermore, FoxO signaling can be dependent upon signal transduction pathways that include silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (S. cerevisiae) (SIRT1), Wnt, and Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1). Cellular metabolic pathways driven by FoxO proteins are complex, can lead to variable clinical outcomes, and require in-depth analysis of the epigenetic and post-translation protein modifications that drive FoxO protein activation and degradation.