Glucose regulation of gene transcription

Nanomaterials integrated with microfluidic paper-based analytical devices for enzyme-free glucose quantification

In this study, nanomaterials capable of enzyme-free glucose quantification and colorimetric readout are integrated into a microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were utilized as a peroxidase-like nanozyme and a colorimetric probe to achieve glucose monitoring. In this developed device, glucose is oxidized by AuNPs to generate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which flows in the paper microchannels toward detection zones. H₂O₂ then etches the immobilized AgNPs to induce a color change. The intensity of color change is easily monitored using a smartphone application. Following method optimization, we obtained a linear range from 0.50 to 10.0 mmol L^-1 (R² = 0.9921) and a detection limit (LOD) of 340.0 μmol L^-1. This falls in the clinically relevant range for glucose monitoring and diabetes diagnosis in humans. In addition, the total analysis time is just 20 min, which is significantly less than the same experiment performed in the solution phase. Also, our method is markedly selective; other substrates do not interfere. The recovery test in human control samples was in the range of 98.47-102.34% and the highest relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.58%. The enzyme-free approach for glucose sensing is highly desirable for diabetes diagnosis as it replaces the more expensive enzyme with cheaper nanomaterials. Furthermore, since nanomaterials are more environmentally stable compared to enzymes, it has the potential for widespread deployment as point-of-care diagnostics (POC) in resource-limited settings.

Effect of non-essential amino acids (proline and glutamic acid) and sugar polyol (sorbitol) on brood of honey bees

Dietary nutrients provide fuel for the growth and development of insects as well as chemicals for their tissue construction. Apis mellifera L., an important pollinator, collects nectar and pollens from different plants to get their nutritional needs. Honey bees use protein for growth and development and carbohydrates as energy sources. Pollens predominantly contain proline and glutamic acid (non-essential amino acids). This is the first study to evaluate the role of proline, glutamic acid and sorbitol on bee broods. The composition of the diet can optimize the in vitro rearing process. Therefore, we elaborated on the possible impact of these amino acids and sugar alcohol on bee broods. This study aimed to achieve this objective by rearing honey bee larvae under different concentrations of proline, glutamic acid, and sorbitol (1, 4 and 8%), which were supplemented into the standard larval diet. The supplementation of proline helped the quick development of larvae and pupae of honey bees, whereas developmental time only decreased in pupae in the case of glutamic acid. The duration of the total bee brood development was the shortest (20.1 and 20.6 days) on Pro8 and Glu4, respectively. Proline only increased larvae survival (93.8%), whereas glutamic acid did not increase the survival of any brood stage. Pupal and adult weights were also increased with proline and glutamic acid-supplemented diets. Sorbitol did not change the developmental period of the honey bee brood but increased larval survival (93.7%) only at the lowest concentration (Sor1). The small concentration of sorbitol can be used to increase the survival of the honey bee brood. However, a higher concentration (Sor8) of sorbitol reduced the body weight of both pupae and adults. This study predicted that rearing bee brood could be one of the factors for the selectivity of pollen with higher proline and glutamic acid during the foraging of bees.

Crosstalk between Sirtuins and Nrf2: SIRT1 activators as emerging treatment for diabetic neuropathy

About 50% of the diabetic patients worldwide suffer from Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) which is characterized by chronic pain and loss of sensation, frequent foot ulcerations, and risk for amputation. Numerous factors like hyperglycemia, oxidative stress (OS), impaired glucose signaling, inflammatory responses, neuronal cell death are known to be the various mechanisms underlying DACD and DPN. Development of tolerance, insufficient and inadequate relief and potential toxicity of classical antinociceptives still remains a challenge in the clinical setting. Therefore, there is an emerging need for novel treatments which are both without any potential side effects as well as which focus more on the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the disease. Also, sirtuins are known to deacetylate Nrf2 and contribute to its action of reducing ROS by generation of anti-oxidant enzymes. Therefore, targeting sirtuins could be a favourable therapeutic strategy to treat diabetic neuropathy by reducing ROS and thereby alleviating OS in DPN. In the present review, we outline the potential use of SIRT1 activators as therapeutic alternatives in treating DPN. We have tried to highlight how sirtuins are interlinked with Nrf2 and NF-κB and put forth how SIRT activators could serve as potential therapy for DPN.

Roles of TOR signaling in nutrient deprivation and abiotic stress

In living organisms, nutrient, energy, and environmental stimuli sensing and signaling are considered as the most primordial regulatory networks governing growth and development. Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is a diversified Serine/Threonine protein kinase existing in all eukaryotes that regulates distinct salient growth and developmental signaling pathways. TOR signaling acts as a central hub in plants that allows a variety of nutrients, energy, hormones, and environmental stimuli to be integrated. TOR is activated by several nutrients and promotes energy-consuming processes such as cell division, protein translation, mRNA translation and ribosome biogenesis. We summarized the recent findings on the TOR function in regulating the dynamic networks of nutrients, including sugar, sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, potassium, and amino acids. TOR's role in abiotic stress was discussed, in which TOR orchestrating stress signaling, including heat, cold, salt, and osmotic stress, to regulate transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming, as well as growth and development. The interconnections between TOR and SnRK1 kinase were discussed in controlling nutrient deprivation and abiotic stress.

The physiological and pathophysiological roles of carbohydrate response element binding protein in the kidney

Glucose is not only the energy fuel for most cells, but also the signaling molecule which affects gene expression via carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP), a Mondo family transcription factor. In response to high glucose conditions, ChREBP regulates glycolytic and lipogenic genes by binding to carbohydrate response elements (ChoRE) in the regulatory region of its target genes, thus elucidating the role of ChREBP for converting excessively ingested carbohydrates to fatty acids as an energy storage in lipogenic tissues such as the liver and adipose tissue. While the pathophysiological roles of ChREBP for fatty liver and obesity in these tissues are well known, much of the physiological and pathophysiological roles of ChREBP in other tissues such as the kidney remains unclear despite its high levels of expression in them. This review will thus highlight the roles of ChREBP in the kidney and briefly introduce the latest research results that have been reported so far.

Analysis of the Glucose-Dependent Transcriptome in Murine Hypothalamic Cells

Glucose provides vital energy for cells and contributes to gene expression. The hypothalamus is key for metabolic homeostasis, but effects of glucose on hypothalamic gene expression have not yet been investigated in detail. Thus, herein, we monitored the glucose-dependent transcriptome in murine hypothalamic mHypoA-2/10 cells by total RNA-seq analysis. A total of 831 genes were up- and 1390 genes were downregulated by at least 50%. Key genes involved in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway were upregulated, and total cellular cholesterol levels were significantly increased by glucose. Analysis of single genes involved in fundamental cellular signaling processes also suggested a significant impact of glucose. Thus, we chose ≈100 genes involved in signaling and validated the effects of glucose on mRNA levels by qRT-PCR. We identified Gnai1–3, Adyc6, Irs1, Igfr1, Hras, and Elk3 as new glucose-dependent genes. In line with this, cAMP measurements revealed enhanced noradrenalin-induced cAMP levels, and reporter gene assays elevated activity of the insulin-like growth factor at higher glucose levels. Key data of our studies were confirmed in a second hypothalamic cell line. Thus, our findings link extra cellular glucose levels with hypothalamic lipid synthesis and pivotal intracellular signaling processes, which might be of particular interest in situations of continuously increased glucose levels.

Bio-inspired Track-Etched Polymeric Nanochannels: Steady-State Biosensors for Detection of Analytes

Bio-inspired polymeric nanochannel (also referred as nanopore)-based biosensors have attracted considerable attention on account of their controllable channel size and shape, multi-functional surface chemistry, unique ionic transport properties, and good robustness for applications. There are already very informative reviews on the latest developments in solid-state artificial nanochannel-based biosensors, however, which concentrated on the resistive-pulse sensing-based sensors for practical applications. The steady-state sensing-based nanochannel biosensors, in principle, have significant advantages over their counterparts in term of high sensitivity, fast response, target analytes with no size limit, and extensive suitable range. Furthermore, among the diverse materials, nanochannels based on polymeric materials perform outstandingly, due to flexible fabrication and wide application. This compressive Review summarizes the recent advances in bio-inspired polymeric nanochannels as sensing platforms for detection of important analytes in living organisms, to meet the high demand for high-performance biosensors for analysis of target analytes, and the potential for development of smart sensing devices. In the future, research efforts can be focused on transport mechanisms in the field of steady-state or resistive-pulse nanochannel-based sensors and on developing precisely size-controlled, robust, miniature and reusable, multi-functional, and high-throughput biosensors for practical applications. Future efforts should aim at a deeper understanding of the principles at the molecular level and incorporating these diverse pore architectures into homogeneous and defect-free multi-channel membrane systems. With the rapid advancement of nanoscience and biotechnology, we believe that many more achievements in nanochannel-based biosensors could be achieved in the near future, serving people in a better way.

Thermal Detection of Glucose in Urine Using a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer as a Recognition Element

Glucose bio-sensing technologies have received increasing attention in the last few decades, primarily due to the fundamental role that glucose metabolism plays in diseases (e.g., diabetes). Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) could offer an alternative means of analysis to a field that is traditionally dominated by enzyme-based devices, posing superior chemical stability, cost-effectiveness, and ease of fabrication. Their integration into sensing devices as recognition elements has been extensively studied with different readout methods such as quartz-crystal microbalance or impedance spectroscopy. In this work, a dummy imprinting approach is introduced, describing the synthesis and optimization of a MIP toward the sensing of glucose. Integration of this polymer into a thermally conductive receptor layer was achieved by micro-contact deposition. In essence, the MIP particles are pressed into a polyvinyl chloride adhesive layer using a polydimethylsiloxane stamp. The prepared layer is then evaluated with the so-called heat-transfer method, allowing the determination of the specificity and the sensitivity of the receptor layer. Furthermore, the selectivity was assessed by analyzing the thermal response after infusion with increasing concentrations of different saccharide analogues in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The obtained results show a linear range of the sensor of 0.0194–0.3300 mM for the detection of glucose in PBS. Finally, a potential application of the sensor was demonstrated by exposing the receptor layer to increasing concentrations of glucose in human urine samples, demonstrating a linear range of 0.0444–0.3300 mM. The results obtained in this paper highlight the applicability of the sensor both in terms of non-invasive glucose monitoring and for the analysis of food samples.

A methodology for predicting tissue-specific metabolic roles of receptors applied to subcutaneous adipose

The human biological system uses 'inter-organ' communication to achieve a state of homeostasis. This communication occurs through the response of receptors, located on target organs, to the binding of secreted ligands from source organs. Albeit years of research, the roles these receptors play in tissues is only partially understood. This work presents a new methodology based on the enrichment analysis scores of co-expression networks fed into support vector machines (SVMs) and k-NN classifiers to predict the tissue-specific metabolic roles of receptors. The approach is primarily based on the detection of coordination patterns of receptors expression. These patterns and the enrichment analysis scores of their co-expression networks were used to analyse ~ 700 receptors and predict metabolic roles of receptors in subcutaneous adipose. To facilitate supervised learning, a list of known metabolic and non-metabolic receptors was constructed using a semi-supervised approach following literature-based verification. Our approach confirms that pathway enrichment scores are good signatures for correctly classifying the metabolic receptors in adipose. We also show that the k-NN method outperforms the SVM method in classifying metabolic receptors. Finally, we predict novel metabolic roles of receptors. These predictions can enhance biological understanding and the development of new receptor-targeting metabolic drugs.

The Effect of Different Dietary Sugars on the Development and Fecundity of Harmonia axyridis

The aim of this study was to screen synergistic substances included in existing artificial feeds in order to improve the fertility and survival rate of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), an efficient pest predator. To this end, we analyzed the potential effects of glucose and trehalose on the growth, development, and reproduction of H. axyridis and evaluated the effect of three different artificial feeds on the energy stress of H. axyridis. The artificial diets contained fresh pork liver, honey, sucrose, vitamin C, and royal jelly, which was marked it as Diet1. The glucose was added to diet1, which was marked it as diet2, while adding trehalose to diet1 was marked as diet3. The pre-oviposition period of H. axyridis on Diet 1 was slower than that of Diet 2 and Diet 3. Additionally, the spawning quantity and incubation rate of insects on Diet 2 and Diet 3 were significantly higher than that of those on Diet 1. Finally, the larval developmental time on Diet 1 was significantly slower than that of Diet 2 and Diet 3. These results indicate that the addition of an appropriate amount of glucose or trehalose may affect positively the growth, development, and reproduction of H. axyridis. In addition, further studies showed that ATP, amino acids and fatty acids content in the H. axyridis also increased after the addition of the synergistic substance. All these results show that proper adjustment of stored energy anabolic and catabolism is important to maintain the metabolic balance of the insect’s entire life cycle and the addition of glucose or trehalose has a certain effect on the life indicators of H. axyridis.

Hippo pathway cooperates with ChREBP to regulate hepatic glucose utilization

Hippo pathway plays a crucial role as a regulator of organ size and tumorigenesis that negatively regulates cell growth and survival. Recently lots of evidences show that Hippo pathway plays a crucial role in glucose metabolic metabolism to regulate energy status with cell growth. However, the detailed mechanism is still unclear. Here we report that Yes-associated protein (YAP), the terminal effector of Hippo pathway, interacts with carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) in the nucleus of the hepatocytes thereby promoting glycolysis and lipogenesis. A high carbohydrate (HCHO) diet could inactivate the Hippo pathway and encourage the combination of YAP and ChREBP, leading to glucose-induced hepatocyte glycolysis and lipogenesis through up-regulation of target genes such as L-PK and ACC in mice. Conversely, inhibition of YAP activity by phosphorylation or downregulation antagonized glycolysis and lipogenesis in mice fed with HCHO diet. These results suggest that YAP is a nuclear co-factor of ChREBP and that the Hippo pathway negatively affects hepatocyte glycolysis by inhibiting the function of YAP-ChREBP.

AMPK and Akt/mTOR signalling pathways participate in glucose-mediated regulation of hepatitis B virus replication and cellular autophagy

A growing consensus indicates that host metabolism plays a vital role in viral infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occurs in hepatocytes with active glucose metabolism and may be regulated by cellular metabolism. We addressed the question whether and how glucose regulates HBV replication in hepatocytes. The low glucose concentration at 5 mM significantly promoted HBV replication via enhanced transcription and autophagy when compared with higher glucose concentrations (10 and 25 mM). At low glucose concentration, AMPK activity was increased and led to ULK1 phosphorylation at Ser 555 and LC3-II accumulation. By contrast, the mTOR pathway was activated by high glucose concentrations, resulting in reduced HBV replication. mTOR inhibition by rapamycin reversed negative effects of high glucose concentrations on HBV replication, suggesting that low glucose concentration promotes HBV replication by stimulating the AMPK/mTOR-ULK1-autophagy axis. Consistently, we found that glucose transporters inhibition using phloretin also enhanced HBV replication via increased AMPK/mTOR-ULK1-induced autophagy. Surprisingly, the glucose analogue 2-deoxy-D-glucose reduced HBV replication through activating the Akt/mTOR signalling pathway also at the low glucose concentrations. Our study reveals that glucose is an important factor for the HBV life cycle by regulating HBV transcription and posttranscriptional steps of HBV replication via cellular autophagy.

Glucose Utilization in the Regulation of Chitin Synthesis in Brown Planthopper

Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and hexokinase (HK) are two key enzymes in the glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways, which catalyze the synthesis and degradation of glucose in insects, respectively. G6Pase and HK play an important role in insect growth by regulating the metabolism of glucose, leading to the efficient metabolism of other macromolecules. However, it is unclear whether these genes could be investigated for pest control through their actions on chitin metabolism. We studied the potential functions of G6Pase and HK genes in the regulation of chitin metabolism pathways by RNAi technology. Interference with G6Pase expression did not affect trehalose and chitin metabolism pathways in brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål). However, knockdown of the HK gene resulted in a significant decrease of expression of genes associated with the trehalose metabolic pathway but had no significant effect on trehalase activity, trehalose content, or glucogen content. Additionally, HK knockdown resulting in downregulation of the genes involved in chitin metabolism in the brown planthopper. These insects also showed wing deformities and difficulty in molting to varying degrees. We suggest that the silencing of HK expression directly inhibited the decomposition of glucose, leading to impaired chitin synthesis.

A Nutrigenomics Approach Using RNA Sequencing Technology to Study Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Agricultural Animals

Thorough understanding of animal gene expression driven by dietary nutrients can be regarded as a bottom line of advanced animal nutrition research. Nutrigenomics (including transcriptomics) studies the effects of dietary nutrients on cellular gene expression and, ultimately, phenotypic changes in living organisms. Transcriptomics can be applied to investigate animal tissue transcriptomes at a defined nutritional state, which can provide a holistic view of intracellular RNA expression. As a novel transcriptomics approach, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology can monitor all gene expressions simultaneously in response to dietary intervention. The principle and history of RNA-Seq are briefly reviewed, and its 3 principal steps are described in this article. Application of RNA-Seq in different areas of animal nutrition research is summarized. Lastly, the application of RNA-Seq in swine science and nutrition is also reviewed. In short, RNA-Seq holds significant potential to be employed for better understanding the nutrient-gene interactions in agricultural animals.

In vivo imaging of β-cell function reveals glucose-mediated heterogeneity of β-cell functional development

How pancreatic β-cells acquire function in vivo is a long-standing mystery due to the lack of technology to visualize β-cell function in living animals. Here, we applied a high-resolution two-photon light-sheet microscope for the first in vivo imaging of Ca²⁺activity of every β-cell in Tg (ins:Rcamp1.07) zebrafish. We reveal that the heterogeneity of β-cell functional development in vivo occurred as two waves propagating from the islet mantle to the core, coordinated by islet vascularization. Increasing amounts of glucose induced functional acquisition and enhancement of β-cells via activating calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) signaling. Conserved in mammalians, calcineurin/NFAT prompted high-glucose-stimulated insulin secretion of neonatal mouse islets cultured in vitro. However, the reduction in low-glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was dependent on optimal glucose but independent of calcineurin/NFAT. Thus, combination of optimal glucose and calcineurin activation represents a previously unexplored strategy for promoting functional maturation of stem cell-derived β-like cells in vitro.

When the amount of sugar in our body rises, specialised cells known as β-cells respond by releasing insulin, a hormone that acts on various organs to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range. These cells cluster in small ‘islets’ inside our pancreas. If the number of working β-cells declines, diseases such as diabetes may appear and it becomes difficult to regulate the amount of sugar in our bodies. Understanding how β-cells normally develop and mature in the embryo could help us learn how to make new ones in the laboratory. In particular, researchers are interested in studying how different body signals, such as blood sugar levels, turn immature β-cells into fully productive cells. However, in mammals, the pancreas and its islets are buried deep inside the embryo and they cannot be observed easily.

Here, Zhao et al. circumvented this problem by doing experiments on zebrafish embryos, which are transparent, grow outside their mother’s body, and have pancreatic islets that are similar to the ones found in mammals. A three-dimensional microscopy technique was used to watch individual β-cells activity over long periods, which revealed that the cells start being able to produce insulin at different times. The β-cells around the edge of each islet were the first to have access to blood sugar signals: they gained their hormone-producing role earlier than the cells in the core of an islet, which only sensed the information later on.

Zhao et al. then exposed the zebrafish embryos to different amounts of sugar. This showed that there is an optimal concentration of sugar which helps β-cells develop by kick-starting a cascade of events inside the cell. Further experiments confirmed that the same pathway and optimal sugar concentration exist for mammalian islets grown in the laboratory.

These findings may help researchers find better ways of making new β-cells to treat diabetic patients. In the future, using the three-dimensional imaging technique in zebrafish embryos may lead to more discoveries on how the pancreas matures.

Interplay between ChREBP and SREBP-1c coordinates postprandial glycolysis and lipogenesis in livers of mice

Lipogenesis in liver is highest in the postprandial state; insulin activates SREBP-1c, which transcriptionally activates genes involved in FA synthesis, whereas glucose activates carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP), which activates both glycolysis and FA synthesis. Whether SREBP-1c and ChREBP act independently of one another is unknown. Here, we characterized mice with liver-specific deletion of ChREBP (L-Chrebp^−/− mice). Hepatic ChREBP deficiency resulted in reduced mRNA levels of glycolytic and lipogenic enzymes, particularly in response to sucrose refeeding following fasting, a dietary regimen that elicits maximal lipogenesis. mRNA and protein levels of SREBP-1c, a master transcriptional regulator of lipogenesis, were also reduced in L-Chrebp^−/− livers. Adeno-associated virus-mediated restoration of nuclear SREBP-1c in L-Chrebp^−/− mice normalized expression of a subset of lipogenic genes, while not affecting glycolytic genes. Conversely, ChREBP overexpression alone failed to support expression of lipogenic genes in the livers of mice lacking active SREBPs as a result of Scap deficiency. Together, these data show that SREBP-1c and ChREBP are both required for coordinated induction of glycolytic and lipogenic mRNAs. Whereas SREBP-1c mediates insulin’s induction of lipogenic genes, ChREBP mediates glucose’s induction of both glycolytic and lipogenic genes. These overlapping, but distinct, actions ensure that the liver synthesizes FAs only when insulin and carbohydrates are both present.

Naringin (4',5,7-Trihydroxyflavanone 7-Rhamnoglucoside) Attenuates β-Cell Dysfunction in Diabetic Rats through Upregulation of PDX-1

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) is a key transcription factor which regulates Insulin gene expression and insulin secretion in adult β-cells and helps to maintain β-cells mass. Naringin, a flavanone, owing to its anti-oxidant property, is reported to have antidiabetic effects.

OBJECTIVES

The present study tries to evaluate the role of naringin on the β-cell-specific transcription factor PDX-1 in diabetic rats.

METHODS

Diabetes was induced in male rats using streptozotocin and treated with naringin (100 mg/kg) orally for 4 and 8 weeks. Serum insulin level, Pdx-1 and Insulin gene expression, and PDX-1 protein expression were assessed in the rat pancreas. Histopathological and ultrastructural changes in the islet and β-cells were observed.

RESULTS

Naringin prevented leukocytic infiltration in the pancreas of diabetic rats and recouped the β-cells with adequate secretory granules. Naringin-treated diabetic rats showed significantly increased mRNA expression of Pdx-1 and Insulin genes, increased expression of transcription factor PDX-1, and higher serum insulin levels than the diabetic control animals. These changes were more pronounced in the 8-week naringin-treated diabetic animals.

CONCLUSIONS

Naringin was found to be an effective antidiabetic agent which increased Insulin gene expression and insulin secretion by upregulating the PDX-1 gene and protein expression.

Roles of PFKFB3 in cancer

The understanding of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFK-2/FBPase 3, PFKFB3) has advanced considerably since its initial identification in human macrophages in the mid-1990s. As a vital regulator of glycolysis, accumulating studies have suggested that PFKFB3 is associated with many aspects of cancer, including carcinogenesis, cancer cell proliferation, vessel aggressiveness, drug resistance and tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of PFKFB3 regulation by several signal pathways and its function in cancer development in different cell types in cancer tissues. Ubiquitous PFKFB3 has emerged as a potential target for anti-neoplastic therapy.

Transcription factor 19 interacts with histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation and controls gluconeogenesis via the nucleosome-remodeling-deacetylase complex

Transcription factor 19 (TCF19) has been reported as a type 1 diabetes-associated locus involved in maintenance of pancreatic β cells through a fine-tuned regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. TCF19 also exhibits genomic association with type 2 diabetes, although the precise molecular mechanism remains unknown. It harbors both a plant homeodomain and a forkhead-associated domain implicated in epigenetic recognition and gene regulation, a phenomenon that has remained unexplored. Here, we show that TCF19 selectively interacts with histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation through its plant homeodomain finger. Knocking down TCF19 under high-glucose conditions affected many metabolic processes, including gluconeogenesis. We found that TCF19 overexpression represses de novo glucose production in HepG2 cells. The transcriptional repression of key genes, induced by TCF19, coincided with NuRD (nucleosome-remodeling-deacetylase) complex recruitment to the promoters of these genes. TCF19 interacted with CHD4 (chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4), which is a part of the NuRD complex, in a glucose concentration-independent manner. In summary, our results show that TCF19 interacts with an active transcription mark and recruits a co-repressor complex to regulate gluconeogenic gene expression in HepG2 cells. Our study offers critical insights into the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of gluconeogenesis and into the roles of chromatin readers in metabolic homeostasis.

Sweet Sixteenth for ChREBP: Established Roles and Future Goals

With the identification of ChREBP in 2001, our interest in understanding the molecular control of carbohydrate sensing has surged. While ChREBP was initially studied as a master regulator of lipogenesis in liver and fat tissue, it is now clear that ChREBP functions as a central metabolic coordinator in a variety of cell types in response to environmental and hormonal signals, with wide implications in health and disease. Celebrating its sweet sixteenth birthday, we review here the current knowledge about the function and regulation of ChREBP throughout usual and less explored tissues, to recapitulate ChREBP's role as a whole-body glucose sensor.

MondoA/ChREBP: The usual suspects of transcriptional glucose sensing; Implication in pathophysiology

Identification of the Mondo glucose-responsive transcription factors family, including the MondoA and MondoB/ChREBP paralogs, has shed light on the mechanism whereby glucose affects gene transcription. They have clearly emerged, in recent years, as key mediators of glucose sensing by multiple cell types. MondoA and ChREBP have overlapping yet distinct expression profiles, which underlie their downstream targets and separate roles in regulating genes involved in glucose metabolism. MondoA can restrict glucose uptake and influences energy utilization in skeletal muscle, while ChREBP signals energy storage through de novo lipogenesis in liver and white adipose tissue. Because Mondo proteins mediate metabolic adaptations to changing glucose levels, a better understanding of cellular glucose sensing through Mondo proteins will likely uncover new therapeutic opportunities in the context of the imbalanced glucose homeostasis that accompanies metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. Here, we provide an overview of structural homologies, transcriptional partners as well as the nutrient and hormonal mechanisms underlying Mondo proteins regulation. We next summarize their relative contribution to energy metabolism changes in physiological states and the evolutionary conservation of these pathways. Finally, we discuss their possible targeting in human pathologies.

c-MYC-Making Liver Sick: Role of c-MYC in Hepatic Cell Function, Homeostasis and Disease

Over 35 years ago, c-MYC, a highly pleiotropic transcription factor that regulates hepatic cell function, was identified. In recent years, a considerable increment in the number of publications has significantly shifted the way that the c-MYC function is perceived. Overexpression of c-MYC alters a wide range of roles including cell proliferation, growth, metabolism, DNA replication, cell cycle progression, cell adhesion and differentiation. The purpose of this review is to broaden the understanding of the general functions of c-MYC, to focus on c-MYC-driven pathogenesis in the liver, explain its mode of action under basal conditions and during disease, and discuss efforts to target c-MYC as a plausible therapy for liver disease.

pH, Lactate, and Hypoxia: Reciprocity in Regulating High-Affinity Monocarboxylate Transporter Expression in Glioblastoma

Highly malignant brain tumors harbor the aberrant propensity for aerobic glycolysis, the excessive conversion of glucose to lactic acid even in the presence of ample tissue oxygen. Lactic acid is rapidly effluxed to the tumor microenvironment via a group of plasma-membrane transporters denoted monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to prevent “self-poisoning.” One isoform, MCT2, has the highest affinity for lactate and thus should have the ability to respond to microenvironment conditions such as hypoxia, lactate, and pH to help maintain high glycolytic flux in the tumor. Yet, MCT2 is considered to not respond to hypoxia, which is counterintuitive. Its response to tumor lactate has not been reported. In this report, we experimentally identify the transcription initiation site/s for MCT2 in astrocytes (normal) and glioma (tumor). We then use a BACmid library to isolate a 4.2-kbp MCT2 promoter-exon I region and examine promoter response to glycolysis-mediated stimuli in glioma cells. Reporter analysis of nested-promoter constructs indicated response of MCT2 to hypoxia, pH, lactate, and glucose, the major physiological “players” that facilitate a tumor's growth and proliferation. Immunoblot analysis of native MCT2 expression under altered pH and hypoxia reflected the reporter data. The pH-mediated gene-regulation studies we describe are the first to record H⁺-based reporter studies for any mammalian system and demonstrate the exquisite response of the MCT2 gene to minute changes in tumor pH. Identical promoter usage also provides the first evidence of astrocytes harnessing the same gene regulatory regions to facilitate astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttling, a metabolic feature of normal brain.

Nutrient Sensing Systems in Fish: Impact on Food Intake Regulation and Energy Homeostasis

Evidence obtained in recent years in a few species, especially rainbow trout, supports the presence in fish of nutrient sensing mechanisms. Glucosensing capacity is present in central (hypothalamus and hindbrain) and peripheral [liver, Brockmann bodies (BB, main accumulation of pancreatic endocrine cells in several fish species), and intestine] locations whereas fatty acid sensors seem to be present in hypothalamus, liver and BB. Glucose and fatty acid sensing capacities relate to food intake regulation and metabolism in fish. Hypothalamus is as a signaling integratory center in a way that detection of increased levels of nutrients result in food intake inhibition through changes in the expression of anorexigenic and orexigenic neuropeptides. Moreover, central nutrient sensing modulates functions in the periphery since they elicit changes in hepatic metabolism as well as in hormone secretion to counter-regulate changes in nutrient levels detected in the CNS. At peripheral level, the direct nutrient detection in liver has a crucial role in homeostatic control of glucose and fatty acid whereas in BB and intestine nutrient sensing is probably involved in regulation of hormone secretion from endocrine cells.

Integration of ChREBP-Mediated Glucose Sensing into Whole Body Metabolism

Since glucose is the principal energy source for most cells, many organisms have evolved numerous and sophisticated mechanisms to sense glucose and respond to it appropriately. In this context, cloning of the carbohydrate responsive element binding protein has unraveled a critical molecular link between glucose metabolism and transcriptional reprogramming induced by glucose. In this review, we detail major findings that have advanced our knowledge of glucose sensing.

Gene environment interaction in periphery and brain converge to modulate behavioral outcomes: Insights from the SP1 transient early in life interference rat model

It is generally assumed that behavior results from an interaction between susceptible genes and environmental stimuli during critical life stages. The present article reviews the main theoretical and practical concepts in the research of gene environment interaction, emphasizing the need for models simulating real life complexity. We review a novel approach to study gene environment interaction in which a brief post-natal interference with the expression of multiple genes, by hindering the activity of the ubiquitous transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) is followed by later-in-life exposure of rats to stress. Finally, this review discusses the role of peripheral processes in behavioral responses, with the Sp1 model as one example demonstrating how specific behavioral patterns are linked to modulations in both peripheral and central physiological processes. We suggest that models, which take into account the tripartite reciprocal interaction between the central nervous system, peripheral systems and environmental stimuli will advance our understanding of the complexity of behavior.

Effects of Tocotrienols on Insulin Secretion-Associated Genes Expression of Rat Pancreatic Islets in a Dynamic Culture

Tocotrienols (T3) are well-known for their antioxidant properties besides showing therapeutic potential in clinical complications such as hyperlipidemia induced by diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of δ-T3, γ-T3, and α-T3 on insulin secretion-associated genes expression of rat pancreatic islets in a dynamic culture. Pancreatic islets freshly isolated from male Wistar rats were treated with T3 for 1 h at 37°C in a microfluidic system with continuous operation. The cells were collected for total RNA extraction and reverse-transcribed, followed by measurement of insulin secretion-associated genes expression using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Molecular docking experiments were performed to gain insights on how the T3 bind to the receptors. Short-term exposure of δ- and γ-T3 to pancreatic β cells in a stimulant glucose condition (16.7 mM) significantly regulated preproinsulin mRNA levels and insulin gene transcription. In contrast, α-T3 possessed less ability in the activation of insulin synthesis level. Essentially, potassium chloride (KCl), a β cell membrane depolarising agent added into the treatment further enhanced the insulin production. δ- and γ-T3 revealed significantly higher quantitative expression in most of the insulin secretion-associated genes groups containing 16.7 mM glucose alone and 16.7 mM glucose with 30 mM KCl ranging from 600 to 1200 μM (p < 0.05). The findings suggest the potential of δ-T3 in regulating insulin synthesis and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion through triggering pathway especially in the presence of KCl.

Insulin promotes vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis via differential regulation of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand

BACKGROUND

Insulin regulates glucose homeostasis but can also promote vascular smooth muscle (VSMC) proliferation, important in atherogenesis. Recently, we showed that tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) stimulates intimal thickening via accelerated growth of VSMCs. The aim of the present study was to determine whether insulin-induced effects on VSMCs occur via TRAIL.

METHODS

Expression of TRAIL and TRAIL receptor in response to insulin and glucose was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Transcriptional activity was assessed using wild-type and site-specific mutations of the TRAIL promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies were performed. VSMC proliferation and apoptosis was measured.

RESULTS

Insulin and glucose exposure to VSMC for 24 h stimulated TRAIL mRNA expression. This was also evident at the transcriptional level. Both insulin- and glucose-inducible TRAIL transcriptional activity was blocked by dominant-negative specificity protein-1 (Sp1) overexpression. There are five functional Sp1-binding elements (Sp1-1, Sp1-2, Sp-5/6 and Sp1-7) on the TRAIL promoter. Insulin required the Sp1-1 and Sp1-2 sites, but glucose needed all Sp1-binding sites to induce transcription. Furthermore, insulin (but not glucose) was able to promote VSMC proliferation over time, associated with increased decoy receptor-2 (DcR2) expression. In contrast, chronic 5-day exposure of VSMC to 1 µg/mL insulin repressed TRAIL and DcR2 expression, and reduced Sp1 enrichment on the TRAIL promoter. This was associated with increased cell death.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study provide a new mechanistic insight into how TRAIL is regulated by insulin. This may have significant implications at different stages of diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease. Thus, TRAIL may offer a novel therapeutic solution to combat insulin-induced vascular pathologies.

Glucose levels affect LL-37 expression in monocyte-derived macrophages altering the Mycobacterium tuberculosis intracellular growth control

Diabetes mellitus (DM)-2 patients have an increased susceptibility to develop pulmonary tuberculosis; this is partly due to the impairment of the innate immunity because of their higher glucose concentrations. In the present study, we determined the effect of the glucose concentrations in the LL-37 expression in infected and non-infected macrophages. Our results showed that the increasing glucose concentrations correlates with the low cathelicidin expression in non-infected cells, however in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infected cells, LL-37 expression was substantially increased in higher glucose concentrations, nevertheless the mycobacterial burden also increased, this phenomena can be associated with the cathelicidin immunomodulatory activity. Further evaluation for LL-37 needs to be done to determine whether this peptide can be used as a biomarker of tuberculosis progression in DM2 patients.

The role of the glucose-sensing transcription factor carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein pathway in termite queen fertility

Termites are among the few animals that themselves can digest the most abundant organic polymer, cellulose, into glucose. In mice and Drosophila, glucose can activate genes via the transcription factor carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) to induce glucose utilization and de novo lipogenesis. Here, we identify a termite orthologue of ChREBP and its downstream lipogenic targets, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase. We show that all of these genes, including ChREBP, are upregulated in mature queens compared with kings, sterile workers and soldiers in eight different termite species. ChREBP is expressed in several tissues, including ovaries and fat bodies, and increases in expression in totipotent workers during their differentiation into neotenic mature queens. We further show that ChREBP is regulated by a carbohydrate diet in termite queens. Suppression of the lipogenic pathway by a pharmacological agent in queens elicits the same behavioural alterations in sterile workers as observed in queenless colonies, supporting that the ChREBP pathway partakes in the biosynthesis of semiochemicals that convey the signal of the presence of a fertile queen. Our results highlight ChREBP as a likely key factor for the regulation and signalling of queen fertility.

Inhibition of Intestinal α-Glucosidase and Glucose Absorption by Feruloylated Arabinoxylan Mono- and Oligosaccharides from Corn Bran and Wheat Aleurone

The effect of feruloylated arabinoxylan mono- and oligosaccharides (FAXmo) on mammalian α-glucosidase and glucose transporters was investigated using human Caco-2 cells, rat intestinal acetone powder, and Xenopus laevis oocytes. The isolated FAXmo from wheat aleurone and corn bran were identified to have degree of polymerization (DP) of 4 and 1, respectively, by HPLC-MS. Both FAXmo extracts were effective inhibitors of sucrase and maltase functions of the α-glucosidase. The IC50 for FAXmo extracts on Caco-2 cells and rat intestinal α-glucosidase was 1.03–1.65 mg/mL and 2.6–6.5 mg/mL, respectively. Similarly, glucose uptake in Caco-2 cells was inhibited up to 40%. The inhibitory effect of FAXmo was dependent on their ferulic acid (FA) content (R = 0.95). Sodium independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) activity was completely inhibited by FAXmo in oocytes injected to express GLUT2. Our results suggest that ferulic acid and feruloylated arabinoxylan mono-/oligosaccharides have potential for use in diabetes management.

O-Linked N-acetylglucosaminylation of Sp1 interferes with Sp1 activation of glycolytic genes

Glycolysis, the primary pathway metabolizing glucose for energy production, is connected to the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) which produces UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), a GlcNAc donor for O-linked GlcNAc modification (O-GlcNAc), as well as for traditional elongated glycosylation. Thus, glycolysis and O-GlcNAc are intimately associated. The present study reports the transcriptional activation of glycolytic genes by the transcription factor Sp1 and the O-GlcNAc-mediated suppression of Sp1-dependent activation of glycolytic genes. O-GlcNAc-deficient mutant Sp1 stimulated the transcription of nine glycolytic genes and cellular production of pyruvate, the final product of glycolysis, to a greater extent than wild-type Sp1. Consistently, this mutant Sp1 increased the protein levels of the two key glycolytic enzymes, phosphofructokinase (PFK) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), to a greater extent than wild-type Sp1. Finally, the mutant Sp1 occupied GC-rich elements on PFK and GAPDH promoters more efficiently than wild-type Sp1. These results suggest that O-GlcNAcylation of Sp1 suppresses Sp1-mediated activation of glycolytic gene transcription.

Ultrastructural Analysis of In Vivo Hypoglycemiant Effect of Two Polyoxometalates in Rats with Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes

Two polyoxometalates (POMs), synthesized through a self-assembling method, were used in the treatment of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. One of these nanocompounds [tris(vanadyl)-substituted tungsto-antimonate(III)-anions—POM1] was previously described in the literature, whereas the second [tris-butyltin-21-tungsto-9-antimonate(III)-anions—POM2], was prepared by us based on our original formula. In rats with STZ-induced diabetes treated with POMs (up to a cumulative dose of 4 mg/kg bodyweight at the end of the treatments), statistically significant reduced levels of blood glucose were measured after 3 weeks, as compared with the diabetic control groups (DCGs). Ultrastructural analysis of pancreatic β-cells (including the mean diameter of secretory vesicles and of their insulin granules) in the treated diabetic rats proved the POMs contribute to limitation of cellular degeneration triggered by STZ, as well as to the presence of increased amounts of insulin-containing vesicles as compared with the DCG. The two POMs also showed hepatoprotective properties when ultrastructural aspects of hepatocytes in the experimental groups of rats were studied. Based on our in vivo studies, we concluded that the two POMs tested achieved hypoglycemiant effects by preventing STZ-triggered apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells and stimulation of insulin synthesis.

Low-glucose enhances keratocyte-characteristic phenotype from corneal stromal cells in serum-free conditions

The avascular cornea is a uniquely-isolated organ, with its stroma constituting a nutrient-poor environment. Consequently, the availability of metabolites such as glucose to corneal stromal cells is considerably reduced compared with other tissues, or indeed with media commonly used to culture these cells in vitro. However, the role of glucose in the behaviour of human corneal keratocytes has been overlooked. As such, we sought to investigate the effects of low-glucose formulations on the phenotype of human corneal stromal cells. Cells cultured in low-glucose were able to survive for extended periods when compared to high-glucose, serum-free conditions. Furthermore, low-glucose enhanced their reversal to a keratocyte-characteristic phenotype. Specifically, cells within low-glucose medium assumed dendritic morphologies, with bean-shaped condensed nuclei, absence of alpha-smooth muscle actin or stress fibres, and a corresponding reduction in migratory and contractile activities when compared with high-glucose, serum-free conditions. Moreover, cells within low-glucose uniquely recovered the ability to express a robust keratocyte-characteristic marker, CD34, while still expressing elevated levels of other representative phenotypic markers such as keratocan, lumican, ALDH1A1, and ALDH3A1. These results indicate that low-glucose enhances keratocyte-characteristic phenotype above and beyond established media formulations and thus has important implications for corneal biology in health and disease.

Regulation of retinoid X receptor gamma expression by fed state in mouse liver

Glucose metabolism is balanced by glycolysis and gluconeogenesis with precise control in the liver. The expression of genes related to glucose metabolism is regulated primarily by glucose and insulin at transcriptional level. Nuclear receptors play important roles in regulating the gene expression of glucose metabolism at transcriptional level. Some of these nuclear receptors form heterodimers with RXRs to bind to their specific regulatory elements on the target promoters. To date, three isotypes of RXRs have been identified; RXRα, RXRβ and RXRγ. However, their involvement in the interactions with other nuclear receptors in the liver remains unclear. In this study, we found RXRγ is rapidly induced after feeding in the mouse liver, indicating a potential role of RXRγ in controlling glucose or lipid metabolism in the fasting-feeding cycle. In addition, RXRγ expression was upregulated by glucose in primary hepatocytes. This implies that glucose metabolism governed by RXRγ in conjunction with other nuclear receptors. The luciferase reporter assay showed that RXRγ as well as RXRα increased SREBP-1c promoter activity in hepatocytes. These results suggest that RXRγ may play an important role in tight control of glucose metabolism in the fasting-feeding cycle.

The hexosamine biosynthetic pathway induces gene promoter activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta

The cardiac isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCβ) produces malonyl-CoA, a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial fatty acid (FA) uptake. Higher ACCβ activity decreases FA utilization, potentially leading to intracellular myocardial lipid accumulation and insulin resistance (IR). Since increased hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) flux is linked to IR onset, we hypothesized that HBP activation leads to the induction of ACCβ gene promoter activity. Rat H9c2 cardio-myoblasts were transiently transfected with a 1317bp human ACCβ promoter-luciferase construct (pPIIβ-1317)±an expression construct encoding the HBP rate-limiting step, i.e., glutamine:fructose 6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT)±various HBP modulators. The administration of l-glutamine (HBP substrate) dose-dependently increased, while HBP inhibitors attenuated pPIIβ-1317 activity. Co-transfections with dominant-negative GFAT constructs diminished pPIIβ-1317 activity. To explore underlying transcriptional mechanisms, we co-transfected with upstream stimulatory factor (USF) expression constructs and found that USF2 induced pPIIβ-1317 activity vs. controls. Moreover, co-transfection of a GFAT expression construct+USF reporter-promoter construct (with consensus USF binding elements) led to induction of pPIIβ-1317 activity vs. controls. We next performed transfections with GFAT±full length ACCβ and seven truncated promoter-luciferase constructs, respectively. Here GFAT-mediated ACCβ promoter induction was blunted when co-transfected with the pPIIβ-38/+65 deletion construct indicating that USF2 binds to the proximal ACCβ promoter region (near start codon). Our study demonstrates that HBP activation induces ACCβ gene promoter activity in H9c2 cells via USF2. We propose that such ACCβ induction may elicit serious downstream effects, e.g. the inhibition of FA β-oxidation and the onset of IR.

Multiple E-boxes in the distal promoter of the rat pyruvate carboxylase gene function as a glucose-responsive element

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) is an anaplerotic enzyme that regulates glucose-induced insulin secretion in pancreatic islets. Dysregulation of its expression is associated with type 2 diabetes. Herein we describe the molecular mechanism underlying the glucose-mediated transcriptional regulation of the PC gene. Incubation of the rat insulin cell line INS-1 832/13 with glucose resulted in a 2-fold increase in PC mRNA expression. Transient transfections of the rat PC promoter-luciferase reporter construct in the above cell line combined with mutational analysis indicated that the rat PC gene promoter contains the glucose-responsive element (GRE), comprising three canonical E-boxes (E1, E3 and E4) and one E-box-like element (E2) clustering between nucleotides –546 and –399, upstream of the transcription start site. Mutation of any of these E-boxes resulted in a marked reduction of glucose-mediated transcriptional induction of the reporter gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that the upstream stimulatory factors 1 and 2 (USF1 and USF2) bind to E1, the Specificity Protein-1 (Sp1) binds to E2, USF2 and the carbohydrate responsive element binding protein (ChREBP) binds to E4, while unknown factors binds to E3. High glucose promotes the recruitment of Sp1 to E2 and, USF2 and ChREBP to E4. Silencing the expression of Sp1, USF2 and ChREBP by their respective siRNAs in INS-1 832/13 cells blunted glucose-induced expression of endogenous PC. We conclude that the glucose-mediated transcriptional activation of the rat PC gene is regulated by at least these three transcription factors.

Fatty acid synthase methylation levels in adipose tissue: effects of an obesogenic diet and phenol compounds

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that can inhibit gene transcription. The aim of this study was to assess changes induced by an obesogenic diet in the methylation profile of genes involved in adipose tissue triacylglycerol metabolism, and to determine whether this methylation pattern can be altered by resveratrol and pterostilbene. Rats were divided into four groups. The control group was fed a commercial standard diet, and the other three groups were fed a commercial high-fat, high-sucrose diet (6 weeks): the high-fat, high-sucrose group, the resveratrol-treated group (RSV; 30 mg/kg/day), and the pterostilbene-treated group (PT; 30 mg/kg/day). Gene expression was measured by RT-PCR and gene methylation by pyrosequencing. The obesogenic diet induced a significant increase in adipose tissue weight. Resveratrol and pterostilbene partially prevented this effect. Methylation pattern of ppnla2 and pparg genes was similar among the experimental groups. In fasn, significant hypomethylation in -90-bp position and significant hypermethylation in -62-bp position were induced by obesogenic feeding. Only pterostilbene reversed the changes induced by the obesogenic diet in fasn methylation pattern. By contrast, the addition of resveratrol to the diet did not induce changes. Both phenolic compounds averted fasn up-regulation. These results demonstrate that the up-regulation of fasn gene induced by an obesogenic feeding, based on a high-fat, high-sucrose diet, is related to hypomethylation of this gene in position -90 bp. Under our experimental conditions, both molecules prevent fasn up-regulation, but this change in gene expression seems to be mediated by changes in methylation status only in the case of pterostilbene.

Microenvironmental stimuli for proliferation of functional islet β-cells

Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose level due to either autoimmune destruction of islet β-cells or insufficient insulin secretion or glucose non-responsive production of insulin by β-cells. It is highly desired to replace biological functional β-cells for the treatment of diabetes. Unfortunately, β-cells proliferate with an extremely low rate. This cellular property hinders cell-based therapy for clinical application. Many attempts have been made to develop techniques that allow production of large quantities of clinically relevant islet β-cells in vitro. A line of studies evidently demonstrate that β-cells can proliferate under certain circumstances, giving the hopes for generating and expanding these cells in vitro and transplanting them to the recipient. In this review, we discuss the requirements of microenvironmental stimuli that stimulate β-cell proliferation in cell cultures. We highlight advanced approaches for augmentation of β-cell expansion that have recently emerged in this field. Furthermore, knowing the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms would enable manipulating cell proliferation and optimizing its insulin secretory function. Thus, signaling pathways involved in the enhancement of cell proliferation are discussed as well.

Subcellular glucose exposure biases the spatial distribution of insulin granules in single pancreatic beta cells

In living tissues, a cell is exposed to chemical substances delivered partially to its surface. Such a heterogeneous chemical environment potentially induces cell polarity. To evaluate this effect, we developed a microfluidic device that realizes spatially confined delivery of chemical substances at subcellular resolution. Our microfluidic device allows simple setup and stable operation for over 4 h to deliver chemicals partially to a single cell. Using the device, we showed that subcellular glucose exposure triggers an intracellular [Ca(2+)] change in the β-cells. In addition, the imaging of a cell expressing GFP-tagged insulin showed that continuous subcellular exposure to glucose biased the spatial distribution of insulin granules toward the site where the glucose was delivered. Our approach illustrates an experimental technique that will be applicable to many biological experiments for imaging the response to subcellular chemical exposure and will also provide new insights about the development of polarity of β-cells.

NANOSTRUCTURED Pt–Ir NON-ENZYMATIC GLUCOSE SENSORS

Over the past decade, the development of non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensors had thriven at a considerable rate. Compared with the traditional enzymatic electrochemical biosensors, the non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensors have the advantages of higher sensitivity and stability. Recently, plenty of researches have devoted to synthesizing new materials, such as bimetallic nanoparticles, and also develop specific nanostructures on the sensor surface to solve the problem of poisoning and increase the selectivity. This work develops two non-enzymatic glucose sensors that are based on nanostructured Pt – Ir films which were deposited by electrodeposition. Because of the relatively high deposition current density, bubbles produced vigorously on the working electrode surface. This phenomenon results in leaf-like nanostructure formed naturally on the surface of the working electrode and further increased the catalytic reaction area. Besides, as determined by the sampling analysis method that is developed herein, the presented Pt – Ir sensors mitigate the current drifting problem which is easily observed when a constant potential is applied in an amperometric glucose detection. Furthermore, the presented Pt – Ir sensors show high sensitivity and stability in 1X PBS (0.15 M NaCl ) at 37°C in the glucose concentration range of 1–12 mM. Therefore, the presented non-enzymatic glucose sensors not only provide great potential in biomedical applications, such as homecare products, but can also be adapted for the biological application, such as continuous cell culture monitoring.

Possible involvement of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in glucose deprivation-induced activation of transcription factor rst2

Glucose is one of the most important sources of cellular nutrition and glucose deprivation induces various cellular responses. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, zinc finger protein Rst2 is activated upon glucose deprivation, and regulates gene expression via the STREP (stress response element of Schizosaccharomyces pombe) motif. However, the activation mechanism of Rst2 is not fully understood. We monitored Rst2 transcriptional activity in living cells using a Renilla luciferase reporter system. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) enhanced Rst2 transcriptional activity upon glucose deprivation and free radical scavenger inhibited Rst2 transcriptional activity upon glucose deprivation. In addition, deletion of the trx2 (+) gene encoding mitochondrial thioredoxin enhanced Rst2 transcriptional activity. Notably, nitric oxide (NO) generators enhanced Rst2 transcriptional activity upon glucose deprivation as well as under glucose-rich conditions. Furthermore, NO specific scavenger inhibited Rst2 transcriptional activity upon glucose deprivation. Altogether, our data suggest that NO and reactive oxygen species may be involved in the activation of transcription factor Rst2.

Early postnatal interference with the expression of multiple Sp1 regulated genes leads to disparate behavioral response to sub-chronic and chronic stress in rats

BACKGROUND

It is currently accepted that complex behavior and mental disorder results from a combination of biological susceptibility and exposure to environmental stimuli. Most of the gene-environment interaction models focus on the interaction between the stimuli and a single candidate gene. We suggest that an alternative approach is interference with the expression of multiple genes followed by exposure to environmental insults.

METHODS

Early interference with gene transcription was performed by treatment of 7 days old Wistar male rats for 4 days with the Sp1/DNA binding inhibitor, mithramycin. Environmental insult was mimicked by exposing these rats during adulthood (34 days) to sub-chronic (12 days, n=30) or chronic stress (28 days, n=48). The effects of mithramycin and stress treatment on the behavioral response and serum corticosterone concentration were assessed.

RESULTS

Exposure of mithramycin treated rats to sub-chronic stress led to anxious behavior in the open field test, high startle response, low sucrose preference, indifference to novel objects and high serum corticosterone concentration. However, exposure to chronic stress resulted in normal sucrose preference, startle response and serum corticosterone, novelty seeking behavior and reduced anxiety. In saline treated rats the extension of stress duration led to behavioral and hormonal adaptation to stress.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that postnatal temporal interference with multiple gene expression can lead to hyper-responsiveness to environmental stimuli, the features of which affects the phenotypic outcomes. Such a paradigm may be used to model gene-environmental interaction in the etiology of behavioral disorders.

Effects of glucose availability on expression of the key genes involved in synthesis of milk fat, lactose and glucose metabolism in bovine mammary epithelial cells

As the main precursor for lactose synthesis, large amounts of glucose are required by lactating dairy cows. Milk yield greatly depends on mammary lactose synthesis due to its osmoregulatory property for mammary uptake of water. Thus, glucose availability to the mammary gland could be a potential regulator of milk production. In the present study, the effect of glucose availability on expression of the key genes involved in synthesis of milk fat, lactose and glucose metabolism in vitro was investigated. Bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) were treated for 12 h with various concentrations of glucose (2.5, 5, 10 or 20 mmol/L). The higher concentrations of glucose (10-20 mmol/L) did not affect the mRNA expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, diacyl glycerol acyl transferase, glycerol-3 phosphate acyl transferase and α-lactalbumin, whereas fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 and beta-1, 4-galactosyl transferase mRNA expression increased at 10 mmol/L and then decreased at 20 mmol/L. The content of lactose synthase increased with increasing concentration of glucose, with addition of highest value at 20 mmol/L of glucose. Moreover, the increased glucose concentration stimulated the activities of pyruvate kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and elevated the energy status of the BMEC. Therefore, it was deduced that after increasing glucose availability, the extra absorbed glucose was partitioned to entering the synthesis of milk fat and lactose by the regulation of the mRNA expression of key genes, promoting glucose metabolism by glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway as well as energy status. These results indicated that the sufficient availability of glucose in BMEC may promote glucose metabolism, and affect the synthesis of milk composition.

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.

PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase is necessary for lipogenic activation during HCMV infection

PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK) is an ER-associated stress sensor protein which phosphorylates eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) to induce translation attenuation in response to ER stress. PERK is also a regulator of lipogenesis during adipocyte differentiation through activation of the cleavage of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), resulting in the upregulation of lipogenic enzymes. Our recent studies have shown that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in human fibroblasts (HF) induces adipocyte-like lipogenesis through the activation of SREBP1. Here, we report that PERK expression is highly increased in HCMV-infected cells and is necessary for HCMV growth. Depletion of PERK, using short hairpin RNA (shRNA), resulted in attenuation of HCMV growth, inhibition of lipid synthesis and reduction of lipogenic gene expression. Examination of the cleavage of SREBP proteins showed PERK depletion inhibited the cleavage of SREBP1, but not SREBP2, in HCMV-infected cells, suggesting different cleavage regulatory mechanisms for SREBP1 and 2. Further studies showed that the depletion of SREBP1, but not SREBP2, reduced lipid synthesis in HCMV infection, suggesting that activation of SREBP1 is sufficient to induce lipogenesis in HCMV infection. The reduction of lipid synthesis by PERK depletion can be partially restored by expressing a Flag-tagged nuclear form of SREBP1a. Our studies also suggest that the induction of PERK in HCMV-infected cells stimulates SREBP1 cleavage by reducing levels of Insig1 (Insulin inducible gene 1) protein; this occurs independent of the phosphorylation of eIF2α. Introduction of an exogenous Insig1-Myc into HCMV infected cells significantly reduced HCMV growth and lipid synthesis. Our data demonstrate that the induction of PERK during HCMV infection is necessary for full activation of lipogenesis; this effect appears to be mediated by limiting the levels of Insig1 thus freeing SREBP1-SCAP complexes for SREBP1 processing.