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Ball BK, Kuhn MK, Fleeman Bechtel RM, Proctor EA, Brubaker DK. Differential responses of primary neuron-secreted MCP-1 and IL-9 to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease-associated metabolites. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12743. [PMID: 38830911 PMCID: PMC11148169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62155-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is implicated as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. In this work, we investigated neuroinflammatory responses of primary neurons to potentially circulating, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeable metabolites associated with AD, T2D, or both. We identified nine metabolites associated with protective or detrimental properties of AD and T2D in literature (lauric acid, asparagine, fructose, arachidonic acid, aminoadipic acid, sorbitol, retinol, tryptophan, niacinamide) and stimulated primary mouse neuron cultures with each metabolite before quantifying cytokine secretion via Luminex. We employed unsupervised clustering, inferential statistics, and partial least squares discriminant analysis to identify relationships between cytokine concentration and disease-associations of metabolites. We identified MCP-1, a cytokine associated with monocyte recruitment, as differentially abundant between neurons stimulated by metabolites associated with protective and detrimental properties of AD and T2D. We also identified IL-9, a cytokine that promotes mast cell growth, to be differentially associated with T2D. Indeed, cytokines, such as MCP-1 and IL-9, released from neurons in response to BBB-permeable metabolites associated with T2D may contribute to AD development by downstream effects of neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan K Ball
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Madison K Kuhn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Center for Neural Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca M Fleeman Bechtel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Proctor
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Center for Neural Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Department of Engineering Science & Mechanics, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Douglas K Brubaker
- Center for Global Health & Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Blood Heart Lung Immunology Research Center, University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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2
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Fu Y, Lai D, Xu Y, Liu J, Wang Y, Jiang D, Pan J, Ouyang H, Tian Y, Huang Y, Shen X. The DNA methylation status of the vitamin A signaling associated with testicular degeneration induced by long-day photoperiods in Magang geese. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103769. [PMID: 38917605 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Magang geese are typical short-day breeders whose reproductive behaviors are significantly influenced by photoperiod. Exposure to a long-day photoperiod results in testicular regression and spermatogenesis arrest in Magang geese. To investigate the epigenetic influence of DNA methylation on the seasonal testicular regression in Magang geese, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and transcriptome sequencing of testes across 3 reproductive phases during a long-day photoperiod. A total of 250,326 differentially methylated regions (DMR) were identified among the 3 comparison groups, with a significant number showing hypermethylation, especially in intronic regions of the genome. Integrating bisulfite sequencing with transcriptome sequencing data revealed that DMR-associated genes tend to be differentially expressed in the testes, highlighting a potential regulatory role for DNA methylation in gene expression. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between changes in the methylation of CG DMRs and changes in the expression of their associated genes in the testes. A total of 3,359 DMR-associated differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified; functional enrichment analyses revealed that motor proteins, MAPK signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, phagosome, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and calcium signaling might contribute to the testicular regression process. GSEA revealed that the significantly enriched activated hallmark gene set was associated with apoptosis and estrogen response during testicular regression, while the repressed hallmark gene set was involved in spermatogenesis. Our study also revealed that methylation changes significantly impacted the expression level of vitamin A metabolism-related genes during testicular degeneration, with hypermethylation of STRA6 and increased calmodulin levels indicating vitamin A efflux during the testicular regression. These findings were corroborated by pyrosequencing and real-time qPCR, which revealed that the vitamin A metabolic pathway plays a pivotal role in testicular degeneration under long-day conditions. Additionally, metabolomics analysis revealed an insufficiency of vitamin A and an abnormally high level of oxysterols accumulated in the testes during testicular regression. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that testicular degeneration in Magang geese induced by a long-day photoperiod is linked to vitamin A homeostasis disruption, which manifests as the hypermethylation status of STRA6, vitamin A efflux, and a high level of oxysterol accumulation. These findings offer new insights into the effects of DNA methylation on the seasonal testicular regression that occurs during long-day photoperiods in Magang geese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Fu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Diyu Lai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yanglong Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yushuai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Danli Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Jianqiu Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Hongjia Ouyang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yunbo Tian
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yunmao Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Xu Shen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China.
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3
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Ramkumar S, Jastrzebska B, Montenegro D, Sparrow JR, von Lintig J. Unraveling the mystery of ocular retinoid turnover: Insights from albino mice and the role of STRA6. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105781. [PMID: 38395306 PMCID: PMC10950888 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
A delicate balance between photon absorption for vision and the protection of photoreceptors from light damage is pivotal for ocular health. This equilibrium is governed by the light-absorbing 11-cis-retinylidene chromophore of visual pigments, which, upon bleaching, transforms into all-trans-retinal and undergoes regeneration through an enzymatic pathway, named the visual cycle. Chemical side reactions of retinaldehyde during the recycling process can generate by-products that may result in a depletion of retinoids. In our study, we have clarified the crucial roles played by melanin pigmentation and the retinoid transporter STRA6 in preventing this loss and preserving the integrity of the visual cycle. Our experiments initially confirmed that consecutive green and blue light bleaching of isolated bovine rhodopsin produced 9-cis and 13-cis retinal. The same unusual retinoids were found in the retinas of mice exposed to intense light, with elevated concentrations observed in albino mice. Examining the metabolic fate of these visual cycle byproducts revealed that 9-cis-retinal, but not 13-cis-retinal, was recycled back to all-trans-retinal through an intermediate called isorhodopsin. However, investigations in Stra6 knockout mice unveiled that the generation of these visual cycle byproducts correlated with a light-induced loss of ocular retinoids and visual impairment. Collectively, our findings uncover important novel aspects of visual cycle dynamics, with implications for ocular health and photoreceptor integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasagan Ramkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Beata Jastrzebska
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Diego Montenegro
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Janet R Sparrow
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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Ball BK, Kuhn MK, Fleeman RM, Proctor EA, Brubaker DK. Differential responses of primary neuron-secreted MCP-1 and IL-9 to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease-associated metabolites. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.567595. [PMID: 38014333 PMCID: PMC10680853 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.567595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is implicated as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. In this work, we investigated neuroinflammatory responses of primary neurons to potentially circulating, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeable metabolites associated with AD, T2D, or both. We identified nine metabolites associated with protective or detrimental properties of AD and T2D in literature (lauric acid, asparagine, fructose, arachidonic acid, aminoadipic acid, sorbitol, retinol, tryptophan, niacinamide) and stimulated primary mouse neuron cultures with each metabolite before quantifying cytokine secretion via Luminex. We employed unsupervised clustering, inferential statistics, and partial least squares discriminant analysis to identify relationships between cytokine concentration and disease-associations of metabolites. We identified MCP-1, a cytokine associated with monocyte recruitment, as differentially abundant between neurons stimulated by metabolites associated with protective and detrimental properties of AD and T2D. We also identified IL-9, a cytokine that promotes mast cell growth, to be differentially associated with T2D. Indeed, cytokines, such as MCP-1 and IL-9, released from neurons in response to BBB-permeable metabolites associated with T2D may contribute to AD development by downstream effects of neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan K. Ball
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Madison K. Kuhn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Center for Neural Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca M. Fleeman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Proctor
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Center for Neural Engineering, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
- Department of Engineering Science & Mechanics, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Douglas K. Brubaker
- Center for Global Health & Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Blood Heart Lung Immunology Research Center, University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Almaguer J, Hindle A, Lawrence JJ. The Contribution of Hippocampal All-Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) Deficiency to Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Overview of ATRA-Dependent Gene Expression in Post-Mortem Hippocampal Tissue. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1921. [PMID: 38001775 PMCID: PMC10669734 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12111921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence that vitamin A (VA) deficiency contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a metabolite of VA in the brain, serves distinct roles in the human hippocampus. Agonists of retinoic acid receptors (RAR), including ATRA, promote activation of the non-amyloidogenic pathway by enhancing expression of α-secretases, providing a mechanistic basis for delaying/preventing amyloid beta (Aβ) toxicity. However, whether ATRA is actually deficient in the hippocampi of patients with AD is not clear. Here, using a publicly available human transcriptomic dataset, we evaluated the extent to which ATRA-sensitive genes are dysregulated in hippocampal tissue from post-mortem AD brains, relative to age-matched controls. Consistent with ATRA deficiency, we found significant dysregulation of many ATRA-sensitive genes and significant upregulation of RAR co-repressors, supporting the idea of transcriptional repression of ATRA-mediated signaling. Consistent with oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, Nrf2 and NfkB transcripts were upregulated, respectively. Interestingly, transcriptional targets of Nrf2 were not upregulated, accompanied by upregulation of several histone deacetylases. Overall, our investigation of ATRA-sensitive genes in the human hippocampus bolsters the scientific premise of ATRA depletion in AD and that epigenetic factors should be considered and addressed as part of VA supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joey Almaguer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA;
| | - Ashly Hindle
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience and Garrison Institute on Aging, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA;
| | - J. Josh Lawrence
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Garrison Institute on Aging, Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, and Center of Excellence for Integrated Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Bi G, Liang J, Shan G, Bian Y, Chen Z, Huang Y, Lu T, Li M, Besskaya V, Zhao M, Fan H, Wang Q, Gan B, Zhan C. Retinol Saturase Mediates Retinoid Metabolism to Impair a Ferroptosis Defense System in Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2387-2404. [PMID: 37184371 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-3977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death induced by the lethal overload of lipid peroxides in cellular membranes. In recent years, modulating ferroptosis has gained attention as a potential therapeutic approach for tumor suppression. In the current study, retinol saturase (RETSAT) was identified as a significant ferroptosis mediator using a publicly accessible CRISPR/Cas9 screening dataset. RETSAT depletion protected tumor cells from lipid peroxidation and subsequent cell death triggered by various ferroptosis inducers. Furthermore, exogenous supplementation with retinoids, including retinol (the substrate of RETSAT) and its derivatives retinal and retinoic acid, also suppressed ferroptosis, whereas the product of RETSAT, 13, 14-dihydroretinol, failed to do so. As effective radical-trapping antioxidant, retinoids protected the lipid membrane from autoxidation and subsequent fragmentation, thus terminating the cascade of ferroptosis. Pseudotargeted lipidomic analysis identified an association between retinoid regulation of ferroptosis and lipid metabolism. Retinoic acid, but not 13, 14-dihydroretinoic acid, interacted with its nuclear receptor and activated transcription of stearoyl-CoA desaturase, which introduces the first double bond into saturated fatty acid and thus catalyzes the generation of monounsaturated fatty acid, a known ferroptosis suppressor. Therefore, RETSAT promotes ferroptosis by transforming retinol to 13, 14-dihydroretinol, thereby turning a strong anti-ferroptosis regulator into a relatively weak one. SIGNIFICANCE Retinoids have ferroptosis-protective properties and can be metabolized by RETSAT to promote ferroptosis, suggesting the possibility of targeting retinoid metabolism in cancer as a treatment strategy to trigger ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoshu Bi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jiaqi Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Guangyao Shan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yunyi Bian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Zhencong Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yiwei Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Tao Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Valeria Besskaya
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Mengnan Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Boyi Gan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
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Moon J, Zhou G, Jankowsky E, von Lintig J. Vitamin A deficiency compromises the barrier function of the retinal pigment epithelium. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad167. [PMID: 37275262 PMCID: PMC10235913 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A major cause for childhood blindness worldwide is attributed to nutritional vitamin A deficiency. Surprisingly, the molecular basis of the ensuing retinal degeneration has not been well defined. Abundant expression of the retinoid transporter STRA6 in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and homeostatic blood levels of retinol-binding protein delay vitamin A deprivation of the mouse eyes. Hence, genetic dissection of STRA6 makes mice susceptible to nutritional manipulation of ocular retinoid status. We performed RNA-seq analyses and complemented the data with tests of visual physiology, ocular morphology, and retinoid biochemistry to compare eyes with different vitamin A status. Mild ocular vitamin A deficiency decreased transcripts of photoreceptor transduction pathway-related genes and increased transcripts of oxidative stress pathways. The response was associated with impaired visual sensitivity and an accumulation of fluorescent debris in the retina. Severe vitamin A deficiency did not only impair visual perception but also decreased transcripts of genes encoding cell adhesion and cellular junction proteins. This response altered cell morphology, resulted in significant changes in transport pathways of small molecules, and compromised the barrier function of the RPE. Together, our analyses characterize the molecular events underlying nutritional blindness in a novel mouse model and indicate that breakdown of the outer blood-retinal barrier contributes to retinal degeneration and photoreceptor cell death in severe vitamin A deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Moon
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gao Zhou
- Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Eckhard Jankowsky
- Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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Chen G, Weiskirchen S, Weiskirchen R. Vitamin A: too good to be bad? Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1186336. [PMID: 37284305 PMCID: PMC10239981 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1186336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is a micronutrient important for vision, cell growth, reproduction and immunity. Both deficiency and excess consuming of vitamin A cause severe health consequences. Although discovered as the first lipophilic vitamin already more than a century ago and the definition of precise biological roles of vitamin A in the setting of health and disease, there are still many unresolved issues related to that vitamin. Prototypically, the liver that plays a key role in the storage, metabolism and homeostasis of vitamin A critically responds to the vitamin A status. Acute and chronic excess vitamin A is associated with liver damage and fibrosis, while also hypovitaminosis A is associated with alterations in liver morphology and function. Hepatic stellate cells are the main storage site of vitamin A. These cells have multiple physiological roles from balancing retinol content of the body to mediating inflammatory responses in the liver. Strikingly, different animal disease models also respond to vitamin A statuses differently or even opposing. In this review, we discuss some of these controversial issues in understanding vitamin A biology. More studies of the interactions of vitamin A with animal genomes and epigenetic settings are anticipated in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoxun Chen
- College of Food Science and Technology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sabine Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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9
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Moon J, Ramkumar S, von Lintig J. Genetic tuning of β-carotene oxygenase-1 activity rescues cone photoreceptor function in STRA6-deficient mice. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:798-809. [PMID: 36150025 PMCID: PMC9941828 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rod and cone photoreceptors in the retina mediate dim light and daylight vision, respectively. Despite their distinctive functions, rod and cone visual pigments utilize the same vitamin A-derived chromophore. To sustain vision, vitamin A precursors must be acquired in the gut, metabolized, and distributed to the eyes. Deficiencies in this pathway in inherited ocular disease states deplete cone photoreceptors from chromophore and eventually lead to cell death, whereas the more abundant rod photoreceptors are less affected. However, pathways that support cone function and survival under such conditions are largely unknown. Using biochemical, histological, and physiological approaches, we herein show that intervention with β-carotene in STRA6-deficient mice improved chromophore supply to cone photoreceptors. Relieving the inherent negative feedback regulation of β-carotene oxygenase-1 activity in the intestine by genetic means further bolstered cone photoreceptor functioning in the STRA6-deficient eyes. A vitamin A-rich diet, however, did not improve cone photoreceptor function in STRA6-deficiency. We provide evidence that the beneficial effect of β-carotene on cones results from favorable serum kinetics of retinyl esters in lipoproteins. The respective alterations in lipoprotein metabolism maintained a steady supply of retinoids to the STRA6-deficient eyes, which ameliorated the competition for chromophore between rod and cone photoreceptors. Together, our study elucidates a cone photoreceptor-survival pathway and unravels an unexpected metabolic connection between the gut and the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Moon
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Srinivasagan Ramkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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10
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Revisiting the Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Alzheimer's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12020415. [PMID: 36829974 PMCID: PMC9952129 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by memory loss, impaired learning and thinking, and difficulty in performing regular daily activities. Despite nearly two decades of collective efforts to develop novel medications that can prevent or halt the disease progression, we remain faced with only a few options with limited effectiveness. There has been a recent growth of interest in the role of nutrition in brain health as we begin to gain a better understanding of what and how nutrients affect hormonal and neural actions that not only can lead to typical cardiovascular or metabolic diseases but also an array of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Vitamins and minerals, also known as micronutrients, are elements that are indispensable for functions including nutrient metabolism, immune surveillance, cell development, neurotransmission, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this review, we provide an overview on some of the most common vitamins and minerals and discuss what current studies have revealed on the link between these essential micronutrients and cognitive performance or AD.
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Correlation between the Serum Concentration of Vitamin A and Disease Severity in Patients Carrying p.G90D in RHO, the Most Frequent Gene Associated with Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa: Implications for Therapy with Vitamin A. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24010780. [PMID: 36614223 PMCID: PMC9821079 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic variant p.G90D in RHO is believed to be responsible for a spectrum of phenotypes, including congenital stationary blindness (for the purpose of this study termed night blindness without degeneration; NBWD), Sector RP, Pericentral RP, and Classic RP. We present a correlation between the serum concentration of vitamin A and disease severity in patients with this variant. This prospective study involved 30 patients from 7 families (17 male; median age 46 years, range 8−73). Full ophthalmological examination including visual acuity, Goldmann perimetry, slit-lamp exam, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, and electrophysiology was performed to determine the presenting phenotype. The serum concentration of vitamin A was determined from a fasting blood sample taken on the day of the exam, where it was found that 23.3% (7/30) of patients had NBWD, 13.3% (4/30) had Sector RP, 3.3% (1/30) had Pericentral RP, and 60% (18/30) had Classic RP. Multiple logistic regression revealed a significantly higher probability of having a milder phenotype (NBWD or Sector RP) in association with younger age (p < 0.05) and a higher concentration of vitamin A (p < 0.05). We hypothesize that vitamin A in its 11-cis-retinal form plays a role in stabilizing the constitutively active p.G90D rhodopsin and its supplementation could be a potential treatment strategy for p.G90D RHO patients.
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12
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Abu Rached N, Gambichler T, Dietrich JW, Ocker L, Seifert C, Stockfleth E, Bechara FG. The Role of Hormones in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315250. [PMID: 36499573 PMCID: PMC9736970 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease manifesting in inverse body regions. In a systematic review, the role of hormones in HS will be presented to better understand the pathomechanisms of HS. The review is based on the PRISMA criteria. Systematic research was carried out using keywords. Subsequently, the data were analyzed based on the clinical response and other relevant information. The main focus of our systematic review was on HS manifestation, exacerbation, sex hormones, antiandrogen therapy, thyroid function, polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance, and adipokines. In HS, there appears to be a dysregulated adipokine release that is shifted towards pro-inflammatory adipokines. Insulin resistance is significantly more common in HS than in healthy patients regardless of BMI, age, and gender. Insulin resistance in HS patients leads to further cardiovascular disease. The mechanism of insulin resistance and role of adipokines should be investigated in future studies to better provide the pathomechanisms of HS. The role of androgens seems to be important in a certain subgroup of female patients. Anti-androgenic therapy can be useful and helpful in some patients. However, further studies are needed to better understand the hormonal relationship in HS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nessr Abu Rached
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
- Correspondence: (N.A.R.); (F.G.B.); Tel.: +49-234-509-3420 (N.A.R.)
| | - Thilo Gambichler
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Johannes W. Dietrich
- Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism Section, Department of Internal Medicine I, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, NRW, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany
- Diabetes Centre Bochum-Hattingen, St. Elisabeth-Hospital Blankenstein, Im Vogelsang 5-11, 45527 Hattingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Endocrine Diseases, Ruhr Centre for Rare Diseases (CeSER), Ruhr University Bochum and Witten/Herdecke University, Alexandrinenstr. 5, 44791 Bochum, Germany
- Centre for Diabetes Technology, Catholic Hospitals Bochum, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Lennart Ocker
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Seifert
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Eggert Stockfleth
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Falk G. Bechara
- International Centre for Hidradenitis Suppurativa/Acne Inversa (ICH), Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791 Bochum, Germany
- Correspondence: (N.A.R.); (F.G.B.); Tel.: +49-234-509-3420 (N.A.R.)
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13
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Bi G, Liang J, Bian Y, Shan G, Besskaya V, Wang Q, Zhan C. The immunomodulatory role of all-trans retinoic acid in tumor microenvironment. Clin Exp Med 2022:10.1007/s10238-022-00860-x. [PMID: 35829844 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-022-00860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Retinoids are essential nutrients for human beings. Among them, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), considered one of the most active metabolites, plays important roles in multiple biological processes. ATRA regulates the transcription of target genes by interacting with nuclear receptors bonded to retinoic acid response elements (RAREs). Besides its differentiation-inducing effect in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and some solid tumor types, its immunoregulatory role in tumor microenvironment (TME) has attracted considerable attention. ATRA not only substantially abrogates the immunosuppressive effect of tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cells but also activates the anti-tumor effect of CD8 + T cells. Notably, the combination of ATRA with other therapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), tumor vaccines, and chemotherapy, has been extensively investigated in a variety of tumor models and clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the role of ATRA in cancer immunology and immunotherapy, dissect the underlying mechanisms of ATRA-mediated activation or differentiation of different types of immune cells, and explore the potential clinical significance of ATRA-based cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoshu Bi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jiaqi Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yunyi Bian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guangyao Shan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Valeria Besskaya
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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14
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Diabetes Aggravates Photoreceptor Pathologies in a Mouse Model for Ocular Vitamin A Deficiency. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11061142. [PMID: 35740038 PMCID: PMC9219864 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11061142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that diabetes disturbs photoreceptor function and vitamin A homeostasis. However, the biochemical basis of this phenotype is not well established. Here, we compared the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in wild-type (WT) mice and Stra6-/- mice, a mouse model for ocular vitamin A deficiency. After 8 weeks, diabetes increased serum retinyl esters in mice of both genotypes. The eyes of diabetic WT mice displayed increased superoxide levels but no changes in retinoid concentrations. Diabetic Stra6-/- mice showed increased ocular retinoid concentrations, but superoxide levels remained unchanged. After 30 weeks, significant alterations in liver and fat retinoid concentrations were observed in diabetic mice. Diabetic WT mice exhibited a decreased expression of visual cycle proteins and a thinning of the photoreceptor layer. Stra6-/- mice displayed significantly lower ocular retinoid concentration than WT mice. An altered retinal morphology and a reduced expression of photoreceptor marker genes paralleled these biochemical changes and were more pronounced in the diabetic animals. Taken together, we observed that diabetes altered vitamin A homeostasis in several organ systems and aggravated photoreceptor pathologies in the vitamin-deficient mouse eyes.
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15
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Moon J, Ramkumar S, von Lintig J. Genetic dissection in mice reveals a dynamic crosstalk between the delivery pathways of vitamin A. J Lipid Res 2022; 63:100215. [PMID: 35452666 PMCID: PMC9142562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2022.100215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is distributed within the body to support chromophore synthesis in the eyes and retinoid signaling in most other tissues. Two pathways exist for the delivery of vitamin A: the extrinsic pathway transports dietary vitamin A in lipoproteins from intestinal enterocytes to tissues, while the intrinsic pathway distributes vitamin A from hepatic stores bound to serum retinol-binding protein. Previously, the transcription factor ISX and the retinol binding protein receptor STRA6 were identified as gatekeepers of these pathways; however, it is not clear how mutations in the corresponding genes affect retinoid homeostasis. Here, we used a genetic dissection approach in mice to examine the contributions of these proteins in select tissues. We observed that ISX-deficiency increased utilization of both preformed and pro-vitamin A. We found that increased storage of retinoids in peripheral tissues of ISX-deficient mice was dependent on STRA6 and induced by retinoid signaling. In addition, double mutant mice exhibited a partial rescue of the Stra6 mutant ocular phenotype. This rescue came at the expense of a massive accumulation of vitamin A in other tissues, demonstrating that vitamin A is randomly distributed when present in excessive amounts. Remarkably, pro-vitamin A supplementation of mutant mice induced the expression of the retinol-binding protein receptor 2 in the liver and was accompanied by increased hepatic retinyl ester stores. Taken together, these findings indicate dynamic crosstalk between the delivery pathways for this essential nutrient and suggest that hepatic reuptake of vitamin A takes place when excessive amounts circulate in the blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Moon
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Srinivasagan Ramkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
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16
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O’Connor C, Varshosaz P, Moise AR. Mechanisms of Feedback Regulation of Vitamin A Metabolism. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14061312. [PMID: 35334970 PMCID: PMC8950952 DOI: 10.3390/nu14061312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required throughout life. Through its various metabolites, vitamin A sustains fetal development, immunity, vision, and the maintenance, regulation, and repair of adult tissues. Abnormal tissue levels of the vitamin A metabolite, retinoic acid, can result in detrimental effects which can include congenital defects, immune deficiencies, proliferative defects, and toxicity. For this reason, intricate feedback mechanisms have evolved to allow tissues to generate appropriate levels of active retinoid metabolites despite variations in the level and format, or in the absorption and conversion efficiency of dietary vitamin A precursors. Here, we review basic mechanisms that govern vitamin A signaling and metabolism, and we focus on retinoic acid-controlled feedback mechanisms that contribute to vitamin A homeostasis. Several approaches to investigate mechanistic details of the vitamin A homeostatic regulation using genomic, gene editing, and chromatin capture technologies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine O’Connor
- MD Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Parisa Varshosaz
- Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Alexander R. Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-705-662-7253
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17
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The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031014. [PMID: 35162940 PMCID: PMC8835581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that occurs in various chemical forms. It is essential for several physiological processes. Either hyper- or hypovitaminosis can be harmful. One of the most important vitamin A functions is its involvement in visual phototransduction, where it serves as the crucial part of photopigment, the first molecule in the process of transforming photons of light into electrical signals. In this process, large quantities of vitamin A in the form of 11-cis-retinal are being isomerized to all-trans-retinal and then quickly recycled back to 11-cis-retinal. Complex machinery of transporters and enzymes is involved in this process (i.e., the visual cycle). Any fault in the machinery may not only reduce the efficiency of visual detection but also cause the accumulation of toxic chemicals in the retina. This review provides a comprehensive overview of diseases that are directly or indirectly connected with vitamin A pathways in the retina. It includes the pathophysiological background and clinical presentation of each disease and summarizes the already existing therapeutic and prospective interventions.
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18
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Nguyen YTK, Ha HTT, Nguyen TH, Nguyen LN. The role of SLC transporters for brain health and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:20. [PMID: 34971415 PMCID: PMC11071821 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04074-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The brain exchanges nutrients and small molecules with blood via the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Approximately 20% energy intake for the body is consumed by the brain. Glucose is known for its critical roles for energy production and provides substrates for biogenesis in neurons. The brain takes up glucose via glucose transporters GLUT1 and 3, which are expressed in several neural cell types. The brain is also equipped with various transport systems for acquiring amino acids, lactate, ketone bodies, lipids, and cofactors for neuronal functions. Unraveling the mechanisms by which the brain takes up and metabolizes these nutrients will be key in understanding the nutritional requirements in the brain. This could also offer opportunities for therapeutic interventions in several neurological disorders. For instance, emerging evidence suggests a critical role of lactate as an alternative energy source for neurons. Neuronal cells express monocarboxylic transporters to acquire lactate. As such, treatment of GLUT1-deficient patients with ketogenic diets to provide the brain with alternative sources of energy has been shown to improve the health of the patients. Many transporters are present in the brain, but only a small number has been characterized. In this review, we will discuss about the roles of solute carrier (SLC) transporters at the blood brain barrier (BBB) and neural cells, in transport of nutrients and metabolites in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen T K Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117596, Singapore
| | - Hoa T T Ha
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117596, Singapore
| | - Tra H Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117596, Singapore
| | - Long N Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117596, Singapore.
- SLING/Immunology Program, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Singapore.
- Immunology Translational and Cardiovascular Disease Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Singapore.
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19
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Wołoszynowska-Fraser MU, Kouchmeshky A, McCaffery P. Vitamin A and Retinoic Acid in Cognition and Cognitive Disease. Annu Rev Nutr 2021; 40:247-272. [PMID: 32966186 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-122319-034227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The history of vitamin A goes back over one hundred years, but our realization of its importance for the brain and cognition is much more recent. The brain is more efficient than other target tissues at converting vitamin A to retinoic acid (RA), which activates retinoic acid receptors (RARs). RARs regulate transcription, but their function in the cytoplasm to control nongenomic actions is also crucial. Controlled synthesis of RA is essential for regulating synaptic plasticity in regions of the brain involved in learning and memory, such as the hippocampus. Vitamin A deficiency results in a deterioration of these functions, and failure of RA signaling is perhaps associated with normal cognitive decline with age as well as with Alzheimer's disease. Further, several psychiatric and developmental disorders that disrupt cognition are also linked with vitamin A and point to their possible treatment with vitamin A or RA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azita Kouchmeshky
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, United Kingdom;
| | - Peter McCaffery
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, United Kingdom;
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20
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Ramkumar S, Parmar VM, Samuels I, Berger NA, Jastrzebska B, von Lintig J. The vitamin a transporter STRA6 adjusts the stoichiometry of chromophore and opsins in visual pigment synthesis and recycling. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:548-560. [PMID: 34508587 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium of the vertebrate eyes acquires vitamin A from circulating retinol binding protein for chromophore biosynthesis. The chromophore covalently links with an opsin protein in the adjacent photoreceptors of the retina to form the bipartite visual pigment complexes. We here analyzed visual pigment biosynthesis in mice deficient for the retinol binding protein receptor STRA6. We observed that chromophore content was decreased throughout the life cycle of these animals, indicating that lipoprotein-dependent delivery pathways for the vitamin cannot substitute for STRA6. Changes in the expression of photoreceptor marker genes, including a down-regulation of the genes encoding rod and cone opsins, paralleled the decrease in ocular retinoid concentration in STRA6-deficient mice. Despite this adaptation, cone photoreceptors displayed absent or mislocalized opsins at all ages examined. Rod photoreceptors entrapped the available chromophore but exhibited significant amounts of chromophore-free opsins in the dark-adapted stage. Treatment of mice with pharmacological doses of vitamin A ameliorated the rod phenotype but did not restore visual pigment synthesis in cone photoreceptors of STRA6-deficient mice. The imbalance between chromophore and opsin concentrations of rod and cone photoreceptors was associated with an unfavorable retinal physiology, including diminished electrical responses of photoreceptors to light, and retinal degeneration during aging. Together, our study demonstrates that STRA6 is critical to adjust the stoichiometry of chromophore and opsins in rod cone photoreceptors and to prevent pathologies associated with ocular vitamin A deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasagan Ramkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Vipul M Parmar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Ivy Samuels
- Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Nathan A Berger
- Center for Science, Health and Society, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Beata Jastrzebska
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA.,Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 44106, OH, USA
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21
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Berner D, Hoja U, Zenkel M, Ross JJ, Uebe S, Paoli D, Frezzotti P, Rautenbach RM, Ziskind A, Williams SE, Carmichael TR, Ramsay M, Topouzis F, Chatzikyriakidou A, Lambropoulos A, Sundaresan P, Ayub H, Akhtar F, Qamar R, Zenteno JC, Cruz-Aguilar M, Astakhov YS, Dubina M, Wiggs J, Ozaki M, Kruse FE, Aung T, Reis A, Khor CC, Pasutto F, Schlötzer-Schrehardt U. The protective variant rs7173049 at LOXL1 locus impacts on retinoic acid signaling pathway in pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 28:2531-2548. [PMID: 30986821 PMCID: PMC6644155 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
LOXL1 (lysyl oxidase-like 1) has been identified as the major effect locus in pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, a fibrotic disorder of the extracellular matrix and frequent cause of chronic open-angle glaucoma. However, all known PEX-associated common variants show allele effect reversal in populations of different ancestry, casting doubt on their biological significance. Based on extensive LOXL1 deep sequencing, we report here the identification of a common non-coding sequence variant, rs7173049A>G, located downstream of LOXL1, consistently associated with a decrease in PEX risk (odds ratio, OR = 0.63; P = 6.33 × 10−31) in nine different ethnic populations. We provide experimental evidence for a functional enhancer-like regulatory activity of the genomic region surrounding rs7173049 influencing expression levels of ISLR2 (immunoglobulin superfamily containing leucine-rich repeat protein 2) and STRA6 [stimulated by retinoic acid (RA) receptor 6], apparently mediated by allele-specific binding of the transcription factor thyroid hormone receptor beta. We further show that the protective rs7173049-G allele correlates with increased tissue expression levels of ISLR2 and STRA6 and that both genes are significantly downregulated in tissues of PEX patients together with other key components of the STRA6 receptor-driven RA signaling pathway. siRNA-mediated downregulation of RA signaling induces upregulation of LOXL1 and PEX-associated matrix genes in PEX-relevant cell types. These data indicate that dysregulation of STRA6 and impaired retinoid metabolism are involved in the pathophysiology of PEX syndrome and that the variant rs7173049-G, which represents the first common variant at the broad LOXL1 locus without allele effect reversal, mediates a protective effect through upregulation of STRA6 in ocular tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Berner
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ursula Hoja
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Zenkel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - James Julian Ross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Steffen Uebe
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniela Paoli
- Department of Ophthalmology, Monfalcone Hospital, Gorizia, Italy
| | - Paolo Frezzotti
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Robyn M Rautenbach
- Division of Ophthalmology, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ari Ziskind
- Division of Ophthalmology, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Susan E Williams
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Trevor R Carmichael
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Michele Ramsay
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fotis Topouzis
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anthi Chatzikyriakidou
- Department of Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandros Lambropoulos
- Department of Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Periasamy Sundaresan
- Dr. G.Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute, Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India
| | - Humaira Ayub
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Farah Akhtar
- Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Raheel Qamar
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Juan C Zenteno
- Genetics Department, Institute of Ophthalmology 'Conde de Valenciana', Mexico City, Mexico.,Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marisa Cruz-Aguilar
- Genetics Department, Institute of Ophthalmology 'Conde de Valenciana', Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yury S Astakhov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Michael Dubina
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St Petersburg, Russia.,St Petersburg Academic University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Janey Wiggs
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mineo Ozaki
- Ozaki Eye Hospital, Hyuga, Miyazaki, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Friedrich E Kruse
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tin Aung
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore.,Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - André Reis
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Chiea Chuen Khor
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Francesca Pasutto
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ursula Schlötzer-Schrehardt
- Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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22
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Differential Retinoic Acid Signaling in the Hippocampus of Aged Rats with and without Memory Impairment. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0120-21.2021. [PMID: 34417282 PMCID: PMC8442538 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0120-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A, has many physiological functions, and mounting evidence points to important roles in cognition. In vitro experiments indicate that RA is involved in homeostatic synaptic scaling in the hippocampus, which supports overall network stability during learning. It has been previously determined that disrupted RA signaling in the hippocampus causes deterioration of memory, that RA signaling declines with age in brain, and that application of RA reverses this decline. Here, we explore whether RA signaling is altered in an animal model of neurocognitive aging. We used a Morris water maze protocol to study cognitive decline in aged rats, which assesses hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and reveals substantial interindividual differences in aged animals. Aged unimpaired (AU) rats perform on par with young (Y), while aged impaired (AI) animals exhibit spatial memory deficits. We show that the major substrate for RA, retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), is decreased in AU rats, and retinol cell surface receptor declines with chronological age. Other affected components of RA signaling include selective increases in AI animals in hippocampal synthesis (RALDH1) and catabolism of RA (CYP26B1), RA receptor α, the RA regulated ionotropic glutamate receptor (GluR1), as well as fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The results support the conclusion that, surprisingly, increased RA signaling in the aged hippocampus is associated with poor cognitive outcome.
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Kovács D, Fazekas F, Oláh A, Törőcsik D. Adipokines in the Skin and in Dermatological Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239048. [PMID: 33260746 PMCID: PMC7730960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adipokines are the primary mediators of adipose tissue-induced and regulated systemic inflammatory diseases; however, recent findings revealed that serum levels of various adipokines correlate also with the onset and the severity of dermatological diseases. Importantly, further data confirmed that the skin serves not only as a target for adipokine signaling, but may serve as a source too. In this review, we aim to provide a complex overview on how adipokines may integrate into the (patho) physiological conditions of the skin by introducing the cell types, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and sebocytes, which are known to produce adipokines as well as the signals that target them. Moreover, we discuss data from in vivo and in vitro murine and human studies as well as genetic data on how adipokines may contribute to various aspects of the homeostasis of the skin, e.g., melanogenesis, hair growth, or wound healing, just as to the pathogenesis of dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, acne, rosacea, and melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dóra Kovács
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (D.K.); (F.F.)
| | - Fruzsina Fazekas
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (D.K.); (F.F.)
| | - Attila Oláh
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Dániel Törőcsik
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (D.K.); (F.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-52-255-602
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von Lintig J, Moon J, Babino D. Molecular components affecting ocular carotenoid and retinoid homeostasis. Prog Retin Eye Res 2020; 80:100864. [PMID: 32339666 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The photochemistry of vision employs opsins and geometric isomerization of their covalently bound retinylidine chromophores. In different animal classes, these light receptors associate with distinct G proteins that either hyperpolarize or depolarize photoreceptor membranes. Vertebrates also use the acidic form of chromophore, retinoic acid, as the ligand of nuclear hormone receptors that orchestrate eye development. To establish and sustain these processes, animals must acquire carotenoids from the diet, transport them, and metabolize them to chromophore and retinoic acid. The understanding of carotenoid metabolism, however, lagged behind our knowledge about the biology of their receptor molecules. In the past decades, much progress has been made in identifying the genes encoding proteins that mediate the transport and enzymatic transformations of carotenoids and their retinoid metabolites. Comparative analysis in different animal classes revealed how evolutionary tinkering with a limited number of genes evolved different biochemical strategies to supply photoreceptors with chromophore. Mutations in these genes impair carotenoid metabolism and induce various ocular pathologies. This review summarizes this advancement and introduces the involved proteins, including the homeostatic regulation of their activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Jean Moon
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Darwin Babino
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Shannon SR, Yu J, Defnet AE, Bongfeldt D, Moise AR, Kane MA, Trainor PA. Identifying vitamin A signaling by visualizing gene and protein activity, and by quantification of vitamin A metabolites. Methods Enzymol 2020; 637:367-418. [PMID: 32359653 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin A (retinol) is an essential nutrient for embryonic development and adult homeostasis. Signaling by vitamin A is carried out by its active metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), following a two-step conversion. RA is a small, lipophilic molecule that can diffuse from its site of synthesis to neighboring RA-responsive cells where it binds retinoic acid receptors within RA response elements of target genes. It is critical that both vitamin A and RA are maintained within a tight physiological range to protect against developmental disorders and disease. Therefore, a series of compensatory mechanisms exist to ensure appropriate levels of each. This strict regulation is provided by a number synthesizing and metabolizing enzymes that facilitate the precise spatiotemporal control of vitamin A metabolism, and RA synthesis and signaling. In this chapter we describe protocols that (1) biochemically isolate and quantify vitamin A and its metabolites and (2) visualize the spatiotemporal activity of genes and proteins involved in the signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Shannon
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, United States; University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jianshi Yu
- University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Amy E Defnet
- University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Danika Bongfeldt
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Alexander R Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Maureen A Kane
- University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Paul A Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, United States; University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Kansas City, KS, United States.
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Novel adipokine associated with OA: retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is produced by cartilage and is correlated with MMPs in osteoarthritis patients. Inflamm Res 2020; 69:415-421. [PMID: 32095874 PMCID: PMC7078149 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-020-01326-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a member of the lipocalin family and a vitamin A carrier in the blood. More recently, RBP4 has been described as an adipokine that is involved in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MetS). As obesity, MetS and some adipokines contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA), we investigated RBP4 in patients with OA. Materials and methods Cartilage, synovial fluid and blood samples were collected from 100 OA patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery. Primary chondrocytes and cartilage tissue were cultured to measure the RBP4 expression. The concentrations of RBP4, other adipokines (adipsin, adiponectin, leptin and resistin) and biomarkers of OA (COMP, MMP-1, MMP-3 and YKL-40) were measured by immunoassay, and gene expression was measured by next-generation RNA sequencing. Results The OA cartilage samples released RBP4 into the culture medium, and the levels correlated positively with the expression of the adipokines adipsin, adiponectin, leptin and resistin. RBP4 was the most prominently expressed of these adipokines in the OA chondrocytes, and the expression of the RBP4 receptors STRA6 (stimulated by retinoic acid gene homologue 6) and TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) was also detected. Within the cartilage culture medium, RBP4 showed a positive correlation with MMP-1, MMP-3 and YKL-40. RBP4 was also present in the synovial fluid from the OA patients and correlated positively with the concentrations of RBP4 found in the plasma and the cartilage culture medium. Plasma RBP4 concentrations also showed a positive correlation with MMP-3 and adipsin. Conclusions We show here, for the first time, that RBP4 is produced within OA joints and that it is associated with increased levels of adipokines and MMPs. The results suggest a role for RBP4 in the pathogenesis of OA and as a possible target for the disease-modifying drugs for the treatment of OA.
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Haaker MW, Vaandrager AB, Helms JB. Retinoids in health and disease: A role for hepatic stellate cells in affecting retinoid levels. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2020; 1865:158674. [PMID: 32105672 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2020.158674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin A (retinol) is important for normal growth, vision and reproduction. It has a role in the immune response and the development of metabolic syndrome. Most of the retinol present in the body is stored as retinyl esters within lipid droplets in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In case of liver damage, HSCs release large amounts of stored retinol, which is partially converted to retinoic acid (RA). This surge of RA can mediate the immune response and enhance the regeneration of the liver. If the damage persists activated HSCs change into myofibroblast-like cells producing extracellular matrix, which increases the chance of tumorigenesis to occur. RA has been shown to decrease proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The levels of RA and RA signaling are influenced by the possibility to esterify retinol towards retinyl esters. This suggests a complex regulation between different retinoids, with an important regulatory role for HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya W Haaker
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Arie B Vaandrager
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J Bernd Helms
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Ma H, Ni A, Ge P, Li Y, Shi L, Wang P, Fan J, Isa AM, Sun Y, Chen J. Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Associated with Lactation in the Crop of Pigeons ( Columba livia). Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11020201. [PMID: 32079139 PMCID: PMC7073620 DOI: 10.3390/genes11020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigeons have the ability to produce milk and feed their squabs. The genetic mechanisms underlying milk production in the crops of 'lactating' pigeons are not fully understood. In this study, RNA sequencing was employed to profile the transcriptome of lncRNA and mRNA in lactating and non-'lactating' pigeon crops. We identified 7066 known and 17,085 novel lncRNAs. Of these lncRNAs, 6166 were differentially expressed. Among the 15,138 mRNAs detected, 6483 were differentially expressed, including many predominant genes with known functions in the milk production of mammals. A GO annotation analysis revealed that these genes were significantly enriched in 55, 65, and 30 pathways of biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions, respectively. A KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that 12 pathways (involving 544 genes), including the biosynthesis of amino acids, the propanoate metabolism, the carbon metabolism and the cell cycle, were significantly enriched. The results provide fundamental evidence for the better understanding of lncRNAs' and differentially expressed genes' (DEGs) regulatory role in the molecular pathways governing milk production in pigeon crops. To our knowledge, this is the first genome-wide investigation of the lncRNAs in pigeon crop associated with milk production. This study provided valuable resources for differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs, improving our understanding of the molecular mechanism of pigeon milk production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jilan Chen
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6281-6005
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Sirbu IO, Chiş AR, Moise AR. Role of carotenoids and retinoids during heart development. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2020; 1865:158636. [PMID: 31978553 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2020.158636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The nutritional requirements of the developing embryo are complex. In the case of dietary vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters and provitamin A carotenoids), maternal derived nutrients serve as precursors to signaling molecules such as retinoic acid, which is required for embryonic patterning and organogenesis. Despite variations in the composition and levels of maternal vitamin A, embryonic tissues need to generate a precise amount of retinoic acid to avoid congenital malformations. Here, we summarize recent findings regarding the role and metabolism of vitamin A during heart development and we survey the association of genes known to affect retinoid metabolism or signaling with various inherited disorders. A better understanding of the roles of vitamin A in the heart and of the factors that affect retinoid metabolism and signaling can help design strategies to meet nutritional needs and to prevent birth defects and disorders associated with altered retinoid metabolism. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Carotenoids recent advances in cell and molecular biology edited by Johannes von Lintig and Loredana Quadro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioan Ovidiu Sirbu
- Biochemistry Department, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; Timisoara Institute of Complex Systems, V. Lucaciu 18, 300044 Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Aimée Rodica Chiş
- Biochemistry Department, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexander Radu Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada.
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Wang HM, Wu C, Jiang YY, Wang WM, Jin HZ. Retinol and vitamin A metabolites accumulate through RBP4 and STRA6 changes in a psoriasis murine model. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2020; 17:5. [PMID: 31956331 PMCID: PMC6958599 DOI: 10.1186/s12986-019-0423-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that features the abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes. This proliferation could partly result from disturbances in vitamin A metabolism. Changes in psoriasis patients of the levels of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), a carrier of retinol (vitamin A); transmembrane protein stimulated by retinoic acid 6 (STRA6); and other retinol metabolic molecules have not yet been fully established. Therefore, we investigated vitamin A-related proteins in mice with imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis. Methods Thirty mice were divided into four study groups: two groups underwent IMQ application for 3 or 6 days (groups A and B, respectively), and two groups underwent Vaseline application for 3 or 6 days (groups C and D, respectively). Blood and skin samples from both lesional and non-lesional areas of the mice were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunochemistry, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and RNA sequencing. Results IMQ-treated mice developed erythema, scales, and skin thickening. Compared with the control groups, IMQ-treated groups had the following changes: 1) interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were raised significantly in both serum and lesional skin (all p < 0.001); 2) retinol levels in lesional skin increased slightly (p = 0.364), but no change was evident in serum retinol levels; 3) STRA6 was upregulated in both lesional skin (p = 0.021) and serum (p = 0.034); 4) RBP4 levels were elevated in serum (p = 0.042), but exhibited only an increasing trend (p = 0.273) in lesional skin; and 5) proteins and enzymes that mediate retinoic acid formation and transformation were upregulated in lesional skin. Conclusions As the demand for vitamin A in psoriatic mice increased, retinol underwent relocation from the circulation to target tissues. RBP4, STRA6, and the transformation from retinol to retinoic acid were upregulated, which may be part of the mechanism of psoriasis skin lesion formation. We propose that a positive feedback mechanism was formed that maintained the severity of psoriasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Meng Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Yun Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Ming Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Zhong Jin
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, China
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Reay WR, Cairns MJ. The role of the retinoids in schizophrenia: genomic and clinical perspectives. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:706-718. [PMID: 31666680 PMCID: PMC7156347 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0566-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Signalling by retinoid compounds is vital for embryonic development, with particular importance for neurogenesis in the human brain. Retinoids, metabolites of vitamin A, exert influence over the expression of thousands of transcripts genome wide, and thus, act as master regulators of many important biological processes. A significant body of evidence in the literature now supports dysregulation of the retinoid system as being involved in the aetiology of schizophrenia. This includes mechanistic insights from large-scale genomic, transcriptomic and, proteomic studies, which implicate disruption of disparate aspects of retinoid biology such as transport, metabolism, and signalling. As a result, retinoids may present a valuable clinical opportunity in schizophrenia via novel pharmacotherapies and dietary intervention. Further work, however, is required to expand on the largely observational data collected thus far and confirm causality. This review will highlight the fundamentals of retinoid biology and examine the evidence for retinoid dysregulation in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R. Reay
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Murray J. Cairns
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
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do Nascimento MAW, Cavalari FC, Staldoni de Oliveria V, Gonçalves R, Menegaz D, da Silveira Loss E, Silva FRMB. Crosstalk in the non-classical signal transduction of testosterone and retinol in immature rat testes. Steroids 2020; 153:108522. [PMID: 31622614 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.108522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of the interaction between testosterone and retinol on the rapid responses of cultured Sertoli cells obtained from 10-day-old immature rat testes. Non-classical actions of testosterone and retinol were investigated, and the activities of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (L-VDCC) and voltage-dependent potassium channels (Kv) were determined by measuring 45Ca2+ influx in whole testis. Additionally, the effects of testosterone and retinol on these channels were studied in primary culture of Sertoli cells using the patch-clamp technique. 45Ca2+ influx was used to observe a dose-response curve on tissues treated with retinol and/or testosterone for 2 min (10-12, 10-9 and 10-6 M and 10-9 and 10-6 M), and a concentration of 10-6 M was selected to investigate the mechanism of action of testosterone and retinol on rapid responses. Participation of the L-VDCC and Kv channels was investigated using nifedipine and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) inhibitors, respectively. Both, testosterone and retinol act through non-classical mechanisms, stimulating 45Ca2+ influx in immature rat testes. The response to testosterone was abolished by nifedipine and TEA, whereas the effects of retinol were partially blocked by nifedipine and completely inhibited by TEA. Retinol amplified the testosterone-induced effect on 45Ca2+ influx in the testes, suggesting a crosstalk between rapid responses (calcium influx) and cell repolarization via activation of Kv channels. Whole-cell electrophysiology data demonstrated that testosterone and retinol increased voltage-dependent potassium currents (Kv) in Sertoli cells; inhibition of these responses by TEA confirmed the involvement of TEA-sensitive K+ channels in these effects. Taken together, we demonstrate, for the first time, crosstalk between testosterone and retinol that is mediated by a non-classical mechanism involving the L-VDCC-triggered cell depolarization and activation of repolarization by Kv currents in Sertoli cells. These ionic modulations play a physiological role in Sertoli cells and male fertility via stimulation of secretory activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Andressa Wessner do Nascimento
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Núcleo de Bioeletricidade Celular (NUBIOCEL), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Carvalho Cavalari
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Núcleo de Bioeletricidade Celular (NUBIOCEL), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Staldoni de Oliveria
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Renata Gonçalves
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Danusa Menegaz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Núcleo de Bioeletricidade Celular (NUBIOCEL), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Eloisa da Silveira Loss
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Fátima Regina Mena Barreto Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Núcleo de Bioeletricidade Celular (NUBIOCEL), Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, CEP: 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Carotenoid metabolism at the intestinal barrier. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2019; 1865:158580. [PMID: 31794861 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2019.158580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids exert a rich variety of physiological functions in mammals and are beneficial for human health. These lipids are acquired from the diet and metabolized to apocarotenoids, including retinoids (vitamin A and its metabolites). The small intestine is a major site for their absorption and bioconversion. From here, carotenoids and their metabolites are distributed within the body in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins to support retinoid signaling in peripheral tissues and photoreceptor function in the eyes. In recent years, much progress has been made in identifying carotenoid metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and binding proteins. A diet-responsive regulatory network controls the activity of these components and adapts carotenoid absorption and bioconversion to the bodily requirements of these lipids. Genetic variability in the genes encoding these components alters carotenoid homeostasis and is associated with pathologies. We here summarize the advanced state of knowledge about intestinal carotenoid metabolism and its impact on carotenoid and retinoid homeostasis of other organ systems, including the eyes, liver, and immune system. The implication of the findings for science-based intake recommendations for these essential dietary lipids is discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Carotenoids recent advances in cell and molecular biology edited by Johannes von Lintig and Loredana Quadro.
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Widjaja-Adhi MAK, Golczak M. The molecular aspects of absorption and metabolism of carotenoids and retinoids in vertebrates. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2019; 1865:158571. [PMID: 31770587 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2019.158571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient necessary for numerous basic physiological functions, including reproduction and development, immune cell differentiation and communication, as well as the perception of light. To evade the dire consequences of vitamin A deficiency, vertebrates have evolved specialized metabolic pathways that enable the absorption, transport, and storage of vitamin A acquired from dietary sources as preformed retinoids or provitamin A carotenoids. This evolutionary advantage requires a complex interplay between numerous specialized retinoid-transport proteins, receptors, and enzymes. Recent advances in molecular and structural biology resulted in a rapid expansion of our understanding of these processes at the molecular level. This progress opened new avenues for the therapeutic manipulation of retinoid homeostasis. In this review, we summarize current research related to the biochemistry of carotenoid and retinoid-processing proteins with special emphasis on the structural aspects of their physiological actions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Carotenoids recent advances in cell and molecular biology edited by Johannes von Lintig and Loredana Quadro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Made Airanthi K Widjaja-Adhi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Marcin Golczak
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America; Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.
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Nedelec B, Rozet JM, Fares Taie L. Genetic architecture of retinoic-acid signaling-associated ocular developmental defects. Hum Genet 2019; 138:937-955. [DOI: 10.1007/s00439-019-02052-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Li X, Long XY, Xie YJ, Zeng X, Chen X, Mo ZC. The roles of retinoic acid in the differentiation of spermatogonia and spermatogenic disorders. Clin Chim Acta 2019; 497:54-60. [PMID: 31302099 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2019.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Male fertility depends on the regulatory balance between germ cell self-renewal and differentiation, and the spatial and temporal patterns of this balance must be maintained throughout the life cycle. Retinoic acid and its receptors are important factors in spermatogenesis. Spermatogonia cells can self-proliferate and differentiate and have unique meiotic capabilities; they halve their genetic material and produce monomorphic sperm to pass genetic material to the next generation. A number of studies have found that the spermatogenesis process is halted in animals with vitamin A deficiency and that most germ cells are degraded, but they tend to recover after treatment with RA or vitamin A. This literature review discusses our understanding of how RA regulates sperm cell differentiation and meiosis and also reviews the functional information and details of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Li
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Long
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Yuan-Jie Xie
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Xin Zeng
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
| | - Zhong-Cheng Mo
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Department of Histology and Embryology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
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Wang S, Moise AR. Recent insights on the role and regulation of retinoic acid signaling during epicardial development. Genesis 2019; 57:e23303. [PMID: 31066193 PMCID: PMC6682438 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The vitamin A metabolite, retinoic acid, carries out essential and conserved roles in vertebrate heart development. Retinoic acid signals via retinoic acid receptors (RAR)/retinoid X receptors (RXRs) heterodimers to induce the expression of genes that control cell fate specification, proliferation, and differentiation. Alterations in retinoic acid levels are often associated with congenital heart defects. Therefore, embryonic levels of retinoic acid need to be carefully regulated through the activity of enzymes, binding proteins and transporters involved in vitamin A metabolism. Here, we review evidence of the complex mechanisms that control the fetal uptake and synthesis of retinoic acid from vitamin A precursors. Next, we highlight recent evidence of the role of retinoic acid in orchestrating myocardial compact zone growth and coronary vascular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suya Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexander R. Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6 Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
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Cunningham F, Van Bergen T, Canning P, Lengyel I, Feyen JHM, Stitt AW. The Placental Growth Factor Pathway and Its Potential Role in Macular Degenerative Disease. Curr Eye Res 2019; 44:813-822. [PMID: 31055948 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2019.1614197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that placental growth factor (PlGF) is an important player in multiple pathologies, including tumorigenesis, inflammatory disorders and degenerative retinopathies. PlGF is a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and in the retina, binding of this growth factor to specific receptors is associated with pathological angiogenesis, vascular leakage, neurodegeneration and inflammation. Although they share some receptor signalling pathways, many of the actions of PlGF are distinct from VEGF and this has revealed the enticing prospect that it could be a useful therapeutic target for treating early and late stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Recent research suggests that modulation of PlGF could also be important in the geographic atrophy (GA) form of late AMD by protecting the outer retina and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This review discusses PlGF and its signalling pathways and highlights the potential of blocking the bioactivity of this growth factor to treat irreversible visual loss due to the two main forms of AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Cunningham
- a Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast , Northern Ireland
| | | | - Paul Canning
- a Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast , Northern Ireland
| | - Imre Lengyel
- a Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast , Northern Ireland
| | | | - Alan W Stitt
- a Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast , Belfast , Northern Ireland
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Hodges JK, Tan L, Green MH, Ross AC. Vitamin A supplementation redirects the flow of retinyl esters from peripheral to central organs of neonatal rats raised under vitamin A-marginal conditions. Am J Clin Nutr 2017; 105:1110-1121. [PMID: 28298391 PMCID: PMC5402035 DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.116.149039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Vitamin A (VA; retinol) supplementation is used to reduce child mortality in countries with high rates of malnutrition. Existing research suggests that neonates (<1 mo old) may have a limited capacity to store VA in organs other than the liver; however, knowledge about VA distribution and kinetics in individual, nonhepatic organs is limited.Objective: We examined retinol uptake and turnover in nonhepatic organs, including skin, brain, and adipose tissue, in neonatal rats without and after VA supplementation.Design: Sprague-Dawley neonatal rats (n = 104) were nursed by mothers fed a VA-marginal diet (0.35 mg retinol/kg diet) and treated on postnatal day 4 with an oral dose of either VA (6 μg retinyl palmitate/g body weight) or canola oil (control), both containing 1.8 μCi of [3H]retinol. Subsequently, pups (n = 4 · group-1 · time-1) were killed at 13 different times from 30 min to 24 d after dosing. The fractional and absolute transfer of chylomicron retinyl esters (CM-REs), retinol bound to retinol-binding protein (RBP-ROH), and total retinol were estimated in WinSAAM software.Results: VA supplementation redirected the flow of CM-REs from peripheral to central organs and accumulated mainly in the liver. The RBP-ROH released from the liver was acquired mainly by the peripheral tissues but not retained efficiently, causing repeated recycling of retinol between plasma and tissues (541 compared with 5 times in the supplemented group and control group, respectively) and its rapid turnover in all organs, except the brain and white adipose tissue. Retinol stores in the liver lasted for ∼2 wk before being gradually transferred to other organs.Conclusions: VA supplementation administered in a single high dose during the first month after birth is readily acquired but not retained efficiently in peripheral tissues of neonatal rats, suggesting that a more frequent, lower-dose supplementation may be necessary to maintain steady VA concentrations in rapidly developing neonatal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - A Catharine Ross
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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Rubin LP, Ross AC, Stephensen CB, Bohn T, Tanumihardjo SA. Metabolic Effects of Inflammation on Vitamin A and Carotenoids in Humans and Animal Models. Adv Nutr 2017; 8:197-212. [PMID: 28298266 PMCID: PMC5347109 DOI: 10.3945/an.116.014167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between inflammation and vitamin A (VA) metabolism and status assessment has been documented in multiple studies with animals and humans. The relation between inflammation and carotenoid status is less clear. Nonetheless, it is well known that carotenoids are associated with certain health benefits. Understanding these relations is key to improving health outcomes and mortality risk in infants and young children. Hyporetinolemia, i.e., low serum retinol concentrations, occurs during inflammation, and this can lead to the misdiagnosis of VA deficiency. On the other hand, inflammation causes impaired VA absorption and urinary losses that can precipitate VA deficiency in at-risk groups of children. Many epidemiologic studies have suggested that high dietary carotenoid intake and elevated plasma concentrations are correlated with a decreased risk of several chronic diseases; however, large-scale carotenoid supplementation trials have been unable to confirm the health benefits and in some cases resulted in controversial results. However, it has been documented that dietary carotenoids and retinoids play important roles in innate and acquired immunity and in the body's response to inflammation. Although animal models have been useful in investigating retinoid effects on developmental immunity, it is more challenging to tease out the effects of carotenoids because of differences in the absorption, kinetics, and metabolism between humans and animal models. The current understanding of the relations between inflammation and retinoid and carotenoid metabolism and status are the topics of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis P Rubin
- Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX
| | | | | | - Torsten Bohn
- Luxembourg Institute of Health, Population Health Department, Strassen, Luxembourg; and
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