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Yang SR, Chen L, Luo D, Wang YY, Liang FX. Unlocking the potential: How acupuncture reshapes the liver-centered lipid metabolism pattern to fight obesity. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2024:S2095-4964(24)00374-1. [PMID: 39209583 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2024.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Obesity, a widespread global health issue, is frequently linked to disrupted lipid metabolism, resulting in excessive accumulation of adipose tissue and associated health complications. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical modality, has exhibited potential as a viable intervention for addressing obesity. The underlying mechanism proposed involves the stimulation of specific acupoints to exert a regulatory influence on hepatic function. The liver has a central role in lipid metabolism, including processes such as lipid synthesis, storage and distribution. Acupuncture is believed to enhance the liver's efficiency in processing lipids, thereby reducing lipid accumulation and improving metabolic functions. Research indicates that acupuncture can influence the expression of certain genes and proteins involved in lipid metabolism in the liver. This includes upregulating genes that promote lipid breakdown and oxidation, and downregulating those involved in lipid synthesis. Additionally, acupuncture has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for the regulation of lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the potential anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture may play a significant role in its efficacy for the treatment of obesity. The presence of chronic inflammation has been strongly associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity. Through its ability to mitigate inflammation, acupuncture can potentially aid in the restoration of lipid metabolism and the reduction of body weight. Moreover, the amelioration of hepatic oxidative stress represents another mechanism by which acupuncture may contribute to the reduction of lipid deposition. Notably, the liver, being the primary site of lipid metabolism, maintains communication with various organs including the brain, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and intestines. This perspective opens new avenues for the treatment of obesity, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches in managing complex metabolic disorders. Please cite this article as: Yang SR, Chen L, Luo D, Wang YY, Liang FX. Unlocking the potential: How acupuncture reshapes the liver-centered lipid metabolism pattern to fight obesity. J Integr Med. 2024; Epub ahead of print.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Rui Yang
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China; Hubei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
| | - Li Chen
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China; Hubei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
| | - Dan Luo
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China; Hubei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
| | - Ya-Yuan Wang
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China; Hubei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
| | - Feng-Xia Liang
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China; Hubei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Preventive Treatment by Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine (Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China.
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Bachor TP, Hwang E, Yulyaningsih E, Attal K, Mifsud F, Pham V, Vagena E, Huarcaya R, Valdearcos M, Vaisse C, Williams KW, Emmerson PJ, Xu AW. Identification of AgRP cells in the murine hindbrain that drive feeding. Mol Metab 2024; 80:101886. [PMID: 38246589 PMCID: PMC10844855 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The central melanocortin system is essential for the regulation of food intake and body weight. Agouti-related protein (AgRP) is the sole orexigenic component of the central melanocortin system and is conserved across mammalian species. AgRP is currently known to be expressed exclusively in the mediobasal hypothalamus, and hypothalamic AgRP-expressing neurons are essential for feeding. Here we characterized a previously unknown population of AgRP cells in the mouse hindbrain. METHODS Expression of AgRP in the hindbrain was investigated using gene expression analysis, single-cell RNA sequencing, immunofluorescent analysis and multiple transgenic mice with reporter expressions. Activation of AgRP neurons was achieved by Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) and by transcranial focal photo-stimulation using a step-function opsin with ultra-high light sensitivity (SOUL). RESULTS AgRP expressing cells were present in the area postrema (AP) and the adjacent subpostrema area (SubP) and commissural nucleus of the solitary tract (cNTS) of the mouse hindbrain (termed AgRPHind herein). AgRPHind cells consisted of locally projecting neurons as well as tanycyte-like cells. Food deprivation stimulated hindbrain Agrp expression as well as neuronal activity of subsets of AgRPHind cells. In adult mice that lacked hypothalamic AgRP neurons, chemogenetic activation of AgRP neurons resulted in hyperphagia and weight gain. In addition, transcranial focal photo-stimulation of hindbrain AgRP cells increased food intake in adult mice with or without hypothalamic AgRP neurons. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that the central melanocortin system in the hindbrain possesses an orexigenic component, and that AgRPHind neurons stimulate feeding independently of hypothalamic AgRP neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas P Bachor
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eunsang Hwang
- Center for Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ernie Yulyaningsih
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kush Attal
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Francois Mifsud
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Viana Pham
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eirini Vagena
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Renzo Huarcaya
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin Valdearcos
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christian Vaisse
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin W Williams
- Center for Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Paul J Emmerson
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Allison W Xu
- Diabetes Center and Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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3
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Huang A, Maier MT, Vagena E, Xu AW. Modulation of foraging-like behaviors by cholesterol-FGF19 axis. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:20. [PMID: 36732847 PMCID: PMC9893607 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-00955-2] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Foraging for food precedes food consumption and is an important component of the overall metabolic programming that regulates feeding. Foraging is governed by central nervous system neuronal circuits but how it is influenced by diet and hormonal signals is still not well understood. RESULTS In this study, we show that dietary cholesterol exerted suppressive effects on locomotor activity and that these effects were partially mediated by the neuropeptide Agouti-related protein (AgRP). High dietary cholesterol stimulated intestinal expression of fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15), an ortholog of the human fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19). Intracerebroventricular infusion of FGF19 peptide reduced exploratory activity in the open field test paradigm. On the other hand, the lack of dietary cholesterol enhanced exploratory activity in the open field test, but this effect was abolished by central administration of FGF19. CONCLUSIONS Experiments in this study show that dietary cholesterol suppresses locomotor activity and foraging-like behaviors, and this regulation is in part mediated by AgRP neurons. Dietary cholesterol or the central action of FGF19 suppresses exploratory behaviors, and the anxiogenic effects of dietary cholesterol may be mediated by the effect of FGF19 in the mouse brain. This study suggests that dietary cholesterol and intestinal hormone FGF15/19 signal a satiating state to the brain, thereby suppressing foraging-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Huang
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Matthew T Maier
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Eirini Vagena
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Allison W Xu
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA. .,Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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Hepatoprotective Effect of a New FFAR1 Agonist-N-Alkylated Isobornylamine. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28010396. [PMID: 36615590 PMCID: PMC9823450 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Free fatty acid receptor-1 (FFAR1) is one of the possible therapeutic targets in the search for new hepatoprotective drugs. FFAR1 agonists were found to have hypolipidemic, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antioxidant effects in addition to hypoglycemic action. In this work, we conducted a study of the hepatoprotective effect of the compound QS-528 (previously discovered as an agonist of FFAR1) at doses of 60, 90, 120 and 150 mg/kg on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. At the end of the experiment, a biochemical blood assay demonstrated that the introduction of QS-528 dose-dependently reduces the levels of liver enzymes (AST, ALT and ALKP). Histological and morphometric studies of animals' livers treated with QS-528 at doses of 120 and 150 mg/kg showed a decrease in degenerative/necrotic changes in hepatocytes and an increase in the regenerative activity of the liver. In addition, no toxicity at a single oral dose of 1000 mg/kg and an increase in HepG2 cell viability in vitro were found. Thus, the compound QS-528 was found to exhibit a hepatoprotective effect against CCl4-induced toxic liver damage.
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5
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9-N-n-alkyl Berberine Derivatives: Hypoglycemic Activity Evaluation. Pharmaceutics 2022; 15:pharmaceutics15010044. [PMID: 36678673 PMCID: PMC9865096 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010044] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several novel 9-N-n-alkyl derivatives of berberine (C5, C7, C10, C12) were synthesized. They were analyzed in vitro and in vivo for their hypoglycemic activity. In vitro studies showed that the derivatives with shorter alkyl substitutes at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 10 μM were able to stimulate glucose consumption by HepG2 cells more prominently than the derivatives with longer substitutes (C10 and C12). All compounds demonstrated a better effect compared to berberine. Their impact on cells' viability also depended on the alkyl substitutes length, but in this case, C10 and C12 derivatives demonstrated the best results. A similar correlation was also found in the OGTT, where the C5 derivative demonstrated a pronounced hypoglycemic effect at a dose of 15 mg/kg and C12 was less effective. This compound was further investigated in C57BL/6Ay mice for four weeks and was administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg. Pronounced effect of C12 on carbohydrate metabolism in mice was discovered: there was a decrease in fasting glucose levels and an increase in glucose tolerance in OGTT on the 14th and 28th days of the experiment. However, at the end of the experiment, signs of hepatosis exacerbation and an increase in the content of hepatic aminotransferases in blood were found.
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6
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Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are essential to normal growth, metabolism, and body composition, but in acromegaly, excesses of these hormones strikingly alter them. In recent years, the use of modern methodologies to assess body composition in patients with acromegaly has revealed novel aspects of the acromegaly phenotype. In particular, acromegaly presents a unique pattern of body composition changes in the setting of insulin resistance that we propose herein to be considered an acromegaly-specific lipodystrophy. The lipodystrophy, initiated by a distinctive GH-driven adipose tissue dysregulation, features insulin resistance in the setting of reduced visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass and intra-hepatic lipid (IHL) but with lipid redistribution, resulting in ectopic lipid deposition in muscle. With recovery of the lipodystrophy, adipose tissue mass, especially that of VAT and IHL, rises, but insulin resistance is lessened. Abnormalities of adipose tissue adipokines may play a role in the disordered adipose tissue metabolism and insulin resistance of the lipodystrophy. The orexigenic hormone ghrelin and peptide Agouti-related peptide may also be affected by active acromegaly as well as variably by acromegaly therapies, which may contribute to the lipodystrophy. Understanding the pathophysiology of the lipodystrophy and how acromegaly therapies differentially reverse its features may be important to optimizing the long-term outcome for patients with this disease. This perspective describes evidence in support of this acromegaly lipodystrophy model and its relevance to acromegaly pathophysiology and the treatment of patients with acromegaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela U. Freda
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Vagena E, Crneta J, Engström P, He L, Yulyaningsih E, Korpel NL, Cheang RT, Bachor TP, Huang A, Michel G, Attal K, Berrios DI, Valdearcos M, Koliwad SK, Olson DP, Yi CX, Xu AW. ASB4 modulates central melanocortinergic neurons and calcitonin signaling to control satiety and glucose homeostasis. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabj8204. [PMID: 35536884 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abj8204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Variants in the gene encoding ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing 4 (ASB4) are linked to human obesity. Here, we characterized the pathways underlying the metabolic functions of ASB4. Hypothalamic Asb4 expression was suppressed by fasting in wild-type mice but not in mice deficient in AgRP, which encodes Agouti-related protein (AgRP), an appetite-stimulating hormone, suggesting that ASB4 is a negative target of AgRP. Many ASB4 neurons in the brain were adjacent to AgRP terminals, and feeding induced by AgRP neuronal activation was disrupted in Asb4-deficient mice. Acute knockdown of Asb4 in the brain caused marked hyperphagia due to increased meal size, and Asb4 deficiency led to increased meal size and food intake at the onset of refeeding, when very large meals were consumed. Asb4-deficient mice were resistant to the meal-terminating effects of exogenously administered calcitonin and showed decreased neuronal expression of Calcr, which encodes the calcitonin receptor. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus in mice are involved in glucose homeostasis, and Asb4 deficiency specifically in POMC neurons resulted in glucose intolerance that was independent of obesity. Furthermore, individuals with type 2 diabetes showed reduced ASB4 abundance in the infundibular nuclei, the human equivalent of the arcuate nucleus. Together, our results indicate that ASB4 acts in the brain to improve glucose homeostasis and to induce satiety after substantial meals, particularly those after food deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Vagena
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jasmina Crneta
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Pauline Engström
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Li He
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Ernie Yulyaningsih
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nikita L Korpel
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands
| | - Rachel T Cheang
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tomas P Bachor
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Alyssa Huang
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Guillermina Michel
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kush Attal
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David I Berrios
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Martin Valdearcos
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Suneil K Koliwad
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David P Olson
- Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chun-Xia Yi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands
| | - Allison W Xu
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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8
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Bellomo TR, Bone WP, Chen BY, Gawronski KAB, Zhang D, Park J, Levin M, Tsao N, Klarin D, Lynch J, Assimes TL, Gaziano JM, Wilson PW, Cho K, Vujkovic M, O’Donnell CJ, Chang KM, Tsao PS, Rader DJ, Ritchie MD, Damrauer SM, Voight BF. Multi-Trait Genome-Wide Association Study of Atherosclerosis Detects Novel Pleiotropic Loci. Front Genet 2022; 12:787545. [PMID: 35186008 PMCID: PMC8847690 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.787545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although affecting different arterial territories, the related atherosclerotic vascular diseases coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) share similar risk factors and have shared pathobiology. To identify novel pleiotropic loci associated with atherosclerosis, we performed a joint analysis of their shared genetic architecture, along with that of common risk factors. Using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies of nine known atherosclerotic (CAD, PAD) and atherosclerosis risk factors (body mass index, smoking initiation, type 2 diabetes, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglycerides), we perform 15 separate multi-trait genetic association scans which resulted in 25 novel pleiotropic loci not yet reported as genome-wide significant for their respective traits. Colocalization with single-tissue eQTLs identified candidate causal genes at 14 of the detected signals. Notably, the signal between PAD and LDL-C at the PCSK6 locus affects PCSK6 splicing in human liver tissue and induced pluripotent derived hepatocyte-like cells. These results show that joint analysis of related atherosclerotic disease traits and their risk factors allowed identification of unified biology that may offer the opportunity for therapeutic manipulation. The signal at PCSK6 represent possible shared causal biology where existing inhibitors may be able to be leveraged for novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany R. Bellomo
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - William P. Bone
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Brian Y. Chen
- School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - David Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joseph Park
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Noah Tsao
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Derek Klarin
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Julie Lynch
- VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- University of Massachusetts College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Themistocles L. Assimes
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - J. Michael Gaziano
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Brigham Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Peter W. Wilson
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
- Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kelly Cho
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Brigham Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Marijana Vujkovic
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Christopher J. O’Donnell
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Brigham Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kyong-Mi Chang
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Philip S. Tsao
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Daniel J. Rader
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marylyn D. Ritchie
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Precision Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Scott M. Damrauer
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Benjamin F. Voight
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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9
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Nelson NG, Wu L, Maier MT, Lam D, Cheang R, Alba D, Huang A, Neumann DA, Hill T, Vagena E, Barsh GS, Medina MW, Krauss RM, Koliwad SK, Xu AW. A gene-diet interaction controlling relative intake of dietary carbohydrates and fats. Mol Metab 2022; 58:101442. [PMID: 35051651 PMCID: PMC9710720 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Preference for dietary fat vs. carbohydrate varies markedly across free-living individuals. It is recognized that food choice is under genetic and physiological regulation, and that the central melanocortin system is involved. However, how genetic and dietary factors interact to regulate relative macronutrient intake is not well understood. METHODS We investigated how the choice for food rich in carbohydrate vs. fat is influenced by dietary cholesterol availability and agouti-related protein (AGRP), the orexigenic component of the central melanocortin system. We assessed how macronutrient intake and different metabolic parameters correlate with plasma AGRP in a cohort of obese humans. We also examined how both dietary cholesterol levels and inhibiting de novo cholesterol synthesis affect carbohydrate and fat intake in mice, and how dietary cholesterol deficiency during the postnatal period impacts macronutrient intake patterns in adulthood. RESULTS In obese human subjects, plasma levels of AGRP correlated inversely with consumption of carbohydrates over fats. Moreover, AgRP-deficient mice preferred to consume more calories from carbohydrates than fats, more so when each diet lacked cholesterol. Intriguingly, inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis (simvastatin) promoted carbohydrate intake at the expense of fat without altering total caloric consumption, an effect that was remarkably absent in AgRP-deficient mice. Finally, feeding lactating C57BL/6 dams and pups a cholesterol-free diet prior to weaning led the offspring to prefer fats over carbohydrates as adults, indicating that altered cholesterol metabolism early in life programs adaptive changes to macronutrient intake. CONCLUSIONS Together, our study illustrates a specific gene-diet interaction in modulating food choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nnamdi G. Nelson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Lili Wu
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA,Department of Integrated Medicine, Guangxi Medical University Cancer
Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Matthew T. Maier
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Diana Lam
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Rachel Cheang
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Diana Alba
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Alyssa Huang
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Drexel A. Neumann
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Tess Hill
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Eirini Vagena
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA
| | - Gregory S. Barsh
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford,
CA 94305, USA
| | - Marisa W. Medina
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Ronald M. Krauss
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Suneil K. Koliwad
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA,Corresponding author. Diabetes Center, University of California, San
Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Allison W. Xu
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA,Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA 94143, USA,Corresponding author. Diabetes Center, University of California, San
Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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10
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Ibars M, Maier MT, Yulyaningsih E, Perez L, Cheang R, Vilhelmsson A, Louie SM, Wegner SA, Yuan X, Eltzschig HK, Hopf FW, Nomura DK, Koliwad SK, Xu AW. Neuronal modulation of hepatic lipid accumulation induced by bingelike drinking. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2020; 318:E655-E666. [PMID: 32045262 PMCID: PMC7272724 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00218.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption, including binge drinking, is a common cause of fatty liver disease. Binge drinking rapidly induces hepatic steatosis, an early step in the pathogenesis of chronic liver injury. Despite its prevalence, the process by which excessive alcohol consumption promotes hepatic lipid accumulation remains unclear. Alcohol exerts potent effects on the brain, including hypothalamic neurons crucial for metabolic regulation. However, whether or not the brain plays a role in alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis is unknown. In the brain, alcohol increases extracellular levels of adenosine, a potent neuromodulator, and previous work implicates adenosine signaling as being important for the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease. Acute alcohol exposure also increases both the activity of agouti-related protein (AgRP)-expressing neurons and AgRP immunoreactivity. Here, we show that adenosine receptor A2B signaling in the brain modulates the extent of alcohol-induced fatty liver in mice and that both the AgRP neuropeptide and the sympathetic nervous system are indispensable for hepatic steatosis induced by bingelike alcohol consumption. Together, these results indicate that the brain plays an integral role in alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation and that central adenosine signaling, hypothalamic AgRP, and the sympathetic nervous system are crucial mediators of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ibars
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Matthew T Maier
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Ernie Yulyaningsih
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Luz Perez
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Rachel Cheang
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Anna Vilhelmsson
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Sharon M Louie
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, California
| | - Scott A Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Xiaoyi Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Holger K Eltzschig
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Frederic W Hopf
- Department of Neurology, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Daniel K Nomura
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, California
| | - Suneil K Koliwad
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Allison W Xu
- Diabetes Center, Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California
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11
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Li Y, Lin J, Xiao J, Li Z, Chen JS, Wei L, Wang X. Therapeutic effects of Co-Venenum Bufonis Oral Liquid on radiation-induced esophagitis in rats. Exp Anim 2020; 69:354-362. [PMID: 32281552 PMCID: PMC7445061 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.19-0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the effects of Co-Venenum Bufonis Oral Liquid (cVBOL) on radiation-induced esophagitis in rats. Irradiation (30 Gy) with X-RAD 225 x-ray was applied to induce esophagitis in 64 Wistar rats and treated by different methods. The body weight of rats either in RT group, cVBOL+RT, or EM+RT group was significantly decreased when compared with that in normal group (P<0.0001). After irradiation, histopathological studies, immunohistochemistry, and MRI scanning on esophagus were performed. Serum TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-10 were also determined by ELISA at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after radiation treatment. The results demonstrated that radiation caused esophageal injury and thickening of esophageal tissue layers. The esophageal tissues after radiation treatment showed typical pathological changes of esophagitis. Radiation also caused esophagus edema. Treatment of cVBOL reduced the severity of histological esophageal lesion, decreased the expression of bFGF and TGF-β1, and lowered serum levels of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 over 28 days after radiation treatment. In conclusion, cVBOL treatment is effective to prevent radiation induced esophagitis and reduces radiation induced esophagitis may be mediated through its ant-inflammatory effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
| | - Jiamao Lin
- Department of internal Medicine-Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan 250017, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of internal Medicine-Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan 250017, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
| | - Zhenxiang Li
- Department of internal Medicine-Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan 250017, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
| | - Jin-Song Chen
- Shanxi C&Y Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd, No. 53 Hubin Street, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Datong, Shanxi 037010, P.R.China
| | - Ling Wei
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
| | - Xingwu Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Shandong 250017, P.R.China
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12
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Freda PU, Reyes-Vidal C, Jin Z, Pugh M, Panigrahi SK, Bruce JN, Wardlaw SL. Plasma Agouti-Related Protein Levels in Acromegaly and Effects of Surgical or Pegvisomant Therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019; 104:5453-5461. [PMID: 31361303 PMCID: PMC6777636 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2019-01079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT GH activates agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons, leading to orexigenic responses in mice. The relationship between serum GH and plasma AgRP, which has been shown to reflect hypothalamic AgRP, has not been evaluated in humans. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that central stimulatory actions of GH on hypothalamic AgRP could be reflected in plasma AgRP in acromegaly. METHODS We studied 23 patients with active acromegaly before and for ≤2 years after surgical (n = 13) or GH receptor antagonist therapy with pegvisomant (n = 10), and 100 healthy subjects with morning fasting blood samples for AgRP, leptin, GH, and IGF-1 and anthropometric measurements. RESULTS The plasma AgRP levels were higher in those with active acromegaly than in the matched healthy subjects [median, 100 pg/mL; interquartile range (IQR), 78 to 139 pg/mL vs median, 63 pg/mL; IQR, 58 to 67 pg/mL; P < 0.0001]. Plasma AgRP decreased from before to after surgery (median, 102 pg/mL; IQR, 82 to 124 pg/mL vs median, 63 pg/mL; IQR, 55.6 to 83 pg/mL; P = 0.0024) and from before to during pegvisomant therapy (median, 97 pg/mL; IQR, 77 to 175 pg/mL vs median, 63; IQR, 61 to 109 pg/mL; P = 0.006). The plasma AgRP level correlated with GH (r = 0.319; P = 0.011) and IGF-1 (r = 0.292; P = 0.002). In repeated measure analysis, AgRP was significantly associated with IGF-1. CONCLUSIONS Our data have provided evidence of a stimulatory effect of GH on plasma AgRP in humans. The levels were greater in active acromegaly and decreased in parallel with GH and IGF-1 decreases with acromegaly treatment. Data from mice suggest that AgRP may mediate some of the known effects of GH on energy metabolism. This warrants further study in patients with acromegaly and other populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela U Freda
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Correspondence and Reprint Requests: Pamela U. Freda, MD, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, 650 West 168th Street, Room 1014, New York, New York 10032. E-mail:
| | - Carlos Reyes-Vidal
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Zhezhen Jin
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Mya Pugh
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Sunil K Panigrahi
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Jeffrey N Bruce
- Department of Neurosurgery, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Sharon L Wardlaw
- Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
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