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Xiao M, Hull L, Zizzo A, Lin B, Zhai M, Wang L, Cui W. Effects of radiation mitigating amino acid mixture on mice of different sexes. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1394023. [PMID: 38887249 PMCID: PMC11180883 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1394023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
To date, few FDA-approved medical countermeasures are available for addressing hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). In this study, we present our latest research findings focusing on the evaluation of a novel radiation mitigator known as the mitigating amino acid mixture (MAAM). MAAM is composed of five amino acids as the recently reported amino acid-based oral rehydration solution for mitigating gastrointestinal (GI)-ARS. CD2F1 male and female mice were exposed to 60Co-γ total body irradiation (TBI) at 9.0 or 9.5 Gy. Following irradiation, mice were orally administered with MAAM or a saline vehicle control once daily for a duration of 14 days, commencing 24 h after TBI. Mouse survival and body weight change were monitored for 30 days after irradiation. Complete blood counts (CBCs), bone marrow (BM) stem and progenitor cell survival (clonogenicity), and a serum cytokine antibody array were analyzed using samples from day 30 surviving mice. Our data revealed that MAAM treatment significantly enhanced survival rates in irradiated male CD2F1 mice, and the survival rate increased from 25% in the vehicle control group to 60% in the MAAM-treated group (p < 0.05) after 9.0 Gy TBI. The number of BM colonies significantly increased from 41.8 ± 6.4 /104 cells (in the vehicle group) to 78.5 ± 17.0 /104 cells (in the MAAM group) following 9.0 Gy TBI. Furthermore, MAAM treatment led to a decrease in the levels of six cytokines/proteins [cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40), interleukin (IL)-17A, C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10/CRG-2), cutaneous T cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3β, and IL-1β] and an increase in the levels of five other cytokines/proteins [IL-3Rβ, IL-5, leptin, IL-6, and stem cell factor (SCF)] in mouse serum compared to the vehicle group after 9.0 Gy TBI. However, similar alleviating effects of MAAM were not observed in the irradiated CD2F1 female mice. The serum cytokine profile in the irradiated female mice was different compared to the irradiated male mice. In summary, our data suggest that the beneficial effects of the mitigative amino acid combination treatment after radiation exposure may depend on sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mang Xiao
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lisa Hull
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Alex Zizzo
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bin Lin
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Min Zhai
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Wanchang Cui
- Radiation Countermeasures Program, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
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Deutz LN, Wierzchowska-McNew RA, Deutz NE, Engelen MP. Reduced plasma glycine concentration in healthy and chronically diseased older adults: a marker of visceral adiposity? Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 119:1455-1464. [PMID: 38616018 PMCID: PMC11251212 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.04.008] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that a reduced plasma concentration of the amino acid glycine (Gly) is associated with intra-abdominal obesity, but the mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate whether lower plasma Gly concentrations in older adults are independently associated with (visceral) adiposity, age, sex, presence of chronic disease, and glucose intolerance, and whether they are caused by a reduced Gly whole-body production (WBP) and/or increased Gly disposal capacity. METHODS We studied 102 older adults (47 males/55 females, 68.5 ± standard deviation 6.4 y) without comorbidities and 125 older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (58 males/67 females, 69.7 ± 8.6 y). We assessed body composition and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and muscle function by dynamometry. We measured postabsorptive plasma amino acid profile and glucose, followed by pulse administration of stable isotope-labeled Gly ([2,2-2H2]), and blood sampling was performed to measure the WBP of Gly. Results are expressed as means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS We found a lower plasma Gly concentration in healthy males and males with COPD than in females (Healthy: 211; 95% CI: 193,230 compared with 248; 95% CI: 225,271; COPD: 200; 95% CI: 186,215 compared with 262: 95% CI: 241, 283; P < 0.0001, respectively), with no difference between healthy and COPD groups. A negative relationship was found between unadjusted plasma Gly and VAT mass (R2: 0.16; slope: -1.7; 95% CI: -2.4, -1.2; P < 0.0021), but not with total body fat or fasting glucose. The strong association between lower plasma Gly and increased VAT mass in older adults was independent of age, sex, body weight, lean mass or body mass index, and the presence of COPD. Inclusion of these covariates increased the R2 to 0.783. We found no relation between the VAT and WBP of Gly (P = 0.35) or Gly clearance (P = 0.187) when lean mass was considered. CONCLUSIONS Reduced plasma Gly in older adults can be considered a marker of visceral adiposity, independent of sex, age, body composition, presence of chronic disease, and whole-body Gly production or clearance. This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01787682, NCT02082418, NCT02157844, NCT02770092, NCT02780219, NCT03796455, and NCT04461236.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Nj Deutz
- Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Raven A Wierzchowska-McNew
- Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Nicolaas Ep Deutz
- Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States; Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine, Texas A&M School of Medicine, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Mariëlle Pkj Engelen
- Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States; Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine, Texas A&M School of Medicine, College Station, TX, United States.
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Neonatal nicotine exposure changes insulin status in fat depots: sex-related differences. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 13:252-262. [PMID: 33818369 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174421000131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine is the main psychoactive substance present in cigarette smoke that is transferred to the baby by breast milk. In rats, maternal nicotine exposure during breastfeeding induces obesogenesis and hormone dysfunctions in adult male offspring. As glucocorticoid (GC), insulin, and vitamin D change both adipogenesis and lipogenesis processes, we assessed parameters related to metabolism and action of these hormones in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT) of adult male and female rats in a model of neonatal nicotine exposure. At postnatal (PN) day 2, dams were kept with six pups (three per sex) and divided into nicotine and control groups for implantation of osmotic minipumps that released 6 mg/kg nicotine or saline, respectively. At PN180, fat mass, hormone levels, and protein contents of biomarkers of the GC activation and receptor (11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and glucocorticoid receptor alpha), insulin signaling pathway [insulin receptor beta (IRβ), phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase (pAKT), serine/threonine kinase, glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4)], and vitamin D activation and receptor (1α-hydroxylase and vitamin D receptor) were evaluated. While nicotine-exposed males showed increased fat mass, hypercorticosteronemia, hyperinsulinemia, and higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D, these alterations were not observed in nicotine-exposed females. Nicotine-exposed males only showed lower IRS1 in VAT, while the females had hyperglycemia, higher pAKT in VAT, while lower IRβ, IRS1, and GLUT4 in SAT. Parameters related to metabolism and action of GC and vitamin D were unaltered in both sexes. We evidence that exposure exclusively to nicotine during breastfeeding affects the hormone status and fat depots of the adult progeny in a sex-dependent manner.
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Insulin Controls Triacylglycerol Synthesis through Control of Glycerol Metabolism and Despite Increased Lipogenesis. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11030513. [PMID: 30823376 PMCID: PMC6470968 DOI: 10.3390/nu11030513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Under normoxic conditions, adipocytes in primary culture convert huge amounts of glucose to lactate and glycerol. This “wasting” of glucose may help to diminish hyperglycemia. Given the importance of insulin in the metabolism, we have studied how it affects adipocyte response to varying glucose levels, and whether the high basal conversion of glucose to 3-carbon fragments is affected by insulin. Rat fat cells were incubated for 24 h in the presence or absence of 175 nM insulin and 3.5, 7, or 14 mM glucose; half of the wells contained 14C-glucose. We analyzed glucose label fate, medium metabolites, and the expression of key genes controlling glucose and lipid metabolism. Insulin increased both glucose uptake and the flow of carbon through glycolysis and lipogenesis. Lactate excretion was related to medium glucose levels, which agrees with the purported role of disposing excess (circulating) glucose. When medium glucose was low, most basal glycerol came from lipolysis, but when glucose was high, release of glycerol via breakup of glycerol-3P was predominant. Although insulin promotes lipogenesis, it also limited the synthesis of glycerol-3P from glucose and its incorporation into acyl-glycerols. We assume that this is a mechanism of adipose tissue defense to avoid crippling fat accumulation which has not yet been described.
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Rotondo F, Ho-Palma AC, Remesar X, Fernández-López JA, Romero MDM, Alemany M. Effect of sex on glucose handling by adipocytes isolated from rat subcutaneous, mesenteric and perigonadal adipose tissue. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5440. [PMID: 30128201 PMCID: PMC6089212 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adult rat epididymal adipocytes are able to convert large amounts of glucose to lactate and glycerol. However, fatty acid efflux is much lower than that expected from glycerol levels if they were the product of lipolysis. Use of glucose for lipogenesis is limited, in contrast with the active glycolysis-derived lactate (and other 3-carbon substrates). In this study, we analyzed whether white adipose tissue (WAT) site and sex affect these processes. Methods Mature adipocytes from perigonadal, mesenteric and subcutaneous WAT of female and male rats were isolated, and incubated with 7 or 14 mM glucose during 1 or 2 days. Glucose consumption, metabolite efflux and gene expression of glycolytic and lipogenesis-related genes were measured. Results The effects of medium initial glucose concentration were minimal on most parameters studied. Sex-induced differences that were more extensive; however, the most marked, distinct, effects between WAT sites, were dependent on the time of incubation. In general, the production of lactate was maintained during the incubation, but glycerol release rates increased with time, shifting from a largely glycolytic origin to its triacylglycerol (TAG) lipolytic release. Glycerol incorporation was concurrent with increased TAG turnover: lipolytic glycerol was selectively secreted, while most fatty acids were recycled again into TAG. Fatty acid efflux increased with incubation, but was, nevertheless, minimal compared with that of glycerol. Production of lactate and glycerol from glucose were maximal in mesenteric WAT. Discussion Female rats showed a higher adipocyte metabolic activity than males. In mesenteric WAT, gene expression (and substrate efflux) data suggested that adipocyte oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA was higher in females than in males, with enhanced return of oxaloacetate to the cytoplasm for its final conversion to lactate. WAT site differences showed marked tissue specialization-related differences. Use of glucose for lipogenesis was seriously hampered over time, when TAG turnover-related lipolysis was activated. We postulate that these mechanisms may help decrease glycaemia and fat storage, producing, instead, a higher availability of less-regulated 3-carbon substrates, used for energy elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriana Rotondo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Cecilia Ho-Palma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Remesar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER OBN, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Obesidad y Nutrición, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio Fernández-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER OBN, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Obesidad y Nutrición, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Del Mar Romero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER OBN, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Obesidad y Nutrición, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marià Alemany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER OBN, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red: Obesidad y Nutrición, Barcelona, Spain
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Rotondo F, Romero MDM, Ho-Palma AC, Remesar X, Fernández-López JA, Alemany M. Quantitative analysis of rat adipose tissue cell recovery, and non-fat cell volume, in primary cell cultures. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2725. [PMID: 27917316 PMCID: PMC5131620 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND White adipose tissue (WAT) is a complex, diffuse, multifunctional organ which contains adipocytes, and a large proportion of fat, but also other cell types, active in defense, regeneration and signalling functions. Studies with adipocytes often require their isolation from WAT by breaking up the matrix of collagen fibres; however, it is unclear to what extent adipocyte number in primary cultures correlates with their number in intact WAT, since recovery and viability are often unknown. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Epididymal WAT of four young adult rats was used to isolate adipocytes with collagenase. Careful recording of lipid content of tissue, and all fraction volumes and weights, allowed us to trace the amount of initial WAT fat remaining in the cell preparation. Functionality was estimated by incubation with glucose and measurement of glucose uptake and lactate, glycerol and NEFA excretion rates up to 48 h. Non-adipocyte cells were also recovered and their sizes (and those of adipocytes) were measured. The presence of non-nucleated cells (erythrocytes) was also estimated. RESULTS Cell numbers and sizes were correlated from all fractions to intact WAT. Tracing the lipid content, the recovery of adipocytes in the final, metabolically active, preparation was in the range of 70-75%. Cells showed even higher metabolic activity in the second than in the first day of incubation. Adipocytes were 7%, erythrocytes 66% and other stromal (nucleated cells) 27% of total WAT cells. However, their overall volumes were 90%, 0.05%, and 0.2% of WAT. Non-fat volume of adipocytes was 1.3% of WAT. CONCLUSIONS The methodology presented here allows for a direct quantitative reference to the original tissue of studies using isolated cells. We have also found that the "live cell mass" of adipose tissue is very small: about 13 µL/g for adipocytes and 2 µL/g stromal, plus about 1 µL/g blood (the rats were killed by exsanguination). These data translate (with respect to the actual "live cytoplasm" size) into an extremely high metabolic activity, which make WAT an even more significant agent in the control of energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriana Rotondo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María del Mar Romero
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER OBN, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Cecilia Ho-Palma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Remesar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER OBN, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio Fernández-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER OBN, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marià Alemany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER OBN, Barcelona, Spain
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Agnelli S, Arriarán S, Oliva L, Remesar X, Fernández-López JA, Alemany M. Modulation of rat liver urea cycle and related ammonium metabolism by sex and cafeteria diet. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra25174e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver amino acid metabolism decreased with cafeteria diet through lower ammonium production (even lower in females) and urea cycle activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Agnelli
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science
- Faculty of Biology
- University of Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Sofía Arriarán
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science
- Faculty of Biology
- University of Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Laia Oliva
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science
- Faculty of Biology
- University of Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Xavier Remesar
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science
- Faculty of Biology
- University of Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
| | | | - Marià Alemany
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science
- Faculty of Biology
- University of Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
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