Trpc5-regulated AMPKα/mTOR autophagy pathway is associated with glucose metabolism disorders in low birth weight mice under overnutrition

Previous studies have shown that low birth weight (LBW) individuals are at higher risk of glucose metabolism disorders compared with normal birth weight (NBW) individuals under overnutrition conditions, but the mechanism remains unclear. To explore the underlying mechanism of glucose metabolism disorders induced by LBW under overnutrition in adulthood, the prenatal malnutrition method was applied to ICR mice to establish the LBW mice model and high-fat diets were used to mimic overnutrition conditions. Then the mechanism was further explored on Hepg2 cells treated with nutritional deprivation plus palmitic acid. The results showed that LBW plus high-fat interventions will cause glucose metabolism disorders and inhibit autophagy flux in adulthood. Moreover, the expression of TRPC5-regulated AMPK/mTOR autophagy pathway was downregulated by LBW with high-fat interventions. Collectively, LBW plus high-fat intervention increased the risk of glucose metabolism disorders, which may be related to the alteration of TRPC5 expression level and its regulation of the AMPKα/mTOR autophagy pathway. This study may provide a fundamental basis for the molecular mechanism of glucose metabolism disorders induced by LBW with high-fat diets in adulthood and a new target for the treatment of metabolic diseases in LBW individuals.

Transient receptor potential canonical 4 and 5 proteins as targets in cancer therapeutics

Novel approaches towards cancer therapy are urgently needed. One approach might be to target ion channels mediating Ca²⁺ entry because of the critical roles played by Ca²⁺ in many cell types, including cancer cells. There are several types of these ion channels, but here we address those formed by assembly of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) proteins, particularly those which involve two closely related members of the family: TRPC4 and TRPC5. We focus on these proteins because recent studies point to roles in important aspects of cancer: drug resistance, transmission of drug resistance through extracellular vesicles, tumour vascularisation, and evoked cancer cell death by the TRPC4/5 channel activator (−)-englerin A. We conclude that further research is both justified and necessary before these proteins can be considered as strong targets for anti-cancer cell drug discovery programmes. It is nevertheless already apparent that inhibitors of the channels would be unlikely to cause significant adverse effects, but, rather, have other effects which may be beneficial in the context of cancer and chemotherapy, potentially including suppression of innate fear, visceral pain and pathological cardiac remodelling.