Expression of ATRAP in adipocytes and negative regulation by beta-adrenergic stimulation of JAK/STAT

Role of adipocytes in hypertension

Although it has known for some time that obesity is associated with salt sensitivity and hypertension, recent data suggests that the adipocyte may actually be the proximate cause of this physiological changes. In the following review, the data demonstrating this association as well as the potentially operative pathophysiological mechanisms are reviewed and discussed.

Regulation of Overnutrition-Induced Cardiac Inflammatory Mechanisms

BACKGROUND: Unlike conventional β-blockers, nebivolol, a third-generation β-adrenergic receptor blocker with vasodilator properties, promotes insulin sensitivity. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether nebivolol regulates overnutrition-induced activation of cardiac nutrient sensor kinases and inflammatory signaling. METHODS: Young Zucker obese (ZO) rats, a rodent model for overnutrition, and age-matched Zucker lean rats were treated with nebivolol (10 mg/kg/day; 21 days) and cardiac function was monitored by echocardiography and pressure volume loop analysis. Activation status of nutrient sensor serine/threonine kinases mammalian target for rapamycin (mTOR), and p70 S6kinase (S6K1) and S6K1-substrate RPS6, inflammatory marker Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) and its substrate STAT1, and energy sensor AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) were monitored by determining phosphorylation status of pSer(2448) of mTOR, pThr(389) of S6K1, pSer(235/236) of RPS6, pTyr(1007/1008) of Jak2, pTyr(701) of STAT1, and pThr(172) of AMPK, respectively. RESULTS: Nebivolol reduced weight and improved cardiac function of ZO rats as shown by improvements in the myocardial performance index and a decrease in the diastolic parameter tau (τ), the time constant of isovolumic relaxation. Nebivolol also attenuated excessive activation of the nutrient sensor kinases mTOR and S6K1 and their substrate RPS6 as well as the inflammatory marker Jak2 and substrate STAT1 in ZO myocardium (p < 0.05). Moreover, nebivolol reversed suppression of the energy sensor kinase AMPK in ZO hearts (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We report for the first time that nebivolol regulates overnutrition-induced activation of cardiac mTOR and Jak/STAT signaling and reverses suppression of AMPK. Since it also suppresses weight gain, nebivolol appears effective in the treatment of overnutrition-related cardiac inflammation and diastolic dysfunction.

Adipokine expression in brown and white adipocytes in response to hypoxia

BACKGROUND

Adipose tissue has emerged as an important endocrine regulator by secreting hormones referred to as adipokines. Recent studies showed that adipose tissue considerably responds to hypoxia. Although the impact of white adipose tissue on regulative processes is established, the importance of brown adipose tissue in adults has emerged just recently.

METHODS

Brown (BA) and white adipocytes (WA) were cultured either in the presence of chemical hypoxia-mimetics or under hypoxic atmosphere of 1% oxygen. Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF- 1α) was assessed by western blot. The expression levels of several known HIF-1α-regulated proteins [vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), leptin, adiponectin, and angiotensinogen (AGT)] were quantified.

RESULTS

Both chemical hypoxia-mimetics and physical hypoxia led to increased nuclear HIF-1α expression and to decreased cytoplasmatic adiponectin in both cell types. In contrast, VEGF and AGT expression did not change upon hypoxic stimulation. Leptin was exclusively detectable in WA, while uncoupling-protein 1 (UCP-1) was expressed in BA only.

CONCLUSIONS

WA and BA are sensitive to hypoxia, in which HIF-1α expression is induced. Protein expression of adiponectin is hypoxia-dependent, whereas AGT, VEGF, leptin, and UCP-1 expression do not change secondary to hypoxia.

Ligand-directed signalling at beta-adrenoceptors

beta-Adrenoceptors (ARs) classically mediate responses to the endogenous ligands adrenaline and noradrenaline by coupling to Gsalpha and stimulating cAMP production; however, drugs designed as beta-AR agonists or antagonists can activate alternative cell signalling pathways, with the potential to influence clinical efficacy. Furthermore, drugs acting at beta-ARs have differential capacity for pathway activation, described as stimulus trafficking, biased agonism, functional selectivity or ligand-directed signalling. These terms refer to responses where drug A has higher efficacy than drug B for one signalling pathway, but a lower efficacy than drug B for a second pathway. The accepted explanation for such responses is that drugs A and B have the capacity to induce or stabilize distinct active conformations of the receptor that in turn display altered coupling efficiency to different effectors. This is consistent with biophysical studies showing that drugs can indeed promote distinct conformational states. Agonists acting at beta-ARs display ligand-directed signalling, but many drugs acting as cAMP antagonists are also able to activate signalling pathways central to cell survival and proliferation or cell death. The observed complexity of drug activity at beta-ARs, prototypical G protein-coupled receptors, necessitates rethinking of the approaches used for screening and characterization of novel therapeutic agents. Most studies of ligand-directed signalling employ recombinant cell systems with high receptor abundance. While such systems are valid for examining upstream signalling events, such as receptor conformational changes and G protein activation, they are less robust when comparing downstream signalling outputs as these are likely to be affected by complex pathway interactions.

Central leptin action improves skeletal muscle AKT, AMPK, and PGC1 alpha activation by hypothalamic PI3K-dependent mechanism

Central leptin action requires PI3K activity to modulate glucose homeostasis and peripheral metabolism. However, the mechanism behind this phenomenon is not clearly understood. We hypothesize that hypothalamic PI3K activity is important for the modulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) pathway, PGC1 alpha, and AKT in skeletal muscle (SM). To address this issue, we injected leptin into the lateral ventricle of rats. Hypothalamic JAK2 and AKT were activated by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of leptin in a time-dependent manner. Central leptin improved tolerance to glucose (GTT), increased PGC1 alpha expression, and AKT, AMPK, ACC and JAK2 phosphorylation in the soleus muscle. Previous ICV administration of either LY294002 or propranolol (IP) blocked these effects. We concluded that the activation of the hypothalamic PI3K pathway is important for leptin-induced AKT phosphorylation, as well as for active catabolic pathway through AMPK and PGC1 alpha in SM. Thus, a defective leptin signalling PI3K pathway in the hypothalamus may contribute to peripheral resistance to insulin associated to diet-induced obesity.

Effect of olmesartan on tissue expression balance between angiotensin II receptor and its inhibitory binding molecule

We previously cloned a novel molecule interacting with angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor protein (ATRAP) and showed it to be an endogenous inhibitor of Ang II type 1 receptor signaling in cardiovascular cells. In this study, we tested a hypothesis that the balance of tissue expression of ATRAP and Ang II type 1 receptor is regulated in a tissue-specific manner during the development of hypertension and related cardiac hypertrophy. Concomitant with blood pressure increase and cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats, there was a constitutive decrease in the ratio of cardiac expression of ATRAP to Ang II type 1 receptor. However, treatment with olmesartan, an Ang II type 1 receptor-specific antagonist, either at a depressor or subdepressor dose, recovered the suppressed cardiac ATRAP to Ang II type 1 receptor ratio, which was accompanied by a decrease in Ang II type 1 receptor density, an inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, and a regression of cardiac hypertrophy. Furthermore, Ang II stimulation suppressed the ATRAP to Ang II type 1 receptor ratio with hypertrophic responses in both the cardiomyocytes and rat hearts. These findings show a tissue-specific regulatory balancing of the expression of ATRAP and Ang II type 1 receptor during the development of hypertension and cardiac remodeling and further suggest that the upregulation of the tissue ATRAP to Ang II type 1 receptor ratio may be one of the therapeutic benefits of olmesartan beyond its blood pressure-lowering effect.