Metabolic adaptations of three inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6, DBA/2, and 129T2) in response to a high-fat diet

Organ-Specific Responses to Chronic High-Fat Diets in Mice: Insights into Phospholipid Fatty Acid Distribution

Background/Objectives: This research aimed to investigate phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) distribution in the brain, kidneys, and white adipose tissue (WAT) and lipid profiles in response to high-fat diets. Methods: Adult female C57BL/6 mice were fed high-fat diets containing 25% linseed, palm, or sunflower oil for 100 days. The fatty acid composition of dietary oils and tissue PL were analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. Results: Linseed oil increased n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with subsequent conversion into long-chain n-3 PUFAs in the brain and kidney PL, while only alpha-linolenic acid was elevated in WAT. Palm and sunflower oils resulted in unique PLFA distributions in the kidneys and WAT. Palm oil raised linoleic acid without conversion to pro-inflammatory n-6 PUFAs. Sunflower oil increased saturated palmitic acid, as opposed to the rise in monounsaturated oleic acid. Linseed oil also significantly improved lipid profiles, reducing LDL and increasing HDL levels while enhancing cardiovascular indices. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that dietary oils significantly impact organ-specific PLFA profiles, with linseed oil enriching brain and renal n-3 PUFAs, while palm and sunflower oils induce distinct modifications in the kidney and WAT. Moreover, linseed oil offers notable cardioprotective benefits due to the favorable lipid profile changes. These findings highlight the importance of dietary fat selection in achieving balanced lipid metabolism and suggest that diverse oil combinations may be essential for optimizing health outcomes.

Macronutrient interactions and models of obesity: Insights from nutritional geometry

The global obesity epidemic results from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, with diet being a prominent modifiable element driving weight gain and adiposity. Although excess intake of energetic macronutrients is implicated in causing obesity, ongoing debate centers on whether sugar or fat or both are driving the rising obesity rates. This has led to competing models of obesity such as the "Carbohydrate Insulin Model", the "Energy Balance Model", and the "Fructose Survival Hypothesis". Conflicting evidence from studies designed to focus on individual energetic macronutrients or energy rather than macronutrient mixtures underlies this disagreement. Recent research in humans and animals employing the nutritional geometry framework (NGF) emphasizes the importance of considering interactions among dietary components. Protein interacts with carbohydrates, fats, and dietary energy density to influence both calorie intake ("protein leverage") and, directly and indirectly, metabolic physiology and adiposity. Consideration of these interactions can help to reconcile different models of obesity, and potentially cast new light on obesity interventions.

Liver phospholipid fatty acid composition in response to chronic high-fat diets

Liver phospholipid fatty acid composition depends on the dietary lipid intake and the efficiency of hepatic enzymatic activity. Our study aimed to simultaneously investigate the liver phospholipid fatty acid composition in response to chronic linseed, palm, or sunflower oil diets. We used adult female C57/BL6 mice and randomly divided them into control and three groups treated with 25 % dietary oils. Prior to treatment, we analyzed the fatty acid profiles in dietary oils and hepatocytes and, after 100 days, the fatty acid composition in the liver using gas-liquid chromatography. Linseed oil treatment elevated alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosapentaenoic acids and reduced arachidonic and docosatetraenoic acids, consequently lowering the n-6/n-3 ratio. Palm oil treatment increased linoleic acid and decreased docosahexaenoic acid, contributing to an elevated n-6/n-3 ratio. Sunflower oil treatment elevated total monounsaturated fatty acids by increasing palmitoleic, oleic, and vaccenic acids. The estimated activity of Δ9 desaturase was significantly elevated in the sunflower oil group, while Δ5 desaturase was the highest, and Δ6 desaturase was the lowest after the linseed oil diet. Our findings demonstrate that chronic consumption of linseed, palm, or sunflower oil alters the distribution of liver phospholipid fatty acids differently. Sunflower oil diet elevated total monounsaturated fatty acids, proposing potential benefits for liver tissue health. Considering these outcomes, a substantial recommendation emerges to elevate linseed oil intake, recognized as the principal ALA source, thereby aiding in reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio. Moreover, modifying dietary habits to incorporate specific vegetable oils in daily consumption could substantially enhance overall health.

A High Fat "Western-style" Diet Induces AMD-Like Features in Wildtype Mice

Scope

The intake of a “Western‐style” diet rich in fats is linked with developing retinopathies including age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Wildtype mice are given a high fat diet (HFD) to determine how unhealthy foods can bring about retinal degeneration.

Methods and results

Following weaning, female C57BL/6 mice are maintained on standard chow (7% kcal fat, n = 29) or a HFD (45% kcal fat, n = 27) for 12 months. Animals were sacrificed following electroretinography (ERG) and their eyes analyzed by histology, confocal immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. HFD mice become obese, but showed normal retinal function compared to chow‐fed controls. However, diminished β3tubulin labeling of retinal cross‐sections indicated fewer/damaged neuronal processes in the inner plexiform layer. AMD‐linked proteins clusterin and TIMP3 accumulated in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch's membrane (BrM). Neutral lipids also deposited in the outer retinae of HFD mice. Ultrastructural analysis revealed disorganized photoreceptor outer segments, collapsed/misaligned RPE microvilli, vacuoles, convoluted basolateral RPE infolds and BrM changes. Basal laminar‐like deposits were also present alongside abnormal choroidal endothelial cells.

Conclusions

We show that prolonged exposure to an unhealthy “Western‐style” diet alone can recapitulate early‐intermediate AMD‐like features in wildtype mice, highlighting the importance of diet and nutrition in the etiology of sight‐loss.

Obesity in C57BL/6J mice fed diets differing in carbohydrate and fat but not energy content

To investigate the contributions of carbohydrate and fat to obesity we measured the body weight, body composition and food intake of adult C57BL/6J mice fed ad libitum with various combinations of two semisynthetic diets that differed in carbohydrate and fat but not in protein, micronutrient or energy content. In Experiment 1, involving male mice, body weights were similar in groups fed diets comprised of (by energy) 20% protein, 75% carbohydrate and 5% fat (C75-F5) or 20% protein, 5% carbohydrate and 75% fat (C5-F75). However, mice fed a 50:50 composite mixture of the C75-F5 and C5-F75 diets (i.e., a C40-F40 diet) became substantially more obese. Mice that could choose between the C75-F5 and C5-F75 diets ate equal amounts of each diet and gained almost as much weight as did the group fed C40-F40 diet. Mice switched every day between the C75-F5 and C5-F75 diets gained no more weight than did those fed either diet exclusively. In Experiment 2, male and female mice were fed chow or one of 8 isocaloric diets that differed parametrically in carbohydrate and fat content. Groups fed diets in the middle of the range (i.e., C35-F45 or C45-F35) weighed significantly more and were significantly fatter than were those fed diets with more extreme proportions of carbohydrate and fat (e.g., C75-F5, C5-F75), an effect that was more pronounced in males than females. In Experiment 3 and 4, male mice fed versions of the C40-F40 formulation gained more weight than did those fed the C75-F5 or C5-F75 formulations irrespective of whether the carbohydrate was predominantly sucrose or predominantly starch, or whether the fat was vegetable shortening, corn oil, palm oil or canola oil; the type of carbohydrate or fat had little or no impact on body weight. In all four experiments, energy intakes differed among the diet groups but could not account for the differences in body weight. These results demonstrate that the proportion of carbohydrate and fat in the diet influences body weight independently of energy content, and that the type of carbohydrate or fat has little impact on body weight. Consuming carbohydrate and fat simultaneously or in close temporal proximity exacerbates obesity.

miR-320a induces pancreatic β cells dysfunction in diabetes by inhibiting MafF

A variety of studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in diabetes. However, the direct role of miR-320a in the pathophysiology of pancreatic β cells under diabetes mellitus remains unclear. In the current study, islet transplantation and hyperglycemic clamp assays were performed in miR-320a transgenic mice to explore the effects of miR-320a on pancreatic β cells in vivo. Meanwhile, β cell-specific overexpression or inhibition of miR-320a was delivered by adeno-associated virus (AAV8). In vitro, overexpression or downregulation of miR-320a was introduced in cultured rat islet tumor cells (INS1). RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP-Seq), luciferase reporter assay, and western blotting were performed to identify the target genes. Results showed that miR-320a was increased in the pancreatic β cells from high-fat-diet (HFD)-treated mice. Overexpression of miR-320a could not only deteriorate the HFD-induced pancreatic islet dysfunction, but also initiate pancreatic islet dysfunction spontaneously in vivo. Meanwhile, miR-320a increased the ROS level, inhibited proliferation, and induced apoptosis of cultured β cells in vitro. Finally, we identified that MafF was the target of miR-320a that responsible for the dysfunction of pancreatic β cells. Our data suggested that miR-320a could damage the pancreatic β cells directly and might be a potential therapeutic target of diabetes.

A ketogenic diet affects brain volume and metabolome in juvenile mice

Ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat and low-carbohydrate therapy for medically intractable epilepsy, and its applications in other neurological conditions, including those occurring in children, have been increasingly tested. However, how KD affects childhood neurodevelopment, a highly sensitive and plastic process, is not clear. In this study, we explored structural, metabolic, and functional consequences of a brief treatment of a strict KD (weight ratio of fat to carbohydrate plus protein is approximately 6.3:1) in naive juvenile mice of different inbred strains, using a multidisciplinary approach. Systemic measurements using magnetic resonance imaging revealed that unexpectedly, the volumes of most brain structures in KD-fed mice were about 90% of those in mice of the same strain but fed a standard diet. The reductions in volumes were nonselective, including different regions throughout the brain, the ventricles, and the white matter. The relative volumes of different brain structures were unaltered. Additionally, as KD is a metabolism-based treatment, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling to explore potential means by which KD affected brain growth and to identify metabolic changes in the brain. We found that brain metabolomic profile was significantly impacted by KD, through both distinct and common pathways in different mouse strains. To explore whether the volumetric and metabolic changes induced by this KD treatment were associated with functional consequences, we recorded spontaneous EEG to measure brain network activity. Results demonstrated limited alterations in EEG patterns in KD-fed animals. In addition, we observed that cortical levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical molecule in neurodevelopment, did not change in KD-fed animals. Together, these findings indicate that a strict KD could affect volumetric development and metabolic profile of the brain in inbred juvenile mice, while global network activities and BDNF signaling in the brain were mostly preserved. Whether the volumetric and metabolic changes are related to any core functional consequences during neurodevelopment and whether they are also observed in humans need to be further investigated. In addition, our results indicate that certain outcomes of KD are specific to the individual mouse strains tested, suggesting that the physiological profiles of individuals may need to be examined to maximize the clinical benefit of KD.

Impaired beta-oxidation increases vulnerability to influenza A infection

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection casts a significant burden on society. It has particularly high morbidity and mortality rates in patients suffering from metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to relate metabolic changes with IAV susceptibility using well-characterized inbred mouse models. We compared the highly susceptible DBA/2J (D2) mouse strain for which IAV infection is lethal with the C57BL/6J (B6) strain, which exhibits a moderate course of disease and survives IAV infection. Previous studies showed that D2 has higher insulin and glucose levels and is predisposed to develop diet-induced type 2 diabetes. Using high-resolution liquid chromatography–coupled MS, the plasma metabolomes of individual animals were repeatedly measured up to 30 days postinfection. The biggest metabolic difference between these strains in healthy and infected states was in the levels of malonylcarnitine, which was consistently increased 5-fold in D2. Other interstrain and intrastrain differences in healthy and infected animals were observed for acylcarnitines, glucose, branched-chain amino acids, and oxidized fatty acids. By mapping metabolic changes to canonical pathways, we found that mitochondrial beta-oxidation is likely disturbed in D2 animals. In noninfected D2 mice, this leads to increased glycerolipid production and reduced acylcarnitine production, whereas in infected D2 animals, peroxisomal beta-oxidation becomes strongly increased. From these studies, we conclude that metabolic changes caused by a distortion of mitochondrial and peroxisomal metabolism might impact the innate immune response in D2, leading to high viral titers and mortality.

Slc1a3-2A-CreERT2 mice reveal unique features of Bergmann glia and augment a growing collection of Cre drivers and effectors in the 129S4 genetic background

Genetic variation is a primary determinant of phenotypic diversity. In laboratory mice, genetic variation can be a serious experimental confounder, and thus minimized through inbreeding. However, generalizations of results obtained with inbred strains must be made with caution, especially when working with complex phenotypes and disease models. Here we compared behavioral characteristics of C57Bl/6—the strain most widely used in biomedical research—with those of 129S4. In contrast to 129S4, C57Bl/6 demonstrated high within-strain and intra-litter behavioral hyperactivity. Although high consistency would be advantageous, the majority of disease models and transgenic tools are in C57Bl/6. We recently established six Cre driver lines and two Cre effector lines in 129S4. To augment this collection, we genetically engineered a Cre line to study astrocytes in 129S4. It was validated with two Cre effector lines: calcium indicator gCaMP5g-tdTomato and RiboTag—a tool widely used to study cell type-specific translatomes. These reporters are in different genomic loci, and in both the Cre was functional and astrocyte-specific. We found that calcium signals lasted longer and had a higher amplitude in cortical compared to hippocampal astrocytes, genes linked to a single neurodegenerative disease have highly divergent expression patterns, and that ribosome proteins are non-uniformly expressed across brain regions and cell types.

Impacts of high fat diet on ocular outcomes in rodent models of visual disease

High fat diets (HFD) have been utilized in rodent models of visual disease for over 50 years to model the effects of lipids, metabolic dysfunction, and diet-induced obesity on vision and ocular health. HFD treatment can recapitulate the pathologies of some of the leading causes of blindness, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in rodent models of visual disease. However, there are many important factors to consider when using and interpreting these models. To synthesize our current understanding of the importance of lipid signaling, metabolism, and inflammation in HFD-driven visual disease processes, we systematically review the use of HFD in mouse and rat models of visual disease. The resulting literature is grouped into three clusters: models that solely focus on HFD treatment, models of diabetes that utilize both HFD and streptozotocin (STZ), and models of AMD that utilize both HFD and genetic models and/or other exposures. Our findings show that HFD profoundly affects vision, retinal function, many different ocular tissues, and multiple cell types through a variety of mechanisms. We delineate how HFD affects the cornea, lens, uvea, vitreous humor, retina, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), and Bruch's membrane (BM). Furthermore, we highlight how HFD impairs several retinal cell types, including glia (microglia), retinal ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptors, and vascular support cells (endothelial cells and pericytes). However, there are a number of gaps, limitations, and biases in the current literature. We highlight these gaps and discuss experimental design to help guide future studies. Very little is known about how HFD impacts the lens, ciliary bodies, and specific neuronal populations, such as rods, cones, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, and retinal ganglion cells. Additionally, sex bias is an important limitation in the current literature, with few HFD studies utilizing female rodents. Future studies should use ingredient-matched control diets (IMCD), include both sexes in experiments to evaluate sex-specific outcomes, conduct longitudinal metabolic and visual measurements, and capture acute outcomes. In conclusion, HFD is a systemic exposure with profound systemic effects, and rodent models are invaluable in understanding the impacts on visual and ocular disease.

Proteome-wide Systems Genetics to Identify Functional Regulators of Complex Traits

Proteomic technologies now enable the rapid quantification of thousands of proteins across genetically diverse samples. Integration of these data with systems-genetics analyses is a powerful approach to identify new regulators of economically important or disease-relevant phenotypes in various populations. In this review, we summarize the latest proteomic technologies and discuss technical challenges for their use in population studies. We demonstrate how the analysis of correlation structure and loci mapping can be used to identify genetic factors regulating functional protein networks and complex traits. Finally, we provide an extensive summary of the use of proteome-wide systems genetics throughout fungi, plant, and animal kingdoms and discuss the power of this approach to identify candidate regulators and drug targets in large human consortium studies.

Functions of Osteocalcin in Bone, Pancreas, Testis, and Muscle

Osteocalcin (Ocn), which is specifically produced by osteoblasts, and is the most abundant non-collagenous protein in bone, was demonstrated to inhibit bone formation and function as a hormone, which regulates glucose metabolism in the pancreas, testosterone synthesis in the testis, and muscle mass, based on the phenotype of Ocn^-/- mice by Karsenty's group. Recently, Ocn^-/- mice were newly generated by two groups independently. Bone strength is determined by bone quantity and quality. The new Ocn^-/- mice revealed that Ocn is not involved in the regulation of bone formation and bone quantity, but that Ocn regulates bone quality by aligning biological apatite (BAp) parallel to the collagen fibrils. Moreover, glucose metabolism, testosterone synthesis and spermatogenesis, and muscle mass were normal in the new Ocn^-/- mice. Thus, the function of Ocn is the adjustment of growth orientation of BAp parallel to the collagen fibrils, which is important for bone strength to the loading direction of the long bone. However, Ocn does not play a role as a hormone in the pancreas, testis, and muscle. Clinically, serum Ocn is a marker for bone formation, and exercise increases bone formation and improves glucose metabolism, making a connection between Ocn and glucose metabolism.

Long-term obesogenic diet and targeted deletion of potassium channel Kv 1.3 have differing effects on voluntary exercise in mice

Voluntary exercise is frequently employed as an intervention for obesity. The voltage‐gated potassium channel K_v1.3 is also receiving attention as a therapeutic target for obesity, in addition to potential therapeutic capabilities for neuroinflammatory diseases. To investigate the combinatorial effects of these two therapies, we have compared the metabolic status and voluntary exercise behavior of both wild‐type mice and a transgenic line of mice that are genetic knockouts for K_v1.3 when provided with a running wheel and maintained on diets of differing fat content and caloric density. We tracked the metabolic parameters and wheel running behavior while maintaining the mice on their assigned treatment for 6 months. Wild‐type mice maintained on the fatty diet gain a significant amount of bodyweight and adipose tissue and display significantly impaired glucose tolerance, though all these effects were partially reduced with provision of a running wheel. Similar to previous studies, the K_v1.3‐null mice were resistant to obesity, increased adiposity, and impaired glucose tolerance. Both wild‐type and K_v1.3‐null mice maintained on the fatty diet displayed increased wheel running activity compared to control‐fed mice, which was caused primarily by a significant increase in the amount of time spent running as opposed to an increase in running velocity. Interestingly, the patterns of running behavior differed between wild‐type and K_v1.3‐null mice. K_v1.3‐null mice spent significantly less time running during the light phase and displayed a decrease in running 1–2 h before the onset of the light phase, seemingly in anticipation of the dark‐to‐light phase transition. These studies indicate that voluntary exercise combats metabolic maladies and running behavior is modified by both consumption of an obesogenic diet and deletion of the K_v1.3 channel.

Age- and Strain-Related Differences in Bone Microstructure and Body Composition During Development in Inbred Male Mouse Strains

We explored age- and strain-related differences in bone microstructure and body composition in male C57BL/6J, DBA/2JRj and C3H/J mice. Bone microstructure of the femur, tibia and L4 was assessed by μCT at the age of 8, 16 and 24 weeks. The weight of several muscles and fat depots were measured at the same time points. At all timepoints, C3H/J mice had the thickest cortices followed by DBA/2JRj and C57BL/6J mice. Nevertheless, C57BL/6J mice had higher Tb.BV/TV and Tb.N, and lower Tb.Sp than DBA/2JRj and C3H/J mice at least at 24 weeks of age. Skeletal development patterns differed among strains. C57BL/6J and DBA/2JRj mice, but not C3H/J mice, experienced significant increases in the sum of the masses of 6 individual muscles by 24 weeks of age. In C57BL/6J and DBA/2JRj mice, the mass of selected fat depots reached highest values at 24 weeks, whist, in C3H/J mice, the highest values of fat depots masses were achieved at 16 weeks. Early strain differences in muscle and fat masses were largely diminished by 24 weeks of age. C3H/J and C57BL/6J mice displayed the most favorable cortical and trabecular bone parameters, respectively. Strain differences in body composition were less overt than strain specificity in bone microstructure, however, they possibly influenced aspects of skeletal development.

Physical Activity Induces Nucleus Accumbens Genes Expression Changes Preventing Chronic Pain Susceptibility Promoted by High-Fat Diet and Sedentary Behavior in Mice

Recent findings from rodent studies suggest that high-fat diet (HFD) increases hyperalgesia independent of obesity status. Furthermore, weight loss interventions such as voluntary physical activity (PA) for adults with obesity or overweight was reported to promote pain reduction in humans with chronic pain. However, regardless of obesity status, it is not known whether HFD intake and sedentary (SED) behavior is underlies chronic pain susceptibility. Moreover, differential gene expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a crucial role in chronic pain susceptibility. Thus, the present study used an adapted model of the inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-induced persistent hyperalgesia short-term (PH-ST) protocol for mice, an HFD, and a voluntary PA paradigm to test these hypotheses. Therefore, we performed an analysis of differential gene expression using a transcriptome approach of the NAc. We also applied a gene ontology enrichment tools to identify biological processes associated with chronic pain susceptibility and to investigate the interaction between the factors studied: diet (standard diet vs. HFD), physical activity behavior (SED vs. PA) and PH-ST (PGE vs. saline). Our results demonstrated that HFD intake and sedentary behavior promoted chronic pain susceptibility, which in turn was prevented by voluntary physical activity, even when the animals were fed an HFD. The transcriptome of the NAc found 2,204 differential expression genes and gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed 41 biologic processes implicated in chronic pain susceptibility. Taking these biological processes together, our results suggest that genes related to metabolic and mitochondria stress were up-regulated in the chronic pain susceptibility group (SED-HFD-PGE), whereas genes related to neuroplasticity were up-regulated in the non-chronic pain susceptibility group (PA-HFD-PGE). These findings provide pieces of evidence that HFD intake and sedentary behavior provoked gene expression changes in the NAc related to promotion of chronic pain susceptibility, whereas voluntary physical activity provoked gene expression changes in the NAc related to prevention of chronic pain susceptibility. Finally, our findings confirmed previous literature supporting the crucial role of voluntary physical activity to prevent chronic pain and suggest that low levels of voluntary physical activity would be helpful and highly recommended as a complementary treatment for those with chronic pain.

T1R2+T1R3-independent chemosensory inputs contributing to behavioral discrimination of sugars in mice

Simple sugars are thought to elicit a unitary sensation, principally via the "sweet" taste receptor type 1 taste receptor (T1R)2+T1R3, yet we previously found that rats with experience consuming two metabolically distinct sugars, glucose and fructose, subsequently licked more for glucose than fructose, even when postingestive influences were abated. The results pointed to the existence of an orosensory receptor that binds one sugar but not the other and whose signal is channeled into neural circuits that motivate ingestion. Here we sought to determine the chemosensory nature of this signal. First, we assessed whether T1R2 and/or T1R3 are necessary to acquire this behavioral discrimination, replicating our rat study in T1R2+T1R3 double-knockout (KO) mice and their wild-type counterparts as well as in two common mouse strains that vary in their sensitivity to sweeteners [C57BL/6 (B6) and 129X1/SvJ (129)]. These studies showed that extensive exposure to multiple concentrations of glucose and fructose in daily one-bottle 30-min sessions enhanced lick responses for glucose over fructose in brief-access tests. This was true even for KO mice that lacked the canonical "sweet" taste receptor. Surgical disconnection of olfactory inputs to the forebrain (bulbotomy) in B6 mice severely disrupted the ability to express this experience-dependent sugar discrimination. Importantly, these bulbotomized B6 mice exhibited severely blunted responsiveness to both sugars relative to water in brief-access lick tests, despite the fact that they have intact T1R2+T1R3 receptors. The results highlight the importance of other sources of chemosensory and postingestive inputs in shaping and maintaining "hardwired" responses to sugar.

Voluntary wheel running: patterns and physiological effects in mice

Exercise can prevent and improve the pathophysiology of diseases and promote healthy aging. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that regulate the beneficial effects of exercise may lead to the development of new strategies to enhance quality of life and to counteract chronic diseases. Voluntary wheel running is an interesting model to study the effects of exercise in mice. Compared to forced treadmill exercise, voluntary wheel running presents several advantages such as: 1) running pattern is similar to natural running behavior of mice; 2) it is performed under non-stressed conditions, according to the rhythmicity of the animal; 3) it does not require direct interference from the researcher, and can be easily applied in long-term studies. Mice run spontaneously when given access to running wheels, for a total distance of ∼4 to 20 km per day and a total activity time of ∼3 to 7 hours a day. Hence, voluntary wheel running can result in robust endurance-like adaptation in skeletal and cardiac muscles and protect from sarcopenia. However, due to the lack of control over exercise parameters in voluntary exercise models, it is important for the researcher to understand the patterns and variability of wheel running in mice, as well as the factors that can affect voluntary running activity. Overall, voluntary wheel running in mice is a very interesting approach to study the chronic adaptation to exercise, analyze the effects of exercise, and test exercise capacity in different experimental models.

Dietary protein sources differentially affect microbiota, mTOR activity and transcription of mTOR signaling pathways in the small intestine

Dietary protein sources can have profound effects on host-microbe interactions in the gut that are critically important for immune resilience. However more knowledge is needed to assess the impact of different protein sources on gut and animal health. Thirty-six wildtype male C57BL/6J mice of 35 d age (n = 6/group; mean ± SEM body weight 21.9 ± 0.25 g) were randomly assigned to groups fed for four weeks with semi synthetic diets prepared with one of the following protein sources containing (300 g/kg as fed basis): soybean meal (SBM), casein, partially delactosed whey powder, spray dried plasma protein, wheat gluten meal and yellow meal worm. At the end of the experiment, mice were sacrificed to collect ileal tissue to acquire gene expression data, and mammalian (mechanistic) target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity, ileal digesta to study changes in microbiota and serum to measure cytokines and chemokines. By genome-wide transcriptome analysis, we identified fourteen high level regulatory genes that are strongly affected in SBM-fed mice compared to the other experimental groups. They mostly related to the mTOR pathway. In addition, an increased (P < 0.05) concentration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was observed in serum of SBM-fed mice compared to other dietary groups. Moreover, by 16S rRNA sequencing, we observed that SBM-fed mice had higher (P < 0.05) abundances of Bacteroidales family S24-7, compared to the other dietary groups. We showed that measurements of genome-wide expression and microbiota composition in the mouse ileum reveal divergent responses to diets containing different protein sources, in particular for a diet based on SBM.

Androgen Action via the Androgen Receptor in Neurons Within the Brain Positively Regulates Muscle Mass in Male Mice

Although it is well established that exogenous androgens have anabolic effects on skeletal muscle mass in humans and mice, data from muscle-specific androgen receptor (AR) knockout (ARKO) mice indicate that myocytic expression of the AR is dispensable for hind-limb muscle mass accrual in males. To identify possible indirect actions of androgens via the AR in neurons to regulate muscle, we generated neuron-ARKO mice in which the dominant DNA binding-dependent actions of the AR are deleted in neurons of the cortex, forebrain, hypothalamus, and olfactory bulb. Serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were elevated twofold in neuron-ARKO males compared with wild-type littermates due to disruption of negative feedback to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Despite this increase in serum testosterone levels, which was expected to increase muscle mass, the mass of the mixed-fiber gastrocnemius (Gast) and the fast-twitch fiber extensor digitorum longus hind-limb muscles was decreased by 10% in neuron-ARKOs at 12 weeks of age, whereas muscle strength and fatigue of the Gast were unaffected. The mass of the soleus muscle, however, which consists of a high proportion of slow-twitch fibers, was unaffected in neuron-ARKOs, demonstrating a stimulatory action of androgens via the AR in neurons to increase the mass of fast-twitch hind-limb muscles. Furthermore, neuron-ARKOs displayed reductions in voluntary and involuntary physical activity by up to 60%. These data provide evidence for a role of androgens via the AR in neurons to positively regulate fast-twitch hind-limb muscle mass and physical activity in male mice.

High Fat High Sugar Diet Reduces Voluntary Wheel Running in Mice Independent of Sex Hormone Involvement

Introduction: Indirect results in humans suggest that chronic overfeeding decreases physical activity with few suggestions regarding what mechanism(s) may link overfeeding and decreased activity. The primary sex hormones are known regulators of activity and there are reports that chronic overfeeding alters sex hormone levels. Thepurpose of this study was to determine if chronic overfeeding altered wheel running through altered sex hormone levels. Materials and Methods: C57BL/6J mice were bred and the pups were weaned at 3-weeks of age and randomly assigned to either a control (CFD) or high fat/high sugar (HFHS) diet for 9-11 weeks depending on activity analysis. Nutritional intake, body composition, sex hormone levels, and 3-day and 2-week wheel-running activity were measured. Additionally, groups of HFHS animals were supplemented with testosterone (males) and 17β-estradiol (females) to determine if sex hormone augmentation altered diet-induced changes in activity. Results: 117 mice (56♂, 61♀) were analyzed. The HFHS mice consumed significantly more calories per day than CFD mice (male: p < 0.0001; female: p < 0.0001) and had significantly higher body fat (male: p < 0.0001; female: p < 0.0001). The HFHS diet did not reduce sex hormone levels, but did significantly reduce acute running-wheel distance in male (p = 0.05, 70 ± 28%) and female mice (p = 0.02, 57 ± 26%). In animals that received hormone supplementation, there was no significant effect on activity levels. Two-weeks of wheel access was not sufficient to alter HFHS-induced reductions in activity or increases in body fat. Conclusion: Chronic overfeeding reduces wheel running, but is independent of the primary sex hormones.

Programming of mouse obesity by maternal exposure to concentrated ambient fine particles

BACKGROUND

Many diseases including obesity may originate through alterations in the early-life environment that interrupts fetal development. Increasing evidence has shown that exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5) is associated with abnormal fetal development. However, its long-term metabolic effects on offspring have not been systematically investigated.

RESULTS

To determine if maternal exposure to PM2.5 programs offspring obesity, female C57Bl/6j mice were exposed to filtered air (FA) or concentrated ambient PM2.5 (CAP) during pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactation, and the developmental and metabolic responses of offspring were assessed. The growth trajectory of offspring revealed that maternal exposure to CAP significantly decreased offspring birth weight but increased body weight of adult male but not female offspring, and the latter was expressed as increased adiposity. These adult male offspring had increased food intake, but were sensitive to exogenous leptin. Their hypothalamic expression of Socs3 and Pomc, two target genes of leptin, was not changed, and the hypothalamic expression of NPY, an orexigenic peptide that is inhibited by leptin, was significantly increased. These decreases in central anorexigenic signaling were accompanied by reduced plasma leptin and its expression in adipose tissues, the primary source of circulating leptin. In contrast, maternal exposure did not significantly change any of these indexes in adult female offspring. Pyrosequencing demonstrated that the leptin promoter methylation of adipocytes was significantly increased in CAP-exposed male but not female offspring.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that maternal exposure to ambient PM2.5 programs obesity in male offspring probably through alterations in the methylation of the promoter region of the leptin gene.

The behavioral and physiological effects of high-fat diet and alcohol consumption: Sex differences in C57BL6/J mice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Animal studies can be a great tool to investigate sex differences in a variety of different ways, including behavioral and physiological responses to drug treatments and different "lifestyle variables" such as diets. Consumption of both high-fat diets and alcohol is known to affect anxiety behaviors and overall health. This project investigated how high-fat diet and alcohol access and its combination affected the behavior and physiology of male and female C57BL/6J mice.

METHOD

Mice were separated into three food groups: high-fat diet, 10% fat diet, and regular chow, and each group was paired with either water or 10% alcohol. Behavioral assays included diet and alcohol preference, light-dark box, open field, and feeding and drinking measurements. Physiological measures included glucose tolerance tests and measurement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin, and leptin levels.

RESULTS

Females and males differed in the open field, as male mice decreased activity, while females increased activity when consuming high-fat diet. While females consumed more ethanol than males, alcohol consumption was able to improve glucose tolerance and increase anxiety in both sexes. Lastly, females were more resistant to the physiological changes caused by high-fat diet than males, as females consuming high-fat diet exhibited decreased insulin secretion, less change to brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, and better glucose tolerance than males consuming high-fat diet.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the response to high-fat diet and alcohol consumption is sex dependent and that males are more affected both behaviorally and physiologically by high-fat diet compared to females.

Molecular phenotyping of multiple mouse strains under metabolic challenge uncovers a role for Elovl2 in glucose-induced insulin secretion

OBJECTIVE

In type 2 diabetes (T2D), pancreatic β cells become progressively dysfunctional, leading to a decline in insulin secretion over time. In this study, we aimed to identify key genes involved in pancreatic beta cell dysfunction by analyzing multiple mouse strains in parallel under metabolic stress.

METHODS

Male mice from six commonly used non-diabetic mouse strains were fed a high fat or regular chow diet for three months. Pancreatic islets were extracted and phenotypic measurements were recorded at 2 days, 10 days, 30 days, and 90 days to assess diabetes progression. RNA-Seq was performed on islet tissue at each time-point and integrated with the phenotypic data in a network-based analysis.

RESULTS

A module of co-expressed genes was selected for further investigation as it showed the strongest correlation to insulin secretion and oral glucose tolerance phenotypes. One of the predicted network hub genes was Elovl2, encoding Elongase of very long chain fatty acids 2. Elovl2 silencing decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in mouse and human β cell lines.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest a role for Elovl2 in ensuring normal insulin secretory responses to glucose. Moreover, the large comprehensive dataset and integrative network-based approach provides a new resource to dissect the molecular etiology of β cell failure under metabolic stress.

High fat feeding unmasks variable insulin responses in male C57BL/6 mouse substrains

Mouse models are widely used for elucidating mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes. Genetic background profoundly affects metabolic phenotype; therefore, selecting the appropriate model is critical. Although variability in metabolic responses between mouse strains is now well recognized, it also occurs within C57BL/6 mice, of which several substrains exist. This within-strain variability is poorly understood and could emanate from genetic and/or environmental differences. To better define the within-strain variability, we performed the first comprehensive comparison of insulin secretion from C57BL/6 substrains 6J, 6JWehi, 6NJ, 6NHsd, 6NTac and 6NCrl. In vitro, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion correlated with Nnt mutation status, wherein responses were uniformly lower in islets from C57BL/6J vs C57BL/6N mice. In contrast, in vivo insulin responses after 18 weeks of low fat feeding showed no differences among any of the six substrains. When challenged with a high-fat diet for 18 weeks, C57BL/6J substrains responded with a similar increase in insulin release. However, variability was evident among C57BL/6N substrains. Strikingly, 6NJ mice showed no increase in insulin release after high fat feeding, contributing to the ensuing hyperglycemia. The variability in insulin responses among high-fat-fed C57BL/6N mice could not be explained by differences in insulin sensitivity, body weight, food intake or beta-cell area. Rather, as yet unidentified genetic and/or environmental factor(s) are likely contributors. Together, our findings emphasize that caution should be exercised in extrapolating data from in vitro studies to the in vivo situation and inform on selecting the appropriate C57BL/6 substrain for metabolic studies.

A low-carbohydrate high-fat diet increases weight gain and does not improve glucose tolerance, insulin secretion or β-cell mass in NZO mice

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Dietary guidelines for the past 20 years have recommended that dietary fat should be minimized. In contrast, recent studies have suggested that there could be some potential benefits for reducing carbohydrate intake in favor of increased fat. It has also been suggested that low-carbohydrate diets be recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. However, whether such diets can improve glycemic control will likely depend on their ability to improve β-cell function, which has not been studied. The objective of the study was to assess whether a low-carbohydrate and therefore high-fat diet (LCHFD) is beneficial for improving the endogenous insulin secretory response to glucose in prediabetic New Zealand Obese (NZO) mice.

METHODS

NZO mice were maintained on either standard rodent chow or an LCHFD from 6 to 15 weeks of age. Body weight, food intake and blood glucose were assessed weekly. Blood glucose and insulin levels were also assessed after fasting and re-feeding and during an oral glucose tolerance test. The capacity of pancreatic β-cells to secrete insulin was assessed in vivo with an intravenous glucose tolerance test. β-Cell mass was assessed in histological sections of pancreata collected at the end of the study.

RESULTS

In NZO mice, an LCHFD reduced plasma triglycerides (P=0.001) but increased weight gain (P<0.0001), adipose tissue mass (P=0.0015), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.044) and exacerbated glucose intolerance (P=0.013). Although fasting insulin levels tended to be higher (P=0.08), insulin secretory function in LCHFD-fed mice was not improved (P=0.93) nor was β-cell mass (P=0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

An LCHFD is unlikely to be of benefit for preventing the decline in β-cell function associated with the progression of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes.

Contribution of the hypothalamus and gut to weight gain susceptibility and resistance in mice

Obesity susceptibility in humans and in rodent strains varies in response to the consumption of high-energy density (HED) diets. However, the exact mechanism(s) involved in this susceptibility remain(s) unresolved. The aim of the present study was to gain greater insight into this susceptibility by using C57BL/6J (B6) mice that were separated into obesity-prone (diet-induced obese (DIO)) and obesity-resistant (diet-induced resistant (DR)) groups following an HED diet for 6 weeks. Physiological, biochemical and gene expression assessments of energy balance were performed in the DIO and DR mice on an HED diet and chow-fed mice. The increased weight gain of the DIO mice as compared to the DR mice was associated with increased energy intake and higher plasma leptin and adiponectin levels but not with reduced physical activity or resting energy expenditure. Hypothalamic Pomc gene expression was elevated, but there were no changes in Npy or Agrp expression. Adipose tissue leptin and adiponectin gene expression were significantly reduced in the DIO group as compared to the DR group. Interestingly, ileum expression of G protein-coupled receptor (Gpr) 40 (Gpr40) was significantly increased, whereas Gpr120, Gpr119, Gpr41, and glucagon-like peptide 1 (Glp1) were reduced. Contrastingly, the lower weight gain of the DR group was associated with elevated adipose tissue leptin and adiponectin gene expression, but there were no differences in plasma hormone or hypothalamic gene expression levels as compared to chow-fed mice. Therefore, the present data demonstrate that susceptibility and resistance to diet-induced weight gain in B6 mice appears to be predominantly driven by peripheral rather than hypothalamic modifications, and changes in gut-specific receptors are a potentially important contributor to this variation.

ABCG5/G8 deficiency in mice reduces dietary triacylglycerol and cholesterol transport into the lymph

The adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporter G5/G8 is critical in protecting the body from accumulating dietary plant sterols. Expressed in the liver and small intestine, it transports plant sterols into the biliary and intestinal lumens, thus promoting their excretion. The extent to which G5/G8 regulates cholesterol absorption remains unclear. G5/G8 is also implicated in reducing the absorption of dietary triacylglycerols (TAG) by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that G5/G8 suppresses the production of chylomicrons, and its deficiency would enhance the absorption of both dietary TAG and cholesterol. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of G5/G8 deficiency on lipid uptake and secretion into the lymph under steady-state conditions. Surprisingly, compared with wild-type mice (WT) (n = 9), G5/G8 KO (n = 13) lymph fistula mice given a continuous intraduodenal infusion of [3H]-TAG and [14C]-cholesterol showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in lymphatic transport of both [(3)H]-TAG and [(14)C]-cholesterol, concomitant with a significant (P < 0.05) increase of [(3)H]-TAG and [(14)C]-cholesterol accumulated in the intestinal lumen. There was no difference in the total amount of radiolabeled lipids retained in the intestinal mucosa between the two groups. G5/G8 KO mice given a bolus of TAG showed reduced intestinal TAG secretion compared with WT, suggesting an independent role for G5/G8 in facilitating intestinal TAG transport. Our data demonstrate that G5/G8 deficiency reduces the uptake and secretion of both dietary TAG and cholesterol by the intestine, suggesting a novel role for the sterol transporter in the formation and secretion of chylomicrons.

Innate Mucosal Immune System Response of BALB/c vs C57BL/6 Mice to Injury in the Setting of Enteral and Parenteral Feeding

BACKGROUND

Outbred mice exhibit increased airway and intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) following injury when fed normal chow, consistent with humans. Parenteral nutrition (PN) eliminates IgA increases at both sites. Inbred mice are needed for detailed immunological studies; however, specific strains have not been evaluated for this purpose. BALB/c and C57BL/6 are common inbred mouse strains but demonstrate divergent immune responses to analogous stress. This study addressed which inbred mouse strain best replicates the outbred mouse and human immune response to injury.

METHODS

Intravenously cannulated mice received chow or PN for 5 days and then underwent sacrifice at 0 or 8 hours following controlled surgical injury (BALB/c: n = 16-21/group; C57BL/6: n = 12-15/group). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgA, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, while small intestinal wash fluid (SIWF) was analyzed for IgA.

RESULTS

No significant increase in BAL IgA occurred following injury in chow- or PN-fed BALB/c mice (chow: P = .1; PN: P = .7) despite significant increases in BAL TNF-α and SIWF IgA (chow: 264 ± 28 vs 548 ± 37, P < .0001; PN: 150 ± 12 vs 301 ± 17, P < .0001). Injury significantly increased mucosal IgA in chow-fed C57BL/6 mice (BAL: 149 ± 33 vs 342 ± 87, P = .01; SIWF: 236 ± 28 vs 335 ± 32, P = .006) and BAL cytokines. After injury, PN-fed C57BL/6 mice exhibited no difference in BAL IgA (P = .9), BAL cytokines, or SIWF IgA (P = .1).

CONCLUSIONS

C57BL/6 mice exhibit similar airway responses to injury as outbred mice and humans, providing an appropriate model for studying mucosal responses to injury. The BALB/c mucosal immune system responds differently to injury and does not replicate the human injury response.

Sirtuin 3 deficiency is associated with inhibited mitochondrial function and pulmonary arterial hypertension in rodents and humans

Suppression of mitochondrial function promoting proliferation and apoptosis suppression has been described in the pulmonary arteries and extrapulmonary tissues in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the cause of this metabolic remodeling is unknown. Mice lacking sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase, have increased acetylation and inhibition of many mitochondrial enzymes and complexes, suppressing mitochondrial function. Sirt3KO mice develop spontaneous PAH, exhibiting previously described molecular features of PAH pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC). In human PAH PASMC and rats with PAH, SIRT3 is downregulated, and its normalization with adenovirus gene therapy reverses the disease phenotype. A loss-of-function SIRT3 polymorphism, linked to metabolic syndrome, is associated with PAH in an unbiased cohort of 162 patients and controls. If confirmed in large patient cohorts, these findings may facilitate biomarker and therapeutic discovery programs in PAH.

Open chromatin profiling in mice livers reveals unique chromatin variations induced by high fat diet

Metabolic diseases result from multiple genetic and environmental factors. We report here that one manner in which environmental factors can contribute to metabolic disease progression is through modification to chromatin. We demonstrate that high fat diet leads to chromatin remodeling in the livers of C57BL/6J mice, as compared with mice fed a control diet, and that these chromatin changes are associated with changes in gene expression. We further show that the regions of greatest variation in chromatin accessibility are targeted by liver transcription factors, including HNF4α, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (CEBP/α), and FOXA1. Repeating the chromatin and gene expression profiling in another mouse strain, DBA/2J, revealed that the regions of greatest chromatin change are largely strain-specific and that integration of chromatin, gene expression, and genetic data can be used to characterize regulatory regions. Our data indicate dramatic changes in the epigenome due to diet and demonstrate strain-specific dynamics in chromatin remodeling.

Lifespan modulation in mice and the confounding effects of genetic background

We are currently in the midst of a revolution in ageing research, with several dietary, genetic and pharmacological interventions now known to modulate ageing in model organisms. Excitingly, these interventions also appear to have beneficial effects on late-life health. For example, dietary restriction (DR) has been shown to slow the incidence of age-associated cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, cancer and brain ageing in non-human primates and has been shown to improve a range of health indices in humans. While the idea that DR's ability to extend lifespan is often thought of as being universal, studies in a range of organisms, including yeast, mice and monkeys, suggest that this may not actually be the case. The precise reasons underlying these differential effects of DR on lifespan are currently unclear, but genetic background may be an important factor in how an individual responds to DR. Similarly, recent findings also suggest that the responsiveness of mice to specific genetic or pharmacological interventions that modulate ageing may again be influenced by genetic background. Consequently, while there is a clear driver to develop interventions to improve late-life health and vitality, understanding precisely how these act in response to particular genotypes is critical if we are to translate these findings to humans. We will consider of the role of genetic background in the efficacy of various lifespan interventions and discuss potential routes of utilising genetic heterogeneity to further understand how particular interventions modulate lifespan and healthspan.

Genetically altering organismal metabolism by leptin-deficiency benefits a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that causes death of motor neurons. ALS patients and mouse models of familial ALS display organismal level metabolic dysfunction, which includes increased energy expenditure despite decreased lean mass. The pathophysiological relevance of abnormal energy homeostasis to motor neuron disease remains unclear. Leptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone that regulates whole-animal energy expenditure. Here, we report that placing mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mice in a leptin-deficient background improves energy homeostasis and slows disease progression. Leptin-deficient mutant SOD1 mice possess increased bodyweight and fat mass, as well as decreased energy expenditure. These observations coincide with enhanced survival, improved strength and decreased motor neuron loss. These results suggest that altering whole-body energy metabolism in mutant SOD1 mice can mitigate disease progression. We propose that manipulations that increase fat mass and reduce energy expenditure will be beneficial in the setting of motor neuron disease.

Modeling combined schizophrenia-related behavioral and metabolic phenotypes in rodents

Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating disorder with a complex behavioral and cognitive phenotype underlined by a similarly complex etiology involving an interaction between susceptibility genes and environmental factors during early development. Limited progress has been made in developing novel pharmacotherapy, partly due to a lack of valid animal models. The recent recognition of the potentially causal role of central and peripheral energy metabolism in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia raises the need of research on animal models that combine both behavioral and metabolic phenotypic domains, similar to what have been identified in humans. In this review we focus on selected genetic (DBA/2J mice, leptin receptor mutants, and PSD-93 knockout mice), early neurodevelopmental (maternal protein deprivation) and pharmacological (acute phencyclidine) animal models that capture the combined behavioral and metabolic abnormalities shown by schizophrenic patients. In reviewing behavioral phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia we apply the principles established by the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) for better translation. We demonstrate that etiologically diverse manipulations such as specific breeding, deletion of genes that are primarily involved in metabolic regulation and in synaptic plasticity, as well as early metabolic deprivation and adult pharmacological challenge of the glutamate system can lead to schizophrenia-related behavioral and metabolic phenotypes, which suggest that these pathways might be interlinked. We propose that using animal models that combine different domains of schizophrenia can be used as a translationally valid approach to capture the system-level complex interplay between peripheral and central processes in the development of psychopathology.

Dissociation of hepatic insulin resistance from susceptibility of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet in mice

Liver steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is affected by genetics and diet. It is associated with insulin resistance (IR) in hepatic and peripheral tissues. Here, we aimed to characterize the severity of diet-induced steatosis, obesity, and IR in two phylogenetically distant mouse strains, C57BL/6J and DBA/2J. To this end, mice (male, 8 wk old) were fed a high-fat and high-carbohydrate (HFHC) or control diet for 16 wk followed by the application of a combination of classic physiological, biochemical, and pathological studies to determine obesity and hepatic steatosis. Peripheral IR was characterized by measuring blood glucose level, serum insulin level, homeostasis model assessment of IR, glucose intolerance, insulin intolerance, and AKT phosphorylation in adipose tissues, whereas the level of hepatic IR was determined by measuring insulin-triggered hepatic AKT phosphorylation. We discovered that both C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice developed obesity to a similar degree without the feature of liver inflammation after being fed an HFHC diet for 16 wk. C57BL/6J mice in the HFHC diet group exhibited severe pan-lobular steatosis, a marked increase in hepatic triglyceride levels, and profound peripheral IR. In contrast, DBA/2J mice in the HFHC diet group developed only a mild degree of pericentrilobular hepatic steatosis that was associated with moderate changes in peripheral IR. Interestingly, both C57BL/6J and DBA/2J developed severe hepatic IR after HFHC diet treatment. Collectively, these data suggest that the severity of diet-induced hepatic steatosis is correlated to the level of peripheral IR, not with the severity of obesity and hepatic IR. Peripheral rather than hepatic IR is a dominant factor of pathophysiology in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dietary restriction and the pursuit of effective mimetics

Dietary restriction (DR) has been shown to extend both median and maximum lifespan in a range of animals, although recent findings suggest that these effects are not universally enjoyed across all animals. In particular, the lifespan effect following DR in mice is highly strain-specific and there is little current evidence that DR induces a positive effect on all-cause mortality in non-human primates. However, the positive effects of DR on health appear to be highly conserved across the vast majority of species, including human subjects. Despite these effects on health, it is highly unlikely that DR will become a realistic or popular life choice for most human subjects given the level of restraint required. Consequently significant research is focusing on identifying compounds that will bestow the benefits of DR without the obligation to adhere to stringent reductions in daily food intake. Several such compounds, including rapamycin, metformin and resveratrol, have been identified as potential DR mimetics. Although these compounds show significant promise, there is a need to properly understand the mechanisms through which these drugs act. This review will discuss the importance in understanding the role that genetic background and heterogeneity play in mediating the lifespan and healthspan effects of DR. It will also provide an overview of the most promising current DR mimetics and their effects on healthy lifespan.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy reveals genomic loci regulating the tissue response in high fat diet fed BXD recombinant inbred mouse strains

Background

Obesity-associated organ-specific pathological states can be ensued from the dysregulation of the functions of the adipose tissues, liver and muscle. However, the influence of genetic differences underlying gross-compositional differences in these tissues is largely unknown. In the present study, the analytical method of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy has been combined with a genetic approach to identify genetic differences responsible for phenotypic alterations in adipose, liver and muscle tissues.

Results

Mice from 29 BXD recombinant inbred mouse strains were put on high fat diet and gross-compositional changes in adipose, liver and muscle tissues were measured by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The analysis of genotype-phenotype correlations revealed significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 12 for the content of fat and collagen, collagen integrity, and the lipid to protein ratio in adipose tissue and on chromosome 17 for lipid to protein ratio in liver. Using gene expression and sequence information, we suggest Rsad2 (viperin) and Colec11 (collectin-11) on chromosome 12 as potential quantitative trait candidate genes. Rsad2 may act as a modulator of lipid droplet contents and lipid biosynthesis; Colec11 might play a role in apoptopic cell clearance and maintenance of adipose tissue. An increased level of Rsad2 transcripts in adipose tissue of DBA/2J compared to C57BL/6J mice suggests a cis-acting genetic variant leading to differential gene activation.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that the analytical method of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy effectively contributed to decompose the macromolecular composition of tissues that accumulate fat and to link this information with genetic determinants. The candidate genes in the QTL regions may contribute to obesity-related diseases in humans, in particular if the results can be verified in a bigger BXD cohort.

High and low activity rats: elevated intrinsic physical activity drives resistance to diet-induced obesity in non-bred rats

OBJECTIVE

Humans and rodents show large variability in their individual sensitivity to diet-induced obesity (DIO), which has been associated with differences in intrinsic spontaneous physical activity (SPA). Evidence from genetic and out-bred rat obesity models shows that higher activity of the orexin peptides results in higher intrinsic SPA and protection against DIO. Based on this, we hypothesized that naturally occurring variation in SPA and orexin signaling is sufficient to drive differences in sensitivity to DIO.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Orexin expression, behavioral responses to orexin-A, basal energy expenditure and sensitivity to DIO were measured in in non-manipulated male Sprague-Dawley rats selected for high and low intrinsic SPA.

RESULTS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were classified as high-activity or low-activity based on differences in intrinsic SPA. High-activity rats showed higher expression of prepro-orexin mRNA, higher sensitivity to behavioral effects of orexin injection, higher basal energy expenditure and were more resistant to obesity caused by high-fat diet consumption than low-activity rats.

CONCLUSION

Our results define a new model of differential DIO sensitivity, the high-activity and low-activity rats, and suggest that naturally occurring variations in intrinsic SPA cause differences in energy expenditure that are mediated by orexin signaling and alter DIO sensitivity.

Behavioral responses to orexin, orexin receptor gene expression, and spontaneous physical activity contribute to individual sensitivity to obesity

There is significant variability in diet-induced obesity (DIO) among humans and rodents, which has been associated with differences in intrinsic spontaneous physical activity (SPA). The orexin neuropeptides positively modulate SPA through multiple brain sites, but the effects of DIO on orexin's activity are not well understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that DIO sensitivity is mediated by decreased SPA and changes in the function of the orexins. As a DIO model, we used male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat (HF; 45% kcal from fat) or a low-fat (LF; 10% kcal from fat) diet for 10 wk. We measured SPA before and after HF or LF feeding and expression of orexin receptors by real-time PCR after dietary treatments. We tested DIO effects on orexin signaling by measuring SPA after injection of orexin A in the rostral lateral hypothalamus (RLH) before and after 10 wk of HF feeding. Finally, we tested whether daily orexin A RLH injections prevent DIO caused by HF feeding. Our results show that resistance to DIO is associated with an increase in SPA, SPA after injection of orexin A in RLH, and orexin receptor expression in sites that mediate orexin's effect on SPA, including RLH. We show that daily injections of orexin peptide in RLH prevent DIO without altering food intake. We estimate that the energetic cost of SPA after orexin A RLH injection accounts for approximately 61% of the extra caloric intake associated with HF intake, suggesting additional effects of orexins. In summary, our results suggest that variability in DIO sensitivity is mediated through adaptations in the activity of the orexin peptides and their receptors.

The liver: Key in regulating appetite and body weight

Liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) is a regulatory enzyme in gluconeogenesis that is elevated by obesity and dietary fat intake. Whether FBPase functions only in glucose metabolism or has other metabolic roles is currently unclear. In our recently published study, we examined the importance of liver FBPase in body weight regulation by performing a series of comprehensive physiological and biochemical assessments of energy balance and specific intervention studies in our transgenic mouse line that overexpresses FBPase specifically in the liver. Compared with negative littermates, these FBPase transgenic mice weighed 10% less, had 50% less adiposity, ate 15% less food but did not have altered energy expenditure. Increased circulating leptin and cholecystokinin levels, elevated fatty acid oxidation and reduced appetite stimulating neuropeptides, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AGRP), underpinned this phenotype. Blocking the action of FBPase returned food intake and body weight to those of the negative littermates. Our study is the first to identify liver FBPase as a previously unknown regulator of appetite and adiposity. Importantly, this work recognizes the liver as an important organ in appetite and body weight regulation. This commentary will provide further insight and expand on this novel concept that the liver does in fact play an important role in adiposity.

Normal muscle glucose uptake in mice deficient in muscle GLUT4

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is a major characteristic underpinning type 2 diabetes. Impairments in the insulin responsiveness of the glucose transporter, Glut4 (Slc2a4), have been suggested to be a contributing factor to this disturbance. We have produced muscle-specific Glut4 knockout (KO) mice using Cre/LoxP technology on a C57BL6/J background and shown undetectable levels of GLUT4 in both skeletal muscle and heart. Our aim was to determine whether complete deletion of muscle GLUT4 does in fact lead to perturbations in glucose homoeostasis. Glucose tolerance, glucose turnover and 2-deoxyglucose uptake into muscle and fat under basal and insulin-stimulated conditions were assessed in 12-week-old KO and control mice using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hyperinsulinaemic/euglycaemic clamp respectively. KO mice weighed ~17% less and had significantly heavier hearts compared with control mice. Basally, plasma glucose and plasma insulin were significantly lower in the KO compared with control mice, which conferred normal glucose tolerance. Despite the lack of GLUT4 in the KO mouse muscle, glucose uptake was not impaired in skeletal muscle but was reduced in heart under insulin-stimulated conditions. Neither GLUT1 nor GLUT12 protein levels were altered in the skeletal muscle or heart tissue of our KO mice. High-fat feeding did not alter glucose tolerance in the KO mice but led to elevated plasma insulin levels during the glucose tolerance test. Our study demonstrates that deletion of muscle GLUT4 does not adversely affect glucose disposal and glucose tolerance and that compensation from other transporters may contribute to this unaltered homoeostasis of glucose.

Putting desire on a budget: dopamine and energy expenditure, reconciling reward and resources

Accumulating evidence indicates integration of dopamine function with metabolic signals, highlighting a potential role for dopamine in energy balance, frequently construed as modulating reward in response to homeostatic state. Though its precise role remains controversial, the reward perspective of dopamine has dominated investigation of motivational disorders, including obesity. In the hypothesis outlined here, we suggest instead that the primary role of dopamine in behavior is to modulate activity to adapt behavioral energy expenditure to the prevailing environmental energy conditions, with the role of dopamine in reward and motivated behaviors derived from its primary role in energy balance. Dopamine has long been known to modulate activity, exemplified by psychostimulants that act via dopamine. More recently, there has been nascent investigation into the role of dopamine in modulating voluntary activity, with some investigators suggesting that dopamine may serve as a final common pathway that couples energy sensing to regulated voluntary energy expenditure. We suggest that interposed between input from both the internal and external world, dopamine modulates behavioral energy expenditure along two axes: a conserve-expend axis that regulates generalized activity and an explore-exploit axes that regulates the degree to which reward value biases the distribution of activity. In this view, increased dopamine does not promote consumption of tasty food. Instead increased dopamine promotes energy expenditure and exploration while decreased dopamine favors energy conservation and exploitation. This hypothesis provides a mechanistic interpretation to an apparent paradox: the well-established role of dopamine in food seeking and the findings that low dopaminergic functions are associated with obesity. Our hypothesis provides an alternative perspective on the role of dopamine in obesity and reinterprets the "reward deficiency hypothesis" as a perceived energy deficit. We propose that dopamine, by facilitating energy expenditure, should be protective against obesity. We suggest the apparent failure of this protective mechanism in Western societies with high prevalence of obesity arises as a consequence of sedentary lifestyles that thwart energy expenditure.

Increased adiposity in DNA binding-dependent androgen receptor knockout male mice associated with decreased voluntary activity and not insulin resistance

In men, as testosterone levels decrease, fat mass increases and muscle mass decreases. Increased fat mass in men, in particular central obesity, is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Testosterone treatment has been shown to decrease fat mass and increase fat-free mass. We hypothesize that androgens act directly via the DNA binding-dependent actions of the androgen receptor (AR) to regulate genes controlling fat mass and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a global DNA binding-dependent (DBD) AR knockout (DBD-ARKO) on the metabolic phenotype in male mice by measuring body mass, fat mass, food intake, voluntary physical activity, resting energy expenditure, substrate oxidation rates, serum glucose, insulin, lipid, and hormone levels, and metabolic gene expression levels and second messenger protein levels. DBD-ARKO males have increased adiposity despite a decreased total body mass compared with wild-type (WT) males. DBD-ARKO males showed reduced voluntary activity, decreased food intake, increased serum leptin and adiponectin levels, an altered lipid metabolism gene profile, and increased phosphorylated CREB levels compared with WT males. This study demonstrates that androgens acting via the DNA binding-dependent actions of the AR regulate fat mass and metabolism in males and that the increased adiposity in DBD-ARKO male mice is associated with decreased voluntary activity, hyperleptinemia and hyperadiponectinemia and not with insulin resistance, increased food intake, or decreased resting energy expenditure.

Deficiency in interferon-gamma results in reduced body weight and better glucose tolerance in mice

Obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease caused by increased energy intake and reduced energy expenditure. Studies using animal models with deletion of inflammatory cytokines have produced conflicting results with some showing increased weight gain and others showing no effect or even reduced body weights. Clearly, more work is necessary to understand the role of cytokines on body weight control. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of interferon-γ deletion (IFNγ(-/-)) on body weight regulation and glucose metabolism. Male IFNγ(-/-) and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were fed a low-fat chow diet, and body weight, food intake, and energy expenditure were monitored over 20 wk. At the end of the study, ip glucose tolerance test, insulin tolerance test, basal glucose turnover, and hyperinsulinemic/euglycemic clamps were performed. Expression levels of arcuate nucleus neuropeptide Y, Agouti-related peptide, and proopiomelanocortin mRNA as well as circulating leptin levels were also determined. IFNγ(-/-) mice had improved glucose tolerance with reduced rate of glucose appearance and increased insulin sensitivity due to greater suppression of endogenous glucose output, which was associated with decreased hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity. In addition, we also observed reduced body weight associated with decreased food intake and increased physical activity. Neuropeptide Y and Agouti-related peptide mRNA expression was reduced, whereas proopiomelanocortin mRNA expression was increased, as were plasma leptin levels. Global deletion of IFNγ in mice resulted in reduced body weight associated with negative energy balance, improved glucose tolerance, and hepatic insulin sensitivity. Our findings demonstrate that IFNγ plays a critical role in the regulation of body weight and glucose metabolism.

Designing phenotyping studies for genetically engineered mice

A phenotyping study records physiologic or morphologic changes in an experimental animal resulting from an intervention. In mice, this intervention is most frequently genetic, but it may be any type of experimental manipulation. Accurate representation of the human condition under study is essential if the model is to yield useful conclusions. In this review, general approaches to the design of phenotyping studies are considered. These approaches take into account major sources of reduced model validity, such as unexpected phenotypic variation in mice, evolutionary divergence between mice and humans, unanticipated sources of variation, and common design errors. As poor design is the most common reason why studies fail to yield enduring results, emphasis is placed on reduction of bias, sampling, controlled study design, and appropriate statistical analysis.

A primary defect in glucose production alone cannot induce glucose intolerance without defects in insulin secretion

Increased glucose production is associated with fasting hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes but whether or not it causes glucose intolerance is unclear. This study sought to determine whether a primary defect in gluconeogenesis (GNG) resulting in elevated glucose production is sufficient to induce glucose intolerance in the absence of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Progression of glucose intolerance was assessed in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) transgenic rats, a genetic model with a primary increase in GNG. Young (4-5 weeks of age) and adult (12-14 weeks of age) PEPCK transgenic and Piebald Virol Glaxo (PVG/c) control rats were studied. GNG, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and glucose tolerance were assessed by intraperitoneal and intravascular substrate tolerance tests and hyperinsulinaemic/euglycaemic clamps. Despite elevated GNG and increased glucose appearance, PEPCK transgenic rats displayed normal glucose tolerance due to adequate glucose disposal and robust glucose-mediated insulin secretion. Glucose intolerance only became apparent in the PEPCK transgenic rats following the development of insulin resistance (both hepatic and peripheral) and defective glucose-mediated insulin secretion. Taken together, a single genetic defect in GNG leading to increased glucose production does not adversely affect glucose tolerance. Insulin resistance and impaired glucose-mediated insulin secretion are required to precipitate glucose intolerance in a setting of chronic glucose oversupply.

Assessment of Spontaneous Locomotor and Running Activity in Mice

The locomotor activity of laboratory mice is a global behavioral trait which can be valuable for the primary phenotyping of genetically engineered mouse models as well as mouse models of pathologies affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems, the musculoskeletal system, and the control of energy homeostasis. Basal levels of mouse locomotion can be recorded using infrared monitoring of movements, and further information can be gathered by giving the animal access to a running wheel, which will greatly enhance its spontaneous physical activity. Described here are two detailed protocols to evaluate basal locomotor activity and spontaneous wheel running. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol. 1:185-198. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.