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Abstract
Alterations in the nutritional environment in early life can significantly increase the risk for obesity and a range of development of metabolic disorders in offspring in later life, effects that can be passed onto future generations. This process, termed development programming, provides the framework of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) paradigm. Early life nutritional compromise including undernutrition, overnutrition or specific macro/micronutrient deficiencies, results in a range of adverse health outcomes in offspring that can be further exacerbated by a poor postnatal nutritional environment. Although the mechanisms underlying programming remain poorly defined, a common feature across the phenotypes displayed in preclinical models is that of altered wiring of neuroendocrine circuits that regulate satiety and energy balance. As such, altered maternal nutritional exposures during critical early periods of developmental plasticity can result in aberrant hardwiring of these circuits with lasting adverse consequences for the offspring. There is also increasing evidence around the role of an altered epigenome and the gut-brain axis in mediating some of the central programming effects observed. Further, although such programming was once considered to result in a permanent change in developmental trajectory, there is evidence, at least from preclinical models, that programming can be reversed via targeted nutritional manipulations during early development. Further work is required at a mechanistic level to allow for identification for early markers of later disease risk, delineation of sex-specific effects and pathways to implementation of strategies aimed at breaking the transgenerational transmission of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Vickers
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
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2
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Abstract
The prevalence of obesity is on the rise. What was once considered a simple disease of energy imbalance is now recognized as a complex condition perpetuated by neuro- and immunopathologies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the neuroimmunoendocrine mechanisms underlying obesity. We examine the pleiotropic effects of leptin action in addition to its established role in the modulation of appetite, and we discuss the neural circuitry mediating leptin action and how this is altered with obesity, both centrally (leptin resistance) and in adipose tissues (sympathetic neuropathy). Finally, we dissect the numerous causal and consequential roles of adipose tissue macrophages in obesity and highlight recent key studies demonstrating their direct role in organismal energy homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conan J O O'Brien
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom;
| | - Emma R Haberman
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom;
| | - Ana I Domingos
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom;
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3
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Zhu F, Zhang D, Shen F, Xu K, Huang X, Liu J, Zhang J, Teng Y. Maternal Socs3 knockdown attenuates postnatal obesity caused by an early life environment of maternal obesity and intrauterine overnutrition in progeny mice. IUBMB Life 2021; 73:1210-1221. [PMID: 34184397 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Pathological states in the early life environment of mammalian offspring, including maternal obesity and intrauterine overnutrition, can induce obesity and metabolic disorder later in life. Leptin resistance caused by upregulation of Socs3 in the hypothalamus of offspring was believed to be the main mechanism of this effect. In this study, obese mother (OM) and lean mother (LM) models were generated by feeding C57BL/6N female mice a high-fat diet or standard lean diet, respectively. Additionally, an obese mother with intervention (OMI) model was generated by injecting the high-fat diet group with Socs3-shRNA lentivirus during early pregnancy. The offspring of the groups was correspondingly named OM-F1 , LM-F1 , and OMI-F1 , representing progeny mouse models of different early life environments. The offspring were fed a high-fat diet to test their propensity for obesity. The body weight, food intake and fat accumulation were higher, while glucose intolerance and insulin resistance were worse in the OM-F1 group than LM-F1 group. By contrast, the obesity phenotype, hyperphagia and metabolic disorder were alleviated in the OMI-F1 group compared with the OM-F1 group. The mechanism was identified that downregulation of hypothalamic SOCS3 resulted in an increased level of p-STAT3 and p-JAK2, which ameliorated the leptin resistance and restored the lean expression of appetite regulatory genes (Pomc and Agrp) in hypothalamus of OMI-F1 group. Taken together, these results indicate that reducing maternal Socs3 expression during pregnancy can attenuate obesity caused by the early life environment in mice, which may inspire therapies that enable obese mothers to bear metabolically healthy children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhu
- Department of Graduate, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- College of Biological and Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
- Children's Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- College of Biological and Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Fangfang Shen
- Children's Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Children's Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xin Huang
- College of Biological and Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Jue Liu
- Children's Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- College of Biological and Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yiqun Teng
- Department of Graduate, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Children's Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
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4
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Abstract
The suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) are a group of eight proteins responsible for preventing excessive cytokine signaling. Among this protein family, SOCS3 has received special attention. SOCS3 expression is important to control certain allergy autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, SOCS3 expression is elevated in obesity and it is involved in the inhibition of leptin and insulin signaling, two important hormones involved in the control of energy metabolism. Therefore, increased SOCS3 expression in obese individuals is associated with several metabolic disorders, including reduced energy expenditure, increased food intake and adiposity, and insulin and leptin resistance. In addition, recent studies found that SOCS3 expression regulates energy and glucose homeostasis in several metabolic conditions, such as pregnancy, caloric restriction, and refeeding. Importantly, attenuation of SOCS3 expression in most cases improves leptin and insulin sensitivity, leading to beneficial metabolic effects. This review aims to discuss the role of SOCS3 in the control of blood glucose levels as well as in energy homeostasis. The development of pharmacological compounds to inhibit SOCS3 activity and/or expression may represent a promising therapeutic approach to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other metabolic imbalances.
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Affiliation(s)
- João A B Pedroso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - Angela M Ramos-Lobo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Jose Donato
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
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5
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Li X, Tu P, Umar M, Liu Q, Luo W, Yang X, Zhu J, Kong D, Li M. A study on molecular mechanisms of adiposis induced by long-term treatment of high-fat and high-sucrose in C57BL/6J mice. Physiol Res 2019; 68:75-87. [PMID: 30433796 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Adiposis is reputed as a twin disease of type 2 diabetes and greatly harmful to human health. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of adiposis, the changes of physiological, pathological, epigenetic and correlative gene expression were investigated during the adiposis development of C57BL/6J mice induced by long time (9 months) high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFSD) sustainably. The results showed that mRNA transcription level of the Leptin, Glut4 and Glut2 genes have been obviously changed, which exhibit a negative correlation with methylation on their promoter DNA. The results also revealed that HFSD induced higher level of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in fat tissue might play important role in regulating the changes of methylation pattern on Glut4 and Leptin genes, and which might be one of the molecular mechanisms for the adiposis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Li
- Life Science College, Nankai University, Nankai District, Tianjin, China.
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Fernandez MO, Sharma S, Kim S, Rickert E, Hsueh K, Hwang V, Olefsky JM, Webster NJG. Obese Neuronal PPARγ Knockout Mice Are Leptin Sensitive but Show Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Fertility. Endocrinology 2017; 158:121-133. [PMID: 27841948 PMCID: PMC5412981 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is expressed in the hypothalamus in areas involved in energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism. In this study, we created a deletion of PPARγ brain-knockout (BKO) in mature neurons in female mice to investigate its involvement in metabolism and reproduction. We observed that there was no difference in age at puberty onset between female BKOs and littermate controls, but the BKOs gave smaller litters when mated and fewer oocytes when ovulated. The female BKO mice had regular cycles but showed an increase in the number of cycles with prolonged estrus. The mice also had increased luteinizing hormone (LH) levels during the LH surge and histological examination showed hemorrhagic corpora lutea. The mice were challenged with a 60% high-fat diet (HFD). Metabolically, the female BKO mice showed normal body weight, glucose and insulin tolerance, and leptin levels but were protected from obesity-induced leptin resistance. The neuronal knockout also prevented the reduction in estrous cycles due to the HFD. Examination of ovarian histology showed a decrease in the number of primary and secondary follicles in both genotypes due to the HFD, but the BKO ovaries showed an increase in the number of hemorrhagic follicles. In summary, our results show that neuronal PPARγ is required for optimal female fertility but is also involved in the adverse effects of diet-induced obesity by creating leptin resistance potentially through induction of the repressor Socs3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sun Kim
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
| | | | | | - Vicky Hwang
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
| | | | - Nicholas J G Webster
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; and
- Medical Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California 92161
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7
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Barateiro
- Obesity Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ines Mahú
- Obesity Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana I. Domingos
- Obesity Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Ana I. Domingos,
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Ericson E, Wennberg Huldt C, Strömstedt M, Brodin P. A novel role of the checkpoint kinase ATR in leptin signaling. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2015; 412:257-64. [PMID: 25980679 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In a world with increasing incidences of obesity, it becomes critical to understand the detailed regulation of appetite. To identify novel regulators of the signaling mediated by one of the key hormones of energy homeostasis, leptin, we screened a set of compounds for their effect on the downstream Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling. Interestingly, cells exposed to inhibitors of the Ataxia Telangiectasia and RAD3-related protein ATR increased their leptin dependent STAT3 activity. This was due to failure of the cells to induce the negative feedback mediator Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 (SOCS3), suggesting that ATR has a previously unknown role in the negative feedback regulation of leptin signaling. This is an important finding not only because it sheds light on additional genes involved in leptin signaling, but also because it brings forward a new potential therapeutic intervention point for increasing leptin signaling in obese individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Ericson
- Bioscience, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, AstraZeneca R&D, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden.
| | - Charlotte Wennberg Huldt
- Bioscience, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, AstraZeneca R&D, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Maria Strömstedt
- Bioscience, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, AstraZeneca R&D, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Peter Brodin
- Bioscience, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, AstraZeneca R&D, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
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Crujeiras AB, Carreira MC, Cabia B, Andrade S, Amil M, Casanueva FF. Leptin resistance in obesity: An epigenetic landscape. Life Sci. 2015;140:57-63. [PMID: 25998029 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Leptin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone that inhibits food intake and stimulates energy expenditure through interactions with neuronal pathways in the brain, particularly pathways involving the hypothalamus. Intact functioning of the leptin route is required for body weight and energy homeostasis. Given its function, the discovery of leptin increased expectations for the treatment of obesity. However, most obese individuals and subjects with a predisposition to regain weight after losing it have leptin concentrations than lean individuals, but despite the anorexigenic function of this hormone, appetite is not effectively suppressed in these individuals. This phenomenon has been deemed leptin resistance and could be the result of impairments at a number of levels in the leptin signalling pathway, including reduced access of the hormone to its receptor due to changes in receptor expression or changes in post-receptor signal transduction. Epigenetic regulation of the leptin signalling circuit could be a potential mechanism of leptin function disturbance. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms, particularly the epigenetic regulation mechanisms, involved in leptin resistance associated with obesity and the therapeutic potential of these molecular mechanisms in the battle against the obesity pandemic.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Leptin is a hormone with a key role in food intake and body weight homeostasis. Congenital leptin deficiency (CLD) is a rare disease that causes hyperphagia and early severe obesity. However, common obesity conditions are associated with hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance. AREAS COVERED The main signaling pathways activated by leptin as well as the mechanisms underlying the regulatory actions of leptin on food intake and on lipid and glucose metabolism are reviewed. The potential mechanisms involving leptin resistance and the main regulatory hormonal and nutritional factors controlling leptin production/functions are also analyzed. The pathophysiology of leptin in human obesity, and especially the trials analyzing effects of leptin replacement therapy in patients with CLD or in subjects with common obesity and in post-obese weight-reduced subjects are also summarized. EXPERT OPINION The use of drugs or specific bioactive food components with anti-inflammatory properties to reduce the inflammatory state associated with obesity, especially at the hypothalamus, may help to overcome leptin resistance. Research should also be focused on investigating dietary strategies, food supplements or drugs capable of avoiding or reversing the leptin fall during weight management, in order to promote sustained body weight lowering and weight loss maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neira Sáinz
- University of Navarra, Centre for Nutrition Research, School of Pharmacy , C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona , Spain
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Sáinz N, Barrenetxe J, Moreno-Aliaga MJ, Martínez JA. Leptin resistance and diet-induced obesity: central and peripheral actions of leptin. Metabolism 2015; 64:35-46. [PMID: 25497342 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 290] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is a chronic disease that represents one of the most serious global health burdens associated to an excess of body fat resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, which is regulated by environmental and genetic interactions. The adipose-derived hormone leptin acts via a specific receptor in the brain to regulate energy balance and body weight, although this protein can also elicit a myriad of actions in peripheral tissues. Obese individuals, rather than be leptin deficient, have in most cases, high levels of circulating leptin. The failure of these high levels to control body weight suggests the presence of a resistance process to the hormone that could be partly responsible of disturbances on body weight regulation. Furthermore, leptin resistance can impair physiological peripheral functions of leptin such as lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and nutrient intestinal utilization. The present document summarizes those findings regarding leptin resistance development and the role of this hormone in the development and maintenance of an obese state. Thus, we focused on the effect of the impaired leptin action on adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle and intestinal function and the accompanying relationships with diet-induced obesity. The involvement of some inflammatory mediators implicated in the development of obesity and their roles in leptin resistance development are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neira Sáinz
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jaione Barrenetxe
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - María J Moreno-Aliaga
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Alfredo Martínez
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
Chronic inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recently teasaponin, an extract from tea, has been shown to have antiinflammatory effects. We examined the effect of teasaponin on obesity, inflammation, glucose metabolism, and central leptin sensitivity in obese mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet for 16 weeks. Intraperitoneal injections of teasaponin (10 mg/kg, daily) for 21 days significantly decreased the food intake and body weight of HF diet-induced obese mice. Teasaponin treatment also reduced the protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and/or IL-1β) and nuclear factor-κB signaling (phosphorylated inhibitory-κB kinase and phosphorylated inhibitory-κBα) in adipose tissue and the liver. The antiinflammatory effects of teasaponin were associated with improved glycemic status in the treated animals, evidenced by improved glucose tolerance, homeostasis model assessment, and fasting plasma insulin. In the hypothalamus, teasaponin decreased both proinflammatory cytokines and inflammatory signaling in the mediobasal hypothalamus. Teasaponin treatment also enhanced the anorexigenic effect of central leptin administration, restored leptin phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3) signaling in the arcuate nucleus, and increased hypothalamic expression of the anorexigenic peptide proopiomelanocortin. These results identify a potential novel application for teasaponin as an antiobesity and antiinflammatory agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghua Yu
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, New South Wales 2522, Australia
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Abstract
Obesity is currently a worldwide pandemic. Leptin resistance is a main mechanism of obese human and rodents. The downregulation of the long form of the leptin receptor (Lrb) was involved in leptin resistance in diet-induced obese rats. In the studies, we investigated whether arcuate nucleus (ARC) silencing of Lrb would promote diet-induced obesity in rats. Lentiviral vectors expressing Lrb-shRNA were administered to 5-week-old male rats by ARC injection. Following viral delivery, the rats were provided with a high-fat diet (HFD) or a chow diet (CD). After 8 weeks of the diet, serum leptin, and insulin concentrations were measured by RIA, gene expression of Lrb in the ARC was detected by a real-time RT-PCR, and leptin signaling was examined by western blot. The Lrb-shRNA knocked down the expression of Lrb mRNA in infected regions by 54% for the HFD rats and 47% for the CD rats respectively. The Lrb knockdown reduced Stats3 activation and increased expression of Npy mRNA. The rats with reduced Lrb in the ARC showed a significant increase in energy intake and body weight (BW) again when fed with a HFD. By contrast, there were no effects of Lrb reduction on energy intake or BW when rats maintained on a low-fat chow. Our results provide evidence that Lrb knockdown selectively in the ARC promotes diet-induced obesity and associated metabolic complications in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bian
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Shahekou District, Dalian 116027, China
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Kosari S, Badoer E, Nguyen JC, Killcross AS, Jenkins TA. Effect of western and high fat diets on memory and cholinergic measures in the rat. Behav Brain Res 2012; 235:98-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Revised: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Du J, Zhao W, Wang Y, Cai Y. Lentivirus vector-mediated knockdown of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptors B4 inhibits laser-induced choroidal neovascularization. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2012; 29:14-22. [PMID: 23035975 DOI: 10.1089/jop.2012.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptors B4 (EphB4) knockdown on the development of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in vivo. METHODS We constructed recombinant lentiviral vectors (Lv) Lv-shRNA-EphB4 to specifically knock down the expression of EphB4. The mRNA and protein expression of EphB4 was investigated by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot. CNV was induced by laser photocoagulation in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were then randomly assigned to be intravitreally injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), Lv-shRNA-EphB4 recombinant lentivirus, or an unrelated shRNA recombinant lentivirus (pFU LV-shRNA-NC). An uninjected group was used as the control. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), histologic analysis, and choroidal flat mounts analysis were applied to evaluate the inhibition of CNV after an intravitreal injection. RESULTS Transfection of Lv-shRNA-EphB4 led to the knockdown of EphB4, and EphB4 mRNA was down-regulated by about 80%. FFA and histologic analysis revealed that the leakage areas and the mean thickness of CNV were much smaller in the Lv-shRNA-EphB4 group than in the PBS-treated, pFU Lv-shRNA-NC group and the non-injection group. Choroidal flat mounts showed significantly less leakage and smaller leakage areas in the Lv-shRNA-EphB4 group than those in other groups. CONCLUSION Knocking down the expression of EphB4 exerts an inhibitory effect on CNV in vivo. It may provide a potential strategy for the treatment of CNV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Du
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xijing Hospital, Eye Institute of Chinese PLA, Fourth Military Medical University , Xi'an, People's Republic of China
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