IRIG: Autophagy in Metabolic Syndrome

          In the current issue of “Cell”, there is a very nice review article on “Autophagy”. The role of autophagy in metabolic syndrome, longevity, and various diseases are covered in the review. What is “Autophagy”? In the introduction, it states that “One of the most evolutionarily conserved cellular responses to organismal fasting is the activation of the lysosomal degradation pathway of autophagy, a process in which the cell self-digests its own components. This self-digestion not only provides nutrients to maintain vital cellular functions during fasting but also can rid the cell of superfluous or damaged organelles, misfolded proteins, and invading microorganisms. Interestingly, self-digestion by autophagy—a process that is potently triggered by fasting—is now emerging as a central biological pathway that functions to promote health and longevity.” Attached is the PDF file.
 
By Jianping

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Jianping Ye, MD

Professor of Molecular Biology
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University System
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225)763-3163
E-mail: yej@pbrc.edu
Webpage: http://labs.pbrc.edu/generegulation/index.htm
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IRIG: Lipotoxicity = Mitochondria + ROS

Two studies in recent issues of “Cell Metabolism” and “Cell ” suggest that overloading of mitochondria with fatty acids drives oxidative phosphorylation out of control in mitochondria, leading to incomplete metabolism of fatty acids and overproduction of ROS (reactive oxygen species). Prevention of lipid abuse of oxidative phosphorylation by gene knockout protected the mice from insulin resistance in dietary obese mice. The two studies suggest that lipotoxicity is a result of ROS production from lipid overloading in mitochondria.   
In the first study, fatty acid oxidation in mitochondrial was found to be increased in skeletal muscle of dietary obese mice. However, the increase did not bring in benefit, but incomplete oxidation of fatty acids. The abused mitochondria produced large amount of ROS in oxidation of overloaded fatty acids. It is proposed that ROS leads to insulin resistance in cells loaded with fatty acids. These conclusions are supported by data from metabolomic analysis of tricarboxylic acid cycle products in mitochondria. This paper is recommended by Dr. Eric Ravussin at Pennington (See
attachment 1).  
In the second study in “Cell”, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is reduced by deletion of AIF (apoptosis inducing factor) gene. Tissue-specific deletion of AIF in muscle or liver generated mitochondrial deficiency in oxidative phosphorylation in the two organs. This engineered mitochondrial “dysfunction” did not produce extra ROS in the presence of lipid overloading. The knockout mice gained weight at normal rate on high fat diet, but did not develop insulin resistance (See
attachment 2). This study provides a nice support to the first study about role of mitochondrial ROS in lipid-induced insulin resistance.    
 
By Jianping

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Jianping Ye, MD

Professor of Molecular Biology
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University System
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225)763-3163
E-mail: yej@pbrc.edu
Webpage: http://labs.pbrc.edu/generegulation/index.htm
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IRIG: Why TZD increases rate of bone fractures in diabetic individuals ?

           TZD is a well-established insulin sensitizer that is widely used in clinics for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Among the major side effects of TZD, increased rate for bone fractures has been known together with the side effects of TZD on CDV system. The molecular mechanism underlying the TZD-associated fracture is not clear. One possibility is that activation of PPARg by TZD inhibits the differentiation of osteoblasts that are required for bone formation. PPARg is known to inhibit differentiation of stem cells into osteoblasts and at meantime promotes differentiation of the stem cells into adipocytes. In response to PPARg activation, loss of esteoblasts will lead to less formation of bone materials, and thus bone fracture. However, this possibility is challenged by a study in “Nature Medicine”, in which an increase in bone absorption was found to be the reason for TZD-associated fracture. This point is demonstrated using tissue-specific PPARg knockout mice in which PPARg is removed in both endothelial cells and osteoclasts. Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells derived from hematopoietic precursors of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. The PPARg-KO made the bone density much higher in the transgenic mice as bone-resorbtion was inhibited in the bone. This is a result of loss of osteoclasts. The study reveals that PPARg is required for osteoclast differentiation from the bone marrow cells. With normal PPARg expression in osteoblasts, the KO mice does not loss bone mass in response to TZD. Attached is the PDF file of this paper.
 
Merry Christmas!
 
By Jianping at PBRC

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Jianping Ye, MD

Professor of Molecular Biology
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University System
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225)763-3163
E-mail: yej@pbrc.edu
Webpage: http://labs.pbrc.edu/generegulation/index.htm
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