Effect of allatectomy on fat body lipid metabolism of the male desert locust during adult development

The effect of allatectomy on the changes in fat body lipid metabolism during adult development of the male desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) has been investigated. All the operations were carried out 4 days after adult emergence. Allatectomy had no appreciable effect on the specific activity of acetate incorporation into lipid, but since the fat body tissue grows after the operation the absolute capacity of the whole tissue is increased. There is a gradual increase in the conversion of glucose to lipid between 4 and 12 days after emergence in the allatectomized insects. The amount of glucose completely oxidized to carbon dioxide is gradually decreased after the operation.     

Effects of tea catechins on lipid metabolism and body fat accumulation

Long-term feeding of tea catechins suppressed body fat accumulation in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice, and that their effects might be attributed, at least in part, to the activation of hepatic lipid metabolism. Consecutive intake of tea catechins (588 mg/day) reduced body fat, especially abdominal fat in humans. These results demonstrate that intake of tea catechins is beneficial for body fat accumulation.     

The role of the kidney in lipid metabolism

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cellular uptake of plasma lipids is to a large extent mediated by specific membrane-associated proteins that recognize lipid-protein complexes. In the kidney, the apical surface of proximal tubules has a high capacity for receptor-mediated uptake of filtered lipid-binding plasma proteins. We describe the renal receptor system and its role in lipid metabolism in health and disease, and discuss the general effect of the diseased kidney on lipid metabolism. RECENT FINDINGS: Megalin and cubilin are receptors in the proximal tubules. An accumulating number of lipid-binding and regulating proteins (e.g. albumin, apolipoprotein A-I and leptin) have been identified as ligands, suggesting that their receptors may directly take up lipids in the proximal tubules and indirectly affect plasma and tissue lipid metabolism. Recently, the amnionless protein was shown to be essential for the membrane association and trafficking of cubilin. SUMMARY: The kidney has a high capacity for uptake of lipid-binding proteins and lipid-regulating hormones via the megalin and cubilin/amnionless protein receptors. Although the glomerular filtration barrier prevents access of the large lipoprotein particles to the proximal tubules, the receptors may be exposed to lipids bound to filtered lipid-binding proteins not associated to lipoprotein particles. Renal filtration and receptor-mediated uptake of lipid-binding and lipid-regulating proteins may therefore influence overall lipid metabolism. The pathological mechanisms causing the pronounced atherosclerosis-promoting effect of uremia may involve impairment of this clearance pathway.     

From infection to cancer: how DNA tumour viruses alter host cell central carbon and lipid metabolism

Infections cause 13% of all cancers globally, and DNA tumour viruses account for almost 60% of these cancers. All viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and hijack host cell functions to replicate and complete their life cycles to produce progeny virions. While many aspects of viral manipulation of host cells have been studied, how DNA tumour viruses manipulate host cell metabolism and whether metabolic alterations in the virus life cycle contribute to carcinogenesis are not well understood. In this review, we compare the differences in central carbon and fatty acid metabolism in host cells following infection, oncogenic transformation, and virus-driven cancer of DNA tumour viruses including: Epstein–Barr virus, hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus, Kaposi''s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and Merkel cell polyomavirus.     

Dysregulated lipid metabolism in cancer

Alteration of lipid metabolism has been increasingly recognized as a hallmark of cancer cells. The changes of expression and activity of lipid metabolizing enzymes are directly regulated by the activity of oncogenic signals. The dependence of tumor cells on the dysregulated lipid metabolism suggests that proteins involved in this process are excellent chemotherapeutic targets for cancer treatment. There are currently several drugs under development or in clinical trials that are based on specifically targeting the altered lipid metabolic pathways in cancer cells. Further understanding of dysregulated lipid metabolism and its associated signaling pathways will help us to better design efficient cancer therapeutic strategy.     

Chewing the fat: lipid metabolism and homeostasis during M. tuberculosis infection

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Effects of excess dietary iron and fat on glucose and lipid metabolism

PurposeDiets rich in fat and energy are associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). Increased body iron stores have been recognized as a feature of MS. High-fat diets (HFs), excess iron loading and MS are closely associated, but the mechanism linking them has not been clearly defined. We investigated the interaction between dietary fat and dietary Fe in the context of glucose and lipid metabolism in the body.MethodsC57BL6/J mice were divided into four groups and fed the modified AIN-93G low-fat diet (LF) and HF with adequate or excess Fe for 7 weeks. The Fe contents were increased by adding carbonyl iron (2% of diet weight) (LF+Fe and HF+Fe).ResultsHigh iron levels increased blood glucose levels but decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The HF group showed increases in plasma levels of glucose and insulin and insulin resistance. HF+Fe mice showed greater changes. Representative indices of iron status, such hepatic and plasma Fe levels, were not altered further by the HF. However, both the HF and excess iron loading changed the hepatic expression of hepcidin and ferroportin. The LF+Fe, HF and HF+Fe groups showed greater hepatic fat accumulation compared with the LF group. These changes were paralleled by alterations in the levels of enzymes related to hepatic gluconeogenesis and lipid synthesis, which could be due to increases in mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.ConclusionsHigh-fat diets and iron overload are associated with insulin resistance, modified hepatic lipid and iron metabolism and increased mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.     

The role of inositol lipid metabolism in the ovary

Two major signal transduction systems operate within ovarian cells to control their function. Gonadotropins, such as follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, primarily utilize the cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) pathway to stimulate steroid hormone biosynthesis. On the other hand, an inositol lipid metabolism pathway is used by other effector molecules such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone or prostaglandin F2 alpha, as well as gonadotropins, to alter ovarian hormone production. Membrane polyphosphoinositides are hydrolyzed to inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol, resulting in alterations of intracellular free calcium concentration, activation of protein kinase C, and liberation of arachidonic acid. Some or all of these intracellular messengers may interact with the gonadotropin-induced cAMP pathway to control ovarian function.     

Transcription analysis of genes involved in lipid metabolism reveals the role of chromium in reducing body fat in animal models

Chromium was proposed to be an essential trace element over 50 years ago and has been accepted as an essential element for over 30 years. The recent studies indicated that the addition of supra nutritional amounts of chromium to the diet can only be considered as having pharmacological effects. However, the precise mechanism through which chromium acts on lipid, carbohydrate, protein and nucleic acid metabolism are relatively poor studied. To uncover, at least partially, the role of chromium in lipid metabolism, in this study, we evaluated the expression status of eight important genes, involved in fat biosynthesis and lipid metabolism, in four different tissue types (liver, subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and longissimus muscle) in domestic goat kids feeding on three different chromium levels. The quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was established for expression analyses with HSP90 gene was used as reference gene. The results showed that supplementation of goats with 1.5 mg/day chromium significantly decreases the expression of the ACC1, DGAT1, FABP4, FAS, HSL, LEP genes, but does not affect the expression of the LPL and SCD1 genes in all studied tissues. This study highlights, for the first time, the role of supra nutritional levels of chromium in lipid biosynthesis and metabolism. These findings are of especial importance for improving meat quality in domestic animals.     

Acyl-CoA synthesis,lipid metabolism and lipotoxicity

Although the underlying causes of insulin resistance have not been completely delineated, in most analyses, a recurring theme is dysfunctional metabolism of fatty acids. Because the conversion of fatty acids to activated acyl-CoAs is the first and essential step in the metabolism of long-chain fatty acid metabolism, interest has grown in the synthesis of acyl-CoAs, their contribution to the formation of signaling molecules like ceramide and diacylglycerol, and their direct effects on cell function. In this review, we cover the evidence for the involvement of acyl-CoAs in what has been termed lipotoxicity, the regulation of the acyl-CoA synthetases, and the emerging functional roles of acyl-CoAs in the major tissues that contribute to insulin resistance and lipotoxicity, adipose, liver, heart and pancreas.     

Effect of ambient temperature on lipid metabolism in brown fat during the perinatal period

• 1.1. Norepinephrine-induced lipolysis, cyclic AMP production and glycerokinase activity were measured, in vitro, in the brown fat of rats born and reared at either 28° or 16°C during the first 3 weeks of life.
• 2.2. During the first two postnatal days, lipolytic activity in the tissue was lower than in the foetuses at both ambient temperatures At day 10, increased values of the parameters under consideration were similarly observed in both groups.
• 3.3. However, the hormonal regulation of lipolysis seemed to be quite different from that found in adult cold-acclimated rats.
• 4.4. At day 21, the cold-induced characteristics of lipid metabolism in brown fat were observed in the 16°C exposed rats, whereas a loss of tissue stimulation occurred in the 28°C exposed ones.

     

In vitro study of lipid metabolism in the mealworm larval fat body

Lipid metabolism in Tenebrio larval fat body has been studied in vitro. Lipid release required the presence of diluted hemolymph in the incubation medium. This time-dependent release of lipid was strongly stimulated in a dose-dependent manner by Tenebrio corpora cardiaca (CC) extracts or synthetic adipokinetic hormone (AKH I). Furthermore, some glycerol was released when larval fat body was incubated without hemolymph, and this phenomenon was also dose dependent for added CC extracts. Lipid synthesis was estimated in vitro by following the incorporation of radioactivity from [6-¹⁴C] glucose into fatty acids. Lipogenesis occurred in the absence of added carbohydrates in the medium, but it was stimulated by the addition of glucose, and especially trehalose (10 mg ml^?1). Intestinal insulin-like peptide (ILP) also stimulated in vitro lipogenesis in a dose-dependent fashion. We conclude that lipolytic and lipogenetic activities of larval mealworm fat body in vitro are effectively under hormonal control.     

ERK5 and its role in tumour development

The MEK5 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 5]/ERK5 pathway is the least well studied MAPK signalling module. It has been proposed to play a role in the pathology of cancer. In the present paper, we review the role of the MEK5/ERK5 pathway using the 'hallmarks of cancer' as a framework and consider how this pathway is deregulated. As well as playing a key role in endothelial cell survival and tubular morphogenesis during tumour neovascularization, ERK5 is also emerging as a regulator of tumour cell invasion and migration. Several oncogenes can stimulate ERK5 activity, and protein levels are increased by a novel amplification at chromosome locus 17p11 and by down-regulation of the microRNAs miR-143 and miR-145. Together, these finding underscore the case for further investigation into understanding the role of ERK5 in cancer.     

脂肪酸从头合成代谢及其抑制剂在肿瘤中的研究进展

代谢重编程是肿瘤的重要特征之一.肿瘤细胞常会发生过度增殖、局部侵袭、转移、复发和耐药等.这些过程均需要大量的脂肪酸,用于合成肿瘤细胞所必需的生物膜和信号分子等.因此,研究脂肪酸从头合成代谢在肿瘤细胞发生发展过程中所发挥的重要作用有助于深入理解肿瘤的发病机制,为肿瘤的诊断和治疗提供新的思路.本文将对脂肪酸合成代谢在肿瘤中...