Effect and mechanism of Zexie Decoction in promoting white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation based on GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the mechanism of Zexie Decoction(ZXD) in promoting white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation based on the GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. A hyperlipidemia model was induced by a western diet(WD) in mice, and the mice were divided into a control group, a model group(WD), and low-, medium-, and high-dose ZXD groups. An adipogenesis model was induced in 3T3-L1 cells in vitro, and with forskolin(FSK) used as a positive control, low-, medium-, and high-dose ZXD groups were set up. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence results showed that compared with the WD group, ZXD promoted the expression of UCP1 in white and brown adipose tissues, and also upregulated UCP1, CPT1β, PPARα, and other genes in the cells. Western blot analysis showed a dose-dependent increase in the protein expression of PGC-1α, UCP1, and PPARα with ZXD treatment, indicating that ZXD could promote the white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining results showed that after ZXD treatment, white and brown adipocytes were significantly reduced in size, and the mRNA expression of ATGL, HSL, MGL, and PLIN1 was significantly upregulated as compared with the results in the WD group. Oil red O staining and biochemical assays indicated that ZXD improved lipid accumulation and promoted lipolysis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining for p-CREB revealed that ZXD reversed the decreased expression of p-CREB caused by WD. In vitro intervention with ZXD increased the protein expression of CREB, p-CREB, and p-PKA substrate, and increased the mRNA level of CREB. ELISA detected an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration with ZXD treatment. Molecular docking analysis showed that multiple active components in Alismatis Rhizoma and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma could form stable hydrogen bond interactions with GLP-1R. In conclusion, ZXD promotes white adipose tissue browning/brown adipose tissue activation both in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism of action may be related to the GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 may be involved in macrophage plasticity

Abstract Background Macrophages are a functionally heterogeneous cell population and depending on microenvironments they polarize in two main groups: M1 and M2. Glutamic acid and glutamate receptors may participate in the regulation of macrophage plasticity. To investigate the role of glutamatergic systems in macrophages physiology, we performed the transfection of mGluR5 cDNAs into RAW-264.7 cells. Results Comparative analysis of modified (RAW-mGluR5 macrophages) and non-modified macrophages (RAW-macrophages) has shown that the RAW-mGluR5 macrophages absorbed more glutamate than control cells and the amount of intracellular glutamate correlated with the expression of excitatory amino acid transporters -2 (EAAT-2). Besides, our results have shown that RAW-mGluR5 macrophages expressed a higher level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) and secreted more IL-10, high mobility group box 1 proteins (HMGB1) and Galectin-3 than control RAW-macrophages. Conclusions We propose that elevation of intracellular glutamate and expression of mGluR5 may initiate the metabolic rearrangement in macrophages that could contribute to the formation of an immunosuppressive phenotype.

Previous exercise training increases levels of PPAR-α in long-term post-myocardial infarction in rats, which is correlated with better inflammatory response

OBJECTIVE: Exercise is a protective factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with unclear mechanisms. Changing the myocardial metabolism causes harmful consequences for heart function and exercise contributes to metabolic adjustment modulation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are also myocardium metabolism regulators capable of decreasing the inflammatory response. We hypothesized that PPAR-α is involved in the beneficial effects of previous exercise on myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiac function, changing the expression of metabolic and inflammatory response regulators and reducing myocardial apoptosis, which partially explains the better outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Exercised rats engaged in swimming sessions for 60 min/day, 5 days/week, for 8 weeks. Both the exercised rats and sedentary rats were randomized to MI surgery and followed for 1 week (EI1 or SI1) or 4 weeks (EI4 or SI4) of healing or to sham groups. Echocardiography was employed to detect left ventricular function and the infarct size. Additionally, the TUNEL technique was used to assess apoptosis and immunohistochemistry was used to quantitatively analyze the PPAR-α, TNF-α and NF-κB antigens in the infarcted and non-infarcted myocardium. MI-related mortality was higher in SI4 than in EI4 (25% vs 12%), without a difference in MI size. SI4 exhibited a lower shortening fraction than EI4 did (24% vs 35%) and a higher apoptosis/area rate (3.97±0.61 vs 1.90±1.82) in infarcted areas (both p=0.001). Immunohistochemistry also revealed higher TNF-α levels in SI1 than in EI1 (9.59 vs 4.09, p<0.001) in infarcted areas. In non-infarcted areas, EI4 showed higher levels of TNF-α and positive correlations between PPAR-α and NF-κB (r=0.75, p=0.02), in contrast to SI4 (r=0.05, p=0.87). CONCLUSION: Previously exercised animals had better long-term ventricular function post-MI, in addition to lower levels of local inflammatory markers and less myocardial apoptosis, which seemed to be related to the presence of PPAR-α.

Normalization of the levels of inflammatory molecules in Mycobacterium smegmatis-infected U937 cells by fibrate pretreatment

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a respiratory tract disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. M. tuberculosis exploits immune privilege to grow and divide in pleural macrophages. Fibrates are associated with the immune response and control lipid metabolism through glycolysis with ß-oxidation of fatty acids. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated the effect of fibrate pretreatment on the immune response during M. smegmatis infection in U937 cells, a human leukemic monocyte lymphoma cell line. The protein expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), an inflammatory marker, and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), a toll like receptor adaptor molecule, in the infected group increased at 1 and 6 h after M. smegmatis infection of U937 cells. Acetyl coenzyme A acetyl transferase-1 (ACAT-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), TNF-α, and MyD88 decreased in U937 cells treated with fibrates at 12 and 24 h after treatment. More than a 24 h pretreatment with fibrate resulted in similar expression levels of ACAT-1 and PPAR-α between infected vehicle control and infected groups which were pretreated with fibrate for 24 h. However, upon exposure to M. smegmatis, the cellular expression of the TNF-α and MyD88 in the infected groups pretreated with fibrate for 24 h decreased significantly compared to that in the infected vehicle group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that fibrate pretreatment normalized the levels of inflammatory molecules in Mycobacterium smegmatis-infected U937 cells. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings on pathophysiology and immune defense mechanism of U937 by fibrates during M. tuberculosis infection.

Agonistas PPAR (Rosiglitazona, Bezafibrato e Fenofibrato) e alterações bioquímicas e estruturais em órgãos-alvo de camundongos C57BL/6 alimentados com dieta hiperlipídica rica em sacarose / PPAR agonists (Rosiglitazone, Bezafibrate and Fenofibrate) and biochemical and structural alterations in organs target of C57BL/6 mice fed high-fat high sucrose chow

Este trabalho teve o objetivo de estudar o efeito de medicamentos com diferentes ações agonista PPAR (rosiglitazona, fenofibrato e bezafibrato) sobre o perfil lipídico, glicídico e alterações na massa corporal e morfologia do tecido adiposo e pancreático em modelo de diabetes e sobrepeso induzido por dieta. Camundongos C57BL/6 (2 meses de idade) foram alimentados com dieta padrão (SC, n=10) ou dieta hiperlipídica rica em sacarose (HFHS, n=40) por 6 semanas. Logo após, os animais HFHS foram subdividos em: HFHS não tratado e HFHS tratado com rosiglitazona (HFHS-Ro), fenofibrato (HFHS-Fe) ou bezafibrato (HFHS-BZ) (5 semanas). Os camundongos alimentados com dieta HFHS apresentaram maior glicemia e insulina de jejum (+33% e +138%, respectivamente), intolerância à glicose, resistência à insulina, aumento da massa corporal (MC) (+20%) e adiposidade, hipertrofia de adipócitos e redução da imunocoloração para adiponectina no tecido adiposo. No pâncreas houve aumento da massa (+28%), acúmulo de gordura (+700%), hipertrofia da ilhota (+38%) e redução da imunocoloração para GLUT-2 (-60%). A rosiglitazona diminuiu a glicemia e insulina de jejum, porém induziu o ganho de MC e hipertrofia cardíaca. O fenofibrato estabilizou a MC, enquanto o bezafibrato levou a perda de MC. Apenas o bezafibrato impediu a hipertrofia da ilhota. A imunocoloração para GLUT-2 foi aumentada por todos os medicamentos, e não houve alterações na imunocoloração para o PPARalfa. Sinais morfológicos de pancreatite foram vistos no grupo HFHS-Fe, apesar dos níveis normais de amilase e lipase séricos. A rosiglitazona exacerbou a infiltração intrapancreática de gordura (+75% vs. HFHS), e o bezafibrato aumentou a imunocoloração para o PPARbeta/delta nas ilhotas pancreáticas. Em conclusão, o bezafibrato apresentou um efeito mais amplo sobre as alterações metabólicas, morfológicas e biométricas decorrentes da dieta HFHS, sugerindo que a inibição das três isoformas do PPAR seria melhor do que a inibição...

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists (rosiglitazone, fenofibrate and bezafibrate) on lipid and glucose metabolism, body mass, and adipose and pancreatic tissue morphology in a model of diet-induced type 2 diabetes and overweight in mice. Two-month-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a standard chow (SC, n=10) or a high-fat high-sucrose chow (HFHS, n=40) for 6 weeks, and then HFHS-fed mice were subdivided by treatment: untreated HFHS and HFHS treated with rosiglitazone (HFHS-Ro), fenofibrate (HFHS-Fe), or bezafibrate (HFHS-Bz) (5 weeks on medication). HFHS-fed mice have altered fasting glucose (+33%) and insulin (+138%), GI, IR, increased body mass (+20%) and fat pad weight, adipocyte hypertrophy, and decreased adiponectin immunostain. They also presented increased pancreatic (+28%) mass, intrapancreatic fat (+700%), islet hypertrophy (+38%), and decreased GLUT-2 immunostain (-60%). Rosiglitazone reduced fasting glucose and insulin but induced weight gain and heart hypertrophy. Fenofibrate impaired body mass gain, while bezafibrate induced weight loss. Only bezafibrate impaired islet hypertrophy. GLUT-2 immunostain was improved by all treatments, and there were no alterations in PPAR-alfa stain. There were morphological signs of pancreatitis in fenofibrate-treated mice, although there was no alteration in serum amylase and lipase. Rosiglitazone exacerbated pancreatic fat infiltration (+75% vs. HFHS group), and bezafibrate increased PPAR-beta expression in pancreatic islets. In conclusion, bezafibrate showed a wider range of action on metabolic, morphologic, and biometric alterations due to HFHS intake, suggesting that inhibiting the three PPAR isoforms is better than inhititing each isoform alone. Rosiglitazone exacerbated body mass gain, pancreatic fat infiltration and induced heart hyperthophy as well, thus, precaution has to be taken in prescribing rosiglitazone to obese patients.

Annexin A6 is highly abundant in monocytes of obese and type 2 diabetic individuals and is downregulated by adiponectin in vitro

Adiponectin stimulates cholesterol efflux in macrophages and low adiponectin may in part contribute to disturbed reverse cholesterol transport in type 2 diabetes. Monocytes express high levels of annexin A6 that could inhibit cholesterol efflux and it was investigated whether the atheroprotective effects of adiponectin are accompanied by changes in annexin A6 levels. Adiponectin reduces annexin A6 protein whereas mRNA levels are not affected. Adiponectin-mediated activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) does not account for reduced annexin A6 expression. Further, fatty acids and lipopolysaccharide that are elevated in obesity do not influence annexin A6 protein levels. Annexin A6 in monocytes from overweight probands or type 2 diabetic patients is significantly elevated compared to monocytes of normal-weight controls. Monocytic annexin A6 positively correlates with body mass index and negatively with systemic adiponectin of the blood donors. Therefore, the current study demonstrates that adiponectin reduces annexin A6 in monocytes and thereby may enhance cholesterol efflux. In agreement with these in vitro finding an increase of monocytic annexin A6 in type 2 diabetes monocytes was observed.

Fenofibrate inhibits adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin resistance by activating adipose PPARalpha in high fat diet-induced obese mice

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) activation in rodents is thought to improve insulin sensitivity by decreasing ectopic lipids in non-adipose tissues. Fenofibrate, a lipid-modifying agent that acts as a PPARalpha agonist, may prevent adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin resistance by increasing intracellular lipolysis from adipose tissue. Consistent with this hypothesis, fenofibrate decreased visceral fat mass and adipocyte size in high fat diet-fed obese mice, and concomitantly increased the expression of PPARalpha target genes involved in fatty acid beta-oxidation in both epididymal adipose tissue and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. However, mRNA levels of adipose marker genes, such as leptin and TNFalpha, were decreased in epididymal adipose tissue by fenofibrate treatment. Fenofibrate not only reduced circulating levels of free fatty acids and triglycerides, but also normalized hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia in obese mice. Blood glucose levels of fenofibrate-treated mice were significantly reduced during intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test compared with obese controls. These results suggest that fenofibrate-induced fatty acid beta-oxidation in visceral adipose tissue may be one of the major factors leading to decreased adipocyte size and improved insulin sensitivity.

Transactivation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha by green tea extracts

Tea is a popular beverage. Recently, green tea was reported to increase the number of peroxisomes in rats. In this study, to find out whether the green tea-induced proliferation of peroxisomes is mediated by PPARalpha , a transient transfection assay was carried out to investigate the interactions of tea extracts (green tea, black tea,oolong tea and doongule tea) and tea components (epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epicatechin and gallic acid), with mouse cloned PPARalpha . Green tea and black tea extracts, and epigallocatechin gallate, a major component of fresh green tea leaves, increased the activation of PPAalpha 1.5-2 times compared with the control. It is suggested that the green tea induced-peroxisomal proliferation may be mediated through the transactivation of PPARalpha and that epigallocatechin gallate may be an effective component of green tea leaves. This would account for the increase in the number of peroxisomes and the activity of peroxisomal enzymes previously reported. However, black tea, a fully fermented product, had a stronger effect than oolong tea extract. These results also suggest, that in addition to epigallocatechin gallate, green tea leaves may possess some active chemicals newly produced as a result of the fermentation process, which act on PPARalpha like other peroxisome proliferators.