ABSTRACT
Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) plays an important role in glucose metabolism at the gene transcription level. Increased FOXO1 activity results in hyperglycemia by promoting the expression of gluconeogenic enzymes such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), and inhibiting glucokinase (GK). This study evaluates the effect of Zhenqing Recipe (ZQR), a Chinese herbal medicine, on hyperglycemia and its molecular mechanisms. Type 2 diabetic rats, developed by high-fat diet combined with low-dose STZ injections, were randomly divided into untreated diabetic, ZQR and metformin group. Normal rats served as control. After an eight-week treatment, fasting blood glucose was significantly decreased and insulin sensitivity index was obviously increased in the ZQR group. ZQR also improved the oral glucose tolerance. Compared with the control group, the mRNA levels of PEPCK and G6Pase were significantly elevated, while GK mRNA expression was decreased in the liver of untreated diabetic rats. ZQR significantly reduced the mRNA levels of PEPCK and G6Pase, and increased GK mRNA expression. The hepatic mRNA and protein expression of FOXO1 in the untreated diabetic group was markedly increased compared to controls. The administration of ZQR significantly decreased the mRNA and protein levels of hepatic FOXO1. The data suggest that ZQR improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, which is accompanied with regulating mRNA expression of GK and gluconeogenic genes. This anti-diabetic effect of ZQR is due to its ability to repress hepatic FOXO1 at the mRNA and protein level.
Subject(s)
Blood Glucose/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Forkhead Transcription Factors/metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Liver/drug effects , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Animals , Base Sequence , Blotting, Western , Body Weight/drug effects , DNA Primers , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism , Forkhead Transcription Factors/genetics , Glucose Tolerance Test , Liver/metabolism , Male , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and the risk factors for childhood obesity in Changsha and Shenzhen, China. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in 209 obese children (the cases) identified in the investigation on childhood obesity in 6 288 children aged 6 to 9 years in Changsha and Shenzhen in China and 209 children with normal weight (the controls). The cases and controls were matched by gender, age, and school. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the risk factors were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of overweight and obese children was 9.28% and 3.30% in Changsha, and 12.17% and 4.22% in Shenzhen, respectively. The rate of overweight children is significantly higher in Shenzhen than in Changsha. No statistical difference was observed in the rate of obesity between the children in both cities. Paternal obesity (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.16), maternal weight gain during pregnancy>or=15.0 kg (OR 5.22, 95% CI 2.78 to 9.80), birth weight>or=4.00 kg (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.24 to 5.26), unhealthy snacks>or=1 per week (OR 3.94, 95% CI 1.11 to 13.99), and watching television>or=2 hours per day(OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.01 to 5.47) were associated with childhood obesity when potential confounding factors were adjusted by multi-variable logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Paternal obesity, gestational weight gain, high birth weight, and unhealthy life-style are important risk factors for obesity in urban children in south China.
