Protein acylations induced by a ketogenic diet demonstrate diverse patterns depending on organs and differ between histones and global proteins.

An essential ketone body, ß-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB), plays various roles in physiological regulations via protein acylations such as lysine acetylation and ß-hydroxybutyrylation. Here, to understand how BOHB systemically regulates acylations from an overarching perspective, we administered a ketogenic diet to mice to increase BOHB concentration and examined acylations. We found that global acetylation and ß-hydroxybutyrylation dramatically increase in various organs except for the brains, where the increase was much smaller than in the other organs. Interestingly, we observe no increase in histone acetylation in the organs where significant global protein acetylation occurs despite a substantial rise in histone ß-hydroxybutyrylation. Finally, we compared the transcriptome data of the mice's liver after the ketogenic diet to the public databases, showing that upregulated genes are enriched in those related to histone ß-hydroxybutyrylation in starvation. Our data indicate that a ketogenic diet induces diverse patterns of acylations depending on organs and protein localizations, suggesting that different mechanisms regulate acylations and that the ketogenic diet is associated with starvation in terms of protein modifications.

Diabetic ketoacidosis due to a sensor defect of FreeStyle Libre: A case report.

The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System allows users to obtain sensor glucose values by scanning with the reader or their mobile phone. We report a case of a 59-year-old man with type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed diabetic ketoacidosis due to a sensor defect. After replacing the sensor with a new one, the glucose value shown in the device was much lower than usual, which made him consider that he was hypoglycemic. Accordingly, he reduced his insulin dose and eventually developed diabetic ketoacidosis. He was unaware of the discrepancy due to the lack of self-monitoring of his blood glucose, although he was educated to do. In sum, glucose monitoring with the FreeStyle Libre is helpful; however, it is necessary to remind the patient that a sensor defect leading to a severe complication frequently happens.

Genome-wide screening for regulators of degradation of insulin secretory granules with a fluorescent reporter.

Insulin is essential in controlling blood glucose levels, and its synthesis and secretion have been well investigated. In contrast, how insulin secretory granules (ISGs) are degraded in pancreatic beta cells remains largely unknown. To clarify the mechanism, we constructed a fluorescent reporter detecting ISG degradation, where EGFP and mCherry are tandemly conjugated to a cytoplasmic region of ZnT8, an ISG membrane-localized protein. Depletion of serum and amino acid stimulated lysosomal ISG degradation detected with the reporter. Next, with MIN6 cells expressing Cas9 and the reporter, we investigated the involvement of conventional Atg5/7-dependent autophagy to show that it is dispensable for the ISG degradation process. Finally, we performed genome-wide screening by enriching the cells lacking the ISG degradation and showed that pathways regulating autophagy are not identified. These results suggest that alternative degradation in lysosomes, instead of conventional autophagy, may be involved in ISG degradation.

Inhibition of Insulin Secretion Induces Golgi Morphological Changes.

Objectives: The role of autophagy in pancreatic ß cells has been reported, but the relationship between autophagy and insulin metabolism is complex and is not fully understood yet. Design: We here analyze the relationship between autophagy and insulin metabolism from a morphological aspect. Methods: We observe the morphological changes of ß cell-specific Atg7-deficient mice and Atg5-deficient MIN6 cells with electron microscopy. Results: We find that Atg7-deficient ß cells exhibit a marked expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We also find that the inhibitory state of insulin secretion causes morphological changes in the Golgi, including ministacking and swelling. The same morphological alterations are observed when insulin secretion is suppressed in Atg5-deficient MIN6 cells. Conclusions: The defect of autophagy induces ER expansion, and inhibition of insulin secretion induces Golgi swelling, probably via ER stress and Golgi stress, respectively.

Why don't plants have diabetes? Systems for scavenging reactive carbonyls in photosynthetic organisms.

In the present paper, we review the toxicity of sugar- and lipid-derived RCs (reactive carbonyls) and the RC-scavenging systems observed in photosynthetic organisms. Similar to heterotrophs, photosynthetic organisms are exposed to the danger of RCs produced in sugar metabolism during both respiration and photosynthesis. RCs such as methylglyoxal and acrolein have toxic effects on the photosynthetic activity of higher plants and cyanobacteria. These toxic effects are assumed to occur uniquely in photosynthetic organisms, suggesting that RC-scavenging systems are essential for their survival. The aldo-keto reductase and the glyoxalase systems mainly scavenge sugar-derived RCs in higher plants and cyanobacteria. 2-Alkenal reductase and alkenal/alkenone reductase catalyse the reduction of lipid-derived RCs in higher plants. In cyanobacteria, medium-chain dehydrogenases/reductases are the main scavengers of lipid-derived RCs.

Functional analysis of the AKR4C subfamily of Arabidopsis thaliana: model structures, substrate specificity, acrolein toxicity, and responses to light and [CO(2)].

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) family includes four enzymes (The AKR4C subfamily: AKR4C8, AKR4C9, AKR4C10, and AKR4C11). AKR4C8 and AKR4C9 might detoxify sugar-derived reactive carbonyls (RCs). We analyzed AKR4C10 and AKR4C11, and compared the enzymatic functions of the four enzymes. Modeling of protein structures based on the known structure of AKR4C9 found an (α/ß)8-barrel motif in all four enzymes. Loop structures (A, B, and C) which determine substrate specificity, differed among the four. Both AKR4C10 and AKR4C11 reduced methylglyoxal. AKR4C10 reduced triose phosphates, dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), and glyceraldehydes 3-phosphate (GAP), the most efficiently of all the AKR4Cs. Acrolein, a lipid-derived RC, inactivated the four enzymes to different degrees. Expression of the AKR4C genes was induced under high-[CO2] and high light, when photosynthesis was enhanced and photosynthates accumulated in the cells. These results suggest that the AKR4C subfamily contributes to the detoxification of sugar-derived RCs in plants.

Acrolein, an α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl, inhibits both growth and PSII activity in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

In this study, we sought to determine whether and how an α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl, acrolein, can inhibit the growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 (S. 6803). Treatment of S. 6803 with 200 µM acrolein for 3 d significantly and irreversibly inhibited its growth. To elucidate the inhibitory mechanism, we examined the effects of acrolein on photosynthesis. In contrast to dark conditions, the addition of acrolein to S. 6803 under conditions of illumination lowered the CO2-dependent O2 evolution rate (photosynthetic activity). Furthermore, treatment with acrolein lowered the activity reducing dimethyl benzoquinone in photosystem II (PSII). Acrolein also suppressed the reduction rate for the oxidized form of the reaction center chlorophyll of photosystem I (PSI), P700. These results indicate that acrolein inhibited PSII activity in thylakoid membranes. The addition of 200 µM acrolein to the illuminated S. 6803 cells gradually increased the steady-state level (Fs) of Chl fluorescence and decreased the quantum yield of PSII. These results suggested that acrolein damaged the acceptor side of PSII. On the other hand, acrolein did not inhibit respiration. From the above results, we gained insight into the metabolism of acrolein and its physiological effects in S. 6803.