A low-protein, high carbohydrate diet induces increase in serum adiponectin and preserves glucose homeostasis in rats.

The aim of this study was investigate the effects of a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet introduced to rats soon after weaning. The animals were distributed in the following groups: LPHC45: fed an LPHC diet (6%-protein, 74%-carbohydrate) for 45 days; C45: fed a control (C) diet (17%-protein, 63%-carbohydrate) for 45 days; R (Reverse): fed with LPHC for 15 days followed by C diet for 30 days. The LPHC45 group showed alterations in the energetic balance with an increase in brown adipose tissue, and in glucose tolerance, and lower final body weight, muscle mass and total protein in blood when compared with C45 group. The HOMA-IR index was similar between LPHC45 and C45 groups, but this parameter was lower in LPHC45 compared with R groups. Serum adiponectin was higher in LPHC45 group than C45 and R groups. The R group presented higher fed insulin than C45 and LPHC45 and higher T4 compared with C45 group. Total cholesterol in R group was higher when compared with LPHC45 group. Thus, the data show that the change of the diet LPHC for a balanced diet led to different metabolic evolution and suggest that the different response can be due to different levels of adiponectin.

Synthesis, crystal structure and topological analysis of a three-dimensional polymeric network based on zinc(II), potassium and 5-sulfobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylate (SIP).

Aromatic polycarboxylate linkers provide structural rigidity and strong interactions among the metal centre and the carboxylate O atoms. A new three-dimensional coordination polymer namely, catena-poly[potassium [tetraaqua(µ-5-sulfobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato)zinc(II)]], {K[Zn(C8H3O7S)(H2O)4]}n or {K[Zn(SIP)(H2O)4]}n, where SIP is 5-sulfobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylate or 5-sulfoisophthalate, was obtained and characterized by elemental analysis and IR vibrational spectroscopy, and the single-crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with Z = 4. Topological analysis revealed that K-O interactions form a two-dimensional network, which is uninodal 4-connected and can be described with a point symbol (44.62), and this plane network is classified as sql/Shubnikov. The layers are connected by Zn2+ ions coordinated to the SIP linker, forming a three-dimensional network. This net is a trinodal (3,5,6)-connected system with point symbol (3.44.52.62.73.83).(3.44.52.62.7).(3.72).

A low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet increases browning in perirenal adipose tissue but not in inguinal adipose tissue.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the browning and origin of fatty acids (FAs) in the maintenance of triacylglycerol (TG) storage and/or as fuel for thermogenesis in perirenal adipose tissue (periWAT) and inguinal adipose tissue (ingWAT) of rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet. METHODS: LPHC (6% protein, 74% carbohydrate) or control (C; 17% protein, 63% carbohydrate) diets were administered to rats for 15 d. The tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic analysis. The content of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) was determined by immunofluorescence. Levels of T-box transcription factor (TBX1), PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), adipose triacylglycerol lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), glycerokinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose transporter 4, ß3-adrenergic receptor (AR), ß1-AR, protein kinase A (PKA), adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and phospho-AMPK were determined by immunoblotting. Serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was measured using a commercial kit (Student's t tests, P < 0.05). RESULTS: The LPHC diet increased FGF21 levels by 150-fold. The presence of multilocular adipocytes, combined with the increased contents of UCP1, TBX1, and PRDM16 in periWAT of LPHC-fed rats, suggested the occurrence of browning. The contents of ß1-AR and LPL were increased in the periWAT. The ingWAT showed higher ATGL and PEPCK levels, phospho-AMPK/AMPK ratio, and reduced ß3-AR and PKA levels. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that browning occurred only in the periWAT and that higher utilization of FAs from blood lipoproteins acted as fuel for thermogenesis. Increased glycerol 3-phosphate generation by glyceroneogenesis increased FAs reesterification from lipolysis, explaining the increased TG storage in the ingWAT.

Autonomous growth of BALB/MK keratinocytes transfected with a retroviral vector carrying the human epidermal growth factor gene

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), which promotes epidermal regeneration and wound closure, is important for the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal and epithelial tissues in animals. Exogenous EGF is a promising therapeutic agent for wound healing, but its general use is restricted by the limited availability of this protein. In this work, we show that the transfection of mouse BALB/MK keratinocytes, which are totally dependent on EGF for growth and migration, with mature cDNA for human EGF via a retroviral vector abolished the cells requirement for exogenous EGF. The transformed cells had normal morphology and a growth rate that varied according to the source of the retroviral vector used. Keratinocyte transfection with EGF cDNA provides a time- and cost-efficient means of culturing keratinocytes and yields cells that may be useful for skin grafting.