Akt Signaling and Nitric Oxide Synthase as Possible Mediators of the Protective Effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine in Prediabetes Induced by Sucrose.

The aim of this work was to evaluate possible mechanisms involved in the protective effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on hepatic endocrine-metabolic, oxidative stress, and inflammatory changes in prediabetic rats. For that, normal male Wistar rats (60 days old) were fed for 21 days with 10% sucrose in their drinking water and 5 days of NAC administration (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and thereafter, we determined: serum glucose, insulin, transaminases, uric acid, and triglyceride levels; hepatic fructokinase and glucokinase activities, glycogen content, lipogenic gene expression; enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxidative stress, insulin signaling pathway, and inflammatory markers. Results showed that alterations evinced in sucrose-fed rats (hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia, and high liver fructokinase activity together with increased liver lipogenic gene expression and oxidative stress and inflammatory markers) were prevented by NAC administration. P-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (P-eNOS)/eNOS and pAKT/AKT ratios, decreased by sucrose ingestion, were restored after NAC treatment. In conclusion, the results suggest that NAC administration improves glucose homeostasis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in prediabetic rats probably mediated by modulation of the AKT/NOS pathway. Administration of NAC may be an effective complementary strategy to alleviate or prevent oxidative stress and inflammatory responses observed in type 2 diabetes at early stages of its development (prediabetes).

Dietary Supplementation with Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) Infusion Increases IRS-1 and PI3K mRNA Levels and Enhances Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion in Rat Pancreatic Islets.

"Yerba mate" (YM), an aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis, has antioxidant, diuretic, cardio-protective and hypoglycaemic properties. Since its effect on the pancreatic islets remains unclear, we evaluated insulin sensitivity and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in rats consuming YM or tap water (C) for 21 days. Glucose tolerance, glycemia, triglyceridemia, insulinemia, TBARS and FRAP serum levels were evaluated. GSIS and mRNA levels of insulin signaling pathway and inflammatory markers were measured in isolated pancreatic islets from both groups. In C rats, islets were incubated with YM extract or its phenolic components to measure GSIS. YM improved glucose tolerance, enhanced GSIS, increased FRAP plasma levels and islet mRNA levels of IRS-1 and PI3K (p110), and decreased TBARS plasma levels and islet gene expression of TNF-α and PAI-1. Islets from C rats incubated with 100 µg/mL dry YM extract, 1 µM chlorogenic acid, 0.1 and 1 µM rutin, 1 µM caffeic acid or 1 µM quercetin showed an increase in GSIS. Our results suggest that YM enhances glucose tolerance because of its positive effects on GSIS, oxidative stress rate and insulin sensitivity in rat islets, suggesting that long-term dietary supplementation with YM may improve glucose homeostasis in pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Mechanism of preventive effects of exendin-4 and des-fluoro-sitagliptin in a murine model of fructose-induced prediabetes.

Protective effects of exendin-4 (glucagon-like peptide-1 -GLP-1- receptor agonist) and des-fluoro-sitagliptin (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor) on fructose-induced hepatic disturbances were evaluated in prediabetic rats. Complementary, a possible direct effect of exendin-4 in human hepatoblastoma-derived cell line HepG2 incubated with fructose in presence/absence of exendin-9-39 (GLP-1 receptor antagonist) was investigated. In vivo, after 21 days of fructose rich diet, we determined: glycemia, insulinemia, and triglyceridemia; hepatic fructokinase, AMP-deaminase, and G-6-P dehydrogenase (G-6-P DH) activities; carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) expression; triglyceride content and lipogenic gene expression (glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase -GPAT-, fatty acid synthase -FAS-, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c -SREBP-1c); oxidative stress and inflammatory markers expression. In HepG2 cells we measured fructokinase activity and triglyceride content. Hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia, enhanced liver fructokinase, AMP-deaminase, and G-6-P DH activities, increased ChREBP and lipogenic genes expression, enhanced triglyceride level, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers recorded in fructose fed animals, were prevented by co-administration of either exendin-4 or des-fluoro-sitagliptin. Exendin-4 prevented fructose-induced increase in fructokinase activity and triglyceride contain in HepG2 cells. These effects were blunted co-incubating with exendin-9-39. The results demonstrated for the first time that exendin-4/des-fluro-sitagliptin prevented fructose-induced endocrine-metabolic oxidative stress and inflammatory changes probably acting on the purine degradation pathway. Exendin 9-39 blunted in vitro protective exendin-4 effects, thereby suggesting a direct effect of this compound on hepatocytes through GLP-1 receptor. Direct effect on fructokinase and AMP-deaminase activities, with a key role in the pathogenesis of liver dysfunction induced by fructose, suggests purine degradation pathway constitute a potential therapeutic objective for GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Protective Effect of Monoterpene Isoespintanol in a Rat Model of Prediabetes Induced by Fructose.

A high-fructose diet (HFD) induces murine alterations like those recorded in human prediabetes. Protective effects of isoespintanol (monoterpene isolated from Oxandra cf. xylopioides) on changes induced by HFD were evaluated. Animals were maintained for 21 days with a standard diet (C), 10% fructose (F), and F plus isoespintanol (FI, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). Glycemia, triglyceridemia, total and HDL-cholesterol, and insulin resistance index (IRX) were determined. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IGTT) was performed. In the liver, we measured glycogen, lipogenic gene expression (SREBP-1c, GPAT, FAS, and CPT1), oxidative stress (GSH and 3'-nitrotyrosine content), inflammation markers (iNOS, TNF-α, and PAI-1 gene expression; iNOS and COX-2 protein levels), p-eNOS, p-Akt, and p-GSK3ß protein levels. Isoespintanol corrected enhanced triglycerides, lipogenic genes, and IRX, and reduced HDL-cholesterol induced by HFD. Increased liver glycogen and inflammatory markers and decreased GSH, p-Akt, and p-GSK3ß measured in F rats were reversed by isoespintanol, and p-eNOS/e-NOS and iNOS/GADPH ratios were normalized. Isoespintanol restored glucose tolerance (IGTT) compared to F rats. These results demonstrate for the first time that isoespintanol prevents endocrine-metabolic alterations induced by HFD in prediabetic rats. These effects could be mediated by Akt/eNOS and Akt/GSK3ß pathways, suggesting its possible use as a therapeutic tool for the prevention of diabetes at early stages of its development (prediabetes).

Chronological Appearance of Endocrine and Metabolic Dysfunctions Induced by an Unhealthy Diet in Rats.

Background and Objectives: The work was aimed to determine the chronological sequence of events triggered by a fructose-rich diet (FRD) (10% w/v in the drinking water) in normal rats. Material and Methods: Serum parameters, liver and islet markers of metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress were determined weekly for 21 days. Results: At the end of the first week, rats fed with a FRD showed an early increase in circulating triglycerides, fat liver deposit, and enzymatic activity of liver glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P-DH). After two weeks of such a diet, liver glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity and liver oxidative stress markers were significantly increased. Liver sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) mRNA also increased in the second week while their target genes fatty acid synthase (FAS) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPAT) enhanced their expression at the third week. Liver and pancreatic inflammation markers also enhanced their gene expression in the last week of treatment. Whereas both control and FRD rats remained normoglycemic throughout the entire period of treatment, blood insulin levels were significantly higher in FRD animals at the third week, thereby evidencing an insulin-resistant state (higher HOMA-IR, HOMA-B and HIS indexes). Pancreatic islets isolated from rats fed with a FRD for 3 weeks also increased glucose-induced insulin secretion (8.3 and 16.7 mM). Conclusions: FRD induces asynchronous changes involving early hypertriglyceridemia together with intrahepatic lipid deposit and metabolic disturbances from week one, followed by enhanced liver oxidative stress, liver and pancreas inflammation, pancreatic ß-cell dysfunction, and peripheral insulin-resistance registered at the third week. Knowledge of time-course adaptation mechanisms involved in our rat model could be helpful in developing appropriate strategies to prevent the progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes (T2D) triggered by unhealthy diets.

Cacao extract enriched in polyphenols prevents endocrine-metabolic disturbances in a rat model of prediabetes triggered by a sucrose rich diet.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cocoa extracts rich in polyphenols are used as potential agent for treating diabetes. Cocoa polyphenols have been proved to ameliorate important hallmarks of type-2 diabetes (T2D). They can regulate glucose levels by increasing insulin secretion, promoting ß-cell proliferation and a reduction of insulin resistance. In addition, epidemiological evidence indicates that consumption of flavonoid decreases the incidence of T2D. AIM OF THE STUDY: T2D is preceded by a prediabetic state in which the endocrine-metabolic changes described in T2D are already present. Since epidemiological evidence indicates that consumption of flavonoid decreases its incidence, we evaluated possible preventive effects of polyphenol-enriched cocoa extract on a model of prediabetes induced by sucrose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined circulating parameters and insulin sensitivity indexes, liver protein carbonyl groups and reduced glutathione, liver mRNA expression levels of lipogenic enzymes, expression of different pro-inflammatory mediators, fructokinase activity and liver glycogen content. For that, radioimmunoassay, real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, spectrophotometry, and immunohistochemistry were used. RESULTS: We demonstrated that sucrose administration triggered hypertriglyceridemia, insulin-resistance, and liver increased oxidative stress and inflammation markers compared to control rats. Additionally, we found an increase in glycogen deposit, fructokinase activity, and lipogenic genes expression (SREBP-1c, FAS and GPAT) together with a decrease in P-Akt and P-eNOS protein content (P < 0.05). Sucrose-induced insulin resistance, hepatic carbohydrate and lipid dysmetabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation were effectively disrupted by polyphenol-enriched cocoa extract (PECE) co-administration (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dietary administration of cocoa flavanols may be an effective and complementary tool for preventing or reverting T2D at an early stage of its development (prediabetes).

Alpha-lipoic acid and its protective role in fructose induced endocrine-metabolic disturbances.

In recent decades a worldwide increase has been reported in the consumption of unhealthy high calorie diets associated with marked changes in meal nutrient composition, such as a higher intake of refined carbohydrates, which leads to the speculatation that changes in food habits have contributed to the current epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Among these refined carbohydrates, fructose has been deeply investigated and murine models of high fructose diet have emerged as useful tools to study dietary-induced insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and alterations in glucose metabolism. Since oxidative stress has been demonstrated to play a key pathogenic role in the alterations described above, several lines of research have focused on the possible preventive effects of antioxidant/redox state regulation therapy, among which alpha-lipoic acid has been extensively investigated. The following references discussed support the fact that co-administration of alpha-lipoic acid normalized the changes generated by fructose rich diets, thereby making this compound a good therapeutic tool, also administered as a food supplement, to prevent endocrine-metabolic disturbances triggered by high fructose associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes at an early stage of development (prediabetes).

Corrigendum to "Chronic Glucocorticoid-Rich Milieu and Liver Dysfunction".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/7838290.].

N-Acetyl-l-Cysteine treatment efficiently prevented pre-diabetes and inflamed-dysmetabolic liver development in hypothalamic obese rats.

AIM: Hypothalamic obese rats are characterized by pre-diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperadiposity, inflammation and, liver dysmetabolism with oxidative stress (OS), among others. We studied endocrine-metabolic dysfunctions and, liver OS and inflammation in both monosodium l-glutamate (MSG)-neonatally damaged and control litter-mate (C) adult male rats, either chronically treated with N-Acetyl-l-Cysteine since weaned (C-NAC and MSG-NAC) or not. METHODOLOGY: We evaluated circulating TBARS, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, uric acid (UA) and, aspartate and alanine amino-transferase; insulin sensitivity markers (HOMA indexes, Liver Index of Insulin Sensitivity -LISI-) were calculated and liver steps of the insulin-signaling pathway were investigated. Additionally, we monitored liver OS (protein carbonyl groups, GSH and iNOS level) and inflammation-related markers (COX-2 and TNFα protein content; gene expression level of Il1b, Tnfα and Pai-1); and carbohydrate and lipid metabolic functions (glucokinase/fructokinase activities and, mRNA levels of Srebp1c, Fas and Gpat). KEY FINDINGS: Chronic NAC treatment in MSG rats efficiently decreased the high circulating levels of triglycerides, UA, transaminases and TBARS, as well as peripheral (high insulinemia and HOMA indexes) and liver (LISI and the P-AKT:AKT and P-eNOS:eNOS protein ratio values) insulin-resistance. Moreover, NAC therapy in MSG rats prevented liver dysmetabolism by decreasing local levels of OS and inflammation markers. Finally, NAC-treated MSG rats retained normal liver glucokinase and fructokinase activities, and Srebp1c, Fas and Gpat (lipogenic genes) expression levels. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study strongly supports that chronic oral antioxidant therapy (NAC administration) prevented the development of pre-diabetes, dyslipidemia, and inflamed-dysmetabolic liver in hypothalamic obese rats by efficiently decreasing high endogenous OS.

Liver carbohydrates metabolism: A new islet-neogenesis associated protein peptide (INGAP-PP) target.

Islet-Neogenesis Associated Protein-Pentadecapeptide (INGAP-PP) increases ß-cell mass and enhances glucose and amino acids-induced insulin secretion. Our aim was to demonstrate its effect on liver metabolism. For that purpose, adult male Wistar rats were injected twice-daily (10 days) with saline solution or INGAP-PP (250 µg). Thereafter, serum glucose, triglyceride and insulin levels were measured and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and hepatic insulin sensitivity (HIS) were determined. Liver glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) expression and activity, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression, phosphofructokinase-2 (PFK-2) protein content, P-Akt/Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (P-GSK3/GSK3) protein ratios and glycogen deposit were also determined. Additionally, glucokinase activity and G-6-Pase and PEPCK gene expression were also determined in isolated hepatocytes from normal rats incubated with INGAP-PP (5 µg/ml). INGAP-PP administration did not modify any of the serum parameters tested but significantly increased activity of liver glucokinase and the protein level of its cytosolic activator, PFK-2. Conversely, INGAP-PP treated rats decreased gene expression and enzyme activity of gluconeogenic enzymes, G-6-Pase and PEPCK. They also showed a higher glycogen deposit and P-GSK3/GSK3 and P-Akt/Akt ratio. In isolated hepatocytes, INGAP-PP increased GK activity and decreased G-6-Pase and PEPCK expression. These results demonstrate a direct effect of INGAP-PP on the liver acting through P-Akt signaling pathway. INGAP-PP enhances liver glucose metabolism and deposit and reduces its production/output, thereby contributing to maintain normal glucose homeostasis. These results reinforce the concept that INGAP-PP might become a useful tool to treat people with impaired islet/liver glucose metabolism as it occurs in T2D.

Chronic Glucocorticoid-Rich Milieu and Liver Dysfunction.

We investigated the impact of chronic hypercorticosteronemia (due to neonatal monosodium L-glutamate, MSG, and treatment) on liver oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, and carbohydrate/lipid metabolism in adult male rats. We evaluated the peripheral concentrations of several metabolic and OS markers and insulin resistance indexes. In liver we assessed (a) OS (GSH and protein carbonyl groups) and inflammatory (IL-1b, TNFa, and PAI-1) biomarkers and (b) carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms. MSG rats displayed degenerated optic nerves, hypophagia, low body and liver weights, and enlarged adipose tissue mass; higher peripheral levels of glucose, triglycerides, insulin, uric acid, leptin, corticosterone, transaminases and TBARS, and peripheral and liver insulin resistance; elevated liver OS, inflammation markers, and glucokinase (mRNA/activity) and fructokinase (mRNA). Additionally, MSG liver phosphofructokinase-2, glucose-6-phosphatase (mRNA and activity) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, Chrebp, Srebp1c, fatty acid synthase, and glycerol-3-phosphate (mRNAs) were increased. In conclusion adult MSG rats developed an insulin-resistant state and increased OS and serious hepatic dysfunction characterized by inflammation and metabolic signs suggesting increased lipogenesis. These features, shared by both metabolic and Cushing's syndrome human phenotypes, support that a chronic glucocorticoid-rich endogenous environment mainly impacts on hepatic glucose cycle, displacing local metabolism to lipogenesis. Whether correcting the glucocorticoid-rich environment ameliorates such dysfunctions requires further investigation.

Control of liver glucokinase activity: A potential new target for incretin hormones?

We tested the exendin-4 and des-fluoro-sitagliptin effects on fructose-induced increase in liver glucokinase activity in rats with impaired glucose tolerance and the exendin-4 effect on glucokinase activity in HepG2 cells incubated with fructose in the presence/absence of exendin-9-39. After 3 weeks of in vivo fructose administration we measured: (1) serum glucose, insulin and triglyceride levels; (2) liver and HepG2 cells glucokinase activity and (3) liver glucokinase and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase mRNA and protein levels. Fructose fed rats had: hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia and high liver glucokinase activity (mainly located in the cytosolic fraction) together with higher glucokinase and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase mRNA and protein concentrations compared to control rats. Co-administration of either exendin-4 or des-fluoro-sitagliptin prevented serum and liver changes except glucokinase protein expression. Exendin-4 also prevented fructose-induced increase in glucokinase activity in cultured HepG2 cells, effect blunted by co-incubation with exendin-9-36. In conclusion exendin-4/des-fluro-sitagliptin prevented fructose-induced effect on glucokinase activity, mainly affecting enzyme activity modulators. Exendin 9-39 blunted in vitro protective exendin-4 effect on glucokinase activity, thus suggesting a direct effect of the later on hepatocytes through GLP-1 receptor. Alterations of glucokinase activity modulators could play a role in the pathogenesis of liver dysfunction, becoming a potential new treatment target for GLP-1 receptor agonists.