Death following situations of intense emotional stress has been linked to the cardiac pathology described as stress cardiomyopathy, whose pathomechanism is still not clear. In this study, we sought to determine, via a...Death following situations of intense emotional stress has been linked to the cardiac pathology described as stress cardiomyopathy, whose pathomechanism is still not clear. In this study, we sought to determine, via an animal model, whether the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1α) and the amino peptide neuropeptide Y (NPY) play a role in the pathogenesis of this cardiac entity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats in the experimental group were subjected to immobilization in a plexy glass box for 1 h, which was followed by low voltage elec-tric foot shock for about 1h at 10s intervals in a cage fitted with metallic rods. After 25 days the rats were sacrificed and sections of their hearts were processed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of cardiac tissues revealed the characteristic cardiac lesions of stress cardiomyopathy such as contraction band necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. The semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis for PGC-1α mRNA expression showed significant overexpression of PGC1-α in the stress-subjected rats (P<0.05). Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed a higher production of NPY in the stress-subjected rats as compared to the control rats (P=0.0027). Thus, we are led to conclude that following periods of intense stress, an increased expression of PGC1-α in the heart and an overflow of NPY may lead to stress car-diomyopathy and even death in susceptible victims. Moreover, these markers can be used to identify stress cardiomyopathy as the cause of sudden death in specific cases.展开更多
Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies suggest that drinking green tea is associated with a lower risk of obesity and related diseases. However, the mechanisms of these effects are not clear. In the present...Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies suggest that drinking green tea is associated with a lower risk of obesity and related diseases. However, the mechanisms of these effects are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the anti-obesity mechanisms of green tea catechins (GTCs) through modulation of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor (PPAR) pathways in high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats. GTC supplementation significantly attenuated the increased body and liver weights and the elevated serum and liver triglyceride levels. Meanwhile, GTCs increased the PPARγ levels in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SWAT) and decreased the PPAR levels in visceral white adipose tissue (VWAT). In addition, GTC treatment up-regulated the levels of PPARδ in SWAT, VWAT, and brown adipose tissue and increased the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation in brown adipose tissue. Our results suggest that GTCs exert their anti-obesity mechanism in part by modulating PPAR signaling pathways.展开更多
Objective To explore Effects of marine collagen peptides (MCPs) on markers of metablic nuclear receptors, i.e peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs), liver X receptor (LXRs) and farnesoid X receptor ...Objective To explore Effects of marine collagen peptides (MCPs) on markers of metablic nuclear receptors, i.e peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs), liver X receptor (LXRs) and farnesoid X receptor (FXRs) in type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension. Method Study population consisted of 200 type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension and 50 healthy subjects, all of whom were randomly assigned to MCPs-treated diabetics (n=50), placebo-treated diabetics (n=50), MCPs-treated diabetics with hypertension (n=50), placebo-treated diabetics with hypertension (n=50), and healthy controls (n=50). MCPs or placebo (water-soluble starch) were given daily before breakfast and bedtime over three months. Levels of free fatty acid, cytochrome P450, leptin, resistin, adiponectin, bradykinin, NO, and Prostacyclin were determined before intervention, and 1.5 months, and 3 months after intervention. Hypoglycemia and the endpoint events during the study were recorded and compared among the study groups. Result At the end of the study period, MCPs-treated patients showed marked improvement compared with patients receiving placebo. The protection exerted by MCPs seemed more profound in diabetics than in diabetics with hypertension. In particular, after MCPs intervention, levels of free fatty acid, hs-CRP, resistin, Prostacyclin decreased significantly in diabetics and tended to decrease in diabetic and hypertensive patients whereas levels of cytochrome P450, leptin, NO tended to decrease in diabetics with/without hypertension. Meanwhile, levels of adiponectin and bradykinin rose markedly in diabetics following MCPs administration. Conclusion MCPs could offer protection against diabetes and hypertension by affecting levels of molecules involved in diabetic and hypertensive pathogenesis. Regulation on metabolic nuclear receptors by MCPs may be the possible underlying mechanism for its observed effects in the study. Further study into its action may shed light on development of new drugs based on bioactive peptides from marine sources.展开更多
Aim: We aimed to investigate whether the agonists for liver X receptor (LXR) ameliorate lupus-like phenotypes in mice mediated by the clearance of apoptotic cells, and compare with peroxisome proliferator-activated re...Aim: We aimed to investigate whether the agonists for liver X receptor (LXR) ameliorate lupus-like phenotypes in mice mediated by the clearance of apoptotic cells, and compare with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ plus PPARδ agonists, which also facilitate the clearance of apoptotic cells and exert anti-inflammatory effects in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: We investigated the efficacy of LXR agonist (GW3965) or dual treatment of PPARγ (pioglitazone) and PPARδ (GW0742) agonists in SLE animal models, female MRL/MpJ-Fas/J mice and BALB/cAJcl mice treated with pristane. The data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests. Results: The treatment with LXR or PPARγ/δ agonists did not significantly alter the swelling of lymph nodes, ds-DNA production, albuminuria, histological score of glomerular lesions, and mRNA expression of target genes including Abca1, C1qa, Icam1, Mertk and Tnf. Conclusion: LXR or PPARγ/δ agonists targeting the impaired clearance for apoptosis cells may not be efficient in the remission induction therapy in SLE.展开更多
基金supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81172898)
文摘Death following situations of intense emotional stress has been linked to the cardiac pathology described as stress cardiomyopathy, whose pathomechanism is still not clear. In this study, we sought to determine, via an animal model, whether the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1α) and the amino peptide neuropeptide Y (NPY) play a role in the pathogenesis of this cardiac entity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats in the experimental group were subjected to immobilization in a plexy glass box for 1 h, which was followed by low voltage elec-tric foot shock for about 1h at 10s intervals in a cage fitted with metallic rods. After 25 days the rats were sacrificed and sections of their hearts were processed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of cardiac tissues revealed the characteristic cardiac lesions of stress cardiomyopathy such as contraction band necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. The semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis for PGC-1α mRNA expression showed significant overexpression of PGC1-α in the stress-subjected rats (P<0.05). Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed a higher production of NPY in the stress-subjected rats as compared to the control rats (P=0.0027). Thus, we are led to conclude that following periods of intense stress, an increased expression of PGC1-α in the heart and an overflow of NPY may lead to stress car-diomyopathy and even death in susceptible victims. Moreover, these markers can be used to identify stress cardiomyopathy as the cause of sudden death in specific cases.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30170239, 30930036)
文摘Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies suggest that drinking green tea is associated with a lower risk of obesity and related diseases. However, the mechanisms of these effects are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the anti-obesity mechanisms of green tea catechins (GTCs) through modulation of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor (PPAR) pathways in high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats. GTC supplementation significantly attenuated the increased body and liver weights and the elevated serum and liver triglyceride levels. Meanwhile, GTCs increased the PPARγ levels in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SWAT) and decreased the PPAR levels in visceral white adipose tissue (VWAT). In addition, GTC treatment up-regulated the levels of PPARδ in SWAT, VWAT, and brown adipose tissue and increased the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation in brown adipose tissue. Our results suggest that GTCs exert their anti-obesity mechanism in part by modulating PPAR signaling pathways.
基金grants from the National Key Technology R&D Program (No. 2006BAD27B01)Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Dalone Foundation of Dietary Nutrition (No. DIC-200710)a grant from Shenzhen Bureau of Science Technology & Information (No. 200802002)
文摘Objective To explore Effects of marine collagen peptides (MCPs) on markers of metablic nuclear receptors, i.e peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs), liver X receptor (LXRs) and farnesoid X receptor (FXRs) in type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension. Method Study population consisted of 200 type 2 diabetic patients with/without hypertension and 50 healthy subjects, all of whom were randomly assigned to MCPs-treated diabetics (n=50), placebo-treated diabetics (n=50), MCPs-treated diabetics with hypertension (n=50), placebo-treated diabetics with hypertension (n=50), and healthy controls (n=50). MCPs or placebo (water-soluble starch) were given daily before breakfast and bedtime over three months. Levels of free fatty acid, cytochrome P450, leptin, resistin, adiponectin, bradykinin, NO, and Prostacyclin were determined before intervention, and 1.5 months, and 3 months after intervention. Hypoglycemia and the endpoint events during the study were recorded and compared among the study groups. Result At the end of the study period, MCPs-treated patients showed marked improvement compared with patients receiving placebo. The protection exerted by MCPs seemed more profound in diabetics than in diabetics with hypertension. In particular, after MCPs intervention, levels of free fatty acid, hs-CRP, resistin, Prostacyclin decreased significantly in diabetics and tended to decrease in diabetic and hypertensive patients whereas levels of cytochrome P450, leptin, NO tended to decrease in diabetics with/without hypertension. Meanwhile, levels of adiponectin and bradykinin rose markedly in diabetics following MCPs administration. Conclusion MCPs could offer protection against diabetes and hypertension by affecting levels of molecules involved in diabetic and hypertensive pathogenesis. Regulation on metabolic nuclear receptors by MCPs may be the possible underlying mechanism for its observed effects in the study. Further study into its action may shed light on development of new drugs based on bioactive peptides from marine sources.
文摘Aim: We aimed to investigate whether the agonists for liver X receptor (LXR) ameliorate lupus-like phenotypes in mice mediated by the clearance of apoptotic cells, and compare with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ plus PPARδ agonists, which also facilitate the clearance of apoptotic cells and exert anti-inflammatory effects in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: We investigated the efficacy of LXR agonist (GW3965) or dual treatment of PPARγ (pioglitazone) and PPARδ (GW0742) agonists in SLE animal models, female MRL/MpJ-Fas/J mice and BALB/cAJcl mice treated with pristane. The data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests. Results: The treatment with LXR or PPARγ/δ agonists did not significantly alter the swelling of lymph nodes, ds-DNA production, albuminuria, histological score of glomerular lesions, and mRNA expression of target genes including Abca1, C1qa, Icam1, Mertk and Tnf. Conclusion: LXR or PPARγ/δ agonists targeting the impaired clearance for apoptosis cells may not be efficient in the remission induction therapy in SLE.