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The article discusses research on the role of a secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich (SPARC) glycoprotein in the growth of adipose-tissue and inflammation and insulin resistance. It references the study "Regulation of the Fibrosis and Angiogenesis Promoter SPARC/Osteonectin in Human Adipose Tissue by Weight Change, Leptin, Insulin and Glucose," by K. Kos et al in a 2009 issue of "Diabetes." The study cited the ability of SPARC to prevent adipogenesis by limiting the relationship between preadipocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM) with fibronectin.

A correction to the article "Molecular analysis of ANT1, TWINKLE and POLG in patients with multiple deletions or depletion of mitochondrial DNA by a dHPLC-based assay" that was published in a previous issue of the periodical is presented.

The transcription factor FoxO1 plays a central role in the metabolic adaptations to fasting. Furthermore, FoxO1 and its homologs encode enzymes buffering ROS (reactive oxygen species) or repairing damaged DNA, and are involved in stalling the ageing process across evolution. Our recent work conducted in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes suggests new mechanisms by which FoxO1 exerts some of these functions. They revealed an unexpected role for FoxO1 in amplifying metabolic, survival, mitogenic and stress signals, and the existence of multiple feed-back loops by which FoxO1 integrates and controls these pathways. Furthermore, these effects were found to be independent of FoxO1 direct binding to DNA.