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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most fatal and fastest-growing cancers. Recently, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been recognized as a major HCC catalyst. However, it is difficult to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of NASH and understand how it progresses to HCC by studying humans. Progress in this field depends on the availability of reliable preclinical models amenable to genetic and functional analyses and exhibiting robust NASH-to-HCC progression. Although numerous mouse models of NASH have been described, many do not faithfully mimic the human disease and few reliably progress to HCC. Here, we review current literature on the molecular etiology of NASH-related HCC and critically evaluate existing mouse models and their suitability for studying this malignancy. We also compare human transcriptomic and histopathological profiles with data from MUP-uPA mice, a reliable model of NASH-driven HCC that has been useful for evaluation of HCC-targeting immunotherapies., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: The early events by which inflammation promotes cancer are still not fully defined. The MCC gene is silenced by promoter methylation in colitis-associated and sporadic colon tumors, but its functional significance in precancerous lesions or polyps is not known. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of Mcc deletion on the cellular pathways and carcinogenesis associated with inflammation in the mouse proximal colon., Methods: We generated knockout mice with deletion of Mcc in the colonic/intestinal epithelial cells (Mcc ΔIEC ) or in the whole body (Mcc Δ/Δ ). Drug-induced lesions were analyzed by transcriptome profiling (at 10 weeks) and histopathology (at 20 weeks). Cell-cycle phases and DNA damage proteins were analyzed by flow cytometry and Western blot of hydrogen peroxide-treated mouse embryo fibroblasts., Results: Transcriptome profiling of the lesions showed a strong response to colon barrier destruction, such as up-regulation of key inflammation and cancer-associated genes as well as 28 interferon γ-induced guanosine triphosphatase genes, including the homologs of Crohn's disease susceptibility gene IRGM. These features were shared by both Mcc-expressing and Mcc-deficient mice and many of the altered gene expression pathways were similar to the mesenchymal colorectal cancer subtype known as consensus molecular subtype 4 (CMS4). However, Mcc deletion was required for increased carcinogenesis in the lesions, with adenocarcinoma in 59% of Mcc ΔIEC compared with 19% of Mcc-expressing mice (P = .002). This was not accompanied by hyperactivation of β-catenin, but Mcc deletion caused down-regulation of DNA repair genes and a disruption of DNA damage signaling., Conclusions: Loss of Mcc may promote cancer through a failure to repair inflammation-induced DNA damage. We provide a comprehensive transcriptome data set of early colorectal lesions and evidence for the in vivo significance of MCC silencing in colorectal cancer., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Protein signaling between tissues, or tissue cross-talk is becoming recognized as a fundamental biological process that is incompletely understood. Shotgun proteomic analyses of tissues and plasma to explore this concept are regularly challenged by high dynamic range of protein abundance, which limits the identification of lower abundance proteins. In this viewpoint article, it is highlighted how a focus on proteins contained within extracellular vesicles (EVs) not only partially addresses this issue, but can also reveal an underappreciated complexity of the circulating proteome in various physiological and pathological contexts. Furthermore, how quantitative proteomics can inform EV mediated crosstalk is highlighted and the importance of high coverage, sensitive proteomic analyses of EVs to identify both the optimal methods to isolate EV subtypes of interest and proteins that characterize them is stressed., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Aims: The induction of heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) via heating, genetic manipulation or pharmacological activation is metabolically protective in the setting of obesity-induced insulin resistance across mammalian species. In this study, we set out to determine whether the overexpression of Hsp72, specifically in skeletal muscle, can protect against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and insulin resistance., Materials and Methods: An Adeno-Associated Viral vector (AAV), designed to overexpress Hsp72 in skeletal muscle only, was used to study the effects of increasing Hsp72 levels on various metabolic parameters. Two studies were conducted, the first with direct intramuscular (IM) injection of the AAV:Hsp72 into the tibialis anterior hind-limb muscle and the second with a systemic injection to enable body-wide skeletal muscle transduction., Results: IM injection of the AAV:Hsp72 significantly improved skeletal muscle insulin-stimulated glucose clearance in treated hind-limb muscles, as compared with untreated muscles of the contralateral leg when mice were fed an HFD. Despite this finding, systemic administration of AAV:Hsp72 did not improve body composition parameters such as body weight, fat mass or percentage body fat, nor did it lead to an improvement in fasting glucose levels or glucose tolerance. Furthermore, no differences were observed for other metabolic parameters such as whole-body oxygen consumption, energy expenditure or physical activity levels., Conclusions: At the levels of Hsp72 over-expression reported herein, skeletal muscle-specific Hsp72 overexpression via IM injection has the capacity to increase insulin-stimulated glucose clearance in this muscle. However, upon systemic injection, which results in lower muscle Hsp72 overexpression, no beneficial effects on whole-body metabolism are observed., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an approximately two-fold elevated risk of cardiovascular (CV)-related mortality. Patients with RA present with systemic inflammation including raised circulating myeloid cells, but fail to display traditional CV risk-factors, particularly dyslipidaemia. We aimed to explore if increased circulating myeloid cells is associated with impaired atherosclerotic lesion regression or altered progression in RA., Methods and Results: Using flow cytometry, we noted prominent monocytosis, neutrophilia, and thrombocytosis in two mouse models of RA. This was due to enhanced proliferation of the haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the bone marrow and the spleen. HSPCs expansion was associated with an increase in the cholesterol content, due to a down-regulation of cholesterol efflux genes, Apoe, Abca1, and Abcg1. The HSPCs also had enhanced expression of key myeloid promoting growth factor receptors. Systemic inflammation was found to cause defective cellular cholesterol metabolism. Increased myeloid cells in mice with RA were associated with a significant impairment in lesion regression, even though cholesterol levels were equivalent to non-arthritic mice. Lesions from arthritic mice exhibited a less stable phenotype as demonstrated by increased immune cell infiltration, lipid accumulation, and decreased collagen formation. In a progression model, we noted monocytosis, enhanced monocytes recruitment to lesions, and increased plaque macrophages. This was reversed with administration of reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL). Furthermore, RA patients have expanded CD16+ monocyte subsets and a down-regulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1., Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis impairs atherosclerotic regression and alters progression, which is associated with an expansion of myeloid cells and disturbed cellular cholesterol handling, independent of plasma cholesterol levels. Infusion of rHDL prevented enhanced myelopoiesis and monocyte entry into lesions. Targeting cellular cholesterol defects in people with RA, even if plasma cholesterol is within the normal range, may limit vascular disease.

Objective: Interleukin (IL)-18 plays a crucial role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis and levels of this cytokine are influenced by gender, age, and sex hormones. The role of gender on IL-18 signaling, however, is unclear. We hypothesized that the presence of female sex hormone could preserve the metabolic phenotype of the IL-18R -/- animals., Methods: We studied female mice with a global deletion of the α isoform of the IL-18 receptor (IL-18R -/- ) and littermates control. Three studies were done: 1) animals fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks; 2) animals fed chow diet for 72 weeks and 3) animals (3 weeks-old) randomized to either bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) or control surgery (SHAM) and followed for 16 weeks., Results: Female IL-18R -/- mice gained less weight and maintained glucose homeostasis on a chow diet compared with HFD, but no differences between genotypes were observed. The maintenance of body weight and glucose homeostasis in IL-18R -/- mice was lost with aging. By 72 weeks of age, IL-18R -/- mice became heavier compared with WT mice due to an increase in both visceral and subcutaneous adiposity and displayed glucose intolerance. OVX did not affect body weight in IL-18R -/- mice but exacerbated glucose intolerance and impaired liver insulin signaling when compared with SHAM mice., Conclusions: Female mice harboring a global deletion of the IL-18R, only present the same phenotype as reported in male IL-18R -/- mice if they are aged or have undergone OVX, in which circulating estrogen is likely to be blunted. The role of estrogen signaling in the protection against altered metabolic homeostasis in IL-18R -/- mice appears to be mediated by liver insulin signaling. We therefore suggest that the metabolic effects mediated by loss of IL-18 signaling are only present in a female sex hormone free environment., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) generates a number of peptides when processed through different cleavage mechanisms, including the amyloid beta peptide that is implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease. It is well established that APP via its cleaved peptides regulates aspects of neuronal metabolism. Emerging evidence suggests that amyloidogenic processing of APP can lead to altered systemic metabolism, similar to that observed in metabolic disease states. In the present study, we investigated the effect of APP deficiency on obesity-induced alterations in systemic metabolism. Compared with WT littermates, APP-deficient mice were resistant to diet-induced obesity, which was linked to higher energy expenditure and lipid oxidation throughout the dark phase and was associated with increased spontaneous physical activity. Consistent with this lean phenotype, APP-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) had normal insulin tolerance. However, despite normal insulin action, these mice were glucose intolerant, similar to WT mice fed a HFD. This was associated with reduced plasma insulin in the early phase of the glucose tolerance test. Analysis of the pancreas showed that APP was required to maintain normal islet and β-cell mass under high fat feeding conditions. These studies show that, in addition to regulating aspects of neuronal metabolism, APP is an important regulator of whole body energy expenditure and glucose homeostasis under high fat feeding conditions., (© 2018 Society for Endocrinology.)

Exercise stimulates a wide array of biological processes, but the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Many previous studies have adopted transcriptomic analyses of skeletal muscle to address particular research questions, a process that ultimately results in the collection of large amounts of publicly available data that has not been fully integrated or interrogated. To maximize the use of these available transcriptomic exercise data sets, we have downloaded and reanalyzed them and formulated the data into a searchable online tool, geneXX. GeneXX is highly intuitive and free and provides immediate information regarding the response of a transcript of interest to exercise in skeletal muscle. To demonstrate its utility, we carried out a meta-analysis on the included data sets and show transcript changes in skeletal muscle that persist regardless of sex, exercise mode, and duration, some of which have had minimal attention in the context of exercise. We also demonstrate how geneXX can be used to formulate novel hypotheses on the complex effects of exercise, using preliminary data already generated. This resource represents a valuable tool for researchers with interests in human skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise.

Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and is linked to the development of numerous diseases. The activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by long-chain saturated fatty acids (lcSFAs) is an important process in understanding how obesity initiates inflammation. While experimental evidence supports an important role for TLR4 in obesity-induced inflammation in vivo, via a mechanism thought to involve direct binding to and activation of TLR4 by lcSFAs, several lines of evidence argue against lcSFAs being direct TLR4 agonists. Using multiple orthogonal approaches, we herein provide evidence that while loss-of-function models confirm that TLR4 does, indeed, regulate lcSFA-induced inflammation, TLR4 is not a receptor for lcSFAs. Rather, we show that TLR4-dependent priming alters cellular metabolism, gene expression, lipid metabolic pathways, and membrane lipid composition, changes that are necessary for lcSFA-induced inflammation. These results reconcile previous discordant observations and challenge the prevailing view of TLR4's role in initiating obesity-induced inflammation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitochondria fragmentation destabilizes mitochondrial membranes, promotes oxidative stress and facilitates cell death, thereby contributing to the development and the progression of several mitochondria-related diseases. Accordingly, compounds that reverse mitochondrial fragmentation could have therapeutic potential in treating such diseases. BGP-15, a hydroxylamine derivative, prevents insulin resistance in humans and protects against several oxidative stress-related diseases in animal models. Here we show that BGP-15 promotes mitochondrial fusion by activating optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), a GTPase dynamin protein that assist fusion of the inner mitochondrial membranes. Suppression of Mfn1, Mfn2 or OPA1 prevents BGP-15-induced mitochondrial fusion. BGP-15 activates Akt, S6K, mTOR, ERK1/2 and AS160, and reduces JNK phosphorylation which can contribute to its protective effects. Furthermore, BGP-15 protects lung structure, activates mitochondrial fusion, and stabilizes cristae membranes in vivo determined by electron microscopy in a model of pulmonary arterial hypertension. These data provide the first evidence that a drug promoting mitochondrial fusion in in vitro and in vivo systems can reduce or prevent the progression of mitochondria-related disorders., (Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with chronic, low grade inflammation. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and secretion of its target interleukin-1β (IL-1β) have been implicated in pancreatic β cell failure in T2D. Specific targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome to prevent pancreatic β cell death could allow for selective T2D treatment without compromising all IL-1β-associated immune responses. We hypothesized that treating a mouse model of T2D with MCC950, a compound that specifically inhibits NLRP3, would prevent pancreatic β cell death, thereby preventing the onset of T2D., Methods: Diabetic db/db mice were treated with MCC950 via drinking water for 8 weeks from 6 to 14 weeks of age, a period over which they developed pancreatic β cell failure. We assessed metabolic parameters such as body composition, glucose tolerance, or insulin secretion over the course of the intervention., Results: MCC950 was a potent inhibitor of NLRP3-induced IL-1β in vitro and was detected at high levels in the plasma of treated db/db mice. Treatment of pre-diabetic db/db mice with MCC950, however, did not prevent pancreatic dysfunction and full onset of the T2D pathology. When examining the NLRP3 pathway in the pancreas of db/db mice, we could not detect an activation of this pathway nor increased levels of its target IL-1β., Conclusions: NLRP3 driven-pancreatic IL-1β inflammation does not play a key role in the pathogenesis of the db/db murine model of T2D., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Exercise stimulates the release of molecules into the circulation, supporting the concept that inter-tissue signaling proteins are important mediators of adaptations to exercise. Recognizing that many circulating proteins are packaged in extracellular vesicles (EVs), we employed quantitative proteomic techniques to characterize the exercise-induced secretion of EV-contained proteins. Following a 1-hr bout of cycling exercise in healthy humans, we observed an increase in the circulation of over 300 proteins, with a notable enrichment of several classes of proteins that compose exosomes and small vesicles. Pulse-chase and intravital imaging experiments suggested EVs liberated by exercise have a propensity to localize in the liver and can transfer their protein cargo. Moreover, by employing arteriovenous balance studies across the contracting human limb, we identified several novel candidate myokines, released into circulation independently of classical secretion. These data identify a new paradigm by which tissue crosstalk during exercise can exert systemic biological effects., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During chronic stimulation, CD8 + T cells acquire an exhausted phenotype characterized by expression of inhibitory receptors, down-modulation of effector function, and metabolic impairments. T cell exhaustion protects from excessive immunopathology but limits clearance of virus-infected or tumor cells. We transcriptionally profiled antigen-specific T cells from mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus strains that cause acute or chronic disease. T cell exhaustion during chronic infection was driven by high amounts of T cell receptor (TCR)-induced transcription factors IRF4, BATF, and NFATc1. These regulators promoted expression of inhibitory receptors, including PD-1, and mediated impaired cellular metabolism. Furthermore, they repressed the expression of TCF1, a transcription factor required for memory T cell differentiation. Reducing IRF4 expression restored the functional and metabolic properties of antigen-specific T cells and promoted memory-like T cell development. These findings indicate that IRF4 functions as a central node in a TCR-responsive transcriptional circuit that establishes and sustains T cell exhaustion during chronic infection., (Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Protecting the heart after an acute coronary syndrome is a key therapeutic goal to support cardiac recovery and prevent progression to heart failure. A potential strategy is to target cardiac glucose metabolism at the early stages after ischemia when glycolysis is critical for myocyte survival. Building on our discovery that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) modulates skeletal muscle glucose metabolism, we now demonstrate that a single dose of reconstituted HDL (rHDL) delivered after myocardial ischemia increases cardiac glucose uptake, reduces infarct size, and improves cardiac remodeling in association with enhanced functional recovery in mice. These findings applied equally to metabolically normal and insulin-resistant mice. We further establish direct effects of HDL on cardiomyocyte glucose uptake, glycolysis, and glucose oxidation via the Akt signaling pathway within 15 min of reperfusion. These data support the use of infusible HDL preparations for management of acute coronary syndromes in the setting of primary percutaneous interventions., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.)

The protein oligosaccharyltransferase-48 (OST48) is integral to protein N-glycosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but is also postulated to act as a membrane localised clearance receptor for advanced glycation end-products (AGE). Hepatic ER stress and AGE accumulation are each implicated in liver injury. Hence the objective of this study was to increase the expression of OST48 and examine the effects on hepatic function and structure. Groups of 8 week old male mice (n = 10-12/group) over-expressing the gene for OST48, dolichyl-diphosphooligosaccharide-protein glycosyltransferase (DDOST+/-), were followed for 24 weeks, while randomised to diets either low or high in AGE content. By week 24 of the study, either increasing OST48 expression or consumption of high AGE diet impaired liver function and modestly increased hepatic fibrosis, but their combination significantly exacerbated liver injury in the absence of steatosis. DDOST+/- mice had increased both portal delivery and accumulation of hepatic AGEs leading to central adiposity, insulin secretory defects, shifted fuel usage to fatty and ketoacids, as well as hepatic glycogen accumulation causing hepatomegaly along with hepatic ER and oxidative stress. This study revealed a novel role of the OST48 and AGE axis in hepatic injury through ER stress, changes in fuel utilisation and glucose intolerance.

Aim: To determine the effect of Scriptaid, a compound that can replicate aspects of the exercise adaptive response through disruption of the class IIa histone deacetylase (HDAC) corepressor complex, on muscle insulin action in obesity., Materials and Methods: Diet-induced obese mice were administered Scriptaid (1 mg/kg) via daily intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. Whole-body and skeletal muscle metabolic phenotyping of mice was performed, in addition to echocardiography, to assess cardiac morphology and function., Results: Scriptaid treatment had no effect on body weight or composition, but did increase energy expenditure, supported by increased lipid oxidation, while food intake was also increased. Scriptaid enhanced the expression of oxidative genes and proteins, increased fatty acid oxidation and reduced triglycerides and diacylglycerides in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, ex vivo insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by skeletal muscle was enhanced. Surprisingly, heart weight was reduced in Scriptaid-treated mice and was associated with enhanced expression of genes involved in oxidative metabolism in the heart. Scriptaid also improved indices of both diastolic and systolic cardiac function., Conclusion: These data show that pharmacological targeting of the class IIa HDAC corepressor complex with Scriptaid could be used to enhance muscle insulin action and cardiac function in obesity., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease with the potential to lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NASH, with the so-called IL-6 'trans-signaling' cascade being responsible for the pro-inflammatory actions of this cytokine. We aimed to block IL-6 'trans-signaling', using a transgenic mouse that overexpresses human soluble glycoprotein130 (sgp130Fc Tg mice) fed a commonly used dietary model of inducing NASH (methionine and choline deficient-diet; MCD diet) and hypothesized that markers of NASH would be ameliorated in such mice. Sgp130Fc Tg and littermate control mice were fed a MCD or control diet for 4 weeks. The MCD diet induced many hallmarks of NASH including hepatomegaly, steatosis, and liver inflammation. However, in contrast with other mouse models and, indeed, human NASH, the MCD diet model did not increase the mRNA or protein expression of IL-6. Not surprisingly, therefore, markers of MCD diet-induced NASH were unaffected by sgp130Fc transgenic expression. While the MCD diet model induces many pathophysiological markers of NASH, it does not induce increased IL-6 expression in the liver, a key hallmark of human NASH. We, therefore, caution the use of the MCD diet as a viable mouse model of NASH.

Platelets play a critical role in atherogenesis and thrombosis-mediated myocardial ischemia, processes that are accelerated in diabetes. Whether hyperglycemia promotes platelet production and whether enhanced platelet production contributes to enhanced atherothrombosis remains unknown. Here we found that in response to hyperglycemia, neutrophil-derived S100 calcium-binding proteins A8/A9 (S100A8/A9) interact with the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) on hepatic Kupffer cells, resulting in increased production of IL-6, a pleiotropic cytokine that is implicated in inflammatory thrombocytosis. IL-6 acts on hepatocytes to enhance the production of thrombopoietin, which in turn interacts with its cognate receptor c-MPL on megakaryocytes and bone marrow progenitor cells to promote their expansion and proliferation, resulting in reticulated thrombocytosis. Lowering blood glucose using a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (dapagliflozin), depleting neutrophils or Kupffer cells, or inhibiting S100A8/A9 binding to RAGE (using paquinimod), all reduced diabetes-induced thrombocytosis. Inhibiting S100A8/A9 also decreased atherogenesis in diabetic mice. Finally, we found that patients with type 2 diabetes have reticulated thrombocytosis that correlates with glycated hemoglobin as well as increased plasma S100A8/A9 levels. These studies provide insights into the mechanisms that regulate platelet production and may aid in the development of strategies to improve on current antiplatelet therapies and to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in diabetes.

Hypoadiponectinemia and adiponectin resistance are implicated in the aetiology of obesity-related cardiometabolic disorders, hence represent a potential therapeutic axis. Here we characterised the effects of in vivo electrotransfer-mediated overexpression of the adiponectin receptors, AdipoR1 or AdipoR2, into tibialis anterior muscle (TAM) of lean or obese mice. In lean mice, TAM-specific overexpression of AdipoR1 ( TAM R1) or AdipoR2 ( TAM R2) increased phosphorylation of AMPK, AKT and ERK and expression of the insulin responsive glucose transporter glut4. In contrast, only TAM R2 increased pparα and a target gene acox1. These effects were decreased in obese mice despite no reduction in circulating adiponectin levels. TAM R2 also increased expression of adipoQ in TAM of lean and obese mice. Furthermore, in obese mice TAM R2 promoted systemic effects including; decreased weight gain; reduced epididymal fat mass and inflammation; increased epididymal adipoQ expression; increased circulating adiponectin. Collectively, these results demonstrate that AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 exhibit overlapping and distinct effects in skeletal muscle consistent with enhanced adiponectin sensitivity but these appear insufficient to ameliorate established obesity-induced adiponectin resistance. We also identify systemic effects upon TAM R2 in obese mice and postulate these are mediated by altered myokine production. Further studies are warranted to investigate this possibility which may reveal novel therapeutic approaches., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Cell accumulation is a prerequisite for adipose tissue inflammation. The leukocyte integrin Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18, α M β 2 ) is a classic adhesion receptor critically regulating inflammatory cell recruitment. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a genetic deficiency and a therapeutic modulation of Mac-1 regulate adipose tissue inflammation in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity (DIO). C57Bl6/J mice genetically deficient (Mac-1 -/- ) or competent for Mac-1 (WT) consumed a high fat diet for 20 weeks. Surprisingly, Mac-1 -/- mice presented with increased diet-induced weight gain, decreased insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and in the liver in insulin-clamps, insulin secretion deficiency and elevated glucose levels in fasting animals, and dyslipidaemia. Unexpectedly, accumulation of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) was unaffected, while gene expression indicated less inflamed adipose tissue and macrophages in Mac-1 -/- mice. In contrast, inflammatory gene expression at distant locations, such as in skeletal muscle, was not changed. Treatment of ATMs with an agonistic anti-Mac-1 antibody, M1/70, induced pro-inflammatory genes in cell culture. In vivo, treatment with M1/70 induced a hyper-inflammatory phenotype with increased expression of IL-6 and MCP-1, whereas accumulation of ATMs did not change. Finally, inhibition of Mac-1's adhesive interaction to CD40L by the peptide inhibitor cM7 did not affect myeloid cell accumulation in adipose tissue. We present the surprising finding that adhesive properties of the leukocyte integrin Mac-1 are not required for macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue. Instead, Mac-1 modulates inflammatory gene expression in macrophages. These findings question the net effect of integrin blockade in cardio-metabolic disease.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe and progressive striated muscle wasting disorder that leads to premature death from respiratory and/or cardiac failure. We have previously shown that treatment of young dystrophic mdx and dystrophin/utrophin null (dko) mice with BGP-15, a coinducer of heat shock protein 72, ameliorated the dystrophic pathology. We therefore tested the hypothesis that later-stage BGP-15 treatment would similarly benefit older mdx and dko mice when the dystrophic pathology was already well established. Later stage treatment of mdx or dko mice with BGP-15 did not improve maximal force of tibialis anterior (TA) muscles (in situ) or diaphragm muscle strips (in vitro). However, collagen deposition (fibrosis) was reduced in TA muscles of BGP-15-treated dko mice but unchanged in TA muscles of treated mdx mice and diaphragm of treated mdx and dko mice. We also examined whether BGP-15 treatment could ameliorate aspects of the cardiac pathology, and in young dko mice it reduced collagen deposition and improved both membrane integrity and systolic function. These results confirm BGP-15's ability to improve aspects of the dystrophic pathology but with differing efficacies in heart and skeletal muscles at different stages of the disease progression. These findings support a role for BGP-15 among a suite of pharmacological therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and related disorders., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Exercise reduces the risk of a multitude of disorders, from metabolic disease to cancer, but the molecular mechanisms mediating the protective effects of exercise are not completely understood. The realization that skeletal muscle is an endocrine organ capable of secreting proteins termed 'myokines', which participate in tissue crosstalk, provided a critical link in the exercise-health paradigm. However, the myokine field is still emerging, and several challenges remain in the discovery and validation of myokines. This Review considers these challenges and highlights some recently identified novel myokines with the potential to be therapeutically exploited in the treatment of metabolic disease and cancer.

Drugs that recapitulate aspects of the exercise adaptive response have the potential to provide better treatment for diseases associated with physical inactivity. We previously observed reduced skeletal muscle class IIa HDAC (histone deacetylase) transcriptional repressive activity during exercise. Here, we find that exercise-like adaptations are induced by skeletal muscle expression of class IIa HDAC mutants that cannot form a corepressor complex. Adaptations include increased metabolic gene expression, mitochondrial capacity, and lipid oxidation. An existing HDAC inhibitor, Scriptaid, had similar phenotypic effects through disruption of the class IIa HDAC corepressor complex. Acute Scriptaid administration to mice increased the expression of metabolic genes, which required an intact class IIa HDAC corepressor complex. Chronic Scriptaid administration increased exercise capacity, whole-body energy expenditure and lipid oxidation, and reduced fasting blood lipids and glucose. Therefore, compounds that disrupt class IIa HDAC function could be used to enhance metabolic health in chronic diseases driven by physical inactivity., (Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance is an early physiological defect, yet the intracellular mechanisms accounting for this metabolic defect remained unresolved. Here, we have examined the role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle., Methods: Multiple mouse disease states exhibiting insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, as well as obese humans defined as insulin-sensitive, insulin-resistant, or pre-diabetic, were examined., Results: We identified increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity as a common intracellular adaptation that occurs in parallel with the induction of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and is present across animal and human disease states with an underlying pathology of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. We observed an inverse association between G6PDH activity and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and show that increasing NOS activity via the skeletal muscle specific neuronal (n)NOSμ partially suppresses G6PDH activity in skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, attenuation of G6PDH activity in skeletal muscle cells via (a) increased nNOSμ/NOS activity, (b) pharmacological G6PDH inhibition, or (c) genetic G6PDH inhibition increases insulin-independent glucose uptake., Conclusions: We have identified a novel, previously unrecognized role for G6PDH in the regulation of skeletal muscle glucose metabolism.

The incidence of obesity has risen to epidemic proportions in recent decades, most commonly attributed to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and a 'western' diet high in fat and low in fibre. Although non-allergic asthma is a well-established co-morbidity of obesity, the influence of obesity on allergic asthma is still under debate. Allergic asthma is thought to result from impaired tolerance to airborne antigens, so-called respiratory tolerance. We sought to investigate whether a diet high in fats affects the development of respiratory tolerance. Mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks showed weight gain, metabolic disease, and alteration in gut microbiota, metabolites and glucose metabolism compared to age-matched mice fed normal chow diet (ND). Respiratory tolerance was induced by repeated intranasal (i.n.) administration of ovalbumin (OVA), prior to induction of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) by sensitization with OVA in alum i.p. and subsequent i.n. OVA challenge. Surprisingly, respiratory tolerance was induced equally well in HFD and ND mice, as evidenced by decreased lung eosinophilia and serum OVA-specific IgE production. However, in a pilot study, HFD mice showed a tendency for impaired activation of airway dendritic cells and regulatory T cells compared with ND mice after induction of respiratory tolerance. Moreover, the capacity of lymph node cells to produce IL-5 and IL-13 after AAI was drastically diminished in HFD mice compared to ND mice. These results indicate that HFD does not affect the inflammatory or B cell response to an allergen, but inhibits priming of Th2 cells and possibly dendritic cell and regulatory T cell activation.

Objective: Parental obesity can induce metabolic phenotypes in offspring independent of the inherited DNA sequence. Here we asked whether such non-genetic acquired metabolic traits can be passed on to a second generation that has never been exposed to obesity, even as germ cells., Methods: We examined the F1, F2, and F3 a/a offspring derived from F0 matings of obese prediabetic A (vy) /a sires and lean a/a dams. After F0, only lean a/a mice were used for breeding., Results: We found that F1 sons of obese founder males exhibited defects in glucose and lipid metabolism, but only upon a post-weaning dietary challenge. F1 males transmitted these defects to their own male progeny (F2) in the absence of the dietary challenge, but the phenotype was largely attenuated by F3. The sperm of F1 males exhibited changes in the abundance of several small RNA species, including the recently reported diet-responsive tRNA-derived fragments., Conclusions: These data indicate that induced metabolic phenotypes may be propagated for a generation beyond any direct exposure to an inducing factor. This non-genetic inheritance likely occurs via the actions of sperm noncoding RNA.

We examined the role of NFκB1 in the homeostasis and function of peripheral follicular (Fo) B cells. Aging mice lacking NFκB1 (Nfκb1(-/-)) develop lymphoproliferative and multiorgan autoimmune disease attributed in large part to the deregulated activity of Nfκb1(-/-)Fo B cells that produce excessive levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6). Despite enhanced germinal center (GC) B cell differentiation, the formation of GC structures was severely disrupted in the Nfκb1(-/-)mice. Bone marrow chimeric mice revealed that the Fo B cell-intrinsic loss of NFκB1 led to the spontaneous generation of GC B cells. This was primarily the result of an increase in IL-6 levels, which promotes the differentiation of Fo helper CD4(+)T cells and acts in an autocrine manner to reduce antigen receptor and toll-like receptor activation thresholds in a population of proliferating IgM(+)Nfκb1(-/-)Fo B cells. We demonstrate that p50-NFκB1 represses Il-6 transcription in Fo B cells, with the loss of NFκB1 also resulting in the uncontrolled RELA-driven transcription of Il-6.Collectively, our findings identify a previously unrecognized role for NFκB1 in preventing multiorgan autoimmunity through its negative regulation of Il-6 gene expression in Fo B cells., (© 2016 de Valle et al.)

By its very nature, exercise exerts a challenge to the body's cellular homeostatic mechanisms. This homeostatic challenge affects not only the contracting skeletal muscle but also a number of other organs and results over time in exercise-induced adaptations. Thus it is no surprise that heat shock proteins (HSPs), a group of ancient and highly conserved cytoprotective proteins critical in the maintenance of protein and cellular homeostasis, have been implicated in exercise/activity-induced adaptations. It has become evident that HSPs such as HSP72 are induced or activated with acute exercise or after chronic exercise training regimens. These observations have given scientists an insight into the protective mechanisms of these proteins and provided an opportunity to exploit their protective role to improve health and physical performance. Although our knowledge in this area of physiology has improved dramatically, many questions still remain unanswered. Further understanding of the role of HSPs in exercise physiology may prove beneficial for therapeutic targeting in diseased patient cohorts, exercise prescription for disease prevention, and training strategies for elite athletes., (Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.)

Protein kinase R (PKR) has previously been suggested to mediate many of the deleterious consequences of a high-fat diet (HFD). However, previous studies have observed substantial phenotypic variability when examining the metabolic consequences of PKR deletion. Accordingly, herein, we have re-examined the role of PKR in the development of obesity and its associated metabolic complications in vivo as well as its putative lipid-sensing role in vitro. Here we show that the deletion of PKR does not affect HFD-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis or glucose metabolism, and only modestly affects adipose tissue inflammation. Treatment with the saturated fatty acid palmitate in vitro induced comparable levels of inflammation in WT and PKR KO macrophages, demonstrating that PKR is not necessary for the sensing of pro-inflammatory lipids. These results challenge the proposed role for PKR in obesity, its associated metabolic complications and its role in lipid-induced inflammation.

Obesity is currently at epidemic levels worldwide and is associated with a wide range of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and certain forms of cancer. Obesity-induced chronic inflammation is central to the disrupted metabolic homeostasis which underlies many of these conditions. While research over the past decade has identified many of the cells and signalling molecules that contribute to obesity-induced inflammation, perhaps the best characterised are the stress-activated c-Jun NH2 -terminal kinases (JNKs). JNKs are activated in obesity in numerous metabolically important cells and tissues such as adipose tissue, macrophages, liver, skeletal muscle and regions of the brain and pituitary. Elegant in vivo mouse studies using Cre-LoxP-mediated recombination of the JNK1 and JNK2 genes have revealed the remarkably diverse roles that JNKs play in the development of obesity-induced inflammation, impaired glucose homeostasis and hepatic steatosis. While JNK activation in classical metabolically active tissues such as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue only appears to play a minor role on the induction of the above-mentioned pathologies, recent studies have clearly established the important roles JNK signalling fulfils in macrophages, the liver and cells of the anterior pituitary. Collectively, these studies place JNKs as important mediators of obesity and obesity-associated disruptions to metabolic homeostasis., (© 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2015 The Physiological Society.)

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is activated by Caspase-1 in inflammasome complexes and has anti-obesity effects; however, it is not known which inflammasome regulates this process. We found that mice lacking the NLRP1 inflammasome phenocopy mice lacking IL-18, with spontaneous obesity due to intrinsic lipid accumulation. This is exacerbated when the mice are fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or a high-protein diet, but not when mice are fed a HFD with low energy density (high fiber). Furthermore, mice with an activating mutation in NLRP1, and hence increased IL-18, have decreased adiposity and are resistant to diet-induced metabolic dysfunction. Feeding these mice a HFD further increased plasma IL-18 concentrations and strikingly resulted in loss of adipose tissue mass and fatal cachexia, which could be prevented by genetic deletion of IL-18. Thus, NLRP1 is an innate immune sensor that functions in the context of metabolic stress to produce IL-18, preventing obesity and metabolic syndrome., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is well known that obesity is responsible, at least in part, for the increased incidence of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Despite public education programs emphasizing lifestyle modifications to arrest this global pandemic, it is now estimated that 10-15% of the world's population are overweight or obese. As a result, new therapeutic options for the treatment of obesity-related disorders are clearly warranted. Much of the benefit of physical activity has been attributed to several mechanisms including reduced adiposity, increased cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced circulating lipids and the maintenance of muscle mass. However, the observation that the gp130 receptor cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) was released from skeletal muscle during exercise to improve metabolic homeostasis altered our understanding of the health benefits of exercise and opened avenues for research into potential novel therapeutics to treat metabolic disease. One gp130 receptor cytokine in particular, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a pluripotent neurocytokine, showed efficacy as a potential anti-obesogenic therapy. This review examines the potential of gp130 receptor ligands, with a focus on IL-6 and CNTF as therapeutic strategies to treat obesity-related disorders., (© 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Previous animal studies had shown that increasing heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) using a transgenic, gene therapy or pharmacological approach provided cardiac protection in models of acute cardiac stress. Furthermore, clinical studies had reported associations between Hsp70 levels and protection against atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia presenting in cardiology clinics and is associated with increased rates of heart failure and stroke. Improved therapies for AF and heart failure are urgently required. Despite promising observations in animal studies which targeted Hsp70, we recently reported that increasing Hsp70 was unable to attenuate cardiac dysfunction and pathology in a mouse model which develops heart failure and intermittent AF. Given our somewhat unexpected finding and the extensive literature suggesting Hsp70 provides cardiac protection, it was considered important to assess whether Hsp70 could provide protection in another mouse model of heart failure and AF. The aim of the current study was to determine whether increasing Hsp70 could attenuate adverse cardiac remodeling, cardiac dysfunction and episodes of arrhythmia in a mouse model of heart failure and AF due to overexpression of Muscle-Restricted Coiled-Coil (MURC). Cardiac function and pathology were assessed in mice at approximately 12 months of age. We report here, that chronic overexpression of Hsp70 was unable to provide protection against cardiac dysfunction, conduction abnormalities, fibrosis or characteristic molecular markers of the failing heart. In summary, elevated Hsp70 may provide protection in acute cardiac stress settings, but appears insufficient to protect the heart under chronic cardiac disease conditions.

Liver steatosis is associated with the development of insulin resistance and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. We tested the hypothesis that protein signals originating from steatotic hepatocytes communicate with other cells to modulate metabolic phenotypes. We show that the secreted factors from steatotic hepatocytes induce pro-inflammatory signaling and insulin resistance in cultured cells. Next, we identified 168 hepatokines, of which 32 were differentially secreted in steatotic versus non-steatotic hepatocytes. Targeted analysis showed that fetuin B was increased in humans with liver steatosis and patients with type 2 diabetes. Fetuin B impaired insulin action in myotubes and hepatocytes and caused glucose intolerance in mice. Silencing of fetuin B in obese mice improved glucose tolerance. We conclude that the protein secretory profile of hepatocytes is altered with steatosis and is linked to inflammation and insulin resistance. Therefore, preventing steatosis may limit the development of dysregulated glucose metabolism in settings of overnutrition., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

T follicular helper cells (Tfh) are critical for the longevity and quality of antibody-mediated protection against infection. Yet few signaling pathways have been identified to be unique solely to Tfh development. ROQUIN is a post-transcriptional repressor of T cells, acting through its ROQ domain to destabilize mRNA targets important for Th1, Th17, and Tfh biology. Here, we report that ROQUIN has a paradoxical function on Tfh differentiation mediated by its RING domain: mice with a T cell-specific deletion of the ROQUIN RING domain have unchanged Th1, Th2, Th17, and Tregs during a T-dependent response but show a profoundly defective antigen-specific Tfh compartment. ROQUIN RING signaling directly antagonized the catalytic α1 subunit of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a central stress-responsive regulator of cellular metabolism and mTOR signaling, which is known to facilitate T-dependent humoral immunity. We therefore unexpectedly uncover a ROQUIN-AMPK metabolic signaling nexus essential for selectively promoting Tfh responses.

Nanoporous metal-phenolic particles are fabricated through the nanostructural replication of dense Fe III -TA complexes in nanoporous CaCO 3 template particles. The particles have potential for the diagnostic detection of endogenous levels of H 2 O 2 ex vivo and in vivo by ultrasound imaging, which is based on the catalytic activity of the coordinated Fe 3+ in the particles to break down H 2 O 2 to O 2 microbubbles., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Objective: Adipose inflammation and dysfunction underlie metabolic obesity. Exercise improves glycemic control and metabolic indices, but effects on adipose function and inflammation are less clear. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that exercise improves adipose morphometry to reduce adipose inflammation in hyperphagic obese mice., Methods: Alms1 mutant foz/foz mice housed in pairs were fed an atherogenic or chow diet; half the cages were fitted with a computer-monitored wheel for voluntary exercise. Insulin-induced AKT-phosphorylation, adipocyte size distribution, and inflammatory recruitment were studied in visceral versus subcutaneous depots, and severity of fatty liver disease was determined., Results: Exercise prevented obesity and diabetes development in chow-fed foz/foz mice and delayed their onset in atherogenic-fed counterparts. Insulin-stimulated phospho-AKT levels in muscle were improved with exercise, but not in adipose or liver. Exercise suppressed adipose inflammatory recruitment, particularly in visceral adipose, associated with an increased number of small adipocyte subpopulations, and enhanced expression of beige adipocyte factor PRDM16 in subcutaneous fat. In atherogenic-fed foz/foz mice liver, exercise suppressed development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and related liver fibrosis., Conclusions: Exercise confers metabo-protective effects in atherogenic-fed hyperphagic mice by preventing early onset of obesity and diabetes in association with enhanced muscle insulin sensitivity, improved adipose morphometry, and suppressed adipose and liver inflammation., (© 2015 The Obesity Society.)

Accumulation of diacylglycerol (DG) in muscle is thought to cause insulin resistance. DG is a precursor for phospholipids, thus phospholipid synthesis could be involved in regulating muscle DG. Little is known about the interaction between phospholipid and DG in muscle; therefore, we examined whether disrupting muscle phospholipid synthesis, specifically phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn), would influence muscle DG content and insulin sensitivity. Muscle PtdEtn synthesis was disrupted by deleting CTP:phosphoethanolamine cytidylyltransferase (ECT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the CDP-ethanolamine pathway, a major route for PtdEtn production. While PtdEtn was reduced in muscle-specific ECT knockout mice, intramyocellular and membrane-associated DG was markedly increased. Importantly, however, this was not associated with insulin resistance. Unexpectedly, mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle oxidative capacity were increased in muscle-specific ECT knockout mice and were accompanied by enhanced exercise performance. These findings highlight the importance of the CDP-ethanolamine pathway in regulating muscle DG content and challenge the DG-induced insulin resistance hypothesis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The accumulation of lipid at ectopic sites, including the skeletal muscle and liver, is a common consequence of obesity and is associated with tissue-specific and whole body insulin resistance. Exercise is well known to improve insulin resistance by mechanisms not completely understood. We performed lipidomic profiling via mass spectrometry in liver and skeletal muscle samples from exercise-trained mice to decipher the lipid changes associated with exercise-induced improvements in whole body glucose metabolism. Obesity and insulin resistance were induced in C57BL/6J mice by high-fat feeding for 4 wk. Mice then underwent an exercise training program (treadmill running) 5 days/wk (Ex) for 4 wk or remained sedentary (Sed). Compared with Sed, Ex displayed improved (P < 0.01) whole body metabolism as measured via an oral glucose tolerance test. Deleterious lipid species such as diacylglycerol (P < 0.05) and cholesterol esters (P < 0.01) that accumulate with high-fat feeding were decreased in the liver of trained mice. Furthermore, the ratio of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (the PC/PE ratio), which is associated with membrane integrity and linked to hepatic disease progression, was increased by training (P < 0.05). These findings occurred without corresponding changes in the skeletal muscle lipidome. A concomitant decrease (P < 0.05) was observed for the fatty acid transporters CD36 and FATP4 in the liver, suggesting that exercise stimulates a coordinated reduction in fatty acid entry into hepatocytes. Given the important role of the liver in the regulation of whole body glucose homeostasis, hepatic lipid regression may be a key component by which exercise can improve metabolism., (Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.)

Heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) protects cells against a variety of stressors, and multiple studies have suggested that Hsp72 plays a cardioprotective role. As skeletal muscle Hsp72 overexpression can protect against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance, alterations in substrate metabolism may be a mechanism by which Hsp72 is cardioprotective. We investigated the impact of transgenically overexpressing (Hsp72 Tg) or deleting Hsp72 (Hsp72 KO) on various aspects of cardiac metabolism. Mice were fed a normal chow (NC) or HFD for 12 weeks from 8 weeks of age to examine the impact of diet-induced obesity on metabolic parameters in the heart. The HFD resulted in an increase in cardiac fatty acid oxidation and a decrease in cardiac glucose oxidation and insulin-stimulated cardiac glucose clearance; however, there was no difference in Hsp72 Tg or Hsp72 KO mice in these rates compared with their respective wild-type control mice. Although HFD-induced cardiac insulin resistance was not rescued in the Hsp72 Tg mice, it was preserved in the skeletal muscle, suggesting tissue-specific effects of Hsp72 overexpression on substrate metabolism. Comparison of two different strains of mice (BALB/c vs. C57BL/6J) also identified strain-specific differences in regard to HFD-induced cardiac lipid accumulation and insulin resistance. These strain differences suggest that cardiac lipid accumulation can be dissociated from cardiac insulin resistance. Our study finds that genetic manipulation of Hsp72 does not lead to alterations in metabolic processes in cardiac tissue under resting conditions, but identifies mouse strain-specific differences in cardiac lipid accumulation and insulin-stimulated glucose clearance.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a paradoxical role in inflammation and metabolism. The pro-inflammatory effects of IL-6 are mediated via IL-6 "trans-signaling," a process where the soluble form of the IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) binds IL-6 and activates signaling in inflammatory cells that express the gp130 but not the IL-6 receptor. Here we show that trans-signaling recruits macrophages into adipose tissue (ATM). Moreover, blocking trans-signaling with soluble gp130Fc protein prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ATM accumulation, but does not improve insulin action. Importantly, however, blockade of IL-6 trans-signaling, unlike complete ablation of IL-6 signaling, does not exacerbate obesity-induced weight gain, liver steatosis, or insulin resistance. Our data identify the sIL-6R as a critical chemotactic signal for ATM recruitment and suggest that selectively blocking IL-6 trans-signaling may be a more favorable treatment option for inflammatory diseases, compared with current treatments that completely block the action of IL-6 and negatively impact upon metabolic homeostasis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Over-nutrition in females causes altered fetal growth during pregnancy and permanently programs the metabolism of offspring; however, the temporal and mechanistic origins of these changes, and whether they are reversible, are unknown. We now show that, in obese female mice, cumulus-oocyte complexes exhibit endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, high levels of intracellular lipid, spindle abnormalities and reduced PTX3 extracellular matrix protein production. Ovulated oocytes from obese mice contain normal levels of mitochondrial (mt) DNA but have reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and high levels of autophagy compared with oocytes from lean mice. After in vitro fertilization, the oocytes of obese female mice demonstrate reduced developmental potential and form blastocysts with reduced levels of mtDNA. Blastocysts transferred to normal weight surrogates that were then analyzed at E14.5 showed that oocytes from obese mice gave rise to fetuses that were heavier than controls and had reduced liver and kidney mtDNA content per cell, indicating that maternal obesity before conception had altered the transmission of mitochondria to offspring. Treatment of the obese females with the ER stress inhibitor salubrinal or the chaperone inducer BGP-15 before ovulation increased the amount of the mitochondrial replication factors TFAM and DRP1, and mtDNA content in oocytes. Salubrinal and BGP-15 also completely restored oocyte quality, embryo development and the mtDNA content of fetal tissue to levels equivalent to those derived from lean mice. These results demonstrate that obesity before conception imparts a legacy of mitochondrial loss in offspring that is caused by ER stress and is reversible during the final stages of oocyte development and maturation., (© 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) share common risk factors, frequently coexist and are associated with high mortality. Treatment of HF with AF represents a major unmet need. Here we show that a small molecule, BGP-15, improves cardiac function and reduces arrhythmic episodes in two independent mouse models, which progressively develop HF and AF. In these models, BGP-15 treatment is associated with increased phosphorylation of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), which is depressed in atrial tissue samples from patients with AF. Cardiac-specific IGF1R transgenic overexpression in mice with HF and AF recapitulates the protection observed with BGP-15. We further demonstrate that BGP-15 and IGF1R can provide protection independent of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt and heat-shock protein 70; signalling mediators often defective in the aged and diseased heart. As BGP-15 is safe and well tolerated in humans, this study uncovers a potential therapeutic approach for HF and AF.

Alterations in the immune cell profile and the induction of inflammation within adipose tissue are a hallmark of obesity in mice and humans. Dual-specificity phosphatase 2 (DUSP2) is widely expressed within the immune system and plays a key role promoting immune and inflammatory responses dependent on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. We hypothesised that the absence of DUSP2 would protect mice against obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance. Accordingly, male and female littermate mice that are either wild-type (wt) or homozygous for a germ-line null mutation of the dusp2 gene (dusp2-/-) were fed either a standard chow diet (SCD) or high fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks prior to metabolic phenotyping. Compared with mice fed the SCD, all mice consuming the HFD became obese, developed glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, and displayed increased macrophage recruitment and markers of inflammation in epididymal white adipose tissue. The absence of DUSP2, however, had no effect on the development of obesity or adipose tissue inflammation. Whole body insulin sensitivity in male mice was unaffected by an absence of DUSP2 in response to either the SCD or HFD; however, HFD-induced insulin resistance was slightly, but significantly, reduced in female dusp2-/- mice. In conclusion, DUSP2 plays no role in regulating obesity-associated inflammation and only a minor role in controlling insulin sensitivity following HFD in female, but not male, mice. These data indicate that rather than DUSP2 being a pan regulator of MAPK dependent immune cell mediated inflammation, it appears to differentially regulate inflammatory responses that have a MAPK component.