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A previous study on neuropeptide FF receptor 2 (NPFFR2)-deficient mice has demonstrated that NPFFR2 is involved in the control of energy balance and thermogenesis. Here, we report on the metabolic impact of NPFFR2 deficiency in male and female mice that were fed either a standard diet (STD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) and each experimental group consisted of ten individuals. Both male and female NPFFR2 knockout (KO) mice exhibited severe glucose intolerance that was exacerbated by a HFD diet. In addition, reduced insulin pathway signaling proteins in NPFFR2 KO mice fed a HFD resulted in the development of hypothalamic insulin resistance. HFD feeding did not cause liver steatosis in NPFFR2 KO mice of either sex, but NPFFR2 KO male mice fed a HFD had lower body weights, white adipose tissues, and liver and lower plasma leptin levels compared with their wild-type (WT) controls. Lower liver weight in NPFFR2 KO male mice compensated for HFD-induced metabolic stress by increased liver PPARα and plasma FGF21 hepatokine, which supported fatty acid β-oxidation in the liver and white adipose tissue. Conversely, NPFFR2 deletion in female mice attenuated the expression of Adra3β and Pparγ, which inhibited lipolysis in adipose tissue.

The most important risk factor for the development of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) is ageing. Senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) is a model of sporadic AD, with senescence accelerated resistant mouse (SAMR1) as a control. In this study, we aimed to determine the onset of senescence-induced neurodegeneration and the related potential therapeutic window using behavioral experiments, immunohistochemistry and western blotting in SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice at 3, 6 and 9 months of age. The Y-maze revealed significantly impaired working spatial memory of SAMP8 mice from the 6

Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is an anorexigenic neuropeptide that has potential for the treatment of obesity and its complications. Recently, we designed a palmitoylated PrRP31 analog (palm11-PrRP31) that is more stable than the natural peptide and able to act centrally after peripheral administration. This analog acted as an anti-obesity and glucose-lowering agent, attenuating lipogenesis in rats and mice with high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity. In Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats fed a HF diet for 52 weeks, we explored glucose intolerance, but also prediabetes, liver steatosis and insulin resistance-related changes, as well as neuroinflammation in the brain. A potential beneficial effect of 6 weeks of treatment with palm11-PrRP31 and liraglutide as comparator was investigated. Liver lipid profiles, as well as urinary and plasma metabolomic profiles, were measured by lipidomics and metabolomics, respectively. Old obese WKY rats showed robust glucose intolerance that was attenuated by palm11-PrRP31, but not by liraglutide treatment. On the contrary, liraglutide had a beneficial effect on insulin resistance parameters. Despite obesity and prediabetes, WKY rats did not develop steatosis owing to HF diet feeding, even though liver lipogenesis was enhanced. Plasma triglycerides and cholesterol were not increased by HFD feeding, which points to unincreased lipid transport from the liver. The liver lipid profile was significantly altered by a HF diet that remained unaffected by palm11-PrRP31 or liraglutide treatment. The HF-diet-fed WKY rats revealed astrogliosis in the brain cortex and hippocampus, which was attenuated by treatment. In conclusion, this study suggested multiple beneficial anti-obesity-related effects of palm11-PrRP31 and liraglutide in both the periphery and brain.

Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) has been proposed to mediate the central satiating effects of cholecystokinin (CCK) through the vagal CCK1 receptor. PrRP acts as an endogenous ligand of G protein-coupled receptor 10 (GPR10), which is expressed at the highest levels in brain areas related to food intake regulation, e.g., the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) and nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). The NTS and PVN are also significantly activated after peripheral CCK administration. The aim of this study was to determine whether the endogenous PrRP neuronal system in the brain is involved in the central anorexigenic effect of the peripherally administered CCK agonist JMV236 or the CCK1 antagonist devazepide and whether the CCK system is involved in the central anorexigenic effect of the peripherally applied lipidized PrRP analog palm-PrRP31 in fasted lean mice. The effect of devazepide and JMV236 on the anorexigenic effects of palm-PrRP31 as well as devazepide combined with JMV236 and palm-PrRP31 on food intake and Fos cell activation in the PVN and caudal NTS was examined. Our results suggest that the anorexigenic effect of JMV236 is accompanied by activation of PrRP neurons of the NTS in a CCK1 receptor-dependent manner. Moreover, while the anorexigenic effect of palm-PrRP31 was not affected by JMV236, it was partially attenuated by devazepide in fasted mice. The present findings indicate that the exogenously influenced CCK system may be involved in the central anorexigenic effect of peripherally applied palm-PrRP31, which possibly indicates some interaction between the CCK and PrRP neuronal systems.

Background Obesity leads to low-grade inflammation in the adipose tissue and liver and neuroinflammation in the brain. Obesity-induced insulin resistance (IR) and neuroinflammation seem to intensify neurodegeneration including Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, the impact of high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity on potential neuroinflammation and peripheral IR was tested separately in males and females of THY-Tau22 mice, a model of tau pathology expressing mutated human tau protein. Methods Three-, 7-, and 11-month-old THY-Tau22 and wild-type males and females were tested for mobility, anxiety-like behavior, and short-term spatial memory in open-field and Y-maze tests. Plasma insulin, free fatty acid, cholesterol, and leptin were evaluated with commercial assays. Liver was stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histology. Brain sections were 3′,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and/or fluorescently detected for ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and tau phosphorylated at T231 (pTau (T231)), and analyzed. Insulin signaling cascade, pTau, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were quantified by western blotting of hippocampi of 11-month-old mice. Data are mean ± SEM and were subjected to Mann-Whitney t test within age and sex and mixed-effects analysis and Bonferroni’s post hoc test for age comparison. Results Increased age most potently decreased mobility and increased anxiety in all mice. THY-Tau22 males showed impaired short-term spatial memory. HF diet increased body, fat, and liver weights and peripheral IR. HF diet-fed THY-Tau22 males showed massive Iba1+ microgliosis and GFAP+ astrocytosis in the hippocampus and amygdala. Activated astrocytes colocalized with pTau (T231) in THY-Tau22, although no significant difference in hippocampal tau phosphorylation was observed between 11-month-old HF and standard diet-fed THY-Tau22 mice. Eleven-month-old THY-Tau22 females, but not males, on both diets showed decreased synaptic and postsynaptic plasticity. Conclusions Significant sex differences in neurodegenerative signs were found in THY-Tau22. Impaired short-term spatial memory was observed in 11-month-old THY-tau22 males but not females, which corresponded to increased neuroinflammation colocalized with pTau(T231) in the hippocampi and amygdalae of THY-Tau22 males. A robust decrease in synaptic and postsynaptic plasticity was observed in 11-month-old females but not males. HF diet caused peripheral but not central IR in mice of both sexes.

Salt hypertensive Dahl rats are characterized by sympathoexcitation and relative NO deficiency. We tested the hypothesis that the increased blood pressure (BP) response to fasudil in salt hypertensive Dahl rats is due to augmented calcium sensitization in the salt-sensitive strain and/or due to their decreased baroreflex efficiency. BP reduction after acute administration of nifedipine (an L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel blocker) or fasudil (a Rho kinase inhibitor) was studied in conscious intact rats and in rats subjected to acute NO synthase inhibition or combined blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (captopril), sympathetic nervous system (pentolinium), and NO synthase (L-NAME). Intact salt-sensitive (SS) Dahl rats fed a low-salt diet had greater BP responses to nifedipine (-31 ± 6 mmHg) or fasudil (-34 ± 7 mmHg) than salt-resistant (SR) Dahl rats (-16 ± 4 and -17 ± 2 mmHg, respectively), and a high-salt intake augmented the BP response only in SS rats. These BP responses were doubled after acute NO synthase inhibition, indicating that endogenous NO attenuates both calcium entry and calcium sensitization. Additional pentolinium administration, which minimized sympathetic compensation for the drug-induced BP reduction, magnified the BP responses to nifedipine or fasudil in all groups except for salt hypertensive SS rats due to their lower baroreflex efficiency. The BP response to the calcium channel blocker nifedipine can distinguish SS and SR rats even after calcium sensitization inhibition by fasudil, which was not seen when fasudil was administered to nifedipine-pretreated rats. Thus, enhanced calcium entry (potentiated by sympathoexcitation) in salt hypertensive Dahl rats is the abnormality that is essential for their BP increase, which was further augmented by increased calcium sensitization in salt-sensitive Dahl rats.

Background/Objective Anorexigenic palmitoylated prolactin-releasing peptide (palm11-PrRP) is able to act centrally after peripheral administration in rat and mouse models of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or neurodegeneration. Functional leptin and intact leptin signaling pathways are necessary for the body weight reducing and glucose tolerance improving effect of palm11-PrRP. We have previously shown that palm11-PrRP31 had glucose-lowering properties but not anti-obesity effect in Koletsky rats with leptin signaling disturbances, so improvements in glucose metabolism appear to be completely independent of leptin signaling. The purpose of this study was to describe relationship between metabolic and neurodegenerative pathologies and explore if palm11-PrRP31 could ameliorate them in obese fa/fa rat model with leptin signaling disruption. Subject/Methods The fa/fa rats and their age-matched lean controls at the age 32 weeks were used for this study. The rats were infused for 2 months with saline or palm11-PrRP31 (n = 7–8 per group) at a dose of 5 mg/kg per day using Alzet osmotic pumps. During the dosing period food intake and body weight were monitored. At the end of experiment the oral glucose tolerance test was performed; plasma and tissue samples were collected and arterial blood pressure was measured. Then, markers of leptin and insulin signaling, Tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and synaptogenesis were measured by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results Fa/fa rats developed obesity, mild glucose intolerance, and peripheral insulin resistance but not hypertension while palm11-PrRP31 treatment neither lowered body weight nor attenuated glucose tolerance but ameliorated leptin and insulin signaling and synaptogenesis in hippocampus. Conclusion We demonstrated that palm11-PrRP31 had neuroprotective features without anti-obesity and glucose lowering effects in fa/fa rats. This data suggest that this analog has the potential to exert neuroprotective effect despite of leptin signaling disturbances in this rat model.

The anorexigenic neuropeptide prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is involved in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. Lipidization of PrRP stabilizes the peptide, facilitates central effect after peripheral administration and increases its affinity for its receptor, GPR10, and for the neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptor NPFF-R2. The two most potent palmitoylated analogs with anorectic effects in mice, palm11-PrRP31 and palm-PrRP31, were studied in vitro to determine their agonist/antagonist properties and mechanism of action on GPR10, NPFF-R2 and other potential off-target receptors related to energy homeostasis. Palmitoylation of both PrRP31 analogs increased the binding properties of PrRP31 to anorexigenic receptors GPR10 and NPFF-R2 and resulted in a high affinity for another NPFF receptor, NPFF-R1. Moreover, in CHO-K1 cells expressing GPR10, NPFF-R2 or NPFF-R1, palm11-PrRP and palm-PrRP significantly increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), protein kinase B (Akt) and cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB). Palm11-PrRP31, unlike palm-PrRP31, did not activate either c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, c-Jun, c-Fos or CREB pathways in cells expressing NPFF-1R. Palm-PrRP31 also has higher binding affinities for off-target receptors, namely, the ghrelin, opioid (KOR, MOR, DOR and OPR-L1) and neuropeptide Y (Y1, Y2 and Y5) receptors. Palm11-PrRP31 exhibited fewer off-target activities, therefore, it has a higher potential to be used as an anti-obesity drug with anorectic effects.

In this study, the combination of metabolomics and standard biochemical and biometric parameters was used to describe the metabolic effects of diet-induced obesity and its treatment with the novel antiobesity compound palm11-PrRP31 (palmitoylated prolactin-releasing peptide) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). The results showed that SHR on a high-fat (HF) diet were normoglycemic with obesity and hypertension, while WKY on the HF diet were normotensive and obese with prediabetes. NMR-based metabolomics revealed mainly several microbial cometabolites altered by the HF diet, particularly in urine. The HF diet induced similar changes in both models. However, two groups of genotype-specific metabolites were defined: metabolites specific to the genotype at baseline (e.g., 1-methylnicotinamide, phenylacetylglycine, taurine, methylamine) and metabolites reacting specifically to the HF diet in individual genotypes (2-oxoglutarate, dimethylamine, N-butyrylglycine, p-cresyl sulfate). The palm11-PrRP31 lowered body weight and improved biochemical and biometric parameters in both strains, and it improved glucose tolerance in WKY rats on the HF diet. In urine, the therapy induced significant decrease of formate and 1-methylnicotinamide in SHR and alanine, allantoin, dimethylamine, and N-butyrylglycine in WKY. Altogether, our study confirms the effectiveness of palm11-PrRP31 for antiobesity treatment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles. These tangles mainly consist of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. As it induces tau hyperphosphorylation in vitro and in vivo, hypothermia is a useful tool for screening potential neuroprotective compounds that ameliorate tau pathology. In this study, we examined the effect of prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), its lipidized analog palm11-PrRP31 and glucagon-like-peptide-1 agonist liraglutide, substances with anorexigenic and antidiabetic properties, on tau phosphorylation and on the main kinases and phosphatases involved in AD development. Our study was conducted in a neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and rat primary neuronal cultures under normothermic and hypothermic conditions. Hypothermia induced a significant increase in tau phosphorylation at the pThr212 and pSer396/pSer404 epitopes. The palmitoylated analogs liraglutide and palm11-PrRP31 attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation, suggesting their potential use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly population. Numerous epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated that patients who suffer from obesity or type 2 diabetes mellitus have a higher risk of cognitive dysfunction and AD. Several recent studies demonstrated that food intake-lowering (anorexigenic) peptides have the potential to improve metabolic disorders and that they may also potentially be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, the neuroprotective effects of anorexigenic peptides of both peripheral and central origins are discussed. Moreover, the role of leptin as a key modulator of energy homeostasis is discussed in relation to its interaction with anorexigenic peptides and their analogs in AD-like pathology. Although there is no perfect experimental model of human AD pathology, animal studies have already proven that anorexigenic peptides exhibit neuroprotective properties. This phenomenon is extremely important for the potential development of new drugs in view of the aging of the human population and of the significantly increasing incidence of AD.

Background:Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is a potential drug for the treatment of obesity and associated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) due to its strong anorexigenic and antidiabetic properties. In our recent study, the lipidized PrRP analog palm11-PrRP31 was proven to exert beneficial effects in APP/PS1 mice, a model of Alzheimer´s Disease (AD)-like amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology, reducing the Aβ plaque load, microgliosis and astrocytosis in the hippocampus and cortex.Objective:In this study, we focused on the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of palm11-PrRP31 and its possible impact on synaptogenesis in the cerebellum of APP/PS1 mice, because others have suggested that cerebellar Aβ plaques contribute to cognitive deficits in AD.Methods:APP/PS1 mice were treated subcutaneously with palm11-PrRP31 for 2 months, then immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were used to quantify pathological markers connected to AD, compared to control mice.Results:In the cerebella of 8 months old APP/PS1 mice, we found widespread Aβ plaques surrounded by activated microglia detected by ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule (Iba1), but no increase in astrocytic marker Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) compared to controls. Interestingly, no difference in both presynaptic markers syntaxin1A and postsynaptic marker spinophilin was registered between APP/PS1 and control mice. Palm11-PrRP31 treatment significantly reduced the Aβ plaque load and microgliosis in the cerebellum. Furthermore, palm11-PrRP31 increased synaptogenesis and attenuated neuroinflammation and apoptosis in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice.Conclusion:These results suggest palm11-PrRP31 is a promising agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a modern analytical technique capable of monitoring the spatial distribution of compounds within target tissues. Collection and storage are important steps in sample preparation. The recommended and most widely used preservation procedure for MSI is freezing samples in isopentane and storing them at temperatures below -80 °C. On the other hand, the most common and general method for preserving biological samples in clinical practice is fixation in paraformaldehyde. Special types of samples prepared from these fixed tissues that are used for histology and immunohistochemistry are free-floating sections. It would be very beneficial if the latter procedure could also be applicable for the samples intended for subsequent MSI analysis. In the present work, we optimized and evaluated paraformaldehyde-fixed free-floating sections for the analysis of lipids in mouse brains and used the sections for the study of lipid changes in double transgenic APP/PS1 mice, a model of Alzheimer's-like pathology. Moreover, we examined the neuroprotective properties of palm11-PrRP31, an anorexigenic and glucose-lowering analog of prolactin-releasing peptide, and liraglutide, a type 2 diabetes drug. From the free-floating sections, we obtained lipid images without interference or delocalization, and we demonstrated that free-floating sections can be used for the MSI of lipids. In the APP/PS1 mice, we observed a changed distribution of various lipids compared to the controls. The most significant changes in lipids in the brains of APP/PS1 mice compared to wild-type controls were related to gangliosides (GM2 36:1, GM3 36:1) and phosphatidylinositols (PI 38:4, 36:4) in regions where the accumulation of senile plaques occurred. In APP/PS1 mice peripherally treated with palm11-PrRP31 or liraglutide for 2 months, we found that both peptides reduced the amount and space occupied by lipids, which were linked to the senile plaques. These results indicate that palm11-PrRP31 as well as liraglutide might be potentially useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major epidemiological problem. Metformin and vildagliptin are well-established antidiabetic drugs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes of plasma metabolic profile induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and subsequent oral administration of metformin, vildagliptin, and their combination in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity (DIO)/T2DM analyzed using quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (qTOF-MS). Metformin treatment increased the levels of butyrylcarnitine and acylcarnitine C18:1 concentrations and decreased the levels of isoleucine concentrations compared to untreated HFD mice. Vildagliptin treatment increased levels of butyrylcarnitine and acetylcarnitine. In summary, our metabolomics study revealed multiple differences between obese diabetic HFD mice and lean standard chow diet (SCD) mice, which were partially modifiable by subsequent metformin and vildagliptin treatment.

Ligands of auxiliary α 2 δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) decrease elevated L-type VDCCs surface expression in arterial myocytes and arterial constriction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). However, their effect on blood pressure (BP) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the hemodynamic response to acute and chronic administration of gabapentin, a ligand of auxiliary α 2 δ subunit of VDCCs, in adult SHR with established neurogenic hypertension. The acute gabapentin administration lowered BP and heart rate more in conscious SHR than Wistar-Kyoto rats. Both nifedipine (L-type VDCCs blocker) and ω-conotoxin GVIA (N-type VDCCs blocker) also decreased BP more in SHR, but only gabapentin and ω-conotoxin GVIA abolished the nitroprusside-induced reflex tachycardia of baroreceptor-heart rate control. Hypotensive effect of gabapentin was accompanied by a reduction of (1) plasma norepinephrine level, (2) depressor response to ganglionic blocker pentolinium, (3) power of low frequency component of systolic BP variability, and (4) pressor response of mesenteric vascular bed to periarterial nerve stimulation, suggesting the decrease of peripheral sympathetic nerve transmission. Moreover, gabapentin effects on BP and baroreflex were absent in sympathectomized rats. In conclusion, the acute (but not chronic) administration of gabapentin lowered BP more in SHR than in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Besides the known L-type VDCCs involvement in the vascular effect of gabapentin, our data revealed the important role of N-type VDCCs in acute gabapentin effect on sympathetic control of BP. Gabapentin-induced changes of sympathetic nerve transmission indicated major hemodynamic mechanism of the acute response to this drug.

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), are increasing in prevalence. Currently, there are no effective and specific treatments for these disorders. Recently, positive effects of the orexigenic hormone ghrelin on memory and learning were demonstrated in mouse models of AD and PD. In this study, we tested the potential neuroprotective properties of a stable and long-lasting ghrelin analog, Dpr(3)ghrelin (Dpr(3)ghr), in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells stressed with 1.2 mM methylglyoxal (MG), a toxic endogenous by-product of glycolysis, and we examined the impact of Dpr(3)ghr on apoptosis. Pre-treatment with both 10(-5) and 10(-7) M Dpr(3)ghr resulted in increased viability in SH-SY5Y cells (determined by MTT staining), as well as reduced cytotoxicity of MG in these cells (determined by LDH assay). Dpr(3)ghr increased viability by altering pro-apoptotic and viability markers: Bax was decreased, Bcl-2 was increased, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was attenuated. The ghrelin receptor GHS-R1 and Dpr(3)ghr-induced activation of PBK/Akt were immuno-detected in SH-SY5Y cells to demonstrate the presence of GHS-R1 and GHS-R1 activation, respectively. We demonstrated that Dpr(3)ghr protected SH-SY5Y cells against MG-induced neurotoxicity and apoptosis. Our data suggest that stable ghrelin analogs may be candidates for the effective treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were characterized as risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. Subsequently, T2DM drugs, such as liraglutide, were proven to be neuroprotective compounds attenuating levels of amyloid deposits, and tau hyperphosphorylation, both hallmarks of AD. The central anorexigenic effects of liraglutide inspired us to examine the potential neuroprotective effects of palm11-PrRP31, a strong anorexigenic analog with glucose-lowering properties, in THY-Tau22 mice overexpressing mutated human tau, a model of AD-like tau pathology. Seven-month-old THY-Tau22 mice were subcutaneously infused with palm11-PrRP31 for 2 months. Spatial memory was tested before and after the treatment, using a Y-maze. At the end of the treatment, mice were sacrificed by decapitation and hippocampi were dissected and analyzed by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. Treatment with palm11-PrRP31 resulted in significantly improved spatial memory. In the hippocampi of palm11-PrRP31-treated THY-Tau22 mice, tau protein phosphorylation was attenuated at Thr231, Ser396, and Ser404, the epitopes linked to AD progression. The mechanism of this attenuation remains unclear, since the activation of those kinases most implicated in tau hyperphosphorylation, such as GSK-3β, JNK, or MAPK/ERK1/2, remained unchanged by palm11-PrRP31 treatment. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in the amount of postsynaptic density protein PSD95, and a non-significant increase of synaptophysin, both markers of increased synaptic plasticity, which could also result in improved spatial memory of THY-Tau22 mice treated with palm11-PrRP31. Palm11-PrRP31 seems to be a potential tool for the attenuation of neurodegenerative disorders in the brain. However, the exact mechanism of its action must be elucidated.

The situation following anti-obesity drug termination is rarely investigated, eventhough a decrease in body weight needs to be sustained. Therefore, this study examined the impact of twice-daily peripheral administration of 5 mg/kg [N-palm-γGlu-Lys11] prolactin-releasing peptide 31 (palm11-PrRP31) in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO from consuming a high-fat diet) after 28 days of treatment (palm11-PrRP31 group) and after 14 days of peptide treatment followed by 14 days of discontinuation (palm11-PrRP31 + saline group). At the end of the treatment, cumulative food intake, body weight and subcutaneous fat weight/body weight ratio and leptin plasma level were reduced significantly in both the palm11-PrRP31 group and the palm11-PrRP31 + saline group compared to the saline control group. This reduction correlated with significantly increased FOSB, a marker of long-term neuronal potentiation, in the nucleus arcuatus and nucleus tractus solitarii, areas known to be affected by the anorexigenic effect of palm11-PrRP31. Moreover, activation of leptin-related hypothalamic signaling was registered through an increase in phosphoinositide-3-kinase, increased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB, AKT) and enhanced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation. Besides, lowered apoptotic markers c-JUN N-terminal kinase and c-JUN phosphorylation were registered in the hypothalami of both palm11-PrRP31-treated groups. This study demonstrates that palm11-PrRP31 positively affects feeding and leptin-related hypothalamic signaling, not only after 28 days of treatment but even 14 days after the termination of a 14-day long treatment without the yo-yo effect.

Liraglutide is the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently, it has been demonstrated to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk. Although the major modes of liraglutide action are well-known, its detailed action at the metabolic level has not been studied. To this end, we explored the effect of 2-week liraglutide treatment in C57BL/6 male mice with obesity and diabetes induced by 13 weeks of high-fat diet using NMR spectroscopy to capture the changes in urine metabolic profile induced by the therapy. The liraglutide treatment decreased body and fat pads weight along with blood glucose and triglyceride levels. NMR spectroscopy identified 11 metabolites significantly affected by liraglutide treatment as compared to high-fat diet-fed control group. These metabolites included ones involved in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide metabolism, β-oxidation of fatty acids and microbiome changes. Although majority of the metabolites changed after liraglutide treatment were similar as the ones previously identified after vildagliptin administration in a similar mouse model, the changes in creatinine, taurine and trigonelline were specific for liraglutide administration. The significance of these changes and its possible use in the personalization of antidiabetic therapy in humans requires further research.

Calcium sensitization mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway can be evaluated either in the absence (basal calcium sensitization) or in the presence of endogenous vasoconstrictor systems (activated calcium sensitization). Our aim was to compare basal and activated calcium sensitization in three forms of experimental hypertension with increased sympathetic tone and enhanced calcium entry—spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), heterozygous Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR), and salt hypertensive Dahl rats. Activated calcium sensitization was determined as blood pressure reduction induced by acute administration of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil in conscious rats with intact sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Basal calcium sensitization was studied as fasudil-dependent difference in blood pressure response to calcium channel opener BAY K8644 in rats subjected to RAS and SNS blockade. Calcium sensitization was also estimated from reduced development of isolated artery contraction by Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632. Activated calcium sensitization was enhanced in all three hypertensive models (due to the hyperactivity of vasoconstrictor systems). In contrast, basal calcium sensitization was reduced in SHR and TGR relative to their controls, whereas it was augmented in salt-sensitive Dahl rats relative to their salt-resistant controls. Similar differences in calcium sensitization were seen in femoral arteries of SHR and Dahl rats.

Adipose tissue is an active metabolic organ that contributes to processes such as energy storage and utilization and to the production of a number of metabolic agents, such as adipokines, which play a role in inflammation. In this review, we try to elucidate the connections between peripheral inflammation at obesity and Type 2 diabetes and the central inflammatory process. Multiple lines of evidence highlight the importance of peripheral inflammation and its link to neuroinflammation, which can lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease. In addition to the accumulation of misfolded amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide and the formation of the neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the brain, activated microglia and reactive astrocytes are the main indicators of AD progression. They were found close to Aβ plaques in the brains of both AD patients and rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology. Cytokines are key players in pro- and anti-inflammatory processes and are also produced by microglia and astrocytes. The interplay of seemingly unrelated pathways between the periphery and the brain could, in fact, have a common denominator, with inflammation in general being a key factor affecting neuronal processes in the brain. An increased amount of white adipose tissue throughout the body seems to be an important player in pro-inflammatory processes. Nevertheless, other important factors should be studied to elucidate the pathological processes of and the relationship among obesity, Type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

Lack of leptin production in ob/ob mice results in obesity and prediabetes that could be partly reversed by leptin supplementation. In the hypothalamus, leptin supports the production of prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), an anorexigenic neuropeptide synthesized and active in the brain. In our recent studies, the palmitoylated PrRP analog palm11-PrRP31 showed a central anorexigenic effect after peripheral administration. This study investigates whether PrRP could compensate for the deficient leptin in ob/ob mice. In two separate experiments, palm11-PrRP31 (5 mg/kg) and leptin (5 or 10 μg/kg) were administered subcutaneously twice daily for 2 or 8 weeks to 8- (younger) or 16-(older) week-old ob/ob mice, respectively, either separately or in combination. The body weight decreasing effect of palm11-PrRP31 in both younger and older ob/ob mice was significantly powered by a subthreshold leptin dose, the combined effect could be then considered synergistic. Leptin and palm11-PrRP31 also synergistically lowered liver weight and blood glucose in younger ob/ob mice. Reduced liver weight was linked to decreased mRNA expression of lipogenic enzymes. In the hypothalamus of older ob/ob mice, two main leptin anorexigenic signaling pathways, namely, Janus kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 activation and AMP-activated protein kinase de-activation, were induced by leptin, palm11-PrRP31, and their combination. Thus, palm11-PrRP31 could partially compensate for leptin deficiency in ob/ob mice. In conclusion, the results demonstrate a synergistic effect of leptin and our lipidized palm11-PrRP31 analog.

Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) belongs to the large RF-amide neuropeptide family with a conserved Arg-Phe-amide motif at the C-terminus. PrRP plays a main role in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. This review focuses not only on the physiological functions of PrRP, but also on its pharmacological properties and the actions of its G-protein coupled receptor, GPR10. Special attention is paid to structure-activity relationship studies on PrRP and its analogs as well as to their effect on different physiological functions, mainly their anorexigenic and neuroprotective features and the regulation of the cardiovascular system, pain, and stress. Additionally, the therapeutic potential of this peptide and its analogs is explored.

G-protein-coupled receptor GPR10 is expressed in brain areas regulating energy metabolism. In this study, the effects of GPR10 gene deficiency on energy homeostasis in mice of both sexes fed either standard chow or a high-fat diet (HFD) were studied, with a focus on neuronal activation of PrRP neurons, and adipose tissue and liver metabolism. GPR10 deficiency in males upregulated the phasic and tonic activity of PrRP neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract. GPR10 knockout (KO) males on a standard diet displayed a higher body weight than their wild-type (WT) littermates due to an increase in adipose tissue mass; however, HFD feeding did not cause weight differences between genotypes. Expression of lipogenesis genes was suppressed in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of GPR10 KO males. In contrast, GPR10 KO females did not differ in body weight from their WT controls, but showed elevated expression of lipid metabolism genes in the liver and subcutaneous adipose tissue compared to WT controls. An attenuated non-esterified fatty acids change after glucose load compared to WT controls suggested a defect in insulin-mediated suppression of lipolysis in GPR10 KO females. Indirect calorimetry did not reveal any differences in energy expenditure among groups. In conclusion, deletion of GPR10 gene resulted in changes in lipid metabolism in mice of both sexes, however in different extent. An increase in adipose tissue mass observed in only GPR10 KO males may have been prevented in GPR10 KO females owing to a compensatory increase in the expression of metabolic genes.

Obesity is a risk factor that worsens cardiovascular events leading to higher morbidity and mortality. However, the exact mechanisms of relation between obesity and cardiovascular events are unclear. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that pharmacological therapy for obesity has great potential to improve some cardiovascular problems. Therefore, it is important to determine the common mechanisms regulating both food intake and blood pressure. Several hormones produced by peripheral tissues work together with neuropeptides involved in the regulation of both food intake and blood pressure. Anorexigenic (food intake lowering) hormones such as leptin, glucagon-like peptide-1 and cholecystokinin cooperate with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated peptide as well as prolactin-releasing peptide. Curiously their collective actions result in increased sympathetic activity, especially in the kidney, which could be one of the factors responsible for the blood pressure increases seen in obesity. On the other hand, orexigenic (food intake enhancing) peptides, especially ghrelin released from the stomach and acting in the brain, cooperates with orexins, neuropeptide Y, melanin-concentrating hormone and galanin, which leads to decreased sympathetic activity and blood pressure. This paradox should be intensively studied in the future. Moreover, it is important to know that the hypothalamus together with the brainstem seem to be major structures in the regulation of food intake and blood pressure. Thus, the above mentioned regions might be essential brain components in the transmission of peripheral signals to the central effects. In this short review, we summarize the current information on cardiovascular effects of food intake regulating peptides.

Obesity is an escalating epidemic, but an effective noninvasive therapy is still scarce. For obesity treatment, anorexigenic neuropeptides are promising tools, but their delivery from the periphery to the brain is complicated because peptides have a low stability and limited ability to cross the blood–brain barrier. In this review, we summarize results of several studies with our newly designed lipidized analogs of prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP). PrRP is involved in feeding and energy balance regulation as demonstrated by obesity phenotypes of both PrRP- and PrRP-receptor-knockout mice. Lipidized PrRP analogs showed binding affinity and signaling in PrRP receptor-expressing cells similar to natural PrRP. Moreover, these analogs showed high binding affinity also to anorexigenic neuropeptide FF (NPFF)-2 receptor. Acute peripheral administration of myristoylated and palmitoylated PrRP analogs to mice and rats induced strong and long-lasting anorexigenic effects and neuronal activation in the brain areas involved in food intake regulation. Two-week-long subcutaneous administration of palmitoylated PrRP31 and myristoylated PrRP20 lowered food intake, body weight, improved metabolic parameters and attenuated lipogenesis in mice with diet-induced obesity. A strong anorexigenic, body weight-reducing and glucose tolerance-improving effect of palmitoylated-PrRP31 was shown also in diet-induced obese rats after its repeated 2-week-long peripheral administration. Thus, the strong anorexigenic and body weight-reducing effects of palmitoylated PrRP31 and myristoylated PrRP20 make these analogs attractive candidates for antiobesity treatment. Moreover, PrRP receptor might be a new target for obesity therapy.

Obesity is an escalating epidemic, but an effective non-invasive therapy is still scarce. For obesity treatment, anorexigenic neuropeptides are promising tools, but their delivery from the periphery to the brain is complicated by their peptide character. In order to overcome this unfavorable fact, we have applied the lipidization of neuropeptide prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), whose strong anorexigenic effect was demonstrated. A palmitoylated analog of human PrRP (h palm-PrRP31) was injected in free-fed Wistar rats by three routes: subcutaneous (s.c.), intraperitoneal (i.p) (both 5 mg/kg) and intravenous (i.v.) (from 0.01 to 0.5 mg/kg). We found a circulating compound in the blood after all three applications with the highest concentration after i.v. administration. This corresponds to the effect on food intake, which was also strongest after i.v. injection. Moreover, this is in agreement with the fact that the expression of c-Fos in specific brain regions involved in food intake regulation was also highest after intravenous application. Pharmacokinetic data are further supported by results obtained from dynamic light scattering and CD spectroscopy. Human palm-PrRP31 analog showed a strong tendency to micellize, and formation of aggregates suggested lower availability after i.p. or s.c. application. We have demonstrated that palm-PrRP influenced food intake even in free fed rats. Not surprisingly, the maximal effect was achieved after the intravenous application even though two orders of magnitude lower dose was used compared to both two other applications. We believe that palm-PrRP could have a potential as an antiobesity drug when its s.c. application would be improved.

Activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) might induce transcription and expression of different antioxidant enzymes and also of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms. Thus, we aimed at studying the effect of NF-κB inhibition, caused by JSH-23 (4-methyl-N1-(3-phenyl-propyl)-benzene-1,2-diamine) injection, on ROS and NO generation in hereditary hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) rats. 12-week-old, male Wistar and HTG rats were treated with JSH-23 (bolus, 10μmol, i.v.). After one week, blood pressure (BP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, SOD1, endothelial NOS (eNOS), and NF-κB (p65) protein expressions were higher in the heart of HTG rats compared to control rats. On the other hand, NOS activity was decreased. In HTG rats, JSH-23 treatment increased BP and heart conjugated dienes (CD) concentration (measured as the marker of tissue oxidative damage). Concomitantly, SOD activity together with SOD1 expression was decreased, while NOS activity and eNOS protein expression were increased significantly. In conclusion, NF-κB inhibition in HTG rats led to decreased ROS degradation by SOD followed by increased oxidative damage in the heart and BP elevation. In these conditions, increased NO generation may represent rather a counterregulatory mechanism activated by ROS. Nevertheless, this mechanism was not sufficient enough to compensate BP increase in HTG rats.

Ligands of auxiliary α

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are important risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Drugs originally developed for T2DM treatment, e.g., analog of glucagon-like peptide 1 liraglutide, have shown neuroprotective effects in mouse models of AD. We previously examined the neuroprotective properties of palm11-PrRP31, an anorexigenic and glucose-lowering analog of prolactin-releasing peptide, in a mouse model of AD-like Tau pathology, THY-Tau22 mice. Here, we demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of palm11-PrRP31 in double transgenic APP/PS1 mice, a model of AD-like β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology. The 7-8-month-old APP/PS1 male mice were subcutaneously injected with liraglutide or palm11-PrRP31 for 2 months. Both the liraglutide and palm11-PrRP31 treatments reduced the Aβ plaque load in the hippocampus. Palm11-PrRP31 also significantly reduced hippocampal microgliosis, consistent with our observations of a reduced Aβ plaque load, and reduced cortical astrocytosis, similar to the treatment with liraglutide. Palm11-PrRP31 also tended to increase neurogenesis, as indicated by the number of doublecortin-positive cells in the hippocampus. After the treatment with both anorexigenic compounds, we observed a significant decrease in Tau phosphorylation at Thr231, one of the first epitopes phosphorylated in AD. This effect was probably caused by elevated activity of protein phosphatase 2A subunit C, the main Tau phosphatase. Both liraglutide and palm11-PrRP31 reduced the levels of caspase 3, which has multiple roles in the pathogenesis of AD. Palm11-PrRP31 increased protein levels of the pre-synaptic marker synaptophysin, suggesting that palm11-PrRP31 might help preserve synapses. These results indicate that palm11-PrRP31 has promising potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Ghrelin, the only known orexigenic gut hormone produced primarily in the stomach, has lately gained attention as a potential treatment of anorexia and cachexia. However, its biologic stability is highly limited; therefore, a number of both peptide and nonpeptide ghrelin analogs have been synthesized. In this study, we provide in vitro and in vivo characterization of a series of novel peptide growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a) agonists, both under nonpathologic conditions and in the context of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced anorexia. These analogs were based on our previous series modified by replacing the Ser3 with diaminopropionic acid (Dpr), the N-terminal Gly with sarcosine, and Phe4 with various noncoded amino acids. New analogs were further modified by replacing the n-octanoyl bound to Dpr3 with longer or unsaturated fatty acid residues, by incorporation of the second fatty acid residue into the molecule, or by shortening the peptide chain. These modifications preserved the ability of ghrelin analogs to bind to the membranes of cells transfected with GHS-R1a, as well as the GHS-R1a signaling activation. The selected analogs exhibited long-lasting and potent orexigenic effects after a single s.c. administration in mice. The stability of new ghrelin analogs in mice after s.c. administration was significantly higher when compared with ghrelin and [Dpr3]ghrelin, with half-lives of approximately 2 hours. A single s.c. injection of the selected ghrelin analogs in mice with LPS-induced anorexia significantly increased food intake via the activation of orexigenic pathways and normalized blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines, demonstrating the anti-inflammatory potential of the analogs.

Background/Objectives Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) has a potential to decrease food intake and ameliorate obesity, but is ineffective after peripheral administration. We have previously shown that our novel lipidized analogs PrRP enhances its stability in the circulation and enables its central effect after peripheral application. The purpose of this study was to explore if sub-chronic administration of novel PrRP analog palmitoylated in position 11 (palm11-PrRP31) to Koletsky-spontaneously hypertensive obese rats (SHROB) could lower body weight and glucose intolerance as well as other metabolic parameters. Subjects/Methods The SHROB rats (n = 16) were used for this study and age-matched hypertensive lean SHR littermates (n = 16) served as controls. Palm11-PrRP31 was administered intraperitoneally to SHR and SHROB (n = 8) at a dose of 5 mg/kg once-daily for 3 weeks. During the dosing period food intake and body weight were monitored. At the end of the experiment the oral glucose tolerance test was performed; plasma and tissue samples were collected. Thereafter, arterial blood pressure was measured. Results At the end of the experiment, vehicle-treated SHROB rats showed typical metabolic syndrome parameters, including obesity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Peripheral treatment with palm11-PrRP31 progressively decreased the body weight of SHR rats but not SHROB rats, though glucose tolerance was markedly improved in both strains. Moreover, in SHROB palm11-PrRP31 ameliorated the HOMA index, insulin/glucagon ratio, and increased insulin receptor substrate 1 and 2 expression in fat and insulin signaling in the hypothalamus, while it had no effect on blood pressure. Conclusions We demonstrated that our new lipidized PrRP analog is capable of improving glucose tolerance in obese SHROB rats after peripheral application, suggesting that its effect on glucose metabolism is independent of leptin signaling and body weight lowering. These data suggest that this analog has the potential to be a compound with both anti-obesity and glucose-lowering properties.

Hypertension is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, but despite a century of clinical and basic research, the discrete etiology of this disease is still not fully understood. The same is true for obesity, which is recognized as a major global epidemic health problem nowadays. Obesity is associated with an increasing prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors including hypertension, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Epidemiological studies have shown that excess weight gain predicts future development of hypertension, and the relationship between BMI and blood pressure (BP) appears to be almost linear in different populations. There is no doubt that obesity-related hypertension is a multifactorial and polygenic trait, and multiple potential pathogenetic mechanisms probably contribute to the development of higher BP in obese humans. These include hyperinsulinemia, activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, sympathetic nervous system stimulation, abnormal levels of certain adipokines such as leptin, or cytokines acting at the vascular endothelial level. Moreover, some genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are also in play. Although the full manifestation of both hypertension and obesity occurs predominantly in adulthood, their roots can be traced back to early ontogeny. The detailed knowledge of alterations occurring in the organism of experimental animals during particular critical periods (developmental windows) could help to solve this phenomenon in humans and might facilitate the age-specific prevention of human obesity-related hypertension. In addition, better understanding of particular pathophysiological mechanisms might be useful in so-called personalized medicine.

Calcium entry through nifedipine-sensitive L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (L-VDCC) is augmented in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) characterized by enhanced sympathetic vasoconstriction. However, the changes of calcium sensitization mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway are less understood.The participation of calcium entry and calcium sensitization in the control of blood pressure (BP) and vascular contraction was studied in SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. The acute administration of fasudil (Rho kinase inhibitor) caused BP decrease which lasted longer in SHR. Fasudil also attenuated adrenergic contraction in femoral or mesenteric arteries of WKY and SHR. BP reduction elicited by fasudil in WKY was more pronounced than that induced by L-VDCC blocker nifedipine (-33±2 vs. -15±3% of baseline BP, P0.001), whereas both inhibitors were similarly effective in SHR (-36±4 vs. -41±2%). Fasudil pretreatment also attenuated BP elevation elicited by L-VDCC agonist BAY K8644 more in WKY than in SHR (-63±4 vs. -42±5%, P0.001), indicating reduced calcium sensitization in SHR. Moreover, fasudil pretreatment shifted norepinephrine dose-response curves to the right more in WKY than in SHR. The additional nifedipine pretreatment shifted these curves further to the right but this shift was more pronounced in SHR than in WKY. Thus adrenergic vasoconstriction is more dependent on L-VDCC in SHR and on RhoA/Rho kinase pathway in WKY rats.Ca sensitization mediated by RhoA/Rho kinase pathway is attenuated in SHR compared with normotensive WKY rats. This might be a part of the compensation for enhanced Ca entry through L-VDCC in genetic hypertension.

A number of novel lipopeptides have been studied for their possible therapeutic potential. These studies should be supported by the appropriate analytical tools not only for novel potential drugs but also for their metabolites, precursors and side products. Lipopeptides have specific physicochemical properties that make them successful in medical applications. However, there are some difficulties with their qualitative and quantitative analyses in biological samples. Therefore, reliable, sensitive and robust analytical methods are in high demand. The main interest of our review is to describe a selection of specific and important properties of lipopeptides, and the analytical methods currently utilized for their characterization and determination in biological samples. A comparison of the pros and cons of immunomethods versus LC–MS methods is discussed in detail.

Significant relationships between ion transport and membrane lipid composition (cholesterol, total phospholipids and sphingomyelins) were found in erythrocytes of salt hypertensive Dahl rats. In these animals mean cellular hemoglobin content correlated negatively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and Na(+) leak but positively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Immature erythrocytes exhibit lower mean cellular hemoglobin content (MCHC) than mature ones. The aim of the present study was to find a relationship between erythrocyte maturity, membrane lipid composition and ion transport activity in Wistar rats aged three months which were subjected to repeated hemorrhage (blood loss 2 ml/day for 6 days) to enrich circulating erythrocytes with immature forms. Immature and mature erythrocyte fractions in control and hemorrhaged rats were separated by repeated centrifugation. Hemorrhaged rats had increased number of reticulocytes but reduced hematocrit and MCHC compared to control rats. Immature erythrocytes of hemorrhaged rats differed from mature ones of control animals by elevated Na(+)-K(+) pump activity, reduced Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity and increased Rb(+) leak. These ion transport changes in immature erythrocytes were accompanied by higher concentration of total phospholipids in their cell membranes. Membrane phospholipid content correlated positively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and cation leaks but negatively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Moreover, they were also negatively related with MCHC which correlated negatively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and Rb(+) leak but positively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Thus certain abnormalities of erythrocyte ion transport and membrane lipid composition detected in hypertensive animals might be caused by higher incidence of immature cells.

Anorexigenic neuropeptides produced and acting in the brain have the potential to decrease food intake and ameliorate obesity, but are ineffective after peripheral application, owing to a limited ability to cross the blood–brain barrier. We have designed lipidized analogs of prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP), which is involved in energy balance regulation as demonstrated by obesity phenotypes of bothPrrp-knockout andPrrpreceptor-knockout mice. The aim of this study was to characterize the subchronic effect of a palmitoylated PrRP analog in two rat models of obesity and diabetes: diet-induced obese Sprague–Dawley rats and leptin receptor-deficient Zucker diabetic (ZDF) rats. In the rats with diet-induced obesity (DIO), a two-week intraperitoneal treatment with palmitoylated PrRP lowered food intake by 24% and body weight by 8%. This treatment also improved glucose tolerance and tended to decrease leptin levels and adipose tissue masses in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, in ZDF rats, the same treatment with palmitoylated PrRP lowered food intake but did not significantly affect body weight or glucose tolerance, probably in consequence of severe leptin resistance due to a nonfunctional leptin receptor. Our data indicate a good efficacy of lipidized PrRP in DIO rats. Thus, the strong anorexigenic, body weight-reducing, and glucose tolerance-improving effects make palmitoylated PrRP an attractive candidate for anti-obesity treatment.

Metformin, vildagliptin and their combination are widely used for the treatment of diabetes, but little is known about the metabolic responses to these treatments. In the present study, NMR-based metabolomics was applied to detect changes in the urinary metabolomic profile of a mouse model of diet-induced obesity in response to these treatments. Additionally, standard biochemical parameters and the expression of enzymes involved in glucose and fat metabolism were monitored. Significant correlations were observed between several metabolites (e.g., N-carbamoyl-β-alanine, N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide, glucose, 3-indoxyl sulfate, dimethylglycine and several acylglycines) and the area under the curve of glucose concentrations during the oral glucose tolerance test. The present study is the first to present N-carbamoyl-β-alanine as a potential marker of type 2 diabetes mellitus and consequently to demonstrate the efficacies of the applied antidiabetic interventions. Moreover, the elevated acetate level observed after vildagliptin administration might reflect increased fatty acid oxidation.

Fifty years ago, Lewis K. Dahl has presented a new model of salt hypertension – salt-sensitive and salt-resistant Dahl rats. Twenty years later, John P. Rapp has published the first and so far the only comprehensive review on this rat model covering numerous aspects of pathophysiology and genetics of salt hypertension. When we summarized 25 years of our own research on Dahl/Rapp rats, we have realized the need to outline principal abnormalities of this model, to show their interactions at different levels of the organism and to highlight the ontogenetic aspects of salt hypertension development. Our attention was focused on some cellular aspects (cell membrane function, ion transport, cell calcium handling), intra- and extrarenal factors affecting renal function and/or renal injury, local and systemic effects of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, endothelial and smooth muscle changes responsible for abnormal vascular contraction or relaxation, altered balance between various vasoconstrictor and vasodilator systems in blood pressure maintenance as well as on the central nervous and peripheral mechanisms involved in the regulation of circulatory homeostasis. We also searched for the age-dependent impact of environmental and pharmacological interventions, which modify the development of high blood pressure and/or organ damage, if they influence the salt-sensitive organism in particular critical periods of development (developmental windows). Thus, severe self-sustaining salt hypertension in young Dahl rats is characterized by pronounced dysbalance between augmented sympathetic hyperactivity and relative nitric oxide deficiency, attenuated baroreflex as well as by a major increase of residual blood pressure indicating profound remodeling of resistance vessels. Salt hypertension development in young but not in adult Dahl rats can be attenuated by preventive increase of potassium or calcium intake. On the contrary, moderate salt hypertension in adult Dahl rats is attenuated by superoxide scavenging or endothelin-A receptor blockade which do not affect salt hypertension development in young animals.