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Epidemiological studies have observed associations between frequent interruptions of sitting time with physical activity bouts and beneficial metabolic outcomes, even in individuals who regularly exercise. Frequent interruptions to prolonged sitting reduce postprandial plasma glucose. Here we studied potential skeletal muscle mechanisms accounting for this improved control of glycemia in overweight adults under conditions of one day uninterrupted sitting and sitting interrupted with light-intensity or moderate-intensity walking every 20-min (n = 8); and, after three days of either uninterrupted sitting or light-intensity walking interruptions (n = 5). Contraction- and insulin-mediated glucose uptake signaling pathways as well as changes in oxidative phosphorylation proteins were examined. We showed that 1) both interventions reduce postprandial glucose concentration, 2) acute interruptions to sitting over one day stimulate the contraction-mediated glucose uptake pathway, 3) both acute interruptions to sitting with moderate-intensity activity over one day and light-intensity activity over three days induce a transition to modulation of the insulin-signaling pathway, in association with increased capacity for glucose transport. Only the moderate-intensity interruptions resulted in greater capacity for glycogen synthesis and likely for ATP production. These observations contribute to a mechanistic explanation of improved postprandial glucose metabolism with regular interruptions to sitting time, a promising preventive strategy for metabolic diseases.

Aims: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) can modulate glucose metabolism through multiple mechanisms. This study determined the effects of a novel bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) inhibitor (RVX-208) and putative apoA-I inducer on lipid species contained within HDL (HDL lipidome) and glucose metabolism., Materials and Methods: Twenty unmedicated males with prediabetes received 100mg b.i.d. RVX-208 and placebo for 29-33days separated by a wash-out period in a randomized, cross-over design trial. Plasma HDL-cholesterol and apoA-I were assessed as well as lipoprotein particle size and distribution using NMR spectroscopy. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) protocol with oral and infused stable isotope tracers was employed to assess postprandial plasma glucose, indices of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, glucose kinetics and lipolysis. Whole plasma and HDL lipid profiles were measured using mass spectrometry., Results: RVX-208 treatment for 4weeks increased 6 sphingolipid and 4 phospholipid classes in the HDL lipidome (p≤0.05 versus placebo), but did not change conventional clinical lipid measures. The concentration of medium-sized HDL particles increased by 11% (P=0.01) and small-sized HDL particles decreased by 10% (P=0.04) after RVX-208 treatment. In response to a glucose load, after RVX-208 treatment, plasma glucose peaked at a similar level to placebo, but 30min later with a more sustained elevation (treatment effect, P=0.003). There was a reduction and delay in total (P=0.001) and oral (P=0.003) glucose rates of appearance in plasma and suppression of endogenous glucose production (P=0.014) after RVX-208 treatment. The rate of glucose disappearance was also lower following RVX-208 (P=0.016), with no effect on glucose oxidation or total glucose disposal., Conclusions: RVX-208 increased 10 lipid classes in the plasma HDL fraction, without altering the concentrations of either apoA-I or HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C). RVX-208 delayed and reduced oral glucose absorption and endogenous glucose production, with plasma glucose maintained via reduced peripheral glucose disposal. If sustained, these effects may protect against the development of type 2 diabetes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: We recently reported that ramipril more than doubled maximum walking times in patients with peripheral artery disease with intermittent claudication., Objective: Our aim was to conduct exploratory analyses of the effects of ramipril therapy on circulating biomarkers of angiogenesis/arteriogenesis, thrombosis, inflammation, and leukocyte adhesion in patients with intermittent claudication., Methods and Results: One hundred sixty-five patients with intermittent claudication (mean, 65.3 [SD, 6.7] years) were administered ramipril 10 mg per day (n=82) or matching placebo (n=83) for 24 weeks in a randomized, double-blind study. Plasma biomarkers of angiogenesis/arteriogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor-A, fibroblast growth factor-2), thrombosis (D-dimer, von Willebrand factor, thrombin-antithrombin III), inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, osteopontin), and leukocyte adhesion (soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1) were measured at baseline and 24 weeks. Relative to placebo, ramipril was associated with increases in vascular endothelial growth factor-A by 38% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34%-42%) and fibroblast growth factor-2 by 64% (95% CI, 44-85%; P<0.001 for both), and reductions in D-dimer by 24% (95% CI, -30% to -18%), von Willebrand factor by 22% (95% CI, -35% to -9%), thrombin-antithrombin III by 16% (95% CI, -19% to -13%), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein by 13% (95% CI, -14% to -9%), osteopontin by 12% (95% CI, -14% to -10%), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 by 14% (95% CI, -18% to -10%), and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 by 15% (95% CI, -17% to -13%; all P<0.001). With the exception of von Willebrand factor, all the above changes correlated significantly with the change in maximum walking time (P=0.02-0.001) in the group treated with ramipril., Conclusions: Ramipril is associated with an increase in the biomarkers of angiogenesis/arteriogenesis and reduction in the markers of thrombosis, inflammation, and leukocyte adhesion. This study informs strategies to improve mobility in patients with intermittent claudication., Clinical Trial Registration Information Url: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00681226.

Introduction: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a potential therapeutic target to reverse obesity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether primary precursor cells isolated from human adult subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) can be induced to differentiate in-vitro into adipocytes that express key markers of brown or beige adipose, and whether the expression level of such markers differs between lean and obese young adult males., Methods: Adipogenic precursor cells were isolated from lean and obese individuals from subcutaneous abdominal WAT biopsies. Cells were grown to confluence, differentiated for 2.5 weeks then harvested for measurement of gene expression and UCP1 protein., Results: There was no difference between groups with respect to differentiation into adipocytes, as indicated by oil red-O staining, rates of lipolysis, and expression of adipogenic genes (FABP4, PPARG). WAT genes (HOXC9, RB1) were expressed equally in the two groups. Post differentiation, the beige adipose specific genes CITED1 and CD137 were significantly increased in both groups, but classic BAT markers ZIC1 and LHX8 decreased significantly. Cell lines from both groups also equally increased post-differentiation expression of the thermogenic-responsive gene PPARGC1A (PGC-1α). UCP1 gene expression was undetectable prior to differentiation, however after differentiation both gene expression and protein content were increased in both groups and were significantly greater in cultures from lean compared with obese individuals (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Human subcutaneous WAT cells can be induced to attain BAT characteristics, but this capacity is reduced in WAT cells from obese individuals.

Rationale: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol elevation via cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibition represents a novel therapy for atherosclerosis, which also may have relevance for type 2 diabetes mellitus., Objective: The current study assessed the effects of a CETP inhibitor on postprandial insulin, ex vivo insulin secretion, and cholesterol efflux from pancreatic β-cells., Methods and Results: Healthy participants received a daily dose of CETP inhibitor (n=10) or placebo (n=15) for 14 days in a randomized double-blind study. Insulin secretion and cholesterol efflux from MIN6N8 β-cells were determined after incubation with treated plasma. CETP inhibition increased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, and postprandial insulin. MIN6N8 β-cells incubated with plasma from CETP inhibitor-treated individuals (compared with placebo) exhibited an increase in both glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and cholesterol efflux over the 14-day treatment period., Conclusions: CETP inhibition increased postprandial insulin and promoted ex vivo β-cell glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, potentially via enhanced β-cell cholesterol efflux.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that high density lipoprotein (HDL) may modulate glucose metabolism through multiple mechanisms including pancreatic insulin secretion as well as insulin-independent glucose uptake into muscle. We hypothesized that HDL may also increase skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity via cholesterol removal and anti-inflammatory actions in macrophages associated with excess adiposity and ectopic lipid deposition., Methods: Human primary and THP-1 macrophages were treated with vehicle (PBS) or acetylated low density lipoprotein (acLDL) with or without HDL for 18 hours. Treatments were then removed, and macrophages were incubated with fresh media for 4 hours. This conditioned media was then applied to primary human skeletal myotubes derived from vastus lateralis biopsies taken from patients with type 2 diabetes to examine insulin-stimulated glucose uptake., Results: Conditioned media from acLDL-treated primary and THP-1 macrophages reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in primary human skeletal myotubes compared with vehicle (primary macrophages, 168±21% of basal uptake to 104±19%; THP-1 macrophages, 142±8% of basal uptake to 108±6%; P<0.05). This was restored by co-treatment of macrophages with HDL. While acLDL increased total intracellular cholesterol content, phosphorylation of c-jun N-terminal kinase and secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines from macrophages, none were altered by co-incubation with HDL. Insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in human skeletal myotubes exposed to conditioned media was unaltered by either treatment condition., Conclusion: Inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in primary human skeletal myotubes by conditioned media from macrophages pre-incubated with acLDL was restored by co-treatment with HDL. However, these actions were not linked to modulation of common pro- or anti-inflammatory mediators or insulin signaling via Akt.

We recently demonstrated that reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL) modulates glucose metabolism in humans via both AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in muscle and by increasing plasma insulin. Given the key roles of both AMPK and insulin in fatty acid metabolism, the current study investigated the effect of rHDL infusion on fatty acid oxidation and lipolysis. Thirteen patients with type 2 diabetes received separate infusions of rHDL and placebo in a randomized, cross-over study. Fatty acid metabolism was assessed using steady-state tracer methodology, and plasma lipids were measured by mass spectrometry (lipidomics). In vitro studies were undertaken in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. rHDL infusion inhibited fasting-induced lipolysis (P = 0.03), fatty acid oxidation (P < 0.01), and circulating glycerol (P = 0.04). In vitro, HDL inhibited adipocyte lipolysis in part via activation of AMPK, providing a possible mechanistic link for the apparent reductions in lipolysis observed in vivo. In contrast, circulating NEFA increased after rHDL infusion (P < 0.01). Lipidomic analyses implicated phospholipase hydrolysis of rHDL-associated phosphatidylcholine as the cause, rather than lipolysis of endogenous fat stores. rHDL infusion inhibits fasting-induced lipolysis and oxidation in patients with type 2 diabetes, potentially through both AMPK activation in adipose tissue and elevation of plasma insulin. The phospholipid component of rHDL also has the potentially undesirable effect of increasing circulating NEFA.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated as an important signaling molecule in the insulin-independent, contraction-mediated glucose uptake pathway and may represent a novel strategy for blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The current study sought to determine whether the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) increases glucose uptake in primary human skeletal muscle cells (HSkMC) derived from both healthy individuals and patients with T2DM. Vastus lateralis muscle cell cultures were derived from seven males with T2DM (aged 54 +/-2 years, BMI 31.7 +/-1.2 kg/m(2), fasting plasma glucose 9.52+/-0.80 mmol/L) and eight healthy individuals (aged 46 +/-2 years, BMI 27.1 +/- 1.5 kg/m(2), fasting plasma glucose 4.69+/-0.12 mmol/L). Cultures were treated with both therapeutic (0.2 and 2 microM) and supratherapeutic (3, 10 and 30 mM) concentrations of SNP. An additional NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-d,l-penicillamine (SNAP) was also examined at a concentration of 50 microM. Glucose uptake was significantly increased following both 30 and 60 min incubations with the supratherapeutic SNP treatments (P=0.03) but not the therapeutic SNP doses (P=0.60) or SNAP (P=0.54). There was no difference in the response between the healthy and T2DM cell lines with any treatment or dose. The current study demonstrates that glucose uptake is elevated by supratherapeutic, but not therapeutic doses of SNP in human primary skeletal muscle cells derived from both healthy volunteers and patients with T2D. These data confirm that nitric oxide donors have potential therapeutic utility to increase glucose uptake in humans, but that SNP only achieves this in supratherapeutic doses. Further study to delineate mechanisms and the therapeutic window is warranted.

Large artery stiffening increases cardiovascular risk and promotes isolated systolic hypertension which is more prevalent in elderly women than men. Variation in sex steroid levels between males and females and throughout life may modulate arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that sex steroids directly influence expression of important structural proteins which determine arterial biomechanical properties. Human aortic smooth muscle cells were incubated with physiological concentrations of 17beta-estradiol, progesterone, 17beta-estradiol and progesterone, or testosterone for 4 weeks. Collagen, elastin, and fibrillin-1 deposition was examined (histochemistry/immunohistochemistry). Gene and protein expression of 2 important matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMPs 2 and 3, regulating matrix turnover was assessed. All sex steroids reduced collagen deposition relative to control (100%). However, the reduction was greater with female sex steroids than testosterone (control, 100%; 17beta-estradiol plus progesterone, 20+/-2%; testosterone 74+/-12%, P<0.001). Female sex steroids increased elastin deposition compared with control (control, 100%; 17beta-estradiol, 540+/-60%; progesterone, 290+/-40%; 17beta-estradiol plus progesterone, 400+/-80%, all P<0.01). The elastin/collagen ratio was >11-fold higher in the presence of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone compared with testosterone. Fibrillin-1 deposition was doubled in the presence of female sex steroids (17beta-estradiol plus progesterone) compared with testosterone (P<0.01). MMP-2 gene and protein expression was unaffected by any sex steroid. Testosterone increased both gene and protein expression of MMP-3 relative to both control and female sex steroids (P<0.01). This may contribute to degradation of elastic matrix proteins. In conclusion, female sex steroids promote an elastic matrix profile, which likely contributes to variation in large artery stiffness observed between sexes and with changes in hormonal status across the lifespan.

Ramipril improves cardiovascular outcome in patients with peripheral arterial disease; however, the precise mechanisms of benefit remain to be elucidated. The effect of ramipril on large-artery stiffness in patients with peripheral arterial disease was examined. In addition, we determined the effect of ramiprilat on extracellular matrix from human aortic smooth muscle cell culture. Forty patients with peripheral arterial disease were randomized to receive ramipril, 10 mg once daily or placebo for 24 weeks. Arterial stiffness was assessed globally via systemic arterial compliance and augmentation index (carotid tonometry and Doppler velocimetry), and regionally via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition increased arterial compliance by 0.10+/-0.02 mL/mm Hg, (P<0.001, all probability values relative to placebo) and reduced pulse wave velocity by 1.7+/-0.2 m/s (P<0.001), augmentation index by 4.1+/-0.3% (P<0.001), and systolic blood pressure by 5+/-1 mm Hg (P<0.001). Ramipril did not reduce mean arterial pressure significantly compared with placebo (P=0.59). In cell culture, ramiprilat decreased collagen deposition by >50% and increased elastin and fibrillin-1 deposition by >3- and 4-fold respectively (histochemistry and immunohistochemistry). Fibrillin-1 gene expression was increased 5-fold (real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction). Ramiprilat also reduced gene and protein (Western) expression of both matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-3. In conclusion, ramipril promoted an elastogenic matrix profile that may contribute to the observed clinical reduction in large-artery stiffness and carotid pressure augmentation, which occurred independently of mean arterial blood pressure reduction in patients with peripheral arterial disease.