The effect of ASP on the adipocyte of the morbidly obese

The control of triglyceride synthesis within the adipocyte is not fully understood. Insulin is considered to be the most potent stimulant of triglyceride synthesis. In this paper, we report on the effect of a small (14000 Da), basic (pI 9.0) protein isolated from human serum. This protein has been called acylation stimulating protein (ASP). It is a potent stimulant of triglyceride synthesis in adipocytes from both normal weight and morbidly obese subjects. Its stimulatory effect on adipocytes is both rapid, occurring between 15-30 min after the start of incubation, and prolonged, lasting for up to 3 hr. Compared to insulin, it is sixfold more potent in its effect on triglyceride synthesis. As well as acting on isolated cells, ASP also has a fourfold stimulatory effect on triglyceride synthesis in human adipose microsomes at a concentration of 25 micrograms/ml. This study indicates that ASP is a potent stimulant of triglyceride synthesis and therefore may play a role in the pathogenesis of morbid obesity.     

Change in plasma acylation stimulating protein during euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp in overweight and obese postmenopausal women: a MONET study

Objective Acylation‐stimulating protein (ASP) has been shown to positively stimulate fatty acid esterification and glucose uptake in adipocytes. In vitro studies demonstrate that insulin stimulates ASP secretion from adipocytes. Individuals with obesity and/or metabolic disturbances (insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes) have increased plasma ASP. Design The present study was designed to evaluate whether ASP levels are influenced by the metabolic profiles of overweight and obese postmenopausal women during a euglycaemic/hyperinsulinaemic clamp (EHC). Patients The study population consisted of 76 overweight and obese sedentary postmenopausal women. Measurements We evaluated insulin sensitivity, plasma ASP levels, body composition including visceral adipose tissue area, blood lipid profiles, liver enzymes, peak aerobic capacity, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and total energy expenditure (TEE). Results We observed wide interindividual variations of ASP levels during the EHC. Therefore, subjects were divided into three groups based on ASP changes. Negative ASP Responders (NAR; n = 24) showed a –20% or greater decrease in ASP levels while Positive ASP Responders (PAR; n = 42) displayed ASP fluctuations superior to +20%. Ten subjects had little or no ASP change and were considered as Zero ASP responders (ZAR). PAR women displayed a worse metabolic profile than NAR women, including higher BMI, visceral adipose tissue, fasting insulin levels, lean body mass, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a marker of impaired liver function. After adjustment for BMI, only ALT remained significantly different, while lean body mass (P = 0·08) and visceral adipose tissue (P = 0·07) remained marginally higher. Correlation analysis of all subjects demonstrated that fasting ASP levels correlated positively with albumin and VO_{2 peak} and this association remained significant after adjustments for the effect of BMI. In addition, the percentage maximal change in ASP levels during the EHC was positively associated with BMI, lean body mass, visceral adipose tissue, fasting insulin, HOMA, TEE, RMR, ALT and AST. Conclusion Overall these results suggest that an elevated ASP response during the EHC is associated with metabolic disturbances in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.     

Insulin regulation of gene expression and concentrations of white adipose tissue-derived proteins in vivo in healthy men: relation to adiponutrin

Adiponutrin is a newly described white adipose tissue (WAT)-derived protein whose function and regulation remain widely unclear in humans though it is suggested to be related to insulin sensitivity. Recently, we found that adiponutrin expression is reduced in type 2 diabetic subjects in basal and insulin-stimulated states. To examine adiponutrin regulation by the insulin pathway in relation to other WAT-related proteins with well-known relation to insulin signaling and action, we examined in healthy young men (1) the association of adiponutrin with p85alpha PI3K and HKII, leptin, adiponectin, and acylation-stimulating protein (ASP) and (2) the regulation of adiponutrin and WAT-derived proteins by 3-h hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HIEG). At baseline (N = 20), adiponutrin expressions were positively correlated with those of p85alpha PI3K (R = 0.54, P = 0.017), HKII (R = 0.58, P = 0.010), and serum leptin (R = 0.51, P = 0.036), but not with any other parameter measured including insulin sensitivity. Hyperinsulinemia (N = 10, +2365% above baseline) significantly increased the expression of adiponutrin (+770%, P = 0.002), p85alpha PI3K (+150%, P = 0.033), HKII (+147%, P = 0.007), and serum leptin (+11%, P = 0.031), while it decreased serum adiponectin (-15%, P = 0.001). In the insulin-stimulated state, adiponutrin mRNA expression levels correlated with basal p85alpha PI3K (R = 0.76, P = 0.018) and HKII (R = 0.86, P = 0.003) expression levels, with percentage increase in insulin (R = 0.73, P = 0.040), and with insulin-stimulated state HKII (R = 0.82, P = 0.007), leptin (R = 0.84, P = 0.005), and adiponectin (R = 0.85, P = 0.004) mRNA levels. In healthy young men, adiponutrin expression is upregulated [corrected] by hyperinsulinemia and is related to basal and/or insulin-stimulated p85alpha PI3K, HKII, adiponectin, and leptin expression levels. We hypothesize that insulin-mediated regulation of adiponutrin expression is under the PI3K pathway. The relevance of the present findings to reduced adiponutrin expression in type 2 diabetes is discussed.     

Chronic inhibition of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase 5 suppresses endoplasmic reticulum stress in heart failure

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Inhibition of the cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) exerts profound beneficial effects on failing hearts. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of PDE5 inhibition on heart failure are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether PDE5 inhibition decreases endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, a key event in heart failure.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Heart failure was induced by isoprenaline s.c. injection in Sprague–Dawley rats and transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in mice. PDE5 was inhibited with sildenafil. Heart function was detected by invasive pressure–volume analysis and echocardiography. ER stress markers were analysed by Western blotting. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometric analysis.

KEY RESULTS

PDE5 inhibition markedly attenuated isoprenaline-induced and TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, and reduced ER stress and apoptosis. Further, PDE5 inhibition with sildenafil largely prevented ER stress and reduced apoptosis in isoprenaline- or thapsigargin-treated cardiomyocytes. PKG inhibition markedly prevented the protective effects of sildenafil in vivo and in vitro. To further understand the mechanism of the effect of PDE5 inhibition on ER stress, we demonstrated that PDE5 inhibitor increased sarco-(endo)-plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase activity via phosphorylation of phospholamban at Ser¹⁶. This may contribute to the attenuation of ER stress induced by PDE5 inhibition.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

These results suggest that PDE5 inhibition can attenuate ER stress and improve cardiac function in vivo and in vitro. Suppression of ER stress by inhibiting PDE5 may contribute to the therapeutic effects on heart failure.     

The critical role of lymph node dissection in selecting high-risk nonmetastatic renal cancer candidates for adjuvant therapy after nephrectomy

Background

The role of lymph node dissection (LND) during nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is controversial. We looked at the clinical usefulness of performing LND to stratify the risk of patients with RCC and select candidates for systemic treatment after nephrectomy.

孕酮对脂肪细胞促酰化蛋白受体和下游信号蛋白表达的作用

目的 观察孕酮对3T3-L1(前)脂肪细胞促酰化蛋白(ASP)受体C5L2 mRNA和细胞表面C5L2蛋白表达的影响,以及孕酮对ASP下游信号蛋白的作用.方法 体外培养3T3-L1细胞,诱导细胞分化,不同浓度孕酮作用于3T3-L1(前)脂肪细胞,孵育过夜后收获细胞,分别采用RT-PCR和流式细胞仪检测ASP受体mRNA和蛋白表达情况;采用Western印迹法检测基础状态和ASP激发后Gαq/11,Gβ,p-PKCα和p-PKCζ蛋白表达.结果 孕酮最大抑制成熟脂肪细胞14% C5L2 mRNA (P＞0.05)和蛋白表达22%(36%±15%vs 46%±12%,P＜0.01),高浓度孕酮(1 × 10-6 mol/L)能显著性抑制前脂肪细胞66%C5L2 mRNA(0.17±0.11 vs 0.50±0.18,P＜0.01)和29%C5L2蛋白表达(36%±16%vs 51%±20%,P＜0.05).高浓度孕酮在一定程度上抑制ASP激发后成熟脂肪细胞Gαq/11,Gβ,p-PKCα和p-PKCζ的表达,各蛋白表达分别减少了41%(0.71±0.21 vs 1.20 ±0.24,P＜0.05),63%(0.55±0.32 vs 1.48±0.40,P＜0.05),49%(0.53±0.20 vs 1.04 ±0.19,P＜0.01)和32%(0.36 ±0.10 vs 0.53 ±0.20,P＞0.05).在前脂肪细胞,高浓度孕酮显著性抑制ASP刺激的59%Gαq/11(0.42 ±0.18 vs 1.04±0.28,P＜0.01),43%Gβ(0.77 ±0.09 vs 1.35 ±0.27,P＜0.05),51%p-PKCα(0.44 ±0.15 vs 0.90 ±0.25,P＜0.05)和30%p-PKCζ(0.27±0.08vs 0.39±0.12,P＜0.05)蛋白表达.结论 孕酮诱导ASP抵抗的发生,ASP抵抗参与了高浓度孕酮引起的脂肪细胞胰岛素抵抗状态的病理生理过程.     

Regulation of Plasma fatty acid metabolism.

Although adipose tissue serves a crucial function in energy storage, excess adipose tissue--that is, obesity--is often associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A common thread in the weave of complications is increased plasma concentrations of fatty acids. In the present review, we have focused on two specific points that relate to obesity: (i) What are the metabolic consequences of increased free fatty acid concentrations? and (ii) What are the physiological factors that are involved in the regulation of fatty acid uptake or release from adipose tissue? We have tried to emphasize new factors that act as hormones on adipose tissue and in so doing regulate the net concentration of circulating free fatty acids.