A ausência de nutrientes durante o jejum leva a intensa mobilização de ácidos graxos (AG) do adipócito. A intensidade deste fenômeno deve ser controlada, pois o excesso de AG está associado a condições patológicas. Nestas condições, a lipogênese torna-se útil e a Gliceroneogênese indispensável. Nesta via, o lactato seria um substrato fisiológico e provável. Metodologia. Ratos machos Wistar foram divididos em grupos, Alimentado (Al) e Jejum (J) e os coxins subcutâneo (SC) e visceral retroperitoneal (RP) submetidos aos testes biológicos e moleculares. No Teste de Incorporação de [14C]-Acido Lático em Glicerol e no teste de captação de [14C]-Acido Lático o grupo Al mostrou maior capacidade (Al > J; *p<0.05; [N=8]). Nestes testes, a glicose (1 ou 4 mM) foi fundamental e a presença de insulina (10 nM) ampliou estes resultados em ambos os tecidos. Na expressão do transportador de monocarboxilatos 1 (MCT1) e da enzima fosfoenol piruvato carboxiquinase (PEPCK), não houve diferenças entre Al e J. Concluímos que a alimentação promove aumento da Glicroneogênese a partir do ácido lático e a expressão da PEPCK não exerceu influencia neste processo. No entanto, a glicose e a insulina, mostraram-se como potencializadores da Gliceroneogênese. / The absence of nutrients during fasting leads to intensive mobilization of adipocyte fatty acids (FA). The intensity of this phenomenon should be controlled because excess of the AG is associated with pathological conditions. Under these conditions, the lipogenesis and gliceroneogenesis are useful and indispensable. In this pathway, the lactate and likely would be a physiological substrate. Methodology. Male Wistar rats were divided into groups: (Al) and Fasting (J) and fat pad subcutaneous (SC) and visceral retroperitoneal (RP) subject to biological and molecular assays. The Test of Incorporation of [14C]-Latic Acid into Glycerol and test of uptake lactic-acid, Al group showed greater capacity (Al> J; * p <0.05; [N = 8]). In these tests, glucose (1 or 4 mM) was fundamental and the presence of insulin (10 nM) extended these findings in both tissues. In monocarboxylate transporter 1 expression (MCT1) and the enzyme phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), there was no difference between Al and J. We concluded that feeding promotes increased Glicroneogênese from lactic acid and expression of PEPCK did not exercised influence in this process. However, glucose and insulin appeared as potentiators of Gliceroneogênese.

Introdução: A doxorrubicina (DOX) é um quimioterápico que gera efeitos tóxicos no tecido adiposo (T.A.) e reduz a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Objetivos: Investigar os efeitos metabólicos do tratamento com DOX no T.A. branco e propor terapia adjuvante que atenue efeitos deletérios. Métodos: Procedimento experimental 1: ratos Wistar foram tratados com dose única de DOX (15mg/kg). Cultura de células: 3T3L1 foram incubadas por 24h, 96h e 12 dias com DOX. Procedimento experimental 2: animais C57/BL6 receberam doses fracionadas de DOX associado ao uso de metformina (MET) (300mg/kg, diário) ou não. Conclusão: A DOX gera um alto impacto sobre a homeostasia do T.A. branco tanto no tratamento agudo com dose única, como no tratamento crônico com doses mais baixas. Os processos fisiológicos do tecido adiposo sofreram profundas alterações, o que resultou em menor tamanho do adipócito, maior fibrose, diminuição das vias metabólicas e redução da adiponectina e leptina circulantes, e o tratamento com MET não reverteu esses efeitos, só prevenindo o processo de fibrose do TA. / Introduction: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a chemotherapy that generates toxic effects on adipose tissue (AT) and reduces the quality of life of patients. Objectives: To investigate the metabolic effects of treatment with DOX on AT white and to propose adjuvant therapy to mitigate deleterious effects. Methods: Experimental Procedure 1: Wistar rats were treated with a single dose of doxorubicin (15mg/ kg). Cell Culture: 3T3-L1 were incubated for 24h, 96h and 12 days with doxorubicin. Experimental procedure 2: C57/BL6 mice received fractionated doses of DOX associated with the use of metformin (MET) (300 mg/kg daily) or not. Conclusion: DOX generates a high impact on the homeostasis of white AT in both acute single dose treatment, such as in chronic treatment with lower doses. The physiological processes of AT have undergone major changes, resulting in a smaller of adipocytes, increased fibrosis, reduction in metabolic pathways and decreased circulating adiponectin and leptin, and the treatment with MET did not reverse these effects, only prevent the fibrosis process on AT.

Nós investigamos se o ácido palmitoléico modula o metabolismo de glicose e triacilglicerol (TAG) em adipócitos. Assim, células 3T3-L1 tratadas com ácido palmitoleico (16:1n7 , 200 mM) ou palmítico (16:0, 200 mM) por 24h e adipócitos epididimais de camundongos selvagem ou deficientes para PPARa tratados com 16:1n7 o ácido oleico (18:1n9, 300 mg / kg / dia), via gavagem durante 10 dias, foram avaliados. O tratamento com palmitoleico aumenta a captação de glicose e o conteúdo de GLUT4 e pThr172AMPKa. O aumento de GLUT4 foi abolido pela inibição da AMPK. Palmitoleico aumenta a conversão de glicose em lactato e CO2 e diminui a síntese de novo de ácidos graxos. O tratamento de células 3T3-L1 com ácido palmitoleico aumentou a lipólise o mRNA da ATGL e HSL, além do conteúdo proteico da ATGL e pSer660HSL. O aumento na lipólise foi abolido pela inibição de PPARa. Também, o tratamento de camundongos selvagens, mas não os deficientes para PPARa, com palmitoleico aumentou a lipólise e o mRNA da ATGL e HSL em adipócitos. Em resumo, o ácido palmitoleico aumenta a captação de glicose e sua utilização pelos adipócitos, um efeito que está associado com a expressão de GLUT4 e AMPK. Além disso, este ácido aumenta a lipólise e lipases em adipócitos viA PPARa. / We investigated whether palmitoleic acid modulates glucose and triacylglycerol (TAG) metabolism in white adipocytes. For this, 3T3-L1 cells treated with palmitoleic (16:1n7, 200 µM) or palmitic acid (16:0, 200 mM) for 24h and epididimal adipocytes from wild type or PPARa deficient mice treated with 16:1n7 or oleic acid (18:1n9, 300 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 10 days were evaluated. Thus, treatment with palmitoleic increases glucose uptake and the content of GLUT4 and pThr172AMPKa. The increase in GLUT4 was prevented by AMPK inhibition. Also, palmitoleic increases glucose conversion into lactate and CO2, and decreases de novo fatty acids synthesis. Furthermore, treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with palmitoleic increased lipolysis, mRNA levels of ATGL and HSL and protein content of ATGL and pSer660-HSL. Such increase in lipolysis can be prevented by PPARa inhibition. Treatment of wild type, but not PPARa deficient mice, with palmitoleic increased adipocytes lipolysis and ATGL and HSL mRNA levels. In conclusion, palmitoleic acid increases glucose uptake and utilization by adipocytes, associated with GLUT4 expression and AMPK activation. Furthermore, palmitoleic acid increases adipocyte lipolysis and lipases via PPARa.

Le cancer de la prostate est un véritable problème de santé publique qui se situe au premier rang des cancers incidents chez l’homme. Les cellules tumorales ont un métabolisme différent des cellules normales, et cibler le métabolisme des cellules cancéreuses est devenu une stratégie thérapeutique prometteuse. La metformine est un médicament couramment prescrit contre le diabète de type II, qui possède des propriétés anti-tumorales et affecte le métabolisme des cellules cancéreuses. L'augmentation de la lipogenèse est observée dans nombreux cancers dont le cancer de la prostate. Nous montrons que la metformine inhibe la lipogenèse dans les cellules cancéreuses de prostate via un déficit énergétique cellulaire. En effet, l’ATP est diminuée de façon dose dépendante par la metformine et cette diminution est significativement corrélée avec l'inhibition de la lipogenèse. De plus, la metformine induit un gonflement des mitochondries et une désorganisation des crêtes mitochondriales dans les cellules cancéreuses de prostate. De façon intéressante, nous observons que la metformine provoque une augmentation des flux calciques et un relargage du calcium du réticulum endoplasmique. Nous émettons l'hypothèse que ce calcium s'accumule dans la mitochondrie ce qui pourrait générer un gonflement de celles-ci. En réponse à ces signaux calciques ou à la diminution de la fonctionnalité des mitochondries, la metformine stimule la biogenèse mitochondriale dans les cellules cancéreuses de prostate. En conclusion, cette étude a permis de mieux comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires et cellulaires induits par la metformine dans le cancer de la prostate. / Prostate cancer is a major public health problem. Tumor cells have a different metabolism than normal cells, and targeting cancer cells metabolism becomes a promising therapeutic strategy. Metformin is a commonly prescribed anti-diabetic drug which has anti-tumor properties. Increased lipogenesis is a common feature of cancer cells including prostate cancer. We show that metformin effect on lipogenesis is due to a cellular energy deficit. Lipogenesis requires ATP and the decrease in ATP induced by metformin is significantly correlated with the inhibition of lipogenesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that metformin induces mitochondrial swelling and disruption of cristae in prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, we show that metformin triggers a calcium flux and the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum. We hypothesize that the accumulation of calcium into the mitochondria generates its swelling. In addition, we show that metformin stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis in prostate cancer cells. In conclusion, this study allowed to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms induced by metformin in prostate cancer.

Plusieurs études ont démontré que les agonistes du PPARgamma, dont la pioglitazone (PGZ), améliorent les paramètres métaboliques et histologiques de la stéatohépatite non-alcoolique (NASH) chez l'homme et la souris, et qu’ils ont des effets bénéfiques sur la fibrose hépatique chez le rat. Les mécanismes d’action sont mal connus. La NASH, caractérisée par de la stéatose, des lésions hépatocytaires, de l’inflammation et une fibrose variable, est considérée comme une complication hépatique du syndrome métabolique. L'obésité, un des facteurs de risque pour le développement de la NASH, est caractérisée par de faibles taux d'adiponectine sérique. Cette adipocytokine, dont l'expression génique est régulée par le PPARgamma, possède des propriétés anti-stéatosique et anti-fibrotique chez la souris. L'activité intracellulaire de l'adiponectine est médiée via ses récepteurs spécifiques qui activent la protéine kinase AMPK et/ou le PPARalpha. Une fois activée, l’AMPK induit les voies cataboliques de production d’énergie (telles que l'oxydation des acide gras) et inhibe les voies consommant de l’ATP (telles que la lipogenèse). L'activation du PPARalpha augmente l'oxydation des acides gras et inhibe la réponse inflammatoire. Le but de notre travail est d’évaluer l'implication de la voie PGZ–adiponectine–AMPK et/ou PPARalpha dans la prévention de la NASH et de la fibrose hépatique. Nous avons tout d’abord évalué l'effet de la PGZ sur la fibrose hépatique chez la souris. Nos observations montrent que, contrairement aux résultats observés chez le rat, la PGZ n’inhibe pas le développement de la fibrose hépatique chez la souris in vivo. Ces résultats ont été confirmés par des études sur les cellules stellaires hépatiques (HSCs), les cellules effectrices de la fibrose, in vitro. Dans une seconde étude, nous avons évalué l'impact de l’AMPK sur la fibrose hépatique in vivo et sur l’activation des HSCs in vitro. Nous avons constaté que l’AMPK jouait un rôle dans le contrôle de la trans-différentiation des HSCs in vitro mais pas dans le développement de la fibrose hépatique chez la souris in vivo. Finalement, nous avons évalué l'hypothèse que l'effet bénéfique de la PGZ sur la NASH résulte de la stimulation de l'AMPK et/ou du PPARalpha par l’adiponectine. Nos résultats ont montrés que cet effet de la PGZ était strictement dépendant de l’adiponectine mais ne semblait pas impliquer l'AMPK ni le PPARalpha. Nous avons également identifié SREBP-1c, régulant la lipogenèse de novo, comme cible thérapeutique potentielle pour le développement de la NASH. Les résultats obtenus dans le cadre de ce travail de thèse fournissent une meilleure compréhension de l’axe PPARgamma–adiponectine–AMPK dans le contrôle du développement de la NASH et de la fibrose hépatique chez la souris. / Several studies have demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARg) agonists, such as pioglitazone (PGZ), improve metabolic parameters and histology of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) development in humans and mice, and have beneficial effects on liver fibrosis in rats. NASH, characterized by steatosis, hepatocellular damage, inflammation and variable fibrosis, is recognised as the hepatic complication of the metabolic syndrome. Obesity, one of the risk factors for NASH development, is characterized by low serum adiponectin levels. This adipocytokine, of which gene expression is regulated by PPARg, demonstrates anti-steatotic and anti-fibrotic properties in mice. Intracellular activity of adiponectin is mediated through its specific receptors which activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and PPARalpha. Once activated, AMPK switches on catabolic pathways (such as fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis) and switches off ATP-consuming pathways (such as lipogenesis). Activation of PPARalpha increases fatty acid oxidation and reduces inflammatory reaction. The aim of the present work is to analyse the activation of the axis PGZ-adiponectin-AMPK and/or PPARalpha as a way to control NASH and hepatic fibrosis development. We first evaluated the effect of PGZ on hepatic fibrosis in mice. We observed that, by contrast with results in rats, PGZ did not prevent hepatic fibrosis development in vivo in mice. These results were confirmed by in vitro studies on the key effector cells of fibrogenesis, the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We then assessed the impact of AMPK on hepatic fibrosis in vivo and on HSC trans-differentiation/activation phenomenon in vitro. We found that AMPK played a role in the control of HSC trans-differentiation in vitro but was not implicated in the wound-healing fibrosis in vivo in mice. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of PGZ on steatohepatitis results from the adiponectin-dependent stimulation of AMPK and/or PPARalpha. We found that this preventive effect was clearly dependent of adiponectin but did not involve AMPK or PPARalpha activation. We have also identified SREBP-1c, implicated in the regulation of de novo lipogenesis, as a potential therapeutic target for the control of the development of NASH. The present thesis provides a better understanding of the axis PPARg–adiponectin–AMPK in the control of NASH and hepatic fibrosis development in mouse.

Pancreatic β-cells secrete insulin in response to glucose. Intracellular glucose metabolism drives a cascade of events, including ATP production, calcium influx, and insulin processing, culminating in insulin granule exocytosis. However, insulin secretory mechanisms are incompletely understood. β-cells have the capacity to flow pyruvate into the TCA cycle via the anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase to engage one of several pathways of pyruvate recycling. Previous work demonstrated that pyruvate cycling was correlated with insulin secretion, and that NADPH may be involved in granule exocytosis. We hypothesized that NADPH-producing cytosolic enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDc) and malic enzyme (MEc) may be involved in both pyruvate cycling and insulin secretion. ICDc expression was reduced using siRNA in the INS-1 derived cell line 832/13 and in isolated rat islets, which led decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), pyruvate cycling, and NADPH. Organic acid profiling revealed that decreased pyruvate cycling was compensated by an increase in lactate and stable pyruvate levels. This work established an important role for ICDc in maintaining GSIS through pyruvate-isocitrate cycling. MEc expression was reduced using siRNA in two β-cell lines, 832/13 and 832/3, as well as isolated rat islets. MEc suppression inhibited GSIS in the 832/13 cells only, and these effects were not due to changes in pyruvate cycling, NADPH, or the organic acid profile. This suggests that in normal β-cells, MEc does not participate in pyruvate cycling. Acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) is essential in de novo lipogenesis, which has been implicated in GSIS by other laboratories. Chronic, but not acute, inhibition of ACC1 via siRNA reduced insulin secretion independent of lipogenesis. ACC1 siRNA decreased glucose oxidation, pyruvate cycling, and ATP:ADP, due to an unexpected decrease in glucokinase protein. This work questions the use of ACC inhibitors in obesity and diabetes therapy. In summary, these studies on ICDc, MEc, and ACC1, coupled with concurrent work in our laboratory, eliminate two potential pyruvate cycling pathways (pyruvate-malate and pyruvate-citrate) and establish that pyruvate-isocitrate cycling is the critical pathway for control of GSIS. Future work will focus on identifying the signaling intermediate generated in the pyruvate-isocitrate pathway that links to insulin granule exocytosis. / Dissertation

<p>In order to propagate a solid tumor, cancer cells must adapt to and survive under various tumor microenvironment (TME) stresses, such as hypoxia or lactic acidosis. Additionally, cancer cells exposed to these stresses are more resistant to therapies, more likely to metastasize and often are worse for patient prognosis. While the presence of these stresses is generally negative for cancer patients, since these stresses are mostly unique to the TME, they also offer an opportunity to develop more selective therapeutics. If we achieve a better understanding of the adaptive mechanisms cancer cells employ to survive the TME stresses, then hopefully we, as a scientific community, can devise more effective cancer therapeutics specifically targeting cancer cells under stress. To systematically identify genes that modulate cancer cell survival under stresses, we performed shRNA screens under hypoxia or lactic acidosis. From these screens, we discovered that genetic depletion of acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (ACACA or ACC1) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) protected cancer cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the loss of ACLY or ACC1 reduced the levels and activities of the oncogenic transcription factor ETV4. Silencing ETV4 also protected cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and led to remarkably similar transcriptional responses as with silenced ACLY or ACC1, including an anti-apoptotic program. Metabolomic analysis found that while α-ketoglutarate levels decrease under hypoxia in control cells, α-ketoglutarate was paradoxically increased under hypoxia when ACC1 or ACLY were depleted. Supplementation with α-ketoglutarate rescued the hypoxia-induced apoptosis and recapitulated the decreased expression and activity of ETV4, likely via an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, ACC1 and ACLY regulated the levels of ETV4 under hypoxia via increased α-ketoglutarate. These results reveal that the ACC1/ACLY-α-ketoglutarate-ETV4 axis is a novel means by which metabolic states regulate transcriptional output for life vs. death decisions under hypoxia. Since many lipogenic inhibitors are under investigation as cancer therapeutics, our findings suggest that the use of these inhibitors will need to be carefully considered with respect to oncogenic drivers, tumor hypoxia, progression and dormancy. More broadly, our screen provides a framework for studying additional tumor cell stress-adaption mechanisms in the future.</p> / Dissertation