Insulin resistance is an early marker of Type II diabetes. Excessive lipid accumulation in muscle and liver leads to insulin resistance, and lowering tissue lipids causes an enhancement of insulin action. The enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated when cellular energy levels are compromised, such as during exercise; this enhances fuel oxidation and inhibits energy consuming processes. The hypothesis in this thesis was that activating AMPK in a lipid-induced insulin resistant state leads to tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistant high-fat fed (HF-) rats were administered 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-??-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a specific AMPK activator. During an euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp performed 24h later, HF-rats showed increased whole body, muscle and liver insulin action, independent of changes in PKB-phosphorylation. The liver had reduced triglycerides, malonyl-CoA and increased IkB-a content. A lowering of muscle malonyl-CoA was consistent with conditions favouring increased lipid utilisation. Normal, chow-fed rats also showed improved insulin action post-AICAR. Further studies showed that basal glucose uptake was not increased 24h after AICAR, suggesting that AMPK activation had caused an increase in insulin sensitivity. Diacylglycerols and triglycerides, but not ceramides, were reduced in the liver of AICAR treated HF-rats, suggesting lipid reduction as a likely mediator of enhanced liver insulin action. These lipid species were not reduced in muscle. AICAR administration to HF-rats lowered plasma glucose and fatty acids (FA) acutely, probably due to increased muscle glucose uptake and FA oxidation. Glycogen was reduced in liver and increased in muscle, suggesting glucose mobilisation from liver to muscle. Adrenergic blockade excluded the sympathetic nervous system in the acute AICAR effects. AMPK was activated in white muscle and liver of HF-rats immediately after AICAR, the same tissues that exhibited later improved insulin sensitivity. Tracer technologies used to investigate glucose and lipid fluxes showed that AMPK activation in white muscle simultaneously increased both glucose and FA uptake and their metabolism, with glucose also being stored as glycogen. The liver showed lower lipid synthesis, consistent with reduced liver lipid accumulation observed 24h post-AICAR. In conclusion, these results suggest that activation of AMPK leads to selective tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin action, and is a potential target for the treatment of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.

<p>Diabetes is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke and is associated with increased mortality. Additionally, hyperglycemia, a common complication in acute stroke, is associated with poor outcome.</p><p>In order to identify the correlation between blood glucose and early mortality, multiple logistic regression analyses were used and odds ratios calculated in a retrospective study of 447 stroke patients. Eighty-one patients (18%) had diabetes. The odds ratios for 30-day case-fatality and blood glucose were 1.9 and 1.6 in diabetic and non-diabetic patients respectively. Optimal blood glucose concentrations in respective group were 10.3 and 6.3 mmol/L, as determined by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves.</p><p>Cerebral ischemia triggers different signaling pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) which regulate fundamental cell functions. In an experimental rat model of combined hyperglycemia and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the activation pattern of one such MAPK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was studied along with infarct volumes and neurological function. Hyperglycemia resulted in markedly increased ERK activation and approximately three-fold increase of infarcts compared with controls. </p><p>Based on the increased ERK activation, further experiments were conducted to limit the hyperglycemic-ischemic damage by interfering with ERK and supposedly related mechanisms. Consequently, rats were given U0126 (inhibiting ERK activation), PBN (anti-oxidative), PP2 (inhibiting src-family kinases), or vehicle. PBN reduced infarcts and improved neurological function compared with controls while no statistically significant effects were observed for U0126 or PP2. However, when the dose was doubled, U0126 significantly reduced infarcts and improved neurological function after 1 day in hyperglycemic rats. Post-ischemic ERK activation was completely inhibited by U0126 as demonstrated with Western immunoblotting. The findings suggest that ERK is an important mediator of hyperglycemic-ischemic brain injury and possible target for future interventions.</p>

Diabetes is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke and is associated with increased mortality. Additionally, hyperglycemia, a common complication in acute stroke, is associated with poor outcome. In order to identify the correlation between blood glucose and early mortality, multiple logistic regression analyses were used and odds ratios calculated in a retrospective study of 447 stroke patients. Eighty-one patients (18%) had diabetes. The odds ratios for 30-day case-fatality and blood glucose were 1.9 and 1.6 in diabetic and non-diabetic patients respectively. Optimal blood glucose concentrations in respective group were 10.3 and 6.3 mmol/L, as determined by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Cerebral ischemia triggers different signaling pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) which regulate fundamental cell functions. In an experimental rat model of combined hyperglycemia and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the activation pattern of one such MAPK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was studied along with infarct volumes and neurological function. Hyperglycemia resulted in markedly increased ERK activation and approximately three-fold increase of infarcts compared with controls. Based on the increased ERK activation, further experiments were conducted to limit the hyperglycemic-ischemic damage by interfering with ERK and supposedly related mechanisms. Consequently, rats were given U0126 (inhibiting ERK activation), PBN (anti-oxidative), PP2 (inhibiting src-family kinases), or vehicle. PBN reduced infarcts and improved neurological function compared with controls while no statistically significant effects were observed for U0126 or PP2. However, when the dose was doubled, U0126 significantly reduced infarcts and improved neurological function after 1 day in hyperglycemic rats. Post-ischemic ERK activation was completely inhibited by U0126 as demonstrated with Western immunoblotting. The findings suggest that ERK is an important mediator of hyperglycemic-ischemic brain injury and possible target for future interventions.

Insulin resistance is an early marker of Type II diabetes. Excessive lipid accumulation in muscle and liver leads to insulin resistance, and lowering tissue lipids causes an enhancement of insulin action. The enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated when cellular energy levels are compromised, such as during exercise; this enhances fuel oxidation and inhibits energy consuming processes. The hypothesis in this thesis was that activating AMPK in a lipid-induced insulin resistant state leads to tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistant high-fat fed (HF-) rats were administered 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-??-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a specific AMPK activator. During an euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp performed 24h later, HF-rats showed increased whole body, muscle and liver insulin action, independent of changes in PKB-phosphorylation. The liver had reduced triglycerides, malonyl-CoA and increased IkB-a content. A lowering of muscle malonyl-CoA was consistent with conditions favouring increased lipid utilisation. Normal, chow-fed rats also showed improved insulin action post-AICAR. Further studies showed that basal glucose uptake was not increased 24h after AICAR, suggesting that AMPK activation had caused an increase in insulin sensitivity. Diacylglycerols and triglycerides, but not ceramides, were reduced in the liver of AICAR treated HF-rats, suggesting lipid reduction as a likely mediator of enhanced liver insulin action. These lipid species were not reduced in muscle. AICAR administration to HF-rats lowered plasma glucose and fatty acids (FA) acutely, probably due to increased muscle glucose uptake and FA oxidation. Glycogen was reduced in liver and increased in muscle, suggesting glucose mobilisation from liver to muscle. Adrenergic blockade excluded the sympathetic nervous system in the acute AICAR effects. AMPK was activated in white muscle and liver of HF-rats immediately after AICAR, the same tissues that exhibited later improved insulin sensitivity. Tracer technologies used to investigate glucose and lipid fluxes showed that AMPK activation in white muscle simultaneously increased both glucose and FA uptake and their metabolism, with glucose also being stored as glycogen. The liver showed lower lipid synthesis, consistent with reduced liver lipid accumulation observed 24h post-AICAR. In conclusion, these results suggest that activation of AMPK leads to selective tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin action, and is a potential target for the treatment of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2007. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 144 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2008. / Title from title page. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Pharmacology) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2007. / Typescript. Non-Latin script record Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-128). Free to UCD affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Vita. Bibliography: 199-250.

Submitted by Jos? Henrique Henrique (jose.neves@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-04-27T15:00:50Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) mariana_aguiar_matos.pdf: 2901378 bytes, checksum: 40dbd704043d49a1eee587bb086c4eb4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Martins Cruz (rodrigo.cruz@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-05-16T19:24:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) mariana_aguiar_matos.pdf: 2901378 bytes, checksum: 40dbd704043d49a1eee587bb086c4eb4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-16T19:24:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) mariana_aguiar_matos.pdf: 2901378 bytes, checksum: 40dbd704043d49a1eee587bb086c4eb4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016 / Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq) / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / O excesso de gordura corporal caracter?stico da obesidade est? relacionado a diversas altera??es metab?licas, que incluem a resist?ncia ? insulina. Dentre as medidas n?o farmacol?gicas empregadas para a melhora da sensibilidade ? insulina est? o treinamento f?sico aer?bio, como o treinamento intervalado de alta intensidade (HIIT, do ingl?s high intensity interval training). Sendo assim, esse estudo avaliou os efeitos do HIIT em componentes bioqu?micos, celulares e moleculares relacionados ? resist?ncia ? insulina em obesos. Indiv?duos obesos sens?veis (n=9) e resistentes ? insulina (n=8) foram submetidos a 8 semanas de HIIT, em cicloerg?metro, realizado 3 vezes por semana, com intensidade e volume progressivos (8 a 12 est?mulos; 80 a 110% da pot?ncia m?xima). Amostras de sangue venoso e do m?sculo vasto lateral foram obtidas antes e ap?s o programa de HIIT. Ap?s o programa de treinamento houve aumento da sensibilidade ? insulina nos obesos resistentes ? insulina, mas n?o houve redu??o da massa de gordura. A concentra??o de citocinas no soro, o estresse oxidativo sist?mico e frequ?ncia das c?lulas imunes n?o foram modificadas ap?s o treinamento. No m?sculo esquel?tico, o HIIT promoveu aumento da fosforila??o do substrato do receptor de insulina (IRS) (Tyr612), da Akt (Ser473) e da prote?na quinase dependente de c?lcio/calmodulina (CAMKII) (Thr286), e aumento do conte?do da ?-hidroxiacil-CoA desidrogenase (?-HAD) e citocromo C oxidase (COX-IV). Houve ainda, redu??o da fosforila??o da quinase regulada por sinal extracelular (ERK1/2) nos obesos resistentes ? insulina. Conclu?mos que 8 semanas de HIIT promoveram melhora da sensibilidade ? insulina, modificou componentes da via de sinaliza??o da insulina e do metabolismo oxidativo no m?sculo esquel?tico. Essas altera??es ocorreram independentes de mudan?as na gordura corporal total e de par?metros inflamat?rios sist?micos. / Tese (Doutorado) ? Programa Multic?ntrico de P?s-Gradua??o em Ci?ncias Fisiol?gicas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 2016. / Obesity is characterized by excess of body fat, and its development can lead to a variety of metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance. Exercise is recognized as a non-pharmacological approach to increasing skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity, although the mechanisms are not elucidated. Additionally, the understanding of high intensity interval training (HIIT, high intensity interval training) treat insulin resistance is less understood. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of HIIT on biochemical, molecular, and cellular markers related to insulin resistance in sedentary obese individuals. Sensitive (n=9) and insulin resistant (n=8) obese individuals (body mass index ? 30 kg/m-2) were engaged in 8 weeks of HIIT using a cycle ergometer. The HIIT was performed 3 times a week, and its intensity and volume progressively increased throughout the training period (from 8 to 12 stimuli; from 80 to 110% of the maximum power). Venous blood and the vastus lateralis muscle samples were obtained before and after the HIIT. HIIT enhanced insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant obese individuals without changing body fat mass. Cytokine concentration in serum, blood oxidative stress, and frequency of some immune cells were not altered by HIIT. In skeletal muscle, HIIT increased the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) (Tyr612), Akt (Ser473), and protein kinase dependent calcium/calmodulin (CaMKII) (Thr286). HIIT also increased the expression of ?-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (?-HAD) and cytochrome C oxidase (COX-IV). A reduction of the kinase phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated (ERK1/2) was only seen in obese insulin resistant individuals. The results show that 8 weeks of HIIT enhanced insulin sensitivity, modified components of the insulin-signaling pathway, and improved skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism. These changes were independent of alterations in body fat and inflammatory parameters.

The activity of protein kinases is heavily dependent on the phosphorylation state of the protein. Kinase phosphorylation states have been prepared through biological or enzymatic means for biochemical evaluation, but the use of protein chemical modification as an investigative tool has not been addressed. By chemically reacting a genetically encoded cysteine, phosphocysteine was installed via dehydroalanine as a reactive intermediate. The installed phosphocysteine was intended as a surrogate to the naturally occurring phosphothreonine or phosphoserine of a phosphorylated protein kinase. Two model protein kinases were investigated on: MEK1 and p38&alpha;. The development of suitable protein variants and suitable reaction conditions on these two proteins is discussed in turn and in detail, resulting in p38&alpha;-pCys180 and MEK1-pCys222. Designed to be mimics of the naturally occurring p38&alpha;-pThr180 and MEK1-pSer222, these two chemically modified proteins were studied for their biological function. The core biological studies entailed the determination of enzymatic activity of both modified proteins, and included the necessary controls against their active counterparts. In addition, the studies on p38&alpha;-pCys180 also included a more detailed quantification of enzymatic activity, and the behaviour of this modified protein against known inhibitors of p38&alpha; was also investigated. Both modified proteins were shown to be enzymatically active and behave similarly to corresponding active species. The adaptation of mass spectrometry methods to handle the majority of project's analytical requirements, from monitoring chemical transformations to following enzyme kinetics was instrumental in making these studies feasible. The details of these technical developments are interwoven into the scientific discussion. Also included in this thesis is an introduction to the mechanism and function of protein kinases, and on the protein chemistry methods employed. The work is concluded with a projection of implications that this protein chemical modification technique has on kinase biomedical research.