Stearoyl-coA desaturase-1 (SCD1) activity has been linked to the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) through its central role in lipid metabolism. Understanding how changes in SCD1 activity affect obesity and MetS risk biomarkers and investigating how these changes in activity affect nutrient handling in non-hepatic tissues is also important. This study investigated how acute SCD1 inhibition effected plasma lipids, skeletal muscle nutrient handling and insulin signaling in mice fed a high-carbohydrate very-low fat diet for 10 weeks. This study demonstrated that SCD1 inhibition created acute dyslipidemia, altered nutrient handling protein activity and increased the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in hepatic and muscle tissue, independent of dietary oleic acid content. However, the molecular controls of protein synthesis in the mTOR pathway were not affected by the loss of SCD1 activity. In conclusion, we observed that inhibiting hepatic SCD1 activity and subsequently changing the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) to SFA ratios in tissues alters normal nutrient handling in skeletal muscle.

Stearoyl-coA desaturase-1 (SCD1) activity has been linked to the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) through its central role in lipid metabolism. Understanding how changes in SCD1 activity affect obesity and MetS risk biomarkers and investigating how these changes in activity affect nutrient handling in non-hepatic tissues is also important. This study investigated how acute SCD1 inhibition effected plasma lipids, skeletal muscle nutrient handling and insulin signaling in mice fed a high-carbohydrate very-low fat diet for 10 weeks. This study demonstrated that SCD1 inhibition created acute dyslipidemia, altered nutrient handling protein activity and increased the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in hepatic and muscle tissue, independent of dietary oleic acid content. However, the molecular controls of protein synthesis in the mTOR pathway were not affected by the loss of SCD1 activity. In conclusion, we observed that inhibiting hepatic SCD1 activity and subsequently changing the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) to SFA ratios in tissues alters normal nutrient handling in skeletal muscle.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T14:17:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GABRIELA_ MOREIRA SOARES.pdf: 1940590 bytes, checksum: 743251bbcf008feeceea6700678f7e3f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-01-30 / Fundação Araucária / Hypothalamic obesity (HyO) is a severe condition without any effective therapy. Bariatric operations appear as an alternative treatment, but the effects of this procedure are controversial. Here, we investigated the effects of duodenal-jejunal bypass (DJB) upon lipid profile and expression of main genes, protein and transcription factors involved in hepatic lipid metabolism pathways in HyO rats. During the first 5 days of life, male newborn Wistar rats received a subcutaneous injection of monosodium glutamate (MSG) [4 g/kg body weight (BW), HyO group]. Control (CTL) group received saline [1.25 g/kg BW]. At 90 days of age, HyO rats were randomly submitted to DJB or sham operations forming HyO DJB and HyO Sham group, respectively. Six months after DJB, obesity parameters, lipids levels, and expression of genes and protein in the liver were verified. HyO Sham rats displayed obesity, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, hypertryglyceridemic and presented higher free fatty acids (FFA) levels and hepatic triglyceride (TG) content. Also, HyO Sham animals enhanced acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1) mRNA levels and ACC and FASN protein in the liver. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1a (CPT-1a) and microsomal TG transfer protein (MTTP) were down-regulated in HyO Sham rats. DJB operation normalized serum insulin, TG and FFA levels and hepatic TG content, without changing obesity in these animals. In addition, DJB reduced mRNA levels of liver pyruvate kinase (LPK), ACC, SCD-1, acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and carbohydrate response elemento-binding protein (ChREBP). ACC and FASN protein expression were normalized in HyO DJB animals. DJB reduces de-novo lipogenesis and improves hepatic TG content in HyO DJB rats, indicating that this surgery is efficient in the resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in HyO. / A obesidade hipotalâmica (OH) é uma condição severa que não apresenta nenhuma terapia eficaz. Cirurgias bariátricas têm surgido como uma alternativa de tratamento, porém, os efeitos deste procedimento são controversos. No presente trabalho, investigamos os efeitos da derivação duodeno-jejunal (DDJ) sobre o perfil lipídico e sobre a expressão gênica de proteínas e fatores de transcrição envolvidos em vias do metabolismo lipídico hepático em ratos com OH. Durante os cinco primeiros dias de vida, ratos Wistar neonatos receberam uma injeção subcutânea de glutamato monossódico (MSG) [4 g/kg de peso corporal, grupo OH]. O grupo controle (CTL) recebeu solução salina [1,25 g/kg de peso corporal]. Aos 90 dias de idade, os ratos OH foram aleatoriamente submetidos à pseudo-cirurgia (PC) ou à DDJ, formando os grupos OH PC e OH DDJ, respectivamente. Seis meses após a DDJ, foram verificados, os parâmetros de obesidade, concentração de lipídios e expressão gênica e proteica no fígado. Ratos OH PC apresentaram obesidade, hiperinsulinemia, resistência à insulina, hipertrigliceridemia, concentrações elevadas de ácidos graxos livres (AGL) e do conteúdo de triglicerídeo (TG) hepático. Também, os animais OH PC tiveram aumento na quantidade de mRNA da acetil-CoA carboxilase (ACC), ácido graxo sintetase (FASN) e estearoil-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1) e da expressão proteica da ACC e FASN no fígado. A expressão gênica da carnitina palmitoil-transferase-1a (CPT-1a) e da proteína de transferência de triglicerídeos microssomal (MTTP) foram menores no fígado do grupo OH PC. A cirurgia de DDJ normalizou a concentração de insulina, AGL e TG séricos e o conteúdo de TG hepático, sem alterar a obesidade nesses animais. Além disso, a DDJ reduziu a expressão do mRNA da piruvato quinase hepática (LPK), ACC, SCD-1, acil-CoA oxidase (ACO) e da proteína de ligação do elemento responsivo à carboidratos (ChREBP). A expressão proteica de ACC e FASN foi normalizada em animais OH DDJ. A DDJ reduz a lipogênese de novo e melhora o conteúdo de TG hepático em ratos OH DDJ, indicando que esta cirurgia é eficiente na resolução da doença hepática gordurosa não alcoólica (DHGNA) na OH.

The central nervous system (CNS) melanocortin signaling pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of metabolism. However, the regulatory effects of CNS melanocortin signaling on hepatic lipid metabolism and fatty liver disease have not been well established. Although the activity of the CNS melanocortin system is regulated by metabolic signals, the mechanism for this regulation is not fully understood. Variants of the FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated) gene are associated with obesity and FTO is expressed in the hypothalamic neurons including proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. Therefore, it is hypothesized that hypothalamic FTO plays a role in the regulation of metabolism by mediating the effect of metabolic signals on hypothalamic melanocortinergic neurons, and that impairments in this regulation may cause metabolic impairments including obesity and fatty liver disease. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) treatment with SHU9119, a melanocortin antagonist, increased hepatic lipid accumulation and the expression of genes encoding lipogenic enzymes in lean mice. Conversely, i.c.v. treatment with MTII, a melanocortin agonist, reduced the expression of hepatic lipogenic genes in association with reduction in body weight in ob/ob mice, a mouse model of fatty liver disease. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that Fto is co-expressed in both POMC and agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons in the mouse hypothalamus. Fto mRNA and protein expression was reduced by fasting and increased by glucose treatment in nutritionally important hypothalamic nuclei. Fasting-induced reduction in hypothalamic Fto expression was observed in both lean wild-type and obese ob/ob mice, while the stimulatory effect of glucose on hypothalamic Fto expression was absent in ob/ob mice. These findings support the hypothesis that central melanocortin signaling regulates hepatic lipid metabolism in part by regulating de novo lipogenesis. Impairments in the central melanocortin signaling lead to the development of hepatic steatosis, while enhanced melanocortin signaling may be beneficial in reversing abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism in fatty liver disease (Poritsanos et al., 2008). These findings also support the hypothesis that Fto is expressed in the hypothalamic melanocortinergic neurons and is regulated by metabolic signals involving changes in CNS glucose availability and/or glucose action. Impairments in this regulation may cause metabolic impairments including obesity and fatty liver disease.

The central nervous system (CNS) melanocortin signaling pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of metabolism. However, the regulatory effects of CNS melanocortin signaling on hepatic lipid metabolism and fatty liver disease have not been well established. Although the activity of the CNS melanocortin system is regulated by metabolic signals, the mechanism for this regulation is not fully understood. Variants of the FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated) gene are associated with obesity and FTO is expressed in the hypothalamic neurons including proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. Therefore, it is hypothesized that hypothalamic FTO plays a role in the regulation of metabolism by mediating the effect of metabolic signals on hypothalamic melanocortinergic neurons, and that impairments in this regulation may cause metabolic impairments including obesity and fatty liver disease. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) treatment with SHU9119, a melanocortin antagonist, increased hepatic lipid accumulation and the expression of genes encoding lipogenic enzymes in lean mice. Conversely, i.c.v. treatment with MTII, a melanocortin agonist, reduced the expression of hepatic lipogenic genes in association with reduction in body weight in ob/ob mice, a mouse model of fatty liver disease. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that Fto is co-expressed in both POMC and agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons in the mouse hypothalamus. Fto mRNA and protein expression was reduced by fasting and increased by glucose treatment in nutritionally important hypothalamic nuclei. Fasting-induced reduction in hypothalamic Fto expression was observed in both lean wild-type and obese ob/ob mice, while the stimulatory effect of glucose on hypothalamic Fto expression was absent in ob/ob mice. These findings support the hypothesis that central melanocortin signaling regulates hepatic lipid metabolism in part by regulating de novo lipogenesis. Impairments in the central melanocortin signaling lead to the development of hepatic steatosis, while enhanced melanocortin signaling may be beneficial in reversing abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism in fatty liver disease (Poritsanos et al., 2008). These findings also support the hypothesis that Fto is expressed in the hypothalamic melanocortinergic neurons and is regulated by metabolic signals involving changes in CNS glucose availability and/or glucose action. Impairments in this regulation may cause metabolic impairments including obesity and fatty liver disease.

Le diabète de type 2 constitue un enjeu majeur de santé publique et la mise au point de stratégies insulino-sensibilisantes est un défi permanent pour les scientifiques. Cette étude montre qu’un traitement chronique au myo-inositol améliore la sensibilité à l’insuline, réduit l’accrétion adipeuse et augmente la capacité de survie des souris au paraquat. L’effet insulino-sensibilisant semble passer, au moins en partie, par un effet direct sur la voie de signalisation insuline (éventuelle implication de médiateurs de type inositol glycanes). La diminution de l’accrétion adipeuse semble, quant à elle, liée à une réduction de l’activité de lipogenèse de novo et doit probablement aussi contribuer à l’effet insulino-sensibilisant sur le long terme. Une supplémentation en myo-inositol a également amélioré la sensibilité à l’insuline et réduit l’accrétion adipeuse chez la souris sous régime riche en graisses, mais n’a pu prévenir le dévelopement d’une obésité et d’une insulino-résistance associée à une lipotoxicité. Par ailleurs, chez des souris âgées obèses et au contrôle glycémique altéré, la supplémentation en myo-inositol fut inefficace. Cette réduction ou perte d’effet insulino-sensibilisant dans ces deux modèles murins pourrait être liée à la perte d’efficacité du myo-inositol sur la réduction de la masse adipeuse dans un contexte d’obésité déjà installée (souris âgées) et d’activité de lipogenèse de novo réduite (régime gras). De plus, la génération de messagers secondaires putatifs de l’insuline de type inositol glycanes est probablement réduite en cas d’insulino-résistance et pourrait aussi expliquer la perte d’efficacité du myo-inositol dans ces deux cas. Finalement, le myo-inositol seul et/ou utilisé dans le contexte d’une suralimentation chronique n’est pas une stratégie viable de prévention ou de traitement de la résistance à l’insuline. Par contre, son association avec d’autres stratégies insulino-sensibilisantes pourrait potentialiser son/leurs action(s) et éventuellement aider à réduire l’utilisation de stratégies médicamenteuses. / Insulin resistance is the first step in the development of type 2 diabetes so finding insulin-sensitizing strategies is challenging for scientists. Some inositol isomers or derivatives have been reported to exert insulin-mimetic activity. myo-Inositol being the most abundant stereoisomeric form of inositol in foodstuffs, we tested its insulin-mimetic potential in the long term and as a nutritional strategy for insulin resistance prevention and/or treatment. This study demonstrates that chronic myo-inositol treatment improves insulin sensitivity, reduces white adipose tissue accretion and improves mice survival mice to paraquat challenge. The insulin-sensitizing effect seems to be related to a direct effect on insulin signaling pathway. Reduction in adipose tissue mass also probably contribute to the long term effect of myo-inositol on insulin sensitivity. Myo-Inositol supplementation also improved insulin sensitivity and reduced white adipose tissue deposition in mice fed a high fat diet, but did not prevent insulin-resistance or obesity development. On one year-old mice with established obesity and altered glycemic control, myo-inositol supplementation showed no beneficial effect. myo-Inositol apparently acts on adipose tissue through reduction of de novo lipogenesis rather than stimulation of lipolysis. This may explain the lack or loss of myo-inositol efficiency in reducing adipose tissue mass in contexts of already well-established obesity (old mice) or reduced de novo lipogenesis (high fat diet feeding). Generation of inositol glycan putative insulin second messengers is probably reduced in context of insulin resistance which may explain the reduced effect of myo-inositol in both obese mice models. Moreover, myo-Inositol did not prevent lipotoxicity and so the associated insulin-resistance in high fat diet fed mice. In conclusion, myo-inositol alone and/or in a context of overnutrition is not a suitable strategy for the prevention or treatment of insulin resistance. Combining it with other insulin sentitizing strategies may however potentiate their action and help reducing insulin-sensitizing drugs use.

Submitted by Edineia Teixeira (edineia.teixeira@unioeste.br) on 2018-02-27T12:47:21Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Fernanda_Morita2017.pdf: 1916527 bytes, checksum: d53cab0d448357d03f1447766ef5948a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-27T12:47:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Fernanda_Morita2017.pdf: 1916527 bytes, checksum: d53cab0d448357d03f1447766ef5948a (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Objective: Here, we compared the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on fat liver deposition and expression of hepatic enzymes involved in hepatic de novo (DN) lipogenesis and β-oxidation, in western diet (WD)-obese rats. Background: Bariatric operations are known to improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), often found in obese humans. However, comparative studies on the efficacy of different bariatric procedures against NAFLD are scarce. Methods: At two months after WD consumption, the rats were divided into three groups: WD sham operation (WD-Sham), WD-RYGB and WD-SG. Three months after procedures, hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism were verified. Results: After 3 months, body weight and abdominal fat mass were lower in WD-RYGB, compared with WD-SG rats. Both bariatric operations enhanced glucose tolerance and decreased triglycerides (TG) serum levels. However, total serum cholesterol (CHOL) as well as, hepatic TG and CHOL contents were reduced only in liver of WD-RYGB rats. Hepatic steatosis was corrected in 83% of the WD-RYGB rats, whereas microvesicular steatosis occurred in 100% of the WD-SG livers. Reduction in FASN protein content was observed in both WD-RYGB and WD-SG rats. However, reduced hepatic ACC and enhanced pACC/ACC and CPT-1a protein levels were observed only in WD-RYGB rats. Conclusions: NAFLD is more marked reduced in obese rats that underwent RYGB than SG procedures. This RYGB effect may be associated with decreased hepatic DN lipogenesis, associated with enhancement in β-oxidation, which reduced TG and CHOL content in the liver and serum of WD rats. / Introdução: As operações bariátricas são conhecidas por melhorar a doença hepática gordurosa não alcoólica (DHGNA), frequentemente encontrada em indivíduos obesos. No entanto, estudos que comparam a eficácia de diferentes procedimentos bariátricos sobre a DHGNA são escassos. Objetivo: Nesse trabalho, são comparados os efeitos da Derivação Gástrica em Y de Roux (DGYR) e da Gastrectomia Vertical (GV) sobre a esteatose hepática e sobre a expressão de enzimas envolvidas na lipogênese de novo e β-oxidação no fígado de ratos obesos pela dieta de cafeteria. Métodos: Dois meses após o consumo de dieta de cafeteria, os ratos foram divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos: cafeteria pseudo-cirúrgico (CAF-PC), cafeteria derivação gástrica em Y Roux (CAF-DGYR) e cafeteria gastrectomia vertical (CAF-GV). Três meses após os procedimentos cirúrgicos, a esteatose hepática e o metabolismo lipídico foram avaliados. Resultados: Três meses após os procedimentos operatórios, os animais CAF-DGYR apresentaram menor peso corporal e gordura abdominal em comparação com os ratos CAF-PC e CAF-GV. Ambas as operações bariátricas aumentaram a tolerância à glicose e diminuíram a concentração de triglicerídeos (TG) plasmáticos. No entanto, o colesterol total (COL), bem como as concentrações de TG e COL hepáticos, foram reduzidos apenas no fígado dos ratos CAF-DGYR. A esteatose hepática foi corrigida em 83% dos ratos CAF-DGYR, enquanto que os animais CAF-GV apresentaram 100% de esteatose microvesicular. Os ratos CAF-DGYR e CAF-GV apresentaram redução na expressão proteica da FASN. No entanto, apenas os animais CAF-DGYR tiveram redução da proteína ACC e aumento da razão da pACC/ACC e CPT-1a. Conclusões: A operação de DGYR foi mais eficaz na redução da DHGNA em ratos obesos, em comparação com a GV. Esse efeito da DGYR pode estar associado à diminuição da lipogênese hepática de novo, associado ao aumento da β-oxidação, que levou à redução das concentrações de TG e COL no plasma e no fígado de ratos obesos por dieta de cafeteria.

This thesis aims to investigate fluoxetine, a widely prescribed SSRI antidepressant, for its role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and uncover novel mechanisms by which it may contribute to drug-induced steatosis. We demonstrated that increased hepatic lipid accumulation was mediated, in part, via elevated serotonin production. The inhibition of hepatic serotonin synthesis prevented lipid accumulation in fluoxetine-treated hepatocytes demonstrating a causal role for serotonin in fluoxetine-induced hepatic steatosis. Interestingly, in several studies, serotonin signaling has been shown to impact prostaglandin biosynthesis. As prostaglandins have been implicated in the development of NAFLD, and fluoxetine has previously been shown to alter the production of prostaglandins I assessed the role of prostaglandins in fluoxetine-induced hepatic lipid accumulation. Fluoxetine treatment increased mRNA expression of prostaglandin biosynthetic enzymes, increased production of prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Δ12,14PGJ2 (PPARG agonist), and elevated PPARG targets involved in fatty acid uptake. Fluoxetine-induced lipid accumulation, 15-deoxy-Δ12,14PGJ2 production, and the expression of PPARG lipogenic genes were attenuated with a PTGS1 specific inhibitor. Taken together these findings suggested that fluoxetine-induced lipid accumulation was mediated via PTGS1 and its downstream product 15-deoxy-Δ12,14PGJ2. Given that Pparg was elevated following fluoxetine treatment, and PPARG regulates microRNA involved in hepatic lipid accumulation, my final project focused on PPARG’s role in altered miRNA expression. Indeed, fluoxetine treatment increased the miRNA expression of miR-122, an effect that was attenuated when fluoxetine treatment was combined with the PPARG antagonist GW9662, suggesting a fluoxetine-PPARG-miR122 axis contributing to hepatic steatosis. While these studies have only been performed in vitro, an understanding of the molecular changes associated with SSRI treatment may lead to the development of strategies to prevent the increased risk of adverse metabolic outcomes associated with the use of SSRI antidepressants. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Science) / In adults, major depressive disorder (depression) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses. Recent data suggests that there are more than 4.1 million Canadians who currently suffer from depression. Depression is commonly treated using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants. While these antidepressants do help manage depressive symptoms, they can also cause unwanted side effects including a build-up of fat in the liver, leading to fatty liver disease. The goal of my research is to understand the link between SSRI use and the development of fatty liver disease. This thesis investigates the effects of fluoxetine (Prozac®), a commonly used SSRI antidepressant, on molecular pathways that can lead to the development of fatty liver disease. An understanding of the molecular changes with SSRI treatment may lead to the development of strategies to prevent the harmful effects of SSRI antidepressants on the liver.