Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Estudos demostram que a hiperalimentação no período pós-natal causa obesidade, alterações cardiometabólicas e resistência à insulina em longo prazo. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar as consequências da hiperalimentação na lactação nos corações de camundongos filhotes e adultos ao longo do desenvolvimento. Para induzir a hiperalimentação na lactação, o tamanho da ninhada foi reduzida a 3 filhotes machos no terceiro dia, grupo hiperalimentado (GH). O grupo controle (GC) permaneceu com 9 filhotes da lactação ao desmame. Avaliamos a massa corporal, gordura epididimária e retroperitoneal, morfologia hepática e cardíaca, ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos, peso do PVE/CT, glicemia de jejum, triglicerídeos, colesterol total, insulina plasmática e HOMA-IR. Analisamos o consumo de oxigênio das fibras cardíacas através da respirometria de alta resolução, atividade enzimática da PDH, CS e LDH no coração e glicogênio hepático. Biologia molecular, através das proteínas: IR&#946;, IRS1, pIRS1, PTP1B, PI3K, Akt, pAkt, GLUT1, GLUT4, AMPK&#945;, pAMPK&#945;, HKII, CPT1, UCP2, FABPm, CD36, PGC-1&#945;, PPAR&#945;, 4HNE, complexos da CTE (I, II, III, IV e V), &#945;-tubulina, GP91 e VADC. Diferenças entre os grupos analisadas por Two-Way ANOVA, com significância p<0,05. O GH apresentou aumento da massa corporal, gordura epididimária, retroperitoneal e colesterol total em todas as idades; glicemia de jejum, insulina, índice de HOMA-IR e triglicerídeos aos 21 e 90 dias. Aumento do índice de Lee aos 60 e 90 dias. GH apresentou diminuição: do IR&#946; e GLUT4 aos 21 e 60 dias; aumento do IR&#946; aos 90 dias; aumento do IRS1, PTP1B, aos 21 e 90 dias e da AKT, pAMPK/AMPK e GLUT1 aos 21 dias; diminuição da pIRS1/IRS1, PI3K, pAKT/AKT aos 21 e 90 dias; diminuição da HKII aos 21 dias e aumento aos 60 e 90 dias; aumento da PDH aos 90 dias; aumento da LDH aos 21 dias e redução aos 60 dias; aumento da CS aos 21 dias e diminuição aos 60 e 90 dias; aumento da oxidação de carboidratos aos 21 dias e redução aos 90 dias; diminuição na oxidação de ácidos graxos aos 60 e 90 dias. Adicionalmente, aumento do desacoplamento mitocondrial entre a fosforilação oxidativa e a síntese de ATP aos 60 e 90 dias. Diminuição da CPT1 e aumento da UCP2 aos 21 e 90 dias. Diminuição da PGC-1&#945; aos 60 e 90 dias; da FABPm e CD36 em todas idades. Aumento da 4HNE aos 21 e diminuição aos 90 dias. Diminuição na expressão do mRNA para CPT1 aos 21, 60 dias. Diminuição na expressão do mRNA para PPAR&#945; e aumento na expressão do mRNA para UCP2 aos 21 dias; diminuição na expressão do mRNA para UCP2 ao 60 dias. Alterações morfológicas cardíacas e hepáticas, assim como na ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos, em todas as idades, maior conteúdo de glicogênio hepático aos 21 e 90 dias. Concluímos que a hiperalimentação na lactação levou à obesidade, com aumento da oxidação de glicose, alterações no metabolismo energético associadas à diminuição da sensibilidade à insulina, redução da capacidade oxidativa mitocondrial, levando ao desacoplamento e alteração da morfologia e ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos do desmame até a idade adulta. / Recent studies have shown that overnutrition in the postnatal period lead obesity, cardiometabolic alterations, insulin resistance at long term. The objective of the study was to investigate the consequences of overnutrition lactation in the hearts of mice pups and adults throughout the development. To induce overnutrition during lactation, the litter size was reduced from three male pups at the third day, overnutrition group (OG). The control group (CG) remained with 9 pups per litter at lactation until weaning. We evaluated the body weight, epididymal and retroperitoneal fat, liver and cardiac morphology, ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes, left ventricle weight/ tibia length ratio, fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, plasma insulin and HOMA-IR. The oxygen consumption of cardiac fibers was analyzed by high-resolution respirometry. We evaluated the enzymatic activity of PDH, CS and LDH and liver glycogen. Molecular biology, through: IR&#946;, IRS1, pIRS1, PTP1B, PI3K, Akt, pAkt, GLUT1, GLUT4, AMPK&#945;, pAMPK&#945;, HKII, CPT1, UCP2, FABPm, CD36, PGC-1&#945;, PPAR&#945;, 4HNE, eletrons transport chain complex (I, II, III, IV and V), &#945;-tubulin, GP91 and VADC. Differences between groups analyzed by Two-way ANOVA, significance level p <0.05. The OG had increased body weight, epididymal and retroperitoneal fat and total cholesterol in all ages. Fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and triglyceride levels at 21 and 90 days. Increased Lee index at 60 and 90 days. OG showed a decrease: the IR&#946; and GLUT4 at 21 and 60 days; IR&#946; increased to 90 days; increased IRS1, PTP1B, at 21 and 90 days and AKT, pAMPK/ AMPK and GLUT1 to 21 days; decrease of pIRS1/IRS1, PI3K, pAKT/ AKT at 21 and 90 days; HKII decreased at 21 days and increased at 60 and 90 days; PDH increased to 90 days; increased LDH at 21 days and reduced to 60 days; CS increased at 21 days and decreased at 60 and 90 days; increased oxidation of carbohydrates to 21 days and reduced to 90 days; decrease in fatty acid oxidation at 60 and 90 days. Additionally, increased mitochondrial uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis at 60 and 90 days. We observed decrease in CPT1 and increased UCP2 at 21 and 90 days. Decreased PGC-1&#945; at 60 and 90 days and FABPm and CD36 in all ages. increased 4HNE at 21 and decrease at 90 days. However, we observed a decrease in the expression of mRNA for CPT1 to 21 and 60 days. Decrease in mRNA expression of PPAR&#945; and increased in mRNA expression of UCP2 at 21 days; decrease in mRNA expression of UCP2 at 60 days. Heart and liver morphological changes, as well as the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes, in all ages, hepatic glycogen content at 21 and 90 days. We conclude that the overfeeding lactation led to obesity with increased glucose oxidation, changes in energy metabolism, associated with decreased insulin signaling, reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity, leading to decoupling and changing the morphology and ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes from weaning to adulthood.

O overreaching não funcional (NFOR) induzido por consecutivas sessões de treinamentos intensos intercaladas por períodos insuficientes de recuperação, está associado com inflamação e consequente prejuízo da via de sinalização insulínica em músculos esqueléticos de camundongos. Sabe-se que o miocárdio também é capaz de produzir tais proteínas inflamatórias associadas ao comprometimento da via hormonal e que alterações na atividade do receptor insulínico cardíaco levam à forçadas modificações na utilização dos substratos energéticos com prejuízos na mecanoenergética cardíaca predispondo o miocárdio à diversas injúrias. No entanto os efeitos do NFOR nas vias inflamatórias e insulínica cardíaca ainda não foram investigados. Assim, o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar os efeitos do NFOR no conteúdo de glicogênio cardíaco e ativação de proteínas relacionadas às vias insulínica e inflamatória. Os animais foram divididos em 6 grupos: Naive, Controle, Treinado, e os grupos submetidos ao protocolo de overtraining em declive (OTR/down), aclive (OTR/up) e sem inclinação (OTR). As especificidades das contrações musculares induziram diferentes adaptações cardíacas. Os grupos OTR e OTR/up não apresentaram sinais de inflamação além de superexpressarem a via insulínica, por outro lado, o grupo OTR/down apresentou inflamação cardíaca de baixo grau, contudo, sem queda no conteúdo de pIR. Todos os protocolos de overtraining induziram elevação no conteúdo de glicogênio cardíaco acompanhado de expressiva queda da pAMPK. Os resultados do presente trabalho nos trazem, portanto, a hipótese de que o tecido cardíaco apresente uma maior resistência à inflamação viabilizando dessa forma a melhora da resposta insulínica e acúmulo do glicogênio cardíaco a fim de fornecer a energia necessária ao extenuante exercício físico evitando a lipotoxicidade cardíaca. Por outro lado, a queda da AMPK consequente do excessivo acúmulo de glicogênio cardíaco pode predispor o miocárdio à diversas injúrias, sendo necessários mais estudos na área. / Non-functional overreaching (NFOR) induced by consecutive intense training sessions interspersed by insufficient periods of recovery is associated with inflammation and a consequent impairment of the insulin signaling pathway in skeletal muscle of mice. It is known that the myocardium is also capable of producing such inflammatory proteins associated with the impairment of the hormonal pathway and that changes in cardiac insulin receptor activity lead to forced modifications in the use of energetic substrates with losses in cardiac mecanoenergética predisposing the myocardium to various injuries. However, the effects of NFOR on inflammatory and cardiac insulin pathways have not been investigated yet. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of NFOR on cardiac glycogen content and activation of proteins related to insulin and inflammatory pathways. The animals were divided into 6 groups: Naïve, Control, Trained, and the groups submitted to the overtraining protocol in decline (OTR/down), uphill (OTR /up) and without inclination (OTR). The specificities of muscle contractions induced different cardiac adaptations. OTR and OTR/up groups showed no signs of inflammation and an over expressive of the insulin pathway; on the other hand, the OTR/down group presented low-grade cardiac inflammation, however, without any decrease in the pIR content. All overtraining protocols induced elevation in cardiac glycogen content accompanied by significant drop in pAMPK. The results of the present work hypothesize that the cardiac tissue presents a greater resistance to inflammation, thus enabling the improvement of the insulin response and the accumulation of cardiac glycogen in order to provide the necessary energy to the strenuous physical exercise avoiding cardiac lipotoxicity. On the other hand, the decrease in AMPK due to the excessive accumulation of cardiac glycogen may predispose the myocardium to several injuries, and further studies in the area are required.

Considering the major role of insulin signaling on fatty acid synthesis via stimulation of lipogenic enzymes, differential effects of insulin signaling on individual carbon fluxes for fatty acid synthesis have been investigated by comparing the individual lipogenic fluxes in WT and IRS-1 knockout (IRS-1 KO) brown adipocytes. Results from experiments on WT and IRS-1 KO cells incubated with [5-¹³C] glutamine were consistent with the existence of reductive carboxylation pathway. Analysis of isotopomer distribution of nine metabolites related to the lipogenic routes from glucose and glutamine in IRS-1 KO cells using [U-¹³C] glutamine as compared to that in WT cells indicated that flux through reductive carboxylation pathway was diminished while flux through conventional TCA cycle was stimulated due to absence of insulin signaling in IRS-1 KO cells. This observation was confirmed by quantitative estimation of individual lipogenic fluxes in IRS-1 KO cells and their comparison with fluxes in WT cells. Thus, these results suggest that glutamine’s substantial contribution to fatty acid synthesis can be directly manipulated by controlling the flux through reductive carboxylation of alpha-ketoglutarate to citrate using hormone (insulin). / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

PANcreatic-DERived Factor (PANDER), or FAM3B, is a 235-amino acid protein strongly expressed within and secreted from the endocrine pancreas. Research surrounding PANDER has revealed a large role for the protein in maintaining glucose homeostasis, as evidenced by several Ad-PANDER overexpressing murine models, our lab's pancreas-specific PANDER transgenic overexpressor, and most recently our mixed genetic C57/129J PANDER knockout (PANKO) mouse. However, PANDER's overall role in glycemic regulation and glucose homeostasis has yet to be studied in a purebred C57BL/6J PANDER knockout model. Here we present the first phenotypic characterization of our global PANDER knockout mouse on a C57BL/6J background (PANKO-C57) where we examined metabolics through glucose/insulin tolerance testing, fasting glycemia, and body weights, the concentrations of hormonal analytes along with lipids and corticosterones, and full elucidation of hepatic insulin signaling through the insulin signaling cascade. Overall, the PANKO-C57 mice exhibited increased body weights with enhanced glucose tolerance and lower fasting glycemia, similar peripheral insulin sensitivities, increased hepatic lipidemia, and enhanced hepatic insulin signaling at critical insulin signaling molecules. Taken together, the PANKO-C57 demonstrates that the disruption of PANDER results in selectively enhanced hepatic insulin signaling yet with increased lipidemia and overall body weight. These findings reveal a novel role for PANDER in differentially controlling lipogenesis and hepatic glucose production that may selectively impact overall glycemic control and potentially facilitate the onset and/or progression of type 2 diabetes.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Estudos demostram que a hiperalimentação no período pós-natal causa obesidade, alterações cardiometabólicas e resistência à insulina em longo prazo. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar as consequências da hiperalimentação na lactação nos corações de camundongos filhotes e adultos ao longo do desenvolvimento. Para induzir a hiperalimentação na lactação, o tamanho da ninhada foi reduzida a 3 filhotes machos no terceiro dia, grupo hiperalimentado (GH). O grupo controle (GC) permaneceu com 9 filhotes da lactação ao desmame. Avaliamos a massa corporal, gordura epididimária e retroperitoneal, morfologia hepática e cardíaca, ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos, peso do PVE/CT, glicemia de jejum, triglicerídeos, colesterol total, insulina plasmática e HOMA-IR. Analisamos o consumo de oxigênio das fibras cardíacas através da respirometria de alta resolução, atividade enzimática da PDH, CS e LDH no coração e glicogênio hepático. Biologia molecular, através das proteínas: IR&#946;, IRS1, pIRS1, PTP1B, PI3K, Akt, pAkt, GLUT1, GLUT4, AMPK&#945;, pAMPK&#945;, HKII, CPT1, UCP2, FABPm, CD36, PGC-1&#945;, PPAR&#945;, 4HNE, complexos da CTE (I, II, III, IV e V), &#945;-tubulina, GP91 e VADC. Diferenças entre os grupos analisadas por Two-Way ANOVA, com significância p<0,05. O GH apresentou aumento da massa corporal, gordura epididimária, retroperitoneal e colesterol total em todas as idades; glicemia de jejum, insulina, índice de HOMA-IR e triglicerídeos aos 21 e 90 dias. Aumento do índice de Lee aos 60 e 90 dias. GH apresentou diminuição: do IR&#946; e GLUT4 aos 21 e 60 dias; aumento do IR&#946; aos 90 dias; aumento do IRS1, PTP1B, aos 21 e 90 dias e da AKT, pAMPK/AMPK e GLUT1 aos 21 dias; diminuição da pIRS1/IRS1, PI3K, pAKT/AKT aos 21 e 90 dias; diminuição da HKII aos 21 dias e aumento aos 60 e 90 dias; aumento da PDH aos 90 dias; aumento da LDH aos 21 dias e redução aos 60 dias; aumento da CS aos 21 dias e diminuição aos 60 e 90 dias; aumento da oxidação de carboidratos aos 21 dias e redução aos 90 dias; diminuição na oxidação de ácidos graxos aos 60 e 90 dias. Adicionalmente, aumento do desacoplamento mitocondrial entre a fosforilação oxidativa e a síntese de ATP aos 60 e 90 dias. Diminuição da CPT1 e aumento da UCP2 aos 21 e 90 dias. Diminuição da PGC-1&#945; aos 60 e 90 dias; da FABPm e CD36 em todas idades. Aumento da 4HNE aos 21 e diminuição aos 90 dias. Diminuição na expressão do mRNA para CPT1 aos 21, 60 dias. Diminuição na expressão do mRNA para PPAR&#945; e aumento na expressão do mRNA para UCP2 aos 21 dias; diminuição na expressão do mRNA para UCP2 ao 60 dias. Alterações morfológicas cardíacas e hepáticas, assim como na ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos, em todas as idades, maior conteúdo de glicogênio hepático aos 21 e 90 dias. Concluímos que a hiperalimentação na lactação levou à obesidade, com aumento da oxidação de glicose, alterações no metabolismo energético associadas à diminuição da sensibilidade à insulina, redução da capacidade oxidativa mitocondrial, levando ao desacoplamento e alteração da morfologia e ultraestrutura dos cardiomiócitos do desmame até a idade adulta. / Recent studies have shown that overnutrition in the postnatal period lead obesity, cardiometabolic alterations, insulin resistance at long term. The objective of the study was to investigate the consequences of overnutrition lactation in the hearts of mice pups and adults throughout the development. To induce overnutrition during lactation, the litter size was reduced from three male pups at the third day, overnutrition group (OG). The control group (CG) remained with 9 pups per litter at lactation until weaning. We evaluated the body weight, epididymal and retroperitoneal fat, liver and cardiac morphology, ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes, left ventricle weight/ tibia length ratio, fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, plasma insulin and HOMA-IR. The oxygen consumption of cardiac fibers was analyzed by high-resolution respirometry. We evaluated the enzymatic activity of PDH, CS and LDH and liver glycogen. Molecular biology, through: IR&#946;, IRS1, pIRS1, PTP1B, PI3K, Akt, pAkt, GLUT1, GLUT4, AMPK&#945;, pAMPK&#945;, HKII, CPT1, UCP2, FABPm, CD36, PGC-1&#945;, PPAR&#945;, 4HNE, eletrons transport chain complex (I, II, III, IV and V), &#945;-tubulin, GP91 and VADC. Differences between groups analyzed by Two-way ANOVA, significance level p <0.05. The OG had increased body weight, epididymal and retroperitoneal fat and total cholesterol in all ages. Fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and triglyceride levels at 21 and 90 days. Increased Lee index at 60 and 90 days. OG showed a decrease: the IR&#946; and GLUT4 at 21 and 60 days; IR&#946; increased to 90 days; increased IRS1, PTP1B, at 21 and 90 days and AKT, pAMPK/ AMPK and GLUT1 to 21 days; decrease of pIRS1/IRS1, PI3K, pAKT/ AKT at 21 and 90 days; HKII decreased at 21 days and increased at 60 and 90 days; PDH increased to 90 days; increased LDH at 21 days and reduced to 60 days; CS increased at 21 days and decreased at 60 and 90 days; increased oxidation of carbohydrates to 21 days and reduced to 90 days; decrease in fatty acid oxidation at 60 and 90 days. Additionally, increased mitochondrial uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis at 60 and 90 days. We observed decrease in CPT1 and increased UCP2 at 21 and 90 days. Decreased PGC-1&#945; at 60 and 90 days and FABPm and CD36 in all ages. increased 4HNE at 21 and decrease at 90 days. However, we observed a decrease in the expression of mRNA for CPT1 to 21 and 60 days. Decrease in mRNA expression of PPAR&#945; and increased in mRNA expression of UCP2 at 21 days; decrease in mRNA expression of UCP2 at 60 days. Heart and liver morphological changes, as well as the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes, in all ages, hepatic glycogen content at 21 and 90 days. We conclude that the overfeeding lactation led to obesity with increased glucose oxidation, changes in energy metabolism, associated with decreased insulin signaling, reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity, leading to decoupling and changing the morphology and ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes from weaning to adulthood.

O overreaching não funcional (NFOR) induzido por consecutivas sessões de treinamentos intensos intercaladas por períodos insuficientes de recuperação, está associado com inflamação e consequente prejuízo da via de sinalização insulínica em músculos esqueléticos de camundongos. Sabe-se que o miocárdio também é capaz de produzir tais proteínas inflamatórias associadas ao comprometimento da via hormonal e que alterações na atividade do receptor insulínico cardíaco levam à forçadas modificações na utilização dos substratos energéticos com prejuízos na mecanoenergética cardíaca predispondo o miocárdio à diversas injúrias. No entanto os efeitos do NFOR nas vias inflamatórias e insulínica cardíaca ainda não foram investigados. Assim, o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar os efeitos do NFOR no conteúdo de glicogênio cardíaco e ativação de proteínas relacionadas às vias insulínica e inflamatória. Os animais foram divididos em 6 grupos: Naive, Controle, Treinado, e os grupos submetidos ao protocolo de overtraining em declive (OTR/down), aclive (OTR/up) e sem inclinação (OTR). As especificidades das contrações musculares induziram diferentes adaptações cardíacas. Os grupos OTR e OTR/up não apresentaram sinais de inflamação além de superexpressarem a via insulínica, por outro lado, o grupo OTR/down apresentou inflamação cardíaca de baixo grau, contudo, sem queda no conteúdo de pIR. Todos os protocolos de overtraining induziram elevação no conteúdo de glicogênio cardíaco acompanhado de expressiva queda da pAMPK. Os resultados do presente trabalho nos trazem, portanto, a hipótese de que o tecido cardíaco apresente uma maior resistência à inflamação viabilizando dessa forma a melhora da resposta insulínica e acúmulo do glicogênio cardíaco a fim de fornecer a energia necessária ao extenuante exercício físico evitando a lipotoxicidade cardíaca. Por outro lado, a queda da AMPK consequente do excessivo acúmulo de glicogênio cardíaco pode predispor o miocárdio à diversas injúrias, sendo necessários mais estudos na área. / Non-functional overreaching (NFOR) induced by consecutive intense training sessions interspersed by insufficient periods of recovery is associated with inflammation and a consequent impairment of the insulin signaling pathway in skeletal muscle of mice. It is known that the myocardium is also capable of producing such inflammatory proteins associated with the impairment of the hormonal pathway and that changes in cardiac insulin receptor activity lead to forced modifications in the use of energetic substrates with losses in cardiac mecanoenergética predisposing the myocardium to various injuries. However, the effects of NFOR on inflammatory and cardiac insulin pathways have not been investigated yet. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of NFOR on cardiac glycogen content and activation of proteins related to insulin and inflammatory pathways. The animals were divided into 6 groups: Naïve, Control, Trained, and the groups submitted to the overtraining protocol in decline (OTR/down), uphill (OTR /up) and without inclination (OTR). The specificities of muscle contractions induced different cardiac adaptations. OTR and OTR/up groups showed no signs of inflammation and an over expressive of the insulin pathway; on the other hand, the OTR/down group presented low-grade cardiac inflammation, however, without any decrease in the pIR content. All overtraining protocols induced elevation in cardiac glycogen content accompanied by significant drop in pAMPK. The results of the present work hypothesize that the cardiac tissue presents a greater resistance to inflammation, thus enabling the improvement of the insulin response and the accumulation of cardiac glycogen in order to provide the necessary energy to the strenuous physical exercise avoiding cardiac lipotoxicity. On the other hand, the decrease in AMPK due to the excessive accumulation of cardiac glycogen may predispose the myocardium to several injuries, and further studies in the area are required.

In subclinical hypothyroidism (SH), high levels of circulating thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) maintain normal thyroid hormone levels, despite mild thyroid failure. SH is associated with cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance, although the underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood. We hypothesized that TSH may inhibit insulin action in adipocytes. To investigate this relationship, we studied primary human differentiated adipocytes. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were obtained (approved by OHSN-REB) from 16 weight-stable patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery. We stimulated adipocytes differentiated from stromal preadipocytes with 5 mU/ml TSH and/or 100 nM insulin, and assessed acute insulin signaling, lipogenesis and glucose uptake. Immunoblot analysis revealed that TSH suppressed insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation by 45% (n=5; p = 0.01). When adipocytes were pre-incubated with conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) inhibitor Gö6976, TSH inhibition was blocked. Our data indicate that TSH inhibits insulin-stimulated lipogenesis (up to 37%), but depends on BMI. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was enhanced by 36% and also correlated with BMI. This data suggests that TSH can modulate adipocyte insulin signaling.

Aim of this thesis was to observe changes in oxidative metabolism and expression of important neuroenergetic proteins in human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y due to inhibition of FTO. FTO is a RNA demethylase that uses N6-methyladenosine as substrate. Differences in enzyme expression are connected to broad area of effects involving energy homeostasis. Mitochondria are cellular powerhouses, a key elements in production of energy and metabolic substrates, yet a source of potentially dangerous reactive oxygen species (ROS) and analogous reactive molecules. In order to better understand FTO purpose in neuronal energetic metabolism, we examined mitochondrial respiratory chain. Using high-resolution respirometry we were capable of observing impairment in mitochondrial respiration after FTO inhibition. There was considerable decline in endogenous respiration, maximal respiration rate and reserve capacity. In order to obtain more detailed view into mitochondrial respiration, expression levels of electron-transport complexes were quantified by Western blot technique. Slight reduction was identified in subunits of complex I and IV. However, the most prominent alteration was seen in complex II subunit. There were no differences in expression of complex III and ATP synthase subunits. Beside disrupted activity...

Diapause is a programmed developmental arrest that allows insects to survive harsh environmental conditions. The diapause state has been linked to the insulin signaling pathway. Insulin signaling has been associated with many physiological processes including aging. It is a working hypothesis that the diapause and aging programs have a common set of gene expression pathways via insulin signaling. Analysis of a heterologous microarray indicated that two genes involved in the insulin pathway were down regulated during diapause. Both of these genes, Pi3K68d and Pde6, along with the Insulin receptor (InR) were targets for further investigation. Putative gene products have been isolated, cloned, and sequenced. RNA interference experimentation was conducted to characterize the role of the putative InR gene products obtained.

No description available.