The accumulation of fatty acids in the liver associated with obesity condition is also known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The impaired fat oxidation in obesity condition leads to ...increased hepatic fat accumulation and increased metabolic syndrome risk. On the other hand, physical exercise has been demonstrated as a potent strategy in the prevention of NAFLD. Also, these beneficial effects of exercise occur through different mechanisms. Recently, the Cdc2‐like kinase (CLK2) protein was associated with the suppression of fatty acid oxidation and hepatic ketogenesis. Thus, obese animals demonstrated elevated levels of hepatic CLK2 and decreased fat acid oxidation. Here, we explored the effects of chronic physical exercise in the hepatic metabolism of obese mice. Swiss mice were distributed in Lean, Obese (fed with high‐fat diet during 16 weeks) and Trained Obese group (fed with high‐fat diet during 16 weeks and exercised (at 60% exhaustion velocity during 1 h/5 days/week) during 8 weeks. In our results, the obese animals showed insulin resistance, increased hepatic CLK2 content and increased hepatic fat accumulation compared to the Lean group. Otherwise, the chronic physical exercise improved insulin resistance state, prevented the increased CLK2 in the liver and attenuated hepatic fat accumulation. In summary, these data reveal a new protein involved in the prevention of hepatic fat accumulation after chronic physical exercise. More studies can evidence the negative role of CLK2 in the control of liver metabolism, contributing to the improvement of insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
This study showed a strong correlation between high‐fat diet consumption and hepatic fat accumulation. The physical exercise has a relevant participation in hepatic metabolism, especially in fat oxidation in this tissue that occurred, at least in part, through of CLK2 protein regulation. Our study are in accordance with recent studies involving CLK2 in liver metabolism, suggesting its modulation as an interesting strategy in the prevention of NAFLD.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that exist in three isoforms: PPARα, PPARβ/δ and PPARγ. Studies suggest that the PPAR signalling system ...may modulate pain, anxiety and cognition. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether endogenous signalling via PPARs differentially modulates innate anxiety responses and mnemonic function in the presence and absence of inflammatory pain. We examined the effects of intraperitoneal administration of GW6471 (PPARα antagonist), GSK0660 (PPARβ/δ antagonist), GW9662 (PPARγ antagonist), and N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) on rat behaviour in the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field (OF), light-dark box (LDB), and novel object recognition (NOR) tests in the presence or absence of chronic inflammatory pain. Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)-injected rats exhibited impaired recognition and spatial mnemonic performance in the NOR test and pharmacological blockade of PPARα further impaired spatial memory in CFA-treated rats. N-oleoylethanolamide (OEA) levels were higher in the dorsal hippocampus in CFA-injected animals compared to their counterparts. The results suggest a modulatory effect of CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain on cognitive processing, but not on innate anxiety-related responses. Increased OEA-PPARα signalling may act as a compensatory mechanism to preserve spatial memory function following CFA injection.
PPARs and pain Okine, Bright N; Gaspar, Jessica C; Finn, David P
British journal of pharmacology,
20/May , Letnik:
176, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Chronic pain is a common cause of disability worldwide and remains a global health and socio‐economic challenge. Current analgesics are either ineffective in a significant proportion of patients with ...chronic pain or associated with significant adverse side effects. The PPARs, a family of nuclear hormone transcription factors, have emerged as important modulators of pain in preclinical studies and therefore a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pain. Modulation of nociceptive processing by PPARs is likely to involve both transcription‐dependent and transcription‐independent mechanisms. This review presents a comprehensive overview of preclinical studies investigating the contribution of PPAR signalling to nociceptive processing in animal models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. We examine current evidence from anatomical, molecular and pharmacological studies demonstrating a role for PPARs in pain control. We also discuss the limited evidence available from relevant clinical studies and identify areas that warrant further research.
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This article is part of a themed section on 8th European Workshop on Cannabinoid Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.10/issuetoc
Thymbra capitata essential oil is traditionally considered to exhibit powerful antiseptic properties, thus being used to treat cutaneous infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ...effect of Thymbra capitata essential oil upon pre-formed biofilm of different Candida strains while comparing it with the activity against planktonic cells.
Fifteen Candida isolates were included, corresponding to clinical and collection type strains. Essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and its composition analysed by GC/MS. Activity upon planktonic cells was evaluated according to M27-A3 macromethod. Its effect upon 24h preformed biofilm biomass was determined using the crystal violet procedure and the metabolic activity was studied applying the XTT/menadione technique.
Biofilm biomass and metabolic activity of all tested species were reduced up to 50% at MIC values. The effect was more pronounced at double MIC values, achieving >80% reduction, except for Candida albicans that presented a more resistant profile (62%).
Thymbra capitata essential oil presented an important effect upon Candida biofilms. It is proposed as a valuable antifungal product to be used in an appropriate pharmaceutical formulation for the management of resistant mucocutaneous candidosis.
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Aerosol antibiotics are an interesting alternative to oral or intravenous therapy in Cystic Fibrosis lung infections. Levofloxacin (LVX) inhaled solution is already an effective ...option. In this study, the aim was the development of LVX-loaded PLGA microspheres (MS) for pulmonary administration as a dry powder. MS were prepared, for the first time, by a modified double emulsion solvent evaporation method with premix membrane homogenization. Aqueous phases were saturated with LVX and a fatty acid (lauric acid) was added to avoid the drug escaping from the organic phase. MS were characterized in terms of size, drug content, morphology and in vitro release properties. X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential and gravimetric thermal analysis, and cytotoxicity analyses were performed. Results showed this new method increased the drug loading while maintaining an adequate (∼5 µm) particle size and controlled release. Compared to a solution for inhalation, these properties combined with the dry-powder nature of these MS will improve patient compliance. The incorporation of lauric acid was not advantageous because the particle size was higher and no improvements concerning the sustained release occurred. LVX was molecularly dispersed in the matrix, or it was in amorphous state, as confirmed by the physico-chemical analyses. Calu-3 cell viability assays demonstrated no cytotoxicity for these MS, making them a promising system for LVX pulmonary delivery.
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Hydrogels are extensively used in the biomedical field, as drug delivery systems, wound dressings, contact lenses or as scaffolds for tissue engineering. Due to their polymeric nature ...and the presence of high amounts of water in their structure, hydrogels generally present high sensitivity to terminal sterilization. The establishment of an efficient sterilization protocol that does not compromise the functional properties of the hydrogels is one of the challenges faced by researchers when developing a hydrogel for a specific application. Yet, until very recently this aspect was largely ignored in the literature. The present paper reviews the state of literature concerning hydrogels sterilization, compiling the main findings. Conventional terminal sterilization methods (heat sterilization, radiation sterilization, and gas sterilization) as well as emerging sterilization techniques (ozone, supercritical carbon dioxide) are covered. Considerations about aseptic processing are also included. Additionally, and as a framework, hydrogels’ polymeric materials, types of networks, and main biomedical applications are summarily described.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is strongly associated with hepatic insulin resistance (HIR); however, the key lipid species and molecular mechanisms linking these conditions are widely debated. We ...developed a subcellular fractionation method to quantify diacylglycerol (DAG) stereoisomers and ceramides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, plasma membrane (PM), lipid droplets, and cytosol. Acute knockdown (KD) of diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 in liver induced HIR in rats. This was due to PM sn-1,2-DAG accumulation, which promoted PKCϵ activation and insulin receptor kinase (IRK)-T1160 phosphorylation, resulting in decreased IRK-Y1162 phosphorylation. Liver PM sn-1,2-DAG content and IRK-T1160 phosphorylation were also higher in humans with HIR. In rats, liver-specific PKCϵ KD ameliorated high-fat diet-induced HIR by lowering IRK-T1160 phosphorylation, while liver-specific overexpression of constitutively active PKCϵ-induced HIR by promoting IRK-T1160 phosphorylation. These data identify PM sn-1,2-DAGs as the key pool of lipids that activate PKCϵ and that hepatic PKCϵ is both necessary and sufficient in mediating HIR.
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•Plasma membrane-bound sn-1,2-diacylglycerols cause hepatic insulin resistance•PKCϵ is necessary and sufficient for mediating lipid-induced hepatic insulin resistance•PKCϵ promotes hepatic insulin resistance via phosphorylating insulin receptor Thr1160•Ceramides do not consistently track with hepatic insulin resistance
Lipid-induced hepatic insulin resistance is mediated by plasma membrane-bound sn-1,2-diacylglycerols, which promote PKCϵ translocation to the plasma membrane. PKCϵ is both necessary and sufficient for mediating lipid-induced hepatic insulin resistance through phosphorylation of insulin receptor at Thr1160.