Project description:Saccharomyces cerevisiae developed elegant mechanisms to monitor nutrient availability and trigger adaptative responses to nutrient deficiency. Nutrient sensing requires close coordination of cell surface sensors with intracellular mechanisms. This yeast senses the presence of glucose by two modified hexose transporters, Rgt2 and Snf3 (regulating expression of genes encoding hexose transporters) and the G-protein coupled receptor Gpr1 (modulating Protein Kinase A (PKA) activity).. It has been difficult to differentiate between cellular responses mediated by cell surface and intracellular sensors, respectively. Using a strain that is devoid of glucose uptake, we show that the mere presence of glucose does not elicit any glucose-dependent transcriptional responses. This indicates that signals generated by surface sensors are not sufficient to mediate glucose-dependent transcriptional responses. Instead, intracellular glucose or metabolites derived from it are required for transcriptional changes associated with glucose exposure. We used microarrays from biological triplicate samples to measure the global transcriptional response to sudden addition of glucose to yeast cells growing at steady state on ethanol. The experiment was conducted using a strain that is devoid of glucose uptake and compared with an isogenic strain.
Project description:Saccharomyces cerevisiae developed elegant mechanisms to monitor nutrient availability and trigger adaptative responses to nutrient deficiency. Nutrient sensing requires close coordination of cell surface sensors with intracellular mechanisms. This yeast senses the presence of glucose by two modified hexose transporters, Rgt2 and Snf3 (regulating expression of genes encoding hexose transporters) and the G-protein coupled receptor Gpr1 (modulating Protein Kinase A (PKA) activity).. It has been difficult to differentiate between cellular responses mediated by cell surface and intracellular sensors, respectively. Using a strain that is devoid of glucose uptake, we show that the mere presence of glucose does not elicit any glucose-dependent transcriptional responses. This indicates that signals generated by surface sensors are not sufficient to mediate glucose-dependent transcriptional responses. Instead, intracellular glucose or metabolites derived from it are required for transcriptional changes associated with glucose exposure. We used microarrays from biological triplicate samples to measure the global transcriptional response to sudden addition of glucose to yeast cells growing at steady state on ethanol. The experiment was conducted using a strain that is devoid of glucose uptake and compared with an isogenic strain. The CEN.PK strain was used in this research. A strain with all known hexose transporters deleted (Null strain) was compared with an isogenic reference. The two strains were grown in a chemostat (D = 0.1 h-1) using ethanol as the carbon source. Transcriptional responses between the strains were measured in biological triplicates at steady state and then pulsed with glucose at time t = 0. Transcriptional response was measured again after t = 20 min to determine changes in gene expression changes only in response to the presence of glucose.
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) strains expressing high levels of the virulence regulator PrfA (mutant PrfA* or wild-type PrfA) show strong growth inhibition in minimal media when supplemented with glucose but not when supplemented with glucose-6-phosphate compared to the isogenic strains expressing low levels of PrfA. A significantly reduced rate of glucose uptake is observed in the PrfA* over-expressing strain growing in LB supplemented with glucose. Comparative transcriptome analyses were performed with RNA isolated from a prfA mutant and the isogenic strain carrying multiple prfA or prfA* copies on a plasmid. The analysis reveals in addition to high transcriptional up-regulation of the known PrfA-regulated virulence genes (group I), less pronounced up-regulation in the expression of several phage- and metabolic genes (group II) and strong down-regulation of several genes involved mainly in carbon- and nitrogen- metabolism in the PrfA* over-expressing strain (group III). Among the latter genes are in particular the nrgAB-, gltAB-, glnRA- (involved in nitrogen metabolism), ilvB- operons (involved in biosynthesis of the branched chain amino acids) and genes for some ABC transporters. Most of the down-regulated genes have been shown previously in Bacillus subtilis to belong to a class of genes whose expression is negatively affected by impaired glucose uptake. The results lead to the conclusion that excess PrfA(*) interferes with component(s) essential for PTS-mediated glucose transport. Keywords: Metabolism and Virulence gene expression
Project description:The growth hormone receptor (GHR) is expressed in brain regions that are known to participate in the regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism. We generated a novel transgenic mouse line (GHRcre) to characterize GHR-expressing neurons specifically in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC). Here, we demonstrate that ARCGHR+ neurons are co-localized with agouti-related peptide (AgRP), growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), and somatostatin neurons, which are activated by GH stimulation. Using the designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) technique to control the ARCGHR+ neuronal activity, we demonstrate that the activation of ARCGHR+ neurons elevates a respiratory exchange ratio (RER) under both fed and fasted conditions. However, while the activation of ARCGHR+ promotes feeding, under fasting conditions, the activation of ARCGHR+ neurons promotes glucose over fat utilization in the body. This effect was accompanied by significant improvements in glucose tolerance, and was specific to GHR+ versus GHRH+ neurons. The activation of ARCGHR+ neurons increased glucose turnover and whole-body glycolysis, as revealed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies. Remarkably, the increased insulin sensitivity upon the activation of ARCGHR+ neurons was tissue-specific, as the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was specifically elevated in the skeletal muscle, in parallel with the increased expression of muscle glycolytic genes. Overall, our results identify the GHR-expressing neuronal population in the ARC as a major regulator of glycolysis and muscle insulin sensitivity in vivo.
Project description:Insulin increases glucose uptake into adipose tissue and muscle by increasing trafficking of the glucose transporter Glut4. In cultured adipocytes, the exocytosis of Glut4 relies on activation of the small G protein RalA by insulin, via inhibition of its GTPase activating complex RalGAP. Here, we evaluate the role of RalA in glucose uptake in vivo with specific chemical inhibitors and by generation of mice with adipocyte-specific knockout of RalGAPB. RalA was profoundly activated in brown adipose tissue after feeding, and its inhibition prevented Glut4 exocytosis. RalGAPB knockout mice with diet-induced obesity were protected from the development of metabolic disease due to increased glucose uptake into brown fat. Thus, RalA plays a crucial role in glucose transport in adipose tissue in vivo.
Project description:Aims/hypothesisRecovering functional beta cell mass is a promising approach for future diabetes therapies. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of adjudin, a small molecule identified in a beta cell screen using zebrafish, on pancreatic beta cells and diabetes conditions in mice and human spheroids.MethodsIn zebrafish, insulin expression was examined by bioluminescence and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), glucose levels were examined by direct measurements and distribution using a fluorescent glucose analogue, and calcium activity in beta cells was analysed by in vivo live imaging. Pancreatic islets of wild-type postnatal day 0 (P0) and 3-month-old (adult) mice, as well as adult db/db mice (i.e. BKS(D)-Leprdb/JOrlRj), were cultured in vitro and analysed by qPCR, glucose stimulated insulin secretion and whole mount staining. RNA-seq was performed for islets of P0 and db/db mice. For in vivo assessment, db/db mice were treated with adjudin and subjected to analysis of metabolic variables and islet cells. Glucose consumption was examined in primary human hepatocyte spheroids.ResultsAdjudin treatment increased insulin expression and calcium response to glucose in beta cells and decreased glucose levels after beta cell ablation in zebrafish. Adjudin led to improved beta cell function, decreased beta cell proliferation and glucose responsive insulin secretion by decreasing basal insulin secretion in in vitro cultured newborn mouse islets. RNA-seq of P0 islets indicated that adjudin treatment resulted in increased glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, as well as downstream signalling pathways involved in insulin secretion. In islets from db/db mice cultured in vitro, adjudin treatment strengthened beta cell identity and insulin secretion. RNA-seq of db/db islets indicated adjudin-upregulated genes associated with insulin secretion, membrane ion channel activity and exocytosis. Moreover, adjudin promoted glucose uptake in the liver of zebrafish in an insulin-independent manner, and similarly promoted glucose consumption in primary human hepatocyte spheroids with insulin resistance. In vivo studies using db/db mice revealed reduced nonfasting blood glucose, improved glucose tolerance and strengthened beta cell identity after adjudin treatment.Conclusions/interpretationAdjudin promoted functional maturation of immature islets, improved function of dysfunctional islets, stimulated glucose uptake in liver and improved glucose homeostasis in db/db mice. Thus, the multifunctional drug adjudin, previously studied in various contexts and conditions, also shows promise in the management of diabetic states.Data availabilityRaw and processed RNA-seq data for this study have been deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus under accession number GSE235398 ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE235398 ).
Project description:Insulin action in adipocytes affects whole-body insulin sensitivity. Studies of adipose-specific Glut4 knockout mice have established that adipose Glut4 contributes to the control of systemic glucose homeostasis. Presumably, this reflects a role for Glut4-mediated glucose transport in the regulation of secreted adipokines. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Rab10 GTPase is required for insulin-stimulated translocation of Glut4 (Sano et al., 2007). The physiological importance of adipose Rab10 and the significance of its role in the control of Glut4 vesicle trafficking in vivo are unknown. Here we report that adipocytes from adipose-specific Rab10 knockout mice have a ~50% reduction in glucose uptake and Glut4 translocation to the cell surface in response to insulin, demonstrating a role for Rab10 in Glut4 trafficking. Moreover, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp shows decreased whole-body glucose uptake as well as impaired suppression of hepatic glucose production in adipose Rab10 knockout mice. Thus, fully functional Glut4 vesicle trafficking in adipocytes is critical for maintaining insulin sensitivity. Comparative transcriptome analysis of perigonadal adipose tissue demonstrates significant transcriptional similarities between adipose Rab10 knockout mice and adipose Glut4 knockout mice, consistent with the notion that the phenotypic similarities between the two models are mediated by reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport into adipocytes. Transcriptome sequencing of perigonadal white adipose tissue
Project description:Statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases owing to their lipid-lowering effects. Previous studies revealed that, by modulating membrane cholesterol content, statins could induce conformational changes in cluster of differentiation 20 (CD20) tetraspanin. The aim of the presented study was to investigate the influence of statins on glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1)-mediated glucose uptake in tumor cells. We observed a significant concentration- and time-dependent decrease in glucose analogs' uptake in several tumor cell lines incubated with statins. This effect was reversible with restitution of cholesterol synthesis pathway with mevalonic acid as well as with supplementation of plasma membrane with exogenous cholesterol. Statins did not change overall GLUT1 expression at neither transcriptional nor protein levels. An exploratory clinical trial revealed that statin treatment decreased glucose uptake in peripheral blood leukocytes and lowered (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake by tumor masses in a mantle cell lymphoma patient. A bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the structure of human GLUT1 and to identify putative cholesterol-binding motifs in its juxtamembrane fragment. Altogether, the influence of statins on glucose uptake seems to be of clinical significance. By inhibiting (18)F-FDG uptake, statins can negatively affect the sensitivity of positron emission tomography, a diagnostic procedure frequently used in oncology.
Project description:Glucose uptake by peripheral organs is essential for maintaining blood glucose levels within normal range. Impaired glucose uptake is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome and is characterized by insulin resistance. Male sex is an independent risk factor for the development of T2D. We tested whether sex and diet are independent variables for differential glucose uptake by various organs. Here, in a longitudinal study, we used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) to determine baseline differences in whole-body glucose uptake in young male and female mice on chow and high-fat diets. We report that sex and diet are important independent variables that account for differential glucose uptake in brown fat, skeletal muscle, liver, heart, kidney, and the stomach, but not the brain, lungs, pancreas, small intestine, or perigonadal adipose. Of the seven organs analyzed, two organs, namely brown fat, and the heart had the highest concentrations of FDG, followed by the brain, kidneys, and skeletal muscle on chow diet. Young female mice had 47% greater FDG uptake in the brown fat compared to male mice, whereas skeletal muscle FDG uptake was 49% greater in male mice. The high-fat diet inhibited FDG uptake in brown fat, skeletal muscle, and the heart, three major organs involved in uptake, whereas brain uptake was enhanced in both sexes. These foundational and groundbreaking findings suggest that mechanisms of glucose homeostasis are context- and organ-dependent and highlight the need to study sex-specific outcomes and mechanisms for diseases such as T2D, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.