Project description:Obesity-induced insulin resistance of the liver is characterised by increased gluconeogenesis, which contributes to elevated blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Research into how fatty acids induce insulin resistance has commonly focused on the induction of insulin resistance. We hypothesise that by shifting focus to the reversal of an insulin resistant phenotype, novel insights can be made into the mechanisms by which insulin resistance can be overcome. Using global gene and lipid expression profiling, we aimed to identify biological pathways altered in parallel with restoration of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production using metformin and sodium salicylate. FAO hepatoma cells were treated with palmitate (0.075mM, 48h) with or without metformin (0.25mM) and sodium salicylate (2mM) in the final 24h of palmitate treatment, and effects on glucose production were determined. Microarray followed by gene set enrichment analysis was performed to investigate pathway regulation. A lipidomic analysis (HPLC-MS/MS) and measurement of secreted bile acids and cholesterol were performed. Reversal of palmitate-induced impairment of glucose production by metformin and sodium salicylate was characterised by down-regulated expression of metabolic pathways regulating acetyl-CoA to cholesterol and bile acid biosynthesis. Total levels of intracellular and secreted cholesterol and bile acids were not different between impaired and restored glucose production. Total intracellular levels of diacylgycerol, triacylglycerol and cholesterol esters increased with palmitate (impaired glucose production), however, these were not further altered with metformin and sodium salicylate (restored glucose production). Six individual lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side-chains were reduced by metformin and sodium salicylate. Widespread lipid metabolism changes induced by the reversal of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production with metformin and sodium salicylate were identified. While cholesterol and bile acid levels remained unchanged, the flux through these pathways may in part explain these findings. The identification of lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side chains being regulated alongside changes to glucose production may indicate potential mediators of glucose production and insulin resistance. Three-condition experiment, Vehicle, Palmitate (PA) and Palmitate (PA) + Metformin (Met) + Sodium Sailcylate (NaS) with biological replicates: 8 Vehicle, 20 PA and 20 PA+Met+NaS , independently grown and harvested. One replicate per array.
Project description:Obesity-induced insulin resistance of the liver is characterised by increased gluconeogenesis, which contributes to elevated blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Research into how fatty acids induce insulin resistance has commonly focused on the induction of insulin resistance. We hypothesise that by shifting focus to the reversal of an insulin resistant phenotype, novel insights can be made into the mechanisms by which insulin resistance can be overcome. Using global gene and lipid expression profiling, we aimed to identify biological pathways altered in parallel with restoration of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production using metformin and sodium salicylate. FAO hepatoma cells were treated with palmitate (0.075mM, 48h) with or without metformin (0.25mM) and sodium salicylate (2mM) in the final 24h of palmitate treatment, and effects on glucose production were determined. Microarray followed by gene set enrichment analysis was performed to investigate pathway regulation. A lipidomic analysis (HPLC-MS/MS) and measurement of secreted bile acids and cholesterol were performed. Reversal of palmitate-induced impairment of glucose production by metformin and sodium salicylate was characterised by down-regulated expression of metabolic pathways regulating acetyl-CoA to cholesterol and bile acid biosynthesis. Total levels of intracellular and secreted cholesterol and bile acids were not different between impaired and restored glucose production. Total intracellular levels of diacylgycerol, triacylglycerol and cholesterol esters increased with palmitate (impaired glucose production), however, these were not further altered with metformin and sodium salicylate (restored glucose production). Six individual lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side-chains were reduced by metformin and sodium salicylate. Widespread lipid metabolism changes induced by the reversal of palmitate-induced deregulation of glucose production with metformin and sodium salicylate were identified. While cholesterol and bile acid levels remained unchanged, the flux through these pathways may in part explain these findings. The identification of lipid species containing 18:0 and 18:1 side chains being regulated alongside changes to glucose production may indicate potential mediators of glucose production and insulin resistance.
Project description:The Norway rat has important impacts on our life. They are amongst the most used research subjects, resulting in ground-breaking advances. At the same time, wild rats live in close association with us, leading to various adverse interactions. In face of this relevance, it is surprising how little is known about their natural behaviour. While recent laboratory studies revealed their complex social skills, little is known about their social behaviour in the wild. An integration of these different scientific approaches is crucial to understand their social life, which will enable us to design more valid research paradigms, develop more effective management strategies, and to provide better welfare standards. Hence, I first summarise the literature on their natural social behaviour. Second, I provide an overview of recent developments concerning their social cognition. Third, I illustrate why an integration of these areas would be beneficial to optimise our interactions with them.
Project description:BackgroundMurine kobuviruses (MuKV) are newly recognized picornaviruses first detected in murine rodents in the USA in 2011. Little information on MuKV epidemiology in murine rodents is available. Therefore, we conducted a survey of the prevalence and genomic characteristics of rat kobuvirus in Guangdong, China.ResultsFecal samples from 223 rats (Rattus norvegicus) were collected from Guangdong and kobuviruses were detected in 12.6% (28) of samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial 3D and complete VP1 sequence regions showed that rat kobuvirus obtained in this study were genetically closely related to those of rat/mouse kobuvirus reported in other geographical areas. Two near full-length rat kobuvirus genomes (MM33, GZ85) were acquired and phylogenetic analysis of these revealed that they shared very high nucleotide/amino acids identity with one another (95.4%/99.4%) and a sewage-derived sequence (86.9%/93.5% and 87.5%/93.7%, respectively). Comparison with original Aichivirus A strains, such human kobuvirus, revealed amino acid identity values of approximately 80%.ConclusionOur findings indicate that rat kobuvirus have distinctive genetic characteristics from other Aichivirus A viruses. Additionally, rat kobuvirus may spread via sewage.
Project description:Inflammation is a key component of pathological angiogenesis. Here we induce cornea neovascularisation using sutures placed into the cornea, and sutures are removed to induce a regression phase. We used whole transcriptome microarray to monitor gene expression profies of several genes
Project description:Ecological factors, such as predation, have traditionally been used to explain sociability. However, it is increasingly recognised that individuals within a group do not associate randomly, and that these non-random associations can generate fitness advantages. The majority of the empirical evidence on differentiated associations in group-living mammals, however, comes from a limited number of taxa and we still know very little about their occurrence and characteristics in some highly social species, such as rats (Rattus spp.). Here, using network analysis, we quantified association patterns in four groups of male fancy rats. We found that the associations between rats were not randomly distributed and that most individuals had significantly more preferred/avoided associates than expected by random. We also found that these preferences can be stable over time, and that they were not influenced by individuals' rank position in the dominance hierarchy. Our findings are consistent with work in other mammals, but contrast with the limited evidence available for other rat strains. While further studies in groups with different demographic composition are warranted to confirm our findings, the occurrence of differentiated associations in all male groups of rats have important implications for the management and welfare of captive rat populations.