Charlotte Guigné

Apelin Stimulates Glucose Utilization in Normal and Obese Insulin-Resistant Mice

Adipose tissue (AT) secretes several adipokines that influence insulin sensitivity and potentially link obesity to insulin resistance. Apelin, a peptide present in different tissues, is also secreted by adipocytes. Apelin is upregulated in obese and hyperinsulinemic humans and mice. Although a tight relation exists between the regulation of apelin and insulin, it remains largely unknown whether apelin affects whole-body glucose utilization. Herein, we show that in chow-fed mice, acute intravenous injection of apelin has a powerful glucose-lowering effect associated with enhanced glucose utilization in skeletal muscle and AT. Through in vivo and in vitro pharmacological and genetic approaches, we demonstrate the involvement of endothelial NO synthase, AMP-activated protein kinase, and Akt in apelin-stimulated glucose uptake in soleus muscle. Remarkably, in obese and insulin-resistant mice, apelin restored glucose tolerance and increased glucose utilization. Apelin could thus represent a promising target in the management of insulin resistance.

LPA1 Receptor Activation Promotes Renal Interstitial Fibrosis

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis in chronic renal disease is strongly associated with progressive loss of renal function. We studied the potential involvement of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a growth factor-like phospholipid, and its receptors LPA(1-4) in the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF). Renal fibrosis was induced in mice by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) for up to 8 d, and kidney explants were prepared from the distal poles to measure LPA release into conditioned media. After obstruction, the extracellular release of LPA increased approximately 3-fold. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis demonstrated significant upregulation in the expression of the LPA(1) receptor subtype, downregulation of LPA3, and no change of LPA2 or LPA4. TIF was significantly attenuated in LPA1 (-/-) mice compared to wild-type littermates, as measured by expression of collagen III, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and F4/80. Furthermore, treatment of wild-type mice with the LPA1 antagonist Ki16425 similarly reduced fibrosis and significantly attenuated renal expression of the profibrotic cytokines connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta). In vitro, LPA induced a rapid, dose-dependent increase in CTGF expression that was inhibited by Ki16425. In conclusion, LPA, likely acting through LPA1, is involved in obstruction-induced TIF. Therefore, the LPA1 receptor might be a pharmaceutical target to treat renal fibrosis.

Lysophosphatidic acid inhibits adipocyte differentiation via lysophosphatidic acid 1 receptor-dependent down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid acting via specific G protein-coupled receptors that is synthesized at the extracellular face of adipocytes by a secreted lysophospholipase D (autotaxin). Preadipocytes mainly express the LPA1 receptor subtype, and LPA increases their proliferation. In monocytes and CV1 cells LPA was recently reported to bind and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a transcription factor also known to play a pivotal role in adipogenesis. Here we show that, unlike the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone, LPA was unable to increase transcription of PPARγ-sensitive genes (PEPCK and ALBP) in the mouse preadipose cell line 3T3F442A. In contrast, treatment with LPA decreased PPARγ2 expression, impaired the response of PPARγ-sensitive genes to rosiglitazone, reduced triglyceride accumulation, and reduced the expression of adipocyte mRNA markers. The anti-adipogenic activity of LPA was also observed in the human SGBS (Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome) preadipocyte cell line, as well as in primary preadipocytes isolated from wild type mice. Conversely, the anti-adipogenic activity of LPA was not observed in primary preadipocytes from LPA1 receptor knock-out mice, which, in parallel, exhibited a higher adiposity than wild type mice. In conclusion, LPA does not behave as a potent PPARγ agonist in adipocytes but, conversely, inhibits PPARγ expression and adipogenesis via LPA1 receptor activation. The local production of LPA may exert a tonic inhibitory effect on the development of adipose tissue.

Adipose-specific disruption of autotaxin enhances nutritional fattening and reduces plasma lysophosphatidic acid.

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted lysophospholipase D that generates the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). ATX is secreted by adipose tissue and its expression is enhanced in obese/insulin-resistant individuals. Here, we analyzed the specific contribution of adipose-ATX to fat expansion associated with nutritional obesity and its consequences on plasma LPA levels. We established ATXF/F/aP2-Cre (FATX-KO) transgenic mice carrying a null ATX allele specifically in adipose tissue. FATX-KO mice and their control littermates were fed either a normal or a high-fat diet (HFD) (45% fat) for 13 weeks. FATX-KO mice showed a strong decrease (up to 90%) in ATX expression in white and brown adipose tissue, but not in other ATX-expressing organs. This was associated with a 38% reduction in plasma LPA levels. When fed an HFD, FATX-KO mice showed a higher fat mass and a higher adipocyte size than control mice although food intake was unchanged. This was associated with increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ2 and of PPAR-sensitive genes (aP2, adiponectin, leptin, glut-1) in subcutaneous white adipose tissue, as well as in an increased tolerance to glucose. These results show that adipose-ATX is a negative regulator of fat mass expansion in response to an HFD and contributes to plasma LPA levels.

Apelin and APJ regulation in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic mice and humans

Apelin, an adipocyte-secreted factor upregulated by insulin, is increased in adipose tissue (AT) and plasma with obesity. Apelin was recently identified as a new player in the control of glucose homeostasis. However, the regulation of apelin and APJ (apelin receptor) expression in skeletal muscle in relation to insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes is not known. Thus we studied apelin and APJ expression in AT and muscle in different mice models of obesity and in type 2 diabetic patients. In insulin-resistant high-fat (HF)-fed mice, apelin and APJ expression were increased in AT compared with control. This was not the case in AT of highly insulin-resistant db/db mice. In skeletal muscle, apelin expression was similar in control and HF-fed mice and decreased in db/db mice. APJ expression was decreased in both HF-fed and db/db mice. Control subjects and type 2 diabetic patients were subjected to a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, and tissues biopsies were obtained before and at the end of the clamp. There was no significant difference in basal apelin and APJ expression in AT and muscle between control and diabetic patients. However, apelin plasma levels were significantly increased in diabetic patients. During the clamp, hyperinsulinemia increased apelin and APJ expression in AT of control but not in diabetic subjects. In muscle, only APJ mRNA levels were increased in control but also in diabetic patients. Taken together, these data show that apelin and APJ expression in mice and humans is regulated in a tissue-dependent manner and according to the severity of insulin resistance.

Potential involvement of adipocyte insulin resistance in obesity-associated up-regulation of adipocyte lysophospholipase D/autotaxin expression

Aims/hypothesisAutotaxin is a lysophospholipase D that is secreted by adipocytes and whose expression is substantially up-regulated in obese, diabetic db/db mice. The aim of the present study was to depict the physiopathological and cellular mechanisms involved in regulation of adipocyte autotaxin expression.MethodsAutotaxin mRNAs were quantified in adipose tissue from db/db mice (obese and highly diabetic type 2), gold-thioglucose-treated (GTG) mice (highly obese and moderately diabetic type 2), high-fat diet-fed (HFD) mice (obese and moderately diabetic type 2), streptozotocin-treated mice (thin and diabetic type 1), and massively obese humans with glucose intolerance.ResultsWhen compared to non-obese controls, autotaxin expression in db/db mice was significantly increased, but not in GTG, HFD, or streptozotocin-treated mice. During db/db mice development, up-regulation of autotaxin occurred only 3 weeks after the emergence of hyperinsulinaemia, and simultaneously with the emergence of hyperglycaaemia. Adipocytes from db/db mice exhibited a stronger impairment of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake than non-obese and HFD-induced obese mice. Autotaxin expression was up-regulated by treatment with TNFα (insulin resistance-promoting cytokine), and down-regulated by rosiglitazone treatment (insulin-sensitising compound) in 3T3F442A adipocytes. Finally, adipose tissue autotaxin expression was significantly up-regulated in patients exhibiting both insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance.Conclusions/interpretationThe present work demonstrates the existence of a db/db-specific up-regulation of adipocyte autotaxin expression, which could be related to the severe type 2 diabetes phenotype and adipocyte insulin resistance, rather than excess adiposity in itself. It also showed that type 2 diabetes in humans is also associated with up-regulation of adipocyte autotaxin expression.

The transcriptional co-activator PGC-1α up regulates apelin in human and mouse adipocytes

By using pangenomic microarray, we identified apelin as a unique adipokine up regulated by the transcriptional co-activator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) co-activator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) in human white adipocytes. We investigated its regulation in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of PGC-1alpha by adenovirus in human adipocytes induces apelin expression and secretion. Pharmacological induction of cAMP, an upstream regulator of endogenous PGC-1alpha expression, up regulates apelin gene expression and also apelin secretion in human and mice adipocytes. Moreover, during cold exposure in mice, a physiological situation known to induce both cAMP and PGC-1alpha, apelin expression in adipocytes and plasma levels were increased. This is the first demonstration that PGC-1alpha is involved in the regulation of an adipokine gene expression and release.

Effects of oral administration of benzylamine on glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism in rats

Repeated administration of benzylamine plus vanadate have been reported to exhibit anti-hyperglycemic effects in different models of diabetic rats. Likewise oral treatment withMoringa oleifera extracts which contain the alkaloïd moringine, identical to benzylamine, has also been shown to prevent hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. With these observations we tested whether prolonged oral administration of benzylamine could interact with glucose and/or lipid metabolism. Seven week old male Wistar rats were treated for seven weeks with benzylamine 2.9 g/l in drinking water and were submitted to glucose tolerance tests. A slight decrease in water consumption was observed in benzylamine-treated animals while there was no change in body and adipose tissue weights at the end of treatment. Blood glucose and plasma insulin, triacylglycerol or cholesterol levels were not modified. However, benzylamine treatment resulted in a decrease in plasma free fatty acids in both fed and fasted conditions. Benzylamine treatment improved glucose tolerance as shown by the reduction of hyperglycemic response to intra-peritoneal glucose load. Oral benzylamine treatment did not alter the response of adipocytes to insulin nor to insulin-like actions of benzylamine plus vanadate, viain vitro activation of glucose transport or inhibition of lipolysis. This work demonstrates for the first time that oral administration of benzylamine alone influences glucose and lipid metabolism. However, these results obtained in normoglycemic rats require to be confirmed in diabetic models.ResumenEn ratas diabéticas, la administración crónica de la combinación benzilamina más vanadato ejerce un efecto antidiabético. Recientemente se ha descrito en ratas diabéticas por aloxan una reducción de la glucemia tras el tratamiento oral con extracto deMoringa oleifera, que contiene el alcaloide moringina, idéntico a la benzilamina. Por ello, se investiga en este trabajo el efecto del tratamiento prolongado por vía oral con sólo benzilamina sobre el metabolismo de la glucosa y/o los lípidos. Ratas macho Wistar de 7 semanas se trataron durante 7 semanas con benzilamina 2.9 g/l en el agua de la bebida. Al finalizar el tratamiento, las ratas fueron sometidos a un test de tolerancia a la glucosa, inyectada por via intraperitoneal. Se recogió plasma para la determinación bioquímica y se aislaron adipocitos para estudiar la lipólisis y la captación de glucosa. El tratamiento oral con benzilamina no modifica el peso corporal ni el de la grasa, ni los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa, insulina, triacilglicerol y colesterol. Sin embargo, mejora la tolerancia a la glucosa, pues reduce la respuesta hiperglucémica a la inyección intraperitoneal de glucosa y reduce los niveles de acidos grasos, tanto en situación de ayuno como tras la ingesta. El tratamiento oral con benzilamina no modifica en el adipocito los efectos de insulina o benzilamina más vanadato sobre la activación del transporte de glucosa o la inhibición de la lipolisis. Este trabajo demuestra por vez primera que la administración oral de benzilamina influye sobre el metabolismo de los lípidos y de la glucosa. Sin embargo, estos resultados obtenidos en ratas normoglicémicas deben ser confirmados en modelos diabéticos.

Caffeine reduces TNFα up-regulation in human adipose tissue primary culture

Adipose tissue secretions play an important role in the development of obesityrelated pathologies such as diabetes. Through inflammatory cytokines production, adipose tissue stromavascular fraction cells (SVF), and essentially macrophages, promote adipocyte insulin resistance by a paracrine way. Since xanthine family compounds such as caffeine were shown to decrease inflammatory production by human blood cells, we investigated the possible effect of caffeine on Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression by human adipose tissue primary culture. For that purpose, human subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from healthy non-obese women (BMI: 26.7±2.2 kg/m2) after abdominal dermolipectomy, was split into explants and cultured for 6 hours with or without caffeine. Three different concentrations of caffeine were tested (0.5μg/mL, 5μg/mL and 50μg/mL). After 6 hours of treatment, explants were subjected to collagenase digestion in order to isolate adipocytes and SVF cells. Then, TNFα and IL-6 mRNA were analysed by realtime PCR alternatively in adipocytes and SVF cells. In parallel, we checked gene expression of markers involved in adipocyte differenciation and in SVF cells inflammation and proliferation. Our findings show a strong and dose dependent down-regulation of TNF-α gene expression in both adipocyte and SVF cells whereas IL-6 was only down regulated in SVF cells. No effect of caffeine was noticed on the other genes studied. Thus, caffeine, by decreasing TNFα expression, could improve adipose tissue inflammation during obesity.ResumenLas secreciones del tejido adiposo juegan un papel importante en el desarrollo de patologías relacionadas con la obesidad como la diabetes. Por medio de la producción de citoquinas inflamatorias, las células de la fracción del estroma vascular (SVF), y esencialmente los macrófagos, promueven la resistencia a la insulina adipocitaria por una vía paracrina. Debido a que compuestos de la familia de las xantimas, como la cafeína, pueden conducir a una disminución de la producción inflamatoria, hemos investigado el posible efecto de la cafeína sobre la producción de citoquinas inflamatorias por cultivos primarios de tejido adiposo humano. Con este objetivo, muestras de tejido adiposo subcutáneo humano fueron obtenidas de mujeres sanas no obesas (IMC 26,7±2,2 kg/m2) que sufrieron una dermolipectomía abdominal; las muestras fueron seccionadas en explantes y cultivadas por 6 horas en presencia ó en ausencia de cafeína. Se ensayaron tres concentraciones de cafeína diferentes (0,5 μg/mL; 5 μg/mL y 50 μg/mL). Tras 6 horas de tratamiento, los explantes fueron digeridos con colagenasa para separar los adipocitos y las células SVF. Posteriormente se analizó la expresión de genes de citoquinas inflamatorias, como TNFα o interleuquina-6 (IL-6), alternativamente en adipocitos y en células SVF, por PCR a tiempo real. Paralelamente se analizó la expresión génica de los marcadores involucrados en la diferenciación adipocitaria, en la proliferación y la inflamación de células SVF. Nuestros hallazgos muestran una fuerte regulación negativa dosis-dependiente de la expresión del gen TNFα en adipocitos y células SVF, mientras que IL-6 fue regulado negativamente sólo en células SVF. No se detectó ningún efecto de la cafeína sobre los otros genes estudiados. Por tanto, la cafeína podría mejorar el estado de inflamación del tejido adiposo durante la obesidad, disminuyendo la expresión de TNFα.

Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase substrates fail to induce insulin-like effects in fat cells from AOC3 knockout mice.

SummarySubstrates of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases (SSAO) stimulate glucose transport in adipocytes. To definitively demonstrate the involvement of SSAO in this insulin-like effect, glucose transport has been studied in fat cells from mice with a targeted deletion of AOC3, a gene encoding a SSAO called vascular adhesion protein-1. SSAO activity was present in white adipose tissues of wild type (WT) but was absent in AOC3KO mice. The SSAO-substrates benzylamine and methylamine were unable to stimulate hexose transport in adipocytes isolated from AOC3KO mice while they were active in WT adipocytes, especially in combination with vanadate. Impairment of amine-dependent glucose uptake was also observed with tyramine while there was no change in insulin responsiveness. These observations prove that the effects of exogenous or biogenic amines on glucose transport are not receptor-mediated but are oxidation-dependent. They also confirm that the major SSAO form expressed in mouse adipocytes is encoded by the AOC3 gene.