Increased Energy Metabolism Research Articles

Аcid resistance and population structure of erythrocytes in trotter horses during and after exercise

Regular physical exercise improves the cardiovascular system function, increases energy metabolism and antioxidant protection, provides greater muscle strength and physical endurance. However, exhaustive physical exercise can cause oxidative stress. During intense physical exercise, erythrocytes become more vulnerable to oxidative damage due to action of active oxygen forms, high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Physical loading of horses is accompanied by the development of tissue hypoxia, so one needs to study in detail changes of hematopoiesis indices, responsible for providing oxygen to tissues. When monitoring animal health, blood tests will detect a disease in early stages, because blood is a sensitive indicator of metabolic disorders, both of physiological and pathological body conditions. The purpose of present study was to examine changes of some hematopoiesis indicators (RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH), acid resistance of erythrocytesand population structure in trotting horses due to workloads of 1,600 m trot races (at rest, after race, after 90 min). In total, 20 clinically healthy horses of Orlovska and Russian trotting breeds, aged 2–3 years, were used in the study. The experimental animals included 5 mares, 15 stallions. All horses had active training. The horses were divided into two groups. The first animal group included animals that showed high results (2 min 04 s – 2 min 21 s); the second had trotters that covered the distance with worse time (2 min 28 s – 2 min 41 s). The erythrocyte couint in the leader horses after the loading increased, in the outsider horses it fell. After rest the leader horses’ erythrocytes returned to their original values, in the outsider horses they did not change. The outsider horses’ hemoglobin level after loading was lower than in the leader horses. The leader horses had higher hemoglobin content after rest (by 11.0% as compared with the values before the loading). The outsider horses had lower hemoglobin content. The leader horses hematocrit value increased, in the outsider horses ‒ decreased. The leader horses’ MCV after the loading was reduced, however after rest it recovered. The outsider horses showed MSV increase during the whole study period. The MCH in the leader horses did not change over the entire research period, in the outsider horses – it increased. The animals that showed better results, had an increasing number of “mature” and “old” erythrocytes due to their elimination from the depot. However, the outsider animals had an increasing number of “young” erythrocytes, resistant to hemolysis, but they were not able to provide tissues with needed oxygen.

Abstract 1130: Targeting the tumor-associated autoantigen alpha-enolase in prostate cancer

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men. African American (AA) men are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive PCa at a younger age and twice as likely to die from the disease as European American (EA) men. In order to reduce PCa mortality and its associated racial disparities, there is a critical need to identify and target pathways responsible for PCa aggressiveness. An unexplored target is the plasminogen system, which is key to cancer cell migration and tissue invasion during metastasis. During inflammation, activation of the plasminogen pathway degrades extracellular fibrin networks; however, in the context of cancer, this activation promotes cancer tissue invasion and metastasis. Mounting evidence shows that the glycolytic enzyme alpha-enolase (ENO1) plays a vital role in both increased energy metabolism and plasminogen activation during cancer progression and metastasis. Using immunoseroproteomic profiling of anti-tumor autoantibody responses in AA and EA men with PCa, we identified several tumor-associated autoantigens with functions in glycolysis and plasminogen signaling, including ENO1, annexin A2, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, glucose-regulated protein 78, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphoglycerate kinase. In a cohort of PCa (N=157) and non-PCa sera (N=183), we found a significantly higher frequency of autoantibodies to ENO1 in patients with PCa (p<0.05). Surprisingly, when we probed a panel of non-PCa and PCa cell lines with anti-ENO1 positive sera from AA and EA patients with PCa, we observed that AA patients showed increased immunoreactivity to this protein in metastatic PCa cells, with decreased reactivity in docetaxel-resistant cell lines. By contrast, the anti-ENO1 EA-PCa sera and a monoclonal mouse anti-ENO1 showed relatively uniform immunoreactivity across the same panel cell lines. This suggested that the AA-PCa patients are producing antibodies to a different ENO1 variant than EA-PCa patients. Proteomic analysis of post-translational modifications (PTM) in ENO1 showed differences in ENO1 PTM profiles between the parental PC3 bone metastatic cell line and the PC3 docetaxel-resistant cell line, which could explain the differential autoantibody reactivity observed in AA men. Given that ENO1 is up-regulated in PCa tissue, plays a role in glucose metabolism and plasminogen activation during cancer progression, and that the immune system of a cohort of AA-PCa patients recognizes an alternately modified variant of ENO1 that is upregulated in metastatic PCa, we elected to target this protein in metastatic PCa cell lines. ENO1 depletion via siRNA knockdown in PC3 cells led to increased cell death, with concomitant decrease in PCa proliferation. Taken together, these results highlighted the value of immunoproteomics as a tool to identify novel therapeutic targets, with ENO1 as a promising target in metastatic PCa. Citation Format: Tino Wilson Sanchez, Guangyu Zhang, Jitian Li, Liping Dai, Saied Mirshahidi, Nathan R. Wall, Clayton Yates, Colwick Wilson, Susanne Montgomery, Jian-Ying Zhang, Carlos A. Casiano. Targeting the tumor-associated autoantigen alpha-enolase in prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1130. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1130

Hypoxia during embryonic development increases energy metabolism in normoxic juvenile chicks

Environmental changes during perinatal development can affect the postnatal life. In this sense, chicken embryos that experience low levels of O2 over a specific phase of incubation can have their tissue growth reduced and the ventilatory response to hypoxia blunted, at least until hatching. Additionally, exposure to low level of O2 after birth reduces the thermogenesis as well. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that hypoxia over the third week of incubation affects the thermoregulation of juvenile chicks at an age when thermogenesis is already expected to be well-developed. To this end, we measured body temperature (Tb) and oxygen consumption (V̇02) under acute hypoxia or different ambient temperatures (Ta) of 1 and 10day-old chicks that have been exposed to 21% O2 for entire incubation (Nx) or to 15% O2 in the last week of incubation (Hx). We also assessed the thermal preference under normoxia or acute hypoxia of the older chicks from both incubation groups in a thermocline. Hypoxia over incubation reduced growth but did not affect the cold-induced thermogenesis in hatchlings. Regarding the juvenile Hx, present data indicate a catch up growth with higher resting V̇02, a thermal preference for warmer Tas and a possible higher thermal conductance. In conclusion, our results show that hypoxia over the third week of incubation can affect the thermoregulation at least until 10days after hatch in chickens.

Effects of sodium humate and zinc oxide used in prophylaxis of post-weaning diarrhoea on the health, oxidative stress status and fatty acid profile in weaned piglets

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium humate (HNa), applied to feed or drinking water as a partial substitution for pharmacological doses of ZnO, on clinical, biochemical and haematological indicators of health status, oxidative stress and the serum fatty acid (FA) profile in weaned piglets. Weaned piglets (32) were allocated into four groups: Control = basal diet containing 110 mg ZnO/kg; ZnO 2.5 = pharmacological dose of ZnO (2.5 g ZnO/kg); ZnO 1.7 + HNa (f) = 1.7 g ZnO and 20.0 g HNa/kg; ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w) = 1.7 g ZnO/kg and drinking water with 0.2% HNa. All ZnO treatments resulted in good performance and clinical health of piglets in contrast to Control, which contained three diarrhoeic piglets. Increased triacylglycerols in the ZnO 2.5 and ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w) groups in comparison with Control suggested increased energy metabolism after treatments. Neither total cholesterol, nor HDL and LDL were affected by treatments. Piglets treated with ZnO and HNa had (ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w)) or tended to have (ZnO 1.7 + HNa (f)) lower urea in serum. Significantly (in ZnO 2.5 and ZnO 1.7 + HNa (f)) or non-significantly (ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w)) higher haematocrit and haemoglobin levels were detected in the blood of treated piglets. Long-term ZnO 2.5 treatment significantly increased serum 8-iso-PGF<sub>2α</sub>, the most reliable biomarker of oxidative stress. Partial substitution of ZnO by HNa positively affected the oxidative status of piglets as evidenced by significant (ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w)) or non-significant (ZnO 1.7 + HNa (f)) declines in serum 8-iso-PGF<sub>2α</sub>. ZnO 2.5 treatment significantly decreased saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and increased PUFA n-6 and n-6/n-3 ratios in serum compared to Control. The synthesis of some physiologically significant long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA), namely n-6 dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and n-3 eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic was negatively affected by ZnO 2.5 treatment. Both ZnO 1.7 + HNa (f)/(w) treatments significantly increased the proportion of SFA and PUFA n-3 and decreased PUFA n-6 and n-6/n-3 ratios in comparison with ZnO 2.5 and the effect was more considerable in ZnO 1.7 + HNa (w). Most individual PUFA n-3 and n-6 as well as the n-6/n-3 ratio in both treatments were similar to Control. The results indicate that the partial substitution of ZnO by HNa can benefit performance and health of weaned piglets to a similar extent as a high pharmacological dose of ZnO, whereas it can decrease the oxidative stress induced by prolonged over-supplementation of ZnO. Additionally, such a treatment can eliminate the unfavourable effect of high ZnO doses on the n-6/n-3 ratio and the proportion of some physiologically significant LC-PUFA in serum. Generally, it can be concluded that the effects of feed and water HNa supplementation are similar, but are more pronounced when HNa is applied to drinking water.

Effect ofAconitum carmichaeliDebx on Energy Metabolism in C2C12 Skeletal Muscle Cells

The all anti-obesity drugs currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration work by reducing energy intake. In fact, no approved drug targets energy expenditure. In Korean medicine, it is known to Qi or Yang invigorating therapy could increase energy metabolism. Aconitum carmichaeli Debx (ACD) is a Yang invigorating herb, often used for treat obesity in Korean medicine. In the present study, the authors investigated the regulatory effects of ACD in energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.

Anthraquinones from Morinda longissima and their insulin mimetic activities via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators are known to increase energy metabolism and to reduce body weight, as well as to improve glucose uptake. During for searching AMPK activators, a new anthraquinone, modasima A (10), along with eighteen known analogues (1–9 and 11–19) were isolated from an ethanol extract of the roots of Morinda longissima Y. Z. Ruan (Rubiaceae). Using the fluorescent tagged glucose analogues, 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG), insulin mimetics were screened with compounds 1–19 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Among them, compounds 2, 8 and 10 enhanced significantly glucose uptake into adipocytes and up-regulated the phosphorylated AMPK (Thr172) whereas the glucose uptake enhancing activities of compounds 2, 8 and 10 were abrogated by treatment of compound C, an AMPK inhibitor. Taken together, these anthraquinones showed the potential action as insulin mimetic to improve glucose uptake via activation of AMPK.

Metabolic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: A 1H NMR-based metabolomics investigation

The fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) family shows a great potential in the treatment of diabetes, but little attention is paid to basic FGF (bFGF). In this study, to explore the metabolic effects of bFGF on diabetes, metabolic changes in serum and feces were analyzed in the normal rats, the streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and the bFGF-treated diabetic rats using a 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic approach. Interestingly, bFGF treatment significantly decreased glucose, lipid and low density lipoprotein/very low density lipoprotein (LDL/VLDL) levels in serum of diabetic rats. Moreover, bFGF treatment corrected diabetes-induced reductions in citrate, lactate, choline, glycine, creatine, histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and glutamine in serum. Fecal propionate was significantly increased after bFGF treatment. Correlation analysis shows that glucose, lipid and LDL/VLDL were significantly negatively correlated with energy metabolites (citrate, creatine and lactate) and amino acids (alanine, glycine, histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and glutamine). In addition, a weak but significant correlation was observed between fecal propionate and serum lipid (R = −0.35, P = 0.046). Based on metabolic correlation and pathway analysis, therefore, we suggest that the glucose and lipid lowering effects of bFGF in the STZ-induced diabetic rats may be achieved by activating microbial metabolism, increasing energy metabolism and correcting amino acid metabolism.

In Ukrainian

The study detected the influence of copper iodide particles (CuI) in an aqueous suspension of yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on intensifying the process of fermentation under conditions of endogenous metabolism by the method of differential microcalorimetry. The power of heat release suspensions was recorded after transfer of yeast cells from dehydrated state into hydration one and then - into a state of life activity. The research of endogenous cell metabolism was performed in tap water. The size of dispersed particles of copper iodide was of 2–4 microns. Increased energy metabolism of cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is observed at content of 2% copper iodide and can be explained by the phenomenon of hormesis. Moreover, discovered violations of regularity of thermal process, at the mass content CuI from 2% to 8% in yeast suspensions, appears between the stages of hydration and metabolism, due to reserve carbohydrates, stage of activation of protective mechanisms of the system due to launch of adaptive functions, of cells - activated expression of stress genes. Maximum display of defensive functions of yeast was found at concentration of copper iodide ~6%, accompanied by a significant reduction in energy of this process and metabolism with further increase in CuI content. А fter reaching a "critical" concentration of copper iodide (C ≈ 7–8%) in the yeast suspensions, a significant reduction was observed in energy of metabolism and protective functions of cell yeasts, manifested in violation of the regularity of the thermal process, restructuring of plasmolemma.

Combatting type 2 diabetes by turning up the heat.

In our westernised society, the level of physical activity is low. Interventions that increase energy expenditure are generally associated with an improvement in metabolic health. Exercise and exercise training increase energy metabolism and are considered to be among the best strategies for prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus. More recently, cold exposure has been suggested to have a therapeutic value in type 2 diabetes. At a cellular level, there is evidence that increasing the turnover of cellular substrates such as fatty acids is associated with preventive effects against lipid-induced insulin resistance. Cellular energy sensors may underlie the effects linking energy turnover with metabolic health effects. Here we review data supporting the hypothesis that increasing energy and substrate turnover has beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and should be considered a target for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00125-016-4068-3) contains a slideset of the figures for download, which is available to authorised users.

Possible Pharmacological Approach Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Ameliorate Leptin Resistance in Obesity.

Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome, such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Therefore, drug development for the treatment of obesity is needed. Leptin is an anti-obesity hormone that inhibits food intake and increases energy metabolism, and, as such, treatments involving leptin were expected to be beneficial for obesity; however, since most obese patients are in a state of leptin resistance, these treatments may not be useful. Therefore, the amelioration of leptin resistance has recently been attracting interest as a treatment for obesity. The mechanisms underlying the development of leptin resistance need to be elucidated in more detail. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was recently suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of leptin resistance. The molecular mechanisms responsible for leptin resistance and possible pharmacological treatments for obesity have been discussed herein, with a focus on ER stress.

Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10-containing formulas improves skin's Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects.

Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10, Q10) represents an endogenously synthesized lipid‐soluble antioxidant which is crucial for cellular energy production but is diminished with age and under the influence of external stress factors in human skin. Here, it is shown that topical Q10 treatment is beneficial with regard to effective Q10 replenishment, augmentation of cellular energy metabolism, and antioxidant effects. Application of Q10‐containing formulas significantly increased the levels of this quinone on the skin surface. In the deeper layers of the epidermis the ubiquinone level was significantly augmented indicating effective supplementation. Concurrent elevation of ubiquinol levels suggested metabolic transformation of ubiquinone resulting from increased energy metabolism. Incubation of cultured human keratinocytes with Q10 concentrations equivalent to treated skin showed a significant augmentation of energy metabolism. Moreover, the results demonstrated that stressed skin benefits from the topical Q10 treatment by reduction of free radicals and an increase in antioxidant capacity. © 2015 BioFactors, 41(6):383–390, 2015

Glutathionyl systems and metabolic dysfunction in obesity.

Oxidative stress is associated with obesity. However, glutathione (GSH), one of the body's most abundant antioxidants, plays dual and seemingly contradictory roles in the development of obesity and its comorbidities. Glutathione has complex metabolic and biochemical fates and is a cofactor for several enzymes that function in modifying obesity-related responses. For example, depletion of GSH increases energy metabolism and reduces adipose accretion, while elevation of GSH peroxidase activity induces insulin resistance. This review summarizes the literature linking GSH and its related enzymes, GSH peroxidase, glutaredoxins, and glutathione S-transferases, to obesity and its pertinent endpoints (e.g., energy metabolism, inflammation, and insulin resistance).

A randomized controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 for fatigue in the late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis

ObjectiveTo determine if coenzyme Q10 alleviates fatigue in the late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis. DesignParallel-group, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Background settingCoenzyme Q10 has been shown to boost muscle energy metabolism in post-polio subjects but it does not promote muscle strength, endurance or function in polio survivors with post-poliomyelitis syndrome. However, the collective increased energy metabolism might contribute to a reduction in post-polio fatigue. ParticipantsPolio survivors from the Australian post-polio networks in Queensland and New South Wales who attribute a moderate to high level of fatigue to their diagnosed late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis. Those with fatigue-associated comorbidities of diabetes, anaemia, hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia were excluded. MethodParticipants were assigned (1:1), with stratification of those who use energy-saving mobility aids, to receive 100mg coenzyme Q10 or matching placebo daily for 60 days. Participants and investigators were blinded to group allocation. Fatigue was assessed by the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue as the primary outcome and the Fatigue Severity Scale as secondary outcome. ResultsOf 103 participants, 54 were assigned to receive coenzyme Q10 and 49 to receive the placebo. The difference in the mean score reductions between the two groups was not statistically significant for either fatigue measure. Oral supplementation with coenzyme Q10 was safe and well-tolerated. ConclusionA daily dose of 100mg coenzyme Q10 for 60 days does not alleviate the fatigue of the late-onset sequelae of poliomyelitis.The registration number for the clinical trial is ACTRN 12612000552886.

Mountain-cultivated Ginseng Ripened into Persimmon Vinegar Ingestion on Fat Storage and Metabolic Protein Expression in Diet-controlled Rats

This research is to investigate the four years growth mountain-cultivated ginseng ripened twenty-two weeks into four years fermented persimmon vinegar (tentatively: Sansamcho) ingestion on obese-related factors during dietary control. The Sansamcho was ingested orally, two times a day, after every meal for six weeks to the male rats. Groups were divided into the control (CON), the restricted diet (RD), and the weight cycling (WC). And, each groups has its own sub-groups as the -control (-CON), 2.5 times diluted Sansamcho ingestion (-MPV2.5), and 5.0 times diluted Sansamcho ingestion (-MPV5.0) groups, respectively. The number of rat was consisted of seven in each group. After six weeks rearing periods was done, abdominal fats (retroperitoneal fat, mesentery fat, and epididymal fat) and energy metabolic-related protein (AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; PPAR-: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-; and CPT-1: carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1) were weighed and analyzed. Amount of stored fat was significantly or tended to decrease by Sansamcho ingestion. In addition, sum of fats increasing were suppressed by the material. On the contrary, energy metabolism-related protein expression was significantly increased or tended to increase by Sansamcho ingestion. This results suggested that increased energy metabolism using Sansamcho was restrained effectively visceral fat store by high-fat diet and/or dietary control. In other words, it has a good function to suppress weight cycling which is the most insoluble problem. Therefore, the fusion material, Sansamcho, may expect to utilize as the obese-suppression-food.

Perilipin 5-Driven Lipid Droplet Accumulation in Skeletal Muscle Stimulates the Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21.

Perilipin 5 (PLIN5) is a lipid droplet protein and is highly expressed in oxidative tissue. Expression of the PLIN5 gene is regulated by peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α, fasting, and exercise. However, the effect of increased muscle PLIN5 expression on whole-body energy homeostasis remains unclear. To examine this, we developed a mouse line with skeletal muscle PLIN5 overexpression (MCK-Plin5). We show that MCK-Plin5 mice have increased energy metabolism and accumulate more intramyocellular triacylglycerol but have normal glucose and insulin tolerance. MCK-Plin5 mice fed high-fat chow manifest lower expression of inflammatory markers in their liver and increased expression of “browning” factors in adipose tissue. This muscle-driven phenotype is, at least in part, mediated by myokines; the MCK-Plin5 mice have 80-fold higher FGF21 gene expression in muscle and increased serum FGF21 concentration. The increase in FGF21 occurs mainly in muscles with a predominance of fast-twitch fibers, suggesting that fiber type–specific lipid storage may be part of the mechanism conferring metabolic protection in MCK-Plin5 mice. In conclusion, upregulating the PLIN5 level in skeletal muscle drives expression of the FGF21 gene in fast-twitch fibers and is metabolically protective. These findings provide insight into the physiology of PLIN5 and the potential contribution of its upregulation during exercise.

Dopamine-Induced Dissociation of BOLD and Neural Activity in Macaque Visual Cortex

Neuromodulators determine how neural circuits process information during cognitive states such as wakefulness, attention, learning, and memory. fMRI can provide insight into their function and dynamics, but their exact effect on BOLD responses remains unclear, limiting our ability to interpret the effects of changes in behavioral state using fMRI. Here, we investigated the effects of dopamine (DA) injections on neural responses and haemodynamic signals in macaque primary visual cortex (V1) using fMRI (7T) and intracortical electrophysiology. Aside from DA's involvement in diseases such as Parkinson's and schizophrenia, it also plays a role in visual perception. We mimicked DAergic neuromodulation by systemic injection of L-DOPA and Carbidopa (LDC) or by local application of DA in V1 and found that systemic application of LDC increased the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and amplitude of the visually evoked neural responses in V1. However, visually induced BOLD responses decreased, whereas cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses increased. This dissociation of BOLD and CBF suggests that dopamine increases energy metabolism by a disproportionate amount relative to the CBF response, causing the reduced BOLD response. Local application of DA in V1 had no effect on neural activity, suggesting that the dopaminergic effects are mediated by long-range interactions. The combination of BOLD-based and CBF-based fMRI can provide a signature of dopaminergic neuromodulation, indicating that the application of multimodal methods can improve our ability to distinguish sensory processing from neuromodulatory effects.

A huntingtin-mediated fast stress response halting endosomal trafficking is defective in Huntington's disease.

Cellular stress is a normal part of the aging process and is especially relevant in neurodegenerative disease. Canonical stress responses, such as the heat shock response, activate following exposure to stress and restore proteostasis through the action of isomerases and chaperones within the cytosol. Through live-cell imaging, we demonstrate involvement of the Huntington's disease (HD) protein, huntingtin, in a rapid cell stress response that lies temporally upstream of canonical stress responses. This response is characterized by the formation of distinct cytosolic puncta and reversible localization of huntingtin to early endosomes. The formation of these puncta, which we have termed huntingtin stress bodies (HSBs), is associated with arrest of early-to-recycling and early-to-late endosomal trafficking. The critical domains for this response have been mapped to two regions of huntingtin flanking the polyglutamine tract, and we observe polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin-expressing cells to be defective in their ability to recover from this stress response. We propose that HSB formation rapidly diverts high ATP use from vesicular trafficking during stress, thus mobilizing canonical stress responses without relying on increased energy metabolism, and that restoration from this response is defective in HD.

Sexual selection in true fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae): transcriptome and experimental evidences for phytochemicals increasing male competitive ability.

In male tephritid fruit flies of the genus Bactrocera, feeding on secondary plant compounds (sensu lato male lures=methyl eugenol, raspberry ketone and zingerone) increases male mating success. Ingested male lures alter the male pheromonal blend, normally making it more attractive to females and this is considered the primary mechanism for the enhanced mating success. However, the male lures raspberry ketone and zingerone are known, across a diverse range of other organisms, to be involved in increasing energy metabolism. If this also occurs in Bactrocera, then this may represent an additional benefit to males as courtship is metabolically expensive and lure feeding may increase a fly's short-term energy. We tested this hypothesis by performing comparative RNA-seq analysis between zingerone-fed and unfed males of Bactrocera tryoni. We also carried out behavioural assays with zingerone- and cuelure-fed males to test whether they became more active. RNA-seq analysis revealed, in zingerone-fed flies, up-regulation of 3183 genes with homologues transcripts to those known to regulate intermale aggression, pheromone synthesis, mating and accessory gland proteins, along with significant enrichment of several energy metabolic pathways and gene ontology terms. Behavioural assays show significant increases in locomotor activity, weight reduction and successful mating after mounting; all direct/indirect measures of increased activity. These results suggest that feeding on lures leads to complex physiological changes, which result in more competitive males. These results do not negate the pheromone effect, but do strongly suggest that the phytochemical-induced sexual selection is governed by both female preference and male competitive mechanisms.

The effects of seeds with hot and cold temperaments on serum thyroid hormones, corticosterone and urine vanillylmandelic acid concentrations of healthy rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHot and cold temperaments are the basic concepts of Iranian traditional medicine (ITM). Nevertheless, studies on the functional mechanisms of medicinal herbs based on hot and cold temperaments are not very extensive. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of diets containing hot or cold temperament seeds according to ITM on some hormonal and neuromediator parameters with a regulatory role in thermogenesis and energy metabolism in acute (24 hr) and subacute (7-day) experiments that were performed on rats. Materials and methodsEach experiment was performed on 42 male Wistar rats, which were randomly divided into 7 groups. while 1 group received usual diet (controls), 6 other groups were fed with a diet containing 10% seeds, namely, anise, fennel, or ajowan (hot temperament groups) or cucumber, pumpkin, or watermelon (cold temperament groups), respectively. The levels of the rats׳ serum free thyroxin (FT4), free triiodothyronin (FT3), triiodothyronin (T3), thyroxin (T4), corticosterone and urine vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) were analyzed. ResultsAfter 24 hours, a significant decrease in FT3 was observed in groups that were fed anise or fennel seeds. However, a significant increase in T3 was observed in the ajowan seed-fed group, and no changes in other parameters were observed in this group. On the 7th day, FT4 was significantly increased in fennel seed-fed group; T3 was significantly increased in the anise, fennel, ajowan and watermelon seed-fed groups; corticosterone was significantly increased in the watermelon and pumpkin seed-fed groups; and VMA was significantly increased in the fennel seed-fed group and significantly decreased in the cucumber seed-fed group. ConclusionAlterations induced by hot and cold temperament seeds in measured hormonal and neuromediator levels that have a regulatory role in thermogenesis and the body׳s energy metabolism revealed that hot and cold temperament characteristics of studied seeds may most likely be related to their intervention in the body׳s energy metabolism, in that hot temperament seeds may increase energy metabolism and cold temperament ones may decrease it.

Effects of increased CO2 on fish gill and plasma proteome.

Ocean acidification and warming are both primarily caused by increased levels of atmospheric CO2, and marine organisms are exposed to these two stressors simultaneously. Although the effects of temperature on fish have been investigated over the last century, the long-term effects of moderate CO2 exposure and the combination of both stressors are almost entirely unknown. A proteomics approach was used to assess the adverse physiological and biochemical changes that may occur from the exposure to these two environmental stressors. We analysed gills and blood plasma of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) exposed to temperatures of 12°C (control) and 18°C (impaired growth) in combination with control (400 µatm) or high-CO2 water (1000 µatm) for 14 weeks. The proteomic analysis was performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) followed by Nanoflow LC-MS/MS using a LTQ-Orbitrap. The high-CO2 treatment induced the up-regulation of immune system-related proteins, as indicated by the up-regulation of the plasma proteins complement component C3 and fibrinogen β chain precursor in both temperature treatments. Changes in gill proteome in the high-CO2 (18°C) group were mostly related to increased energy metabolism proteins (ATP synthase, malate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase thermostable, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase), possibly coupled to a higher energy demand. Gills from fish exposed to high-CO2 at both temperature treatments showed changes in proteins associated with increased cellular turnover and apoptosis signalling (annexin 5, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1γ, receptor for protein kinase C, and putative ribosomal protein S27). This study indicates that moderate CO2-driven acidification, alone and combined with high temperature, can elicit biochemical changes that may affect fish health.