Indicators Of Metabolic Status Research Articles

Developmental programming of production and reproduction in dairy cows: V. Association of the main and interactive effects of maternal level of milk production and milk fat to protein ratio with offspring's birth weight, survival, and productive and reproductive performance from birth to the first lactation period

Level of dam milk production (DMP) and dam milk fat to protein ratio (DFPR), as an indicator of metabolic status in dairy cows, have been identified to be associated with productive and reproductive performance of the offspring. Yet whether the interaction of DMP by DFPR can be associated with performance of the offspring have not been studied to our knowledge. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the association of the main and interactive effects of DMP and DFPR with offspring's birth weight, survival, milk yield and fertility. To this end, data of birth weight, culling rate, milk yield and reproductive variables of offspring born to lactating dams (n = 14,582) and data associated with DMP and DFPR during 305-day lactation were retrieved. Afterwards, offspring were classified in three categories of DMP, including DMP1 (dams with <10.00 × 103 kg of 305-day milk production), DMP2 (dams with ≥10.00 × 103 kg and <14.00 × 103 kg of 305-day milk production), DMP3 (dams with ≥14.00 × 103 kg of 305-day milk production), and three categories of DFPR, including DFPR1 (offspring born to dams with <1.00 FPR), DFPR2 (offspring born to dams with ≥1.00 and < 1.40 FPR) and DFPR3 (offspring born to dams with ≥1.40 FPR). Statistical analysis revealed no association of the interaction effect of DMP by DFPR with investigated variables in the offspring (P > 0.05). However, the main effect of DMP was positively associated with milk yield, but negatively associated with survival, age at first insemination and conception during nulliparity, and transgenerational improvement in milk yield in the offspring (P < 0.05). Moreover, the main effect of DFPR was positively associated with birth weight, survival and first service conception rate during nulliparity, but negatively associated with metabolic status and reproductive performance during primiparity in the offspring (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study did not find any interaction effect of DMP by DFPR on productive and reproductive variables in the offspring. This finding implicates the association of DMP with milk production in the offspring was regardless of DFPR. Moreover, this finding implies the association of DFPR with postpartum metabolic status and reproductive performance in the offspring was regardless of DMP.

Is obstructive sleep apnea a circadian rhythm disorder?

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder worldwide and remains underdiagnosed. Its multiple associated comorbidities contribute to a decreased quality of life and work performance as well as an increased risk of death. Standard treatment seems to have limited effects on cardiovascular and metabolic aspects of the disease, emphasising the need for early diagnosis and additional therapeutic approaches. Recent evidence suggests that the dysregulation of circadian rhythms, processes with endogenous rhythmicity that are adjusted to the environment through various cues, is involved in the pathogenesis of comorbidities. In patients with obstructive sleep apnea, altered circadian gene expression patterns have been demonstrated. Obstructive respiratory events may promote circadian dysregulation through the effects of sleep disturbance and intermittent hypoxia, with subsequent inflammation and disruption of neural and hormonal homeostasis. In this review, current knowledge on obstructive sleep apnea, circadian rhythm regulation, and circadian rhythm sleep disorders is summarised. Studies that connect obstructive sleep apnea to circadian rhythm abnormalities are critically evaluated. Furthermore, pathogenetic mechanisms that may underlie this association, most notably hypoxia signalling, are presented. A bidirectional relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and circadian rhythm dysregulation is proposed. Approaching obstructive sleep apnea as a circadian rhythm disorder may prove beneficial for the development of new, personalised diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic tools. However, further studies are needed before the clinical approach to obstructive sleep apnea includes targeting the circadian system.

Impact of Green Coffee Extract on Body Weight and Physiological Indicators of Metabolic State in Obese Male Rats

Impact of Green Coffee Extract on Body Weight and Physiological Indicators of Metabolic State in Obese Male Rats

FACTORS AFFECTING MOTOR DEVELOPMENT OF 5-TO-10 YEARS OLD CHILDREN

The present study aimed to evaluate the contribution of ecological, geo-graphical and socio-economic factors to variation of physical and motor skills development of 3700 children from 5 regions of Russian Federation. Physi-cal development (weight and height) were assessed. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Motor development was assessed using the standing long jump test, 30 m sprint test, 6 minute run test. The physical and motor skills development was measured using absolute and relative (scaling to height) ap-proaches. It was shown that gender and age affected relative values of motor development. The contribution of the ecological, geographical and socio-eco-nomic factors to variation of physical and motor development was limited to 8-10%, highlighting, on the one hand, the sensitivity of physical and mo-tor development of children aged 5-10 years to such factors, and, on the oth-er hand, the small contribution to physical development and health of children.Unrecorded factors such as genetic factors and teaching models in physical edu-cation in kindergartens and primary schools as well as its multiple interactions might have a higher contribution (more than 90% of the total variance of studied parameters). Body mass index as indicator of metabolic status was one of the important factors which affected motor development. Despite the significant regional dif-ferences, the patterns of age dynamics of physical and motor skill development were similar that indicates the biosocial well-being of the studied populations.

Low temperatures induce physiological changes in lipids, fatty acids and hydrocarbons, in two rare winter scorpions of genus Urophonius (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae).

Different organisms (mainly poikilotherms) are subject to environmental fluctuations that could affect their normal physiological functioning (e.g., by destabilization of biomembranes and rupture of biomolecules). As a result, animals regulate their body temperature and adapt to different environmental conditions through various physiological strategies. These adaptations are crucial in all organisms, although they are more relevant in those that have reached a great adaptive diversity such as scorpions. Within scorpions, the genus Urophonius presents species with winter activity, being this a peculiarity within the Order and an opportunity to study the strategies deployed by these organisms when facing different temperatures. Here, we explore three basic issues of lipid remodeling under high and low temperatures, using adults and juveniles of Urophonius achalensis and U. brachycentrus. First, as an indicator of metabolic state, we analyzed the lipidic changes in different tissues observing that low temperatures generate higher quantities of triacylglycerols and fewer amount of structural lipids and sphyngomielin. Furthermore, we studied the participation of fatty acids in adaptive homeoviscosity, showing that there are changes in the quantity of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids at low temperature (mainly 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:2). Finally, we observe that there are quantitative and qualitative variations in the cuticular hydrocarbons (with possible water barrier and chemical recognition function). These fluctuations are in some cases species-specific, metabolic-specific, tissue-specific and in others depend on the ontogenetic state.

The Light/Dark cycle disruption affects hepatic function both in metabolic parameters and tissue structure in a nocturnal desert rodent: Gerbillus tarabuli.

Biological rhythms, such as Light/Dark (LD) cycles, are an integral component of virtually all aspects of life. These rhythms are controlled in large part by circadian clocks, allowing the organism to adapt its internal rhythmic metabolism to changes in the external environment created by daily fluctuations in the LD cycle. Therefore, changes in the daily duration of the lighting could lead to adverse health consequences. The aim of the study was to investigate, in a nocturnal desert rodent, Gerbillus tarabuli, the effects of the LD cycle disruption on the structure of the hepatic tissue and the content of carbohydrate and lipid parameters as indicators of metabolic state. The present study was conducted on two gerbil groups: control group was exposed to a standard lighting cycle (LD: 12:12), and the shifted group was subjected to a chronic disrupted LD cycle, alternating a standard cycle (LD: 12:12) with a modified cycle (LD: 20:4), i.e., the light phase of 24-h cycle was prolonged by 8 h on every second day during a period of 12 weeks. We used: (i) routine histology and histochemical staining for tissue analysis; (ii) immunohistochemistry (IHC) for MPO detection; (iii) biochemical methods for hepatic glycogen and lipids extraction and quantification. Blood metabolic parameters were assessed by enzymatic methods. Our structural results indicate in the shifted group an alteration of tissue architecture, showing widely scattered inflammatory foci with many dilated sinusoids and prominent leukocyte infiltration with connective fibrotic extension. IHC revealed also increased hepatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression confirming neutrophils' presence. In parallel, the histochemical study revealed a strong depletion of hepatocytic glycogen and lipid inclusions; these observations were also supported by the measurements of glycogen and total lipids in extracted tissue indicating a reduction in liver content. These results were accompanied by a decrease in body weight relative to the reduction of food intake, as well as hyperglycemia and some alterations in serum lipid parameters (triglycerides and cholesterol) suggesting a metabolic disturbance. We conclude that a phase difference between the endogenous activity rhythm of the species and the daily cycle of illumination has a strong impact on the liver morphology as well as on the metabolic activity of liver cells.

Correlation of serum C1q-tumour necrosis factor-related protein 5 levels with metabolic parameters and carotid intima-media thickness in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Recent studies have shown that cytokines secreted from adipose tissues play a role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). CTRP5 (C1q-TNF-related protein 5) is a novel adipokine that has been shown to be associated with glucose and lipid metabolism. Varying levels of CTRP5 have been reported in individuals with diabetes, obesity and coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to examine serum levels of CTRP5 and to show the relationship with cardiometabolic parameters in T2DM patients. The study included 40 T2DM patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. All the study participants were evaluated with respect to BMI, waist circumference, lipid profile, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), serum CTRP5 levels, carotid intima-media thickness, and hs-CRP. No statistically significant differences were found between the control group and the diabetic group in terms of age, sex, or BMI. Serum CTRP5 levels (T2DM = 94.55 ± 28.70ng/ml, control = 76.02 ± 27.22ng/ml, P = 0.004*) were significantly higher in the group of newly diagnosed diabetic patients. A positive correlation was found between CTRP5 and the cardiometabolic parameters of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), hs-CRP, HOMA-IR and BMI. Regression analysis results showed that CTRP5 levels were independently correlated with insulin resistance estimated by HOMA-IR. Serum CTRP5 levels were correlated with cardiometabolic parameters and could therefore be a promising indicator of metabolic status and a possible biomarker of insulin resistance. However, the contradictory results reported in different studies indicate the need for further research to assess the significance of CTRP5 for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy.

Relationship between metabolic status and behavior in dairy cows in week 4 of lactation

Blood metabolite and hormone concentrations are indicative of metabolic status, but blood sampling and analysis is invasive and time-consuming. Monitoring behavior can be done automatically, and behaviors may also be used as indicators of metabolic status. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between metabolic status and feeding behavior, lying behavior, motion index and steps of dairy cows in week 4 postpartum. Behavioral data from 81 Holstein-Friesian cows were collected using computerized feeders and accelerometers, and blood samples were collected for analysis of free-fatty acid (FFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, insulin, IGF-1 and growth hormone (GH) concentrations. First, cluster analysis was performed to categorize cows as having poor, average, good or very good metabolic status based on their plasma FFA, BHB, glucose, insulin, IGF-1 and GH concentration. Subsequently, the performance and behavior of cows in clusters with poor, average and good metabolic status were compared using GLM. Cows with a poor or average metabolic status tended to have greater fat-and-protein-corrected milk yield than cows with good metabolic status. Furthermore, cows with a poor metabolic status had a lower energy balance and dry matter intake (DMI) than cows with an average or good metabolic status and had a lower number of meals than cows with good metabolic status. Daily number of visits to the feeder and lying time tended to be positively related with metabolic status. Feeding rate (kg/min), daily meal time (min/day), number of lying bouts per day, steps and motion index were not related with metabolic status. In conclusion, better metabolic status in dairy cows in early lactation was associated with a greater DMI, increased feeding activity and a tendency to more time spent lying, compared with poor metabolic status. These results suggest that compromised metabolic status is reflected in altered cow’s behavior in week 4 of lactation.

Heat stress abatement during the postpartum period: effects on whole lactation milk yield, indicators of metabolic status, inflammatory cytokines, and biomarkers of the oxidative stress.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cooling upon calving in alleviating the adverse effects of heat stress in Holstein lactating cows. Production performance, indicators of metabolic status, immune response, and biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured. Based on mature equivalent milk production, parity, and calving date, 46 multiparous lactating cows were allotted to groups of equal sizes (n = 23); heat stressed (HS; BW = 658 ± 28 kg [mean ± SD]; BCS = 2.7 ± 0.18; parity = 3 ± 0.12) and cooled (CL; BW = 668 ± 23 kg; BCS = 2.8 ± 0.14; parity = 3 ± 0.25). Cows were housed in sand-bedded individual stalls equipped with misters and fans which were on from 1000 to 1800 hours for CL group. DMI and milk yield were measured from calving for 7 wk. Body condition score and BW were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected weekly to measure the metabolic and antioxidant status, inflammatory cytokines, and immunoglobulins. Rectal temperature was measured daily at 1400 hour. Mean daily maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, and maximum temperature–humidity index was 37.0 °C, 31.9%, and 83.4 for HS and 27.3 °C, 44.9%, and 75.7 for CL, respectively. Heat-stressed cows exhibited greater rectal temperature (39.8 vs. 39.1 °C) and lower feed intake (19.8 vs. 21.3 kg/d) relative to CL cows. Milk yield, including raw (31.2 vs. 38.6 kg/d) and fat- and protein-corrected (32.1 vs. 35.7 kg/d) milk, was lower in HS vs. CL cows, respectively. The percentages of milk protein (3.25 vs. 3.06), lactose (4.73 vs. 4.58), and solids-not-fat (8.63 vs. 8.38) but not milk fat (4.31 vs. 3.59) were higher in HS cows than in CL cows, respectively. Somatic cell score was greater in HS cows as compared with CL cows. Cooled cows lost less body condition as compared with HS cows. Blood plasma concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, and β-hydroxybutyric acid were lower in HS cows. Blood plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde (2.13 vs. 1.84 nmol/mL), reactive oxygen species (579 vs. 561 U/mL), and total antioxidant capacity (4.49 vs. 4.06 U/mL) were greater in HS cows than in CL cows. Blood plasma concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1α, and interleukin-2) and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgG) were lower in HS cows than in CL cows. These findings demonstrated that cooling dairy cows during the early postpartum improved the production performance, indicators of metabolic status, immune response, and antioxidant capacity.

Peculiarities of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and its connection with indicators of metabolic status in children with obesity

Objective — to identify peculiarities of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and its connection to indicators of metabolic status in children with obesity and normal body mass.Materials and methods. We have examined 39 children (19 boys and 20 girls) with obesity (body mass index (BMI) (30.6 ± 2.06) kg/m2, age (13.23 ± 2.27) years)).We have determined the main indicators of lipid and phosphorus-calcium metabolism, uric acid, glycated hemoglobin in biochemical analysis of blood. Hormonal state: insulin, leptin, adiponectin, cortisol, thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, vitamin D.We have conducted genotyping of vitamin D receptor gene by ApaI (A/a) (rs7975232), TaqI (T/t) (rs731236), BsmI (B/b) (rs1544410), FokI (F/f) (rs2228570) polymorphic alleles.Results and discussion. We have identified statistically significant differences by frequency of genotypes and ApaI (A/a) (rs7975232), TaqI (T/t) (rs731236), BsmI (B/b) (rs1544410) VDR alleles between boys with obesity and normal body mass.There have been no identified statistically significant differences by frequency of genotypes and TaqI (T/t) (rs731236), BsmI (B/b) (rs1544410), FokI (F/f) (rs2228570) VDR alleles in girls with obesity.In indicators of biochemical analysis of blood of patients with obesity by ApaI (A/a) (rs7975232) polymorphic locus we have identified statistically significant increase of (р(Аа) = 0.03; р(аа) = 0.006) triglyceride, (р(АА) = 0.004; р(аа) = 0.05) uric acid and (р(Аа) = 0.02) alkaline phosphatase level as to the (р(Аа) = 0.03; р(аа) = 0.006) control group.In patients with AA and Аа genotypes there has been determined a statistically significant increase of insulin indicators in blood serum as to the (р(АА) = 0.002; р(Аа) = 0.002) control group. We have identified a statistically significant difference by HOMA­IR index in children with obesity as to the (р(АА) = 0.007; р(Аа) = 0.03) control group. There has been a noted statistically significant difference by leptin level in children with obesity as to the (р(аа) = 0.007 control group with aa genotype.Conclusions. We have identified a statistically significant increase of triglyceride, HOMA­IR index, leptin and uric acid level in children with obesity by ApaI (A/a) (rs7975232) polymorphic locus as to the control group.

Milk progesterone on day 5 following insemination in the dairy cow: associated metabolic variables and reproductive consequences

Despite the importance of progesterone on the fertility of lactating dairy cows, the factors that affect post ovulatory progesterone concentration are still unclear. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the post ovulatory progesterone rise following 1 st insemination in lactating dairy cows. Data collected across a number of complimentary studies were compiled to produce a single database of 168 lactating Holstein Friesian dairy cows maintained under commercial conditions. In all animals a number of variables were measured during the insemination period and related to milk progesterone measured on day 5 following 1 st artificial insemination (AI). Overall, 44% of cows conceived to 1 st AI and while mean day 5 progesterone was not significantly higher in these cows, there was a significant quadratic relationship between milk progesterone concentration and conception rate. While a number of variables showed some association with progesterone concentration, the only variable showing a strong and repeatable relationship was plasma leptin concentration. We conclude that adequate but not excessive progesterone levels on day 5 bring about a better fertility, and plasma leptin concentration may be a much better indicator of metabolic status in lactating dairy cows. Keywords: Conception rate, dairy cow, leptin, metabolic variables, milk progesterone

1102 Implications of acute or chronic pasture restriction on indicators of metabolic status in grass-based dairy cows

1102 Implications of acute or chronic pasture restriction on indicators of metabolic status in grass-based dairy cows

New insight into determining indicators of metabolic status in women: Expression of PPARγ and FABP4 in PBMCs

ABSTRACTAdiposity and its metabolic disturbances could be regulated by adipocyte-specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and fatty acid-binding protein4. Although these two proteins are mainly expressed in adipose tissues, they can also be expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which could be useful for predicting body composition and blood parameters. Thus, this cross-sectional study was performed during January 2013–January 2014 with 229 women (age range, 22–52 years) who were classified as obese or nonobese. Serum glucose, insulin, lipids, and body composition were measured in the fasting state. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated to extract ribonucleic acid (RNA) and to determine gene expression by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All serum parameters and components of body composition were significantly higher in obese than in nonobese women. Gene expression analysis showed that serum levels of glucose and lipids, except high-density lipoprotein (HDL), were higher in the group that expressed high fatty acid-binding protein4. Increased expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma was associated with a significant reduction of blood sugar and increased HDL and other lipids and visceral fat. Therefore, it seems that the level of expression of these genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells may indicate metabolic status.

Technological, environmental and biological factors: referent variance values for infrared imaging of the bovine.

BackgroundDespite its variety of potential applications, the wide implementation of infrared technology in cattle production faces technical, environmental and biological challenges similar to other indicators of metabolic state. Nine trials, divided into three classes (technological, environmental and biological factors) were conducted to illustrate the influence of these factors on body surface temperature assessed through infrared imaging.ResultsEvaluation of technological factors indicated the following: measurements of body temperatures were strongly repeatable when taken within 10 s; appropriateness of differing infrared camera technologies was influenced by distance to the target; and results were consistent when analysis of thermographs was compared between judges. Evaluation of environmental factors illustrated that wind and debris caused decreases in body surface temperatures without affecting metabolic rate; additionally, body surface temperature increased due to sunlight but returned to baseline values within minutes of shade exposure. Examination/investigation/exploration of animal factors demonstrated that exercise caused an increase in body surface temperature and metabolic rate. Administration of sedative and anti-sedative caused changes on body surface temperature and metabolic rate, and during late pregnancy a foetal thermal imprint was visible through abdominal infrared imaging.ConclusionThe above factors should be considered in order to standardize operational procedures for taking thermographs, thereby optimizing the use of such technology in cattle operations.

The complex contributions of genetics and nutrition to immunity in Drosophila melanogaster.

Both malnutrition and undernutrition can lead to compromised immune defense in a diversity of animals, and “nutritional immunology” has been suggested as a means of understanding immunity and determining strategies for fighting infection. The genetic basis for the effects of diet on immunity, however, has been largely unknown. In the present study, we have conducted genome-wide association mapping in Drosophila melanogaster to identify the genetic basis for individual variation in resistance, and for variation in immunological sensitivity to diet (genotype-by-environment interaction, or GxE). D. melanogaster were reared for several generations on either high-glucose or low-glucose diets and then infected with Providencia rettgeri, a natural bacterial pathogen of D. melanogaster. Systemic pathogen load was measured at the peak of infection intensity, and several indicators of nutritional status were taken from uninfected flies reared on each diet. We find that dietary glucose level significantly alters the quality of immune defense, with elevated dietary glucose resulting in higher pathogen loads. The quality of immune defense is genetically variable within the sampled population, and we find genetic variation for immunological sensitivity to dietary glucose (genotype-by-diet interaction). Immune defense was genetically correlated with indicators of metabolic status in flies reared on the high-glucose diet, and we identified multiple genes that explain variation in immune defense, including several that have not been previously implicated in immune response but which are confirmed to alter pathogen load after RNAi knockdown. Our findings emphasize the importance of dietary composition to immune defense and reveal genes outside the conventional “immune system” that can be important in determining susceptibility to infection. Functional variation in these genes is segregating in a natural population, providing the substrate for evolutionary response to pathogen pressure in the context of nutritional environment.

Pattern of partitioning of aflatoxins from feed to urine and its effect on serum chemistry in Nili-Ravi buffalo heifers

The objectives of the present study were (1) to monitor the pattern of excretion of aflatoxinM1 in urine after its conversion from aflatoxinB1 and (2) to observe the effects of different levels of aflatoxinB1 in feed on serum concentrations of key metabolites glucose, total protein, cholesterol and urea as indicators of metabolic status. Nili-Ravi buffalo heifers (n = 12) of similar age and weight were randomly distributed to four groups. Animals in Groups A, B and C were offered a contaminated cottonseed cake-based concentrate ration at 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% of bodyweight, respectively. Control animals in Group D were fed with aflatoxinB1-free green fodder. Based on the level of contamination of the concentrate ration with aflatoxinB1 (554 µg/kg), Groups A, B and C consumed 953, 2022, 3202 µg of aflatoxinB1 daily. Feed samples were analysed at Romer Laboratories Pty Ltd, Singapore by high performance liquid chromatography. AflatoxinM1 quantification in urine samples was conducted using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with kits supplied by Helica Biosystems, Inc., USA. Serum samples were analysed for concentrations of glucose, total protein, cholesterol and urea using clinical chemistry kits provided by Human diagnostics (HUMAN, Biochemica und Diagnostica mbH, Germany). Carry-over rate of aflatoxinM1 in urine for Groups A, B and C was 15.51%, 15.44% and 14.04% of aflatoxinB1 while there was no detectable aflatoxinM1 in the urine of the control group (D). There was no significant difference in the concentrations of serum glucose, total protein and cholesterol between treatment groups. However, the concentration of serum urea was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) in the group offered the highest level of aflatoxinB1-contaminated concentrate. This result suggests that mycotoxicosis may compromise protein metabolism and accretion in affected animals. This leaves open the possibility that high concentrations of aflatoxins in milk may ultimately affect the health status of human milk consumers.

Host–pathogen interactions in the development of metabolic disturbances and atherosclerosis in HIV infection: The role of CCL2 genetic variants

Background: Circulating CCL2 concentration has been implicated in promoting atherosclerosis in patients infected with HIV. We evaluated whether CCL2 gene variants are associated with metabolic disturbances and plasma CCL2 levels in HIV-infected patients. Methods and results: CCL2 genotypes and estimated haplotypes, plasma CCL2 levels and indicators of metabolic status in HIV-infected patients were compared with a representative group of the general population. We also performed a carotid/femoral artery ultrasonography to detect sub-clinical atherosclerosis in these patients. Six haplotypes were estimated in more than the 5% of individuals, and accounted for more than 98% of the population. In HIV-infected patients, carriers of H1, H2 and H5 haplotypes had higher CCL2 concentration than carriers of H3, H4 and H6 haplotypes. However, only carriers of H1 and H5 haplotypes presented higher insulin resistance as well as higher proportion of patients affected with sub-clinical. Conversely, carriers of H2 haplotype, which also showed high plasma CCL2 concentration, were associated with less deleterious metabolic disturbances. Conclusions: Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the genetic background of the host is involved in CCL2 production and that this chemokine is implicated in promoting metabolic disturbances and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in HIV-infected patients.

Recruited Resistance

Type II diabetes is characterized by abnormal glucose homeostasis due to increased insulin resistance. Glucose metabolism leads to the formation of uridine diphosphate- N -acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), an indicator of metabolic status, and O -GlcNAc transferase (OGT) transfers O -GlcNAc to target proteins. Because O -GlcNAc affects protein function, Yang et al . investigated whether O -GlcNAc linked metabolism with insulin signaling. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P 3 ] generation in response to insulin recruits insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins and Akt to the plasma membrane to mediate IR signaling. The authors found that OGT, which does not contain any known PIP-binding domain, bound to PI(3,4,5)P 3 -coated beads, whereas the OGT mutant KK/AA, in which 2 C-terminal lysine residues were mutated to alanines, did not. Fluorescence imaging of COS-7 cells that expressed either OGT or KK/AA fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) showed translocation of OGT-GFP, but not KK/AA-GFP, to the plasma membrane after treatment of starved cells with serum, which was blocked by inhibition of PI3K. Endogenous OGT colocalized with Akt at the plasma membrane of serum-treated cells. Adenoviral overexpression of OGT in adipocytes inhibited insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and increased inhibitory phosphorylation of IRS-1 on serine residues compared with control cells, modifications that are associated with decreased insulin responsiveness. Immunoprecipitation assays confirmed the modification of insulin signaling proteins by OGT. Mice whose livers were treated with adenovirus that expressed OGT had a higher abundance of plasma insulin, decreased basal glucose turnover, and decreased expression of insulin-dependent genes compared to those treated with adenovirus that expressed KK/AA. This study shows that OGT inhibits insulin responsiveness in a PI3K-dependent mechanism, leading the authors to suggest that this may play a role in the development of insulin resistance in type II diabetes. X. Yang, P. P. Ongusaha, P. D. Miles, J. C. Havstad, F. Zhang, W. V. So, J. E. Kudlow, R. H. Michell, J. M. Olefsky, S. J. Field, R. M. Evans, Phosphoinositide signalling links O -GlcNAc transferase to insulin resistance. Nature 451 , 964-969 (2008). [PubMed]

Hormone changes indicate that winter is a critical period for food shortages in Steller sea lions

Given that many marine mammals display seasonal energetic priorities, it is important to investigate whether the impact of unexpected food restriction differs during the year. Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) fed restricted diets for up to 9 days during spring, summer, fall, and winter lost an average of 10% of their initial body mass. We tracked changes in the levels of three hormones (cortisol, total thyroxine-TT4, total triiodothyronine-TT3) and one blood metabolite (blood urea nitrogen-BUN) following a food restriction in relation to season, body mass, body composition, and metabolism. Degree of changes in cortisol, TT3, and BUN after food restriction was significantly affected by season. The greatest changes in cortisol (+231%), BUN (+11.4%), TT4 (-23.3%), and TT3 (-35.6%) occurred in the winter (November/December) when rates of body mass loss were also greatest. Changes in cortisol levels were positively related to total body mass loss, while changes in TT3 levels were negatively related. While greater increases in BUN were related to greater rates of mass loss, the use of BUN levels as an indicator of metabolic state is complicated by the type and level of food intake. The observed changes in hormone levels support morphological data suggesting Steller sea lions may be more strongly impacted by short-term, reduced energy intake during winter than at other times of the year.

Military infrared technology advances diabetes research.

All living organisms produce heat as a by-product of metabolism. For centuries, clinicians and scientists have been interested in measuring heat output (thermogenesis) as an indicator of metabolic state. This paper briefly reviews current methods for metabolic measurements and describes recent results in diabetes research with a novel infrared thermal imaging technology, Thermal Signature Analysis (TSA). TSA measures unique thermal signatures in cells and animals that are indicative of disease, genetic variations, or drug function.