• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2023

Neutral and non-essential amino acid, glutamine (Gln), plays an essential role in supplying nitrogen to all the amino acids and nucleotides in the mammalian body. Gln is also the most important carbon source that provides intermediates for gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis and supplements the tricarboxylic acid cycle in fast-growing cancer cells. Among the known 14 Gln transporter genes, soluted carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) has been reported to be closely associated with cancer cell growth. Three variants (v1, v2, and v3) have been derived from SLC1A5. Here, we established a heterologous gene expression system for the active form of human SLC1A5 variant-2 (hSLC1A5v2) in Escherichia coli. v2 is the smallest variant that has not yet been studied. Four expression systems were investigated: pBAD, pCold, pET, and pQE. We also addressed the problem of codon usage bias. Although pCold and pET overexpressed hSLC1A5v2 in E. coli, they were functionally inactive. hSLC1A5v2 using the pBAD system was able to catalyze the successful transport of Gln, even if it was not highly expressed. Initial activity of hSLC1A5v2 for [¹⁴C] Gln uptake in E. coli reached up to 6.73 μmole·min^-1·gDW^-1 when the cell was induced with 80 mM L-arabinose. In this study, we demonstrated a heterologous expression system for the human membrane protein, SLC1A5, in E. coli. Our results can be used for the functional comparison of SLC1A5 variants (v1, v2, and v3) in future studies, to facilitae the developement of SLC1A5 inhibitors as effective anticancer drugs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.63 no.3
• /
• pp.30.1-30.8
• /
• 2023

Metformin is a treatment used widely for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with few side effects and acts by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis and glucose absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Lymphoma is one of the most common hematological malignancies in dogs. Chemotherapy is used mainly on lymphoma, but further research on developing anticancer drugs for lymphoma is needed because of its severe side effects. This study examined the anticancer effects of metformin alone and in combination with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a glucose analog, on EL4 cells (mouse T cell lymphoma). Metformin reduced the metabolic activity of EL4 cells and showed an additive effect when combined with 2-DG. In addition, cell death was confirmed using a trypan blue exclusion test, Hochest 33342/propidium iodide (PI) staining, and Annexin V/PI staining. An analysis of the cell cycle and mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) to investigate the mechanism of action showed that metformin stopped the G2/M phase of EL4 cells, and metformin + 2-DG decreased MMP. Metformin exhibited anticancer effects as a G2/M phase arrest mechanism in EL4 cells and showed additive effects when combined with 2-DG via MMP reduction. Unlike cytotoxic chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs, metformin and 2-DG are related to cellular glucose metabolism and have little toxicity. Therefore, metformin and 2-DG can be an alternative to reduce the toxicity caused by chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs. Nevertheless, research is needed to verify the in vivo efficacy of metformin and 2-DG before they can be used in lymphoma treatments.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.11
• /
• pp.1632-1646
• /
• 2023

Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary betaine (BT) supplementation on the hepatic transcriptome profiles in broiler chickens raised under heat stress (HS) conditions. Methods: A total of 180 (21-d-old) Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allotted to 1 of 3 treatment groups with 6 replicated cages in a completely randomized design. One group was kept under thermoneutral conditions at all times and was fed a basal diet (PC). Other 2 groups were exposed to a cyclic heat stress condition. One of the 2 groups under heat stress conditions was fed the basal diet as a negative control (NC), whereas the other group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.2% BT. All chickens were provided with diets and water ad libitum for 21 d. Following the experiment, the liver samples were collected for RNA sequencing analysis. Results: Broiler chickens in NC and BT group had decreased (p<0.05) growth performance. In the transcriptome analysis, the number of differentially expressed genes were identified in the liver by HS conditions and dietary BT supplementation. In the comparison between NC and PC treatments, genes related to energy and nucleic acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and immune system were altered by HS, which support the reason why heat-stressed poultry had decreased growth performance. In the comparison between NC and BT treatments, genes related to lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and immune system were differently expressed under HS conditions. Conclusion: HS negatively impacts various physiological processes, including DNA replication, metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, and cell cycle progression in broiler chickens. Dietary BT supplementation, however, offers potential counteractive effects by modulating liver function, facilitating gluconeogenesis, and enhancing immune systems. These findings provide a basis for understanding molecular responses by HS and the possible benefits of dietary BT supplementation in broiler chickens exposed to HS.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.46-61
• /
• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An increasing life expectancy in society has burdened healthcare systems substantially because of the rising prevalence of age-related metabolic diseases. This study compared the effects of animal protein hydrolysate (APH) and casein on metabolic diseases using aged mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Eight-week-old and 50-week-old C57BL/6J mice were used as the non-aged (YC group) and aged controls (NC group), respectively. The aged mice were divided randomly into 3 groups (NC, low-APH [LP], and high-APH [HP] and fed each experimental diet for 12 weeks. In the LP and HP groups, casein in the AIN-93G diet was substituted with 16 kcal% and 24 kcal% APH, respectively. The mice were sacrificed when they were 63-week-old, and plasma and hepatic lipid, white adipose tissue weight, hepatic glucose, lipid, and antioxidant enzyme activities, immunohistochemistry staining, and mRNA expression related to the glucose metabolism on liver and muscle were analyzed. RESULTS: Supplementation of APH in aging mice resulted in a significant decrease in visceral fat (epididymal, perirenal, retroperitoneal, and mesenteric fat) compared to the negative control (NC) group. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and area under the curve analysis revealed insulin resistance in the NC group, which was alleviated by APH supplementation. APH supplementation reduced hepatic gluconeogenesis and increased glucose utilization in the liver and muscle. Furthermore, APH supplementation improved hepatic steatosis by reducing the hepatic fatty acid and phosphatidate phosphatase activity while increasing the hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity. Furthermore, in the APH supplementation groups, the red blood cell (RBC) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hepatic H₂O₂ levels decreased, and the RBC glutathione, hepatic catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities increased. CONCLUSIONS: APH supplementation reduced visceral fat accumulation and alleviated obesity-related metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, in aged mice. Therefore, high-quality animal protein APH that reduces the molecular weight and enhances the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score has potential as a dietary supplement for healthy aging.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.8-14
• /
• 2023

The hepatic glycogen storage disease type 0 (GSD type 0) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of hepatic glycogen synthase encoded by the glycogen synthase 2 (GYS2) gene, leading to abnormal synthesis glycogen. The clinical findings of GSD type 0 are hyperketotic hypoglycemia at fasting state and accompanying postprandial hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia. GSD type 0 has only been reported in a very small number so far, and the diagnosis is likely to be missed because symptoms are mild, severe hypoglycemia is rare or asymptomatic, or symptoms gradually disappear with age. Essential management strategies include feeding high-protein meals to stimulate gluconeogenesis, frequent meals to prevent hypoglycemia during the day and feeding complex carbohydrates such as uncooked cornstarch to slowly release glucose during nignt. GSD type 0 has a good prognosis, with appropriate treatment, normal growth can be achieved and no complications occur. Significant hypoglycemia occurs less common in adulthood, but ongoing dietary management may be necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.11-26
• /
• 2008

목적 : 홍삼약침(藥鍼)이 고혈당 및 지질대사장애에 미치는 개선효과와 그 기전을 조사하고자 한다. 방법 : 홍삼약침(藥鍼)의 anti-diabetic 활성과 그 기전을 C57BL/KsJ db/db mice를 이용하여 관찰하였다. 실험 동물은 대조군(DC), 홍삼약침(藥鍼)군(RGL, RGH) 및 양성대조군(MET, GPZ, PIO)의 6군으로 나누었다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)군은 $0.2m{\ell}$의 홍삼약침멸(藥鍼滅)을 각각 100mg/kg(RGL) 및 200mg/kg(RGH)씩 인체의 간유(肝兪)($BL_{18}$)에 상응하는 혈위에 1일 1회 10주간 좌우 혈을 번갈아가며 약침 시술하였다. 양성대조군은 metformin 300mg/kg(MET), glipizide 15mg/kg(GPZ) 및 pioglitazone 30mg/kg(PIO)을 각각 1일 1회 10주간 경구투여 하였다. 체중과 혈당은 매주 측정하였다. 실험 10주 후에는 혈액채취로 혈중 glucose, 당화혈색소(HbAlc), insulin, 중성지방(TG), adiponectin, leptin, non-esterified fatty acid(NEFA)를 측정 하였고, 간 조직을 채취하여 조직학적 검사 및 gene expression 분석을 시행하였다. 결과 : 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL, RGH)은 10주 동안 C57BL/KsJ db/db mice의 체중을 증가시키는 부작용은 나타나지 않았다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)군(RGL, RGH)의 사료섭취량은 대조군과 비슷하였으나 음수량은 증가하였다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL, RGH)은 대조군에 비하여 각각 19.8% 및 18.3% 혈당을 낮추었고, 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL)은 insulin resistance를 27.7% 감소시켰으며, 경구내당능 검사의 혈중 glucose에서는 대조군에 비해 홍삼약침(藥鍼)군(RGL, RGH)과 양성대조군(MET, GPZ, PIO)에서 각각 19.8%, 18.3%, 67.7%, 52.3% 및 56.9% 감소시켰다. 당화혈색소(HbAlc)는 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL, RGH), MET, GPZ 및 PIO군에서 대조군에 비하여 각각 11.0%, 6.4%, 18.9%, 16.1% 및 27.9% 감소시켰으며, 혈중 glucose감소와 유사한 경향을 나타내었다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL)은 대조군에 비해 TG와 NEFA를 각각 18.8% 및 16.8% 감소시켰고, adiponectin과 leptin을 각각 20.6% 및 12.1% 증가시켰다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL, RGH)은 중성지방의 침착으로 인한 간의 질량비 증가를 억제하지 못하였으나, 지방구를 감소시겼음을 관찰할 수 있었다. Microarray 분석에서는 홍삼약침(藥鍼)(RGL, RGH)이 간에서 glycolysis, gluconeogenesis 및 fatty acid beta-oxidation과 관련된 유전자 발현에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타나 양성대조군 metformin과 유사한 기전을 나타내었다. 요약 : 홍삼약침(藥鍼)은 T2DM동물모델(C57BL/KsJ db/db mice)에서 항당뇨 및 지질대사 개선활성이 있었다. 홍삼약침(藥鍼)은 C57BL/KsJ db/db mice의 간조직에서 lipogenesis억제 및 fatty acid beta-oxidation활성을 통해 혈당 이용을 높이고, insulin sensitivity를 향상시켰다. 또한 유전자 발현분석을 통해 그 기전이 metformin과 유사함을 확인할 수 있었으므로 향후 홍삼약침(藥鍼)의 새로운 약침 기술 개발 근거가 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.52 no.11
• /
• pp.1279-1282
• /
• 2009

Hepatomegaly and liver dysfunction might develop in patients with diabetes mellitus due to glycogen deposition or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We experienced a case of hepatic glycogenosis in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus who presented with recurrent hypoglycemia, suggesting impairment of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. A 10-year-old girl with a 4-year history of type 1 diabetes mellitus was admitted because of recurrent hypoglycemia and abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. She had Cushingoid features and hepatomegaly that extended 6 cm below the right costal margin. Laboratory data and radiologic examination revealed elevated liver enzyme levels due to fatty liver. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining revealed intense glycogen deposition in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes and PAS reactivity was lost with diastase treatment. At 2 months after administration of glucagon injection and uncooked cornstarch between meals and at bedtime, the hypoglycemic episodes and liver dysfunction improved. It is important to distinguish hepatic glycogenosis from steatohepatitis, because it is possible to prevent excessive hepatic glycogen storage in hepatic glycogenosis cases by strictly controlling blood glucose level and by glucagon administration. To prevent severe hypoglycemic symptoms accompanied by hepatic glycogenosis, we suggest that uncooked cornstarch, which is effective in maintaining blood glucose level, can also be administered.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.145-151
• /
• 1998

The possibility of using rice gruel compared to that of the cane molasses as a source of readily fermentable energy for a urea supplemented straw diet has been studied. Twelve native growing bulls of $237{\pm}8.7kg $ live weight and months old were randomly allocated to three treatments fed solely rice straw enriched with : (1) 3% urea (US), (2) 3% urea + 15% molasses (UMS) and (3) 3% urea + 30% rice gruel (UGS). The feeding trial continued for sixty days. Organic matter (OM) intake was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the UMS ( $64g/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$) followed by UGS ($53g/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$) and US ($49g/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$). Estimated (from digestible OM intake) metabolizable energy (ME) intake were 396, 348 and $301kJ/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$ for UMS, UGS and US respectively. The maintenance (i.e., no change in live weight) ME intake calculated to be $308{\pm}7.4kJ/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$. Urinary purine derivatives excretion was nonsignificantly higher in the UMS (51.73 mmol/d), followed by UGS (42.53 mmol/d) and US (35.26 mmol/d). The estimated microbial N (MN) yield were 21.10, 14.00 and 11.60 g/d for UMS, UGS and US respectively. For each MJ increase in ME intade, MN yield increased by $1.29{\pm}0.134g$. Observed live weight changes during the experimental period were 292, 125 and -19 g/d respectively for UMS, UGS and US. It was concluded that supplementation of readily fermentable N (urea) alone was not enough to optimize the rumen function and a source of readily fermentable energy was required. Rice gruel was less effective than molasses as fermentable energy source to remove a restriction on voluntary intake and provide less amino acids of microbial origin for absorption from the small intestine, Thus more substrate for protein synthesis and gluconeogenesis were available for growth in the molasses than the rice gruel supplemented animals. However, in situation where molasses is not available or costly, rice gruel does appear to have a place as readily fermentable energy source on a urea supplemented straw diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.1003-1010
• /
• 2008

The objective of the present study was to identify differences in the expression levels of liver proteins between healthy and ketotic cows, establish a liver metabolic interrelationship of ketosis and elucidate the metabolic characteristics of the liver during ketosis. Liver samples from 8 healthy multiparous Hostein cows and 8 ketotic cows were pooled by health status and the proteins were separated by two-dimensional-electrophoresis (2D-E). Statistical analysis of gels was performed using PDQuest software 8.0. The differences in the expression levels of liver proteins (p<0.05) between ketotic and healthy cows were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF-TOF) tandem mass spectrometry. Five enzymes/proteins were identified as being differentially expressed in the livers of ketotic cows: expression of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase type-2 (HCDH), acetyl-coenzyme A acetyltransferase 2 (ACAT) and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) were down-regulated, whereas that of alpha-enolase and creatine kinase were up-regulated. On the basis of this evidence, it could be presumed that the decreased expression of HCDH, which is caused by high concentrations of acetyl-CoA in hepatic cells, in the livers of ketotic cows, implies reduced fatty acid ??oxidation. The resultant high concentrations of acetyl-CoA and acetoacetyl CoA would depress the level of ACAT and generate more ??hydroxybutyric acid; high concentrations of acetyl-CoA would also accelerate the Krebs Cycle and produce more ATP, which is stored as phosphocreatine, as a consequence of increased expression of creatine kinase. The low expression level of elongation factor Tu in the livers of ketotic cows indicates decreased levels of protein synthesis due to the limited availability of amino acids, because the most glucogenic amino acids sustain the glyconeogenesis pathway; thus increasing the level of alpha-enolase. Decreased protein synthesis also promotes the conversion of amino acids to oxaloacetate, which drives the Krebs Cycle under conditions of high levels of acetyl-CoA. It is concluded that the livers of ketotic cows possess high concentrations of acetyl-CoA, which through negative feedback inhibited fatty acid oxidation; show decreased fatty acid oxidation, ketogenesis and protein synthesis; and increased gluconeogenesis and energy production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.9
• /
• pp.1319-1326
• /
• 2007

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP1) is a key regulatory enzyme of gluconeogenesis that catalyzes the hydrolysis of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate to generate fructose-6-phosphate and inorganic phosphate. Deficiency of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase is associated with fasting hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis. The enzyme has been shown to occur in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. The bovine FBP1 gene was cloned and characterized in this study. The full length (1,241 bp) FBP1 mRNA contained an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 338 amino acids, a 63 bp 5' untranslated region (UTR) and a 131 bp 3' UTR. The bovine FBP1 gene was 89%, 85%, 82%, 82% and 74% identical to the orthologs of pig, human, mouse, rat and zebra fish at mRNA level, and 97%, 96%, 94%, 93% and 91% identical at the protein level, respectively. This gene was broadly expressed in cattle with the highest level in testis, and the lowest level in heart. An intronic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (A/G) was identified in the $5^{th}$ intron of the bovine FBP1 gene. Genotyping of 133 animals from four beef breeds revealed that the average frequency for allele A (A-base) was 0.7897 (0.7069-0.9107), while 0.2103 (0.0893-0.2931) for allele B (G-base). Our preliminary association study indicated that this SNP is significantly associated with traits of Average Daily Feed Intake (ADFI) and Carcass Length (CL) (p<0.01). In addition, the FBP1 gene was assigned on BTA8 by a hybrid radiation (RH) mapping method.