Altered levels of adipokines, derived as a result of distorted adipocytes, are the major factors responsible for changing biochemical parameters in obesity that leads to the development of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. In our previous reports, chitosan oligosaccharides (CO) were proved to inhibit the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effect of CO on ob/ob mice, by means of differential proteomic analysis of plasma. This was followed by immunoblotting, and gene expression in adipose tissue to clarify the molecular mechanism. CO treatment showed reduced diet intake (13%), body weight gain (12%), lipid (29%) and glucose levels (35%). 2-DE results showed differential levels of five proteins namely RBP4, apoE, and apoA-IV by >2-fold down-regulation and by >2-fold of apoA-I and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) up-regulation after CO treatment. Immunoblotting studies of adiponectin and resistin showed amelioration in their levels in plasma. Furthermore, the results of gene expressions for adipose tissue specific TNF-alpha, and IL-6 secretary molecules were also down-regulated by CO treatment. Gene expressions of PPAR gamma in adipose tissue were in good agreement with the ameliorated levels of adipokines, thereby improving the pathological state. Taken together, CO might act as a potent down-regulator of obesity-related gene expression in ob/ob mice that may normalize altered plasma proteins to overcome metabolic disorders of obesity.
Recently, deep sea water (DSW) has started to receive much attention for therapeutic intervention in some lifestyle diseases. In this study, the anti-obesity and antidiabetic effects of DSW in ob/ob mice were investigated. The animals were randomly divided into two groups with six animals: control group received tap water; the experimental group was treated with DSW of hardness 1000 for 84 days. The body weight gain after 84 days in DSW-fed group was decreased by 7% compared to the control group. The plasma glucose levels in the DSW-fed mice were substantially reduced by 35.4%, as compared to control mice. The results of oral glucose tolerance test revealed that DSW-fed groups significantly increased the glucose disposal after 84 days. DSW increased plasma protein levels of adiponectin and decreased plasma protein levels of resistin, RBP4, and fatty acid binding protein. Moreover, GLUT4 and AMP-activated protein kinase levels in skeletal muscle tissue were increased while peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and adiponectin were decreased in adipose tissue of DSW-fed mice. These results suggest that the antidiabetic and anti-obesity activities of DSW were mediated by modulating the expression of diabetes- and obesity-specific molecules. Taken together, these results provide a possibility that continuous intake of DSW can ameliorate obesity and diabetes.
In the current study, it was demonstrated that the hot water extract of I. obliquus (IOWE) exerts inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human colon cancer cells (HT-29). The inhibitory effect of IOWE on the growth of HT-29 cancer cells was evaluated by treating cells with IOWE at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL for 24 or 48 h. The IOWE inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, and this inhibition was accompanied by apoptotic cell death. The maximum inhibitory effect (56%) was observed when IOWE was treated at a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL for 48 h. The apoptotic effect of IOWE on HT-29 cells was also confirmed by flow cytometric analysis. In addition, the apoptotic cell percentage was closely associated with down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax and caspase-3. The results suggest that IOWE would be useful as an antitumor agent via the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of the growth of cancer cells through up-regulation of the expression of proapoptotic proteins and down-regulation of antiapoptotic proteins.
In the present study, optimum culture conditions for the production of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) in submerged culture of an edible mushroom, Laetiporus sulphureus var. miniatus and their stimulatory effects on insulinoma cell (RINm5F) proliferation and insulin secretion were investigated. The maximum mycelial growth (4.1 g l(-1)) and EPS production (0.6 g l(-1)) in submerged flask culture were achieved in a medium containing 30 g l(-1) maltose, 2 g l(-1) soy peptone, and 2 mM MnSO(4).5H2O at an initial pH 2.0 and temperature 25 degrees C. In the stirred-tank fermenter under optimized medium, the concentrations of mycelial biomass and EPS reached a maximum level of 8.1 and 3.9 g l(-1), respectively. Interestingly, supplementation of deep sea water (DSW) into the culture medium significantly increased both mycelial biomass and EPS production by 4- and 6.7-fold at 70% (v/v) DSW medium, respectively. The EPS were proved to be glucose-rich polysaccharides and were able to increase proliferation and insulin secretary function of rat insulinoma RINm5F cells, in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, EPS also strikingly reduced the streptozotocin-induced apoptosis in RINm5F cells indicating the mode of the cytoprotective role of EPS on RINm5F cells.
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