Background/Aims: Systemic hyperlipidemia and intracellular lipid accumulation induced by chronic high fat diet (HFD) leads to enhanced fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and ketogenesis. The present study was aimed to determine whether activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) by surplus free fatty acids (FA) in hyperlipidemic condition, has a positive feedback regulation over FAO and ketogenic enzymes controlling lipotoxicity and cardiac apoptosis. Methods: 8 weeks old C57BL/6 wild type (WT) or PPAR-γ^-/- mice were challenged with 16 weeks 60% HFD to induce obesity mediated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Treatment course was followed by echocardiographic measurements, glycemic and lipid profiling, immunoblot, qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of PPAR-γ and following mitochondrial metabolic enzymes 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGCS2), mitochondrial β- hydroxy butyrate dehydrogenase (BDH1) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoform 4 (PDK4). In vivo model was translated in vitro, with neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCM) treated with PPAR-γ agonist/antagonist and PPAR-γ overexpression adenovirus in presence of palmitic acid (PA). Apoptosis was determined in vivo from left ventricular heart by TUNEL assay and immunoblot analysis. Results: We found exaggerated circulating ketone bodies production and expressions of the related mitochondrial enzymes HMGCS2, BDH1 and PDK4 in HFD-induced diabetic hearts and in PA-treated NRCM. As a mechanistic approach we found HFD mediated activation of PPAR-γ is associated with the above-mentioned mitochondrial enzymes. HFD-fed PPAR-γ^-/-mice display decreased hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia associated with increased insulin responsiveness as compared to HFD-fed WT mice PPAR-γ^-/–HFD mice demonstrated a more robust functional recovery after diabetes induction, as well as significantly reduced myocyte apoptosis and improved cardiac function. Conclusions: PPAR-γ has been described previously to regulate lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. The present study suggests for the first time that increased PPAR-γ expression by HFD is responsible for cardiac dysfunction via upregulation of mitochondrial enzymes HMGCS2, BDH1 and PDK4. Targeting PPAR-γ and its downstream mitochondrial enzymes will provide novel strategies in preventing metabolic and myocardial dysfunction in diabetes mellitus.

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Diabetes increases the risk of Cardio-vascular disease (CVD). CVD is more prevalent in type 2 diabetes (T2D) than type 1 diabetes (T1D), but the mortality risk is higher in T1D than in T2D. The pathophysiology of CVD in T1D is poorly defined. To learn more about biological pathways that are potentially involved in T1D with cardiac dysfunction, we sought to identify differentially expressed genes in the T1D heart. Our study used T1D mice with severe hyperglycemia along with significant deficits in echocardiographic measurements. Microarray analysis of heart tissue RNA revealed that the T1D mice differentially expressed 10 genes compared to control. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), we showed that these genes were significantly involved in ketogenesis, cardiovascular disease, apoptosis and other toxicology functions. Of these 10 genes, the 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Synthase 2 (HMGCS2) was the highest upregulated gene in T1D heart. IPA analysis showed that HMGCS2 was center to many biological networks and pathways. Our data also suggested that apart from heart, the expression of HMGCS2 was also different in kidney and spleen between control and STZ treated mice. In conclusion, The HMGCS2 molecule may potentially be involved in T1D induced cardiac dysfunction.

The present study demonstrates for the first time the protective role of two common flavonoids, quercetin and its glycone rutin, against high cholesterol diet (2%) induced hepatotoxicity and inflammation. Swiss albino mice were given either a standard laboratory diet (control), high cholesterol diet (HCD) or high cholesterol diet along with quercetin or rutin (100 mg kg(-1) body weight) in their respective groups. The HCD mice exhibited a gain in body weight, significant rise in serum and hepatic level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, liver function enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (P < 0.05). Histopathological studies showed hepatic fat accumulation and tissue disintegration. There was significant depletion of major hepatic antioxidants (P < 0.05). Immunoblot studies revealed a high expression of redox sensitive transcription factors NF-κB and TNF-α. A subsequent rise in the mRNA expression of inflammatory markers like C reactive protein and inducible nitric oxide synthase 2 were also found from the RT-PCR study. Simultaneous treatment with quercetin or rutin along with HCD significantly prevented the gains in body weight, lipid level, liver function enzymes, lipid peroxidation level and expression of inflammatory markers. The restoration of hepatic antioxidant homeostasis and hepatic morphology has also been observed. Hence, the present study illustrates the hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of two similar flavonoids.

Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) promotes reactive oxygen species (ROS) which ultimately trigger inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MoLE) and its active component quercetin in preventing NF-κB-mediated inflammation raised by short-term HFD. Quercetin was found to be one of the major flavonoid components from HPLC of MoLE. Swiss mice were fed for 15 days on HFD, both with or without MoLE/quercetin. The antioxidant profile was estimated from liver homogenate. NF-κB and some relevant inflammatory markers were evaluated by immunoblotting, RT-PCR and ELISA. Significantly (P < 0.05) lower antioxidant profile and higher lipid peroxidation was found in HFD group compared to control (P < 0.05). Increased nuclear import of NF-κB and elevated expressions of pro-inflammatory markers were further manifestations in the HFD group. All these changes were reversed in the MoLE/quercetin-treated groups with significant improvement of antioxidant activity compared to the HFD group. MoLE was found to be rich in polyphenols and both MoLE and quercetin showed potent free radical and hydroxyl radical quenching activity. Thus, the present study concluded that short-term treatment with MoLE and its constituent quercetin prevent HFD-mediated inflammation in mice.

Radioprotective action of gossypetin (GTIN) against gamma (γ)-radiation-induced oxidative stress in liver was explored in the present article. Our main aim was to evaluate the protective efficacy of GTIN against radiation-induced alteration of liver in murine system. To evaluate the effect of GTIN, it was orally administered to mice at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight for three consecutive days prior to γ-radiation at a dose of 5 Gy. Radioprotective efficacy of GTIN were evaluated at physiological, cellular, and molecular level using biochemical analysis, comet assay, flow cytometry, histopathology, immunofluorescence, and immunoblotting techniques. Ionizing radiation was responsible for augmentation of hepatic oxidative stress in terms of lipid peroxidation and depletion of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence studies showed that irradiation enhanced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) level, which leads to hepatic inflammation. To investigate further, we found that radiation induced the activation of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK)-mediated apoptotic pathway and deactivation of the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated redox signaling pathway, whereas GTIN pretreatment ameliorated these radiation-mediated effects. This is the novel report where GTIN rationally validated the molecular mechanism in terms of the modulation of cellular signaling system' instead of ' This is the novel report where GTIN is rationally validated in molecular terms to establish it as promising radioprotective agents. This might be fruitful especially for nuclear workers and defense personnel assuming the possibility of radiation exposure.

Mutations in the LMNA gene encoding nuclear lamins A/C cause a diverse array of tissue-selective diseases, with the heart being the most commonly affected organ. Despite progress in understanding the molecular perturbations emanating from LMNA mutations, an integrative understanding of the pathogenesis leading to cardiac dysfunction remains elusive. Using a novel cell-type specific Lmna deletion mouse model capable of translatome profiling, we found that cardiomyocyte-specific Lmna deletion in adult mice led to rapid cardiomyopathy with pathological remodeling. Prior to the onset of cardiac dysfunction, lamin A/C-depleted cardiomyocytes displayed nuclear envelope deterioration, golgi dilation/fragmentation, and CREB3-mediated golgi stress activation. Translatome profiling identified upregulation of Med25, a transcriptional co-factor that can selectively dampen UPR axes. Autophagy is disrupted in the hearts of these mice, which can be recapitulated by disrupting the golgi or inducing nuclear damage by increased matrix stiffness. Systemic administration of pharmacological modulators of autophagy or ER stress significantly improved the cardiac function. These studies support a hypothesis wherein stress responses emanating from the perinuclear space contribute to the development of LMNA cardiomyopathy.

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