Background: Fragmented hyaluronan (a major extracellular matrix component) and eicosanoids (potent lipid mediators) are associated with chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Results: Fragmented hyaluronan stimulates lipid mediator production in human monocytes and macrophages and influences macrophage differentiation toward a distinct activation pattern. Conclusion: These findings reveal a novel link between hyaluronan-mediated inflammation and lipid metabolism. Significance: This link may provide new targets for disease therapeutics.
Deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), a key enzyme in glucose homeostasis, causes glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by growth retardation, hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, nephromegaly, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and lactic acidemia. G6Pase is an endoplasmic reticulum-associated transmembrane protein expressed primarily in the liver and the kidney. Therefore, enzyme replacement therapy is not feasible using current strategies, but somatic gene therapy, targeting G6Pase to the liver and the kidney, is an attractive possibility. Previously, we reported the development of a mouse model of G6Pase deficiency that closely mimics human GSD-Ia. Using neonatal GSD-Ia mice, we now demonstrate that a combined adeno virus and adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene transfer leads to sustained G6Pase expression in both the liver and the kidney and corrects the murine GSD-Ia disease for at least 12 months. Our results suggest that human GSD-Ia would be treatable by gene therapy.
[ 18 F]-2-Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) is a glucose analog currently utilized for positron emission tomography imaging studies in humans. FDG taken up by the liver is rapidly released. This property is attributed to elevated glucose-6-phosphatase (Glc-6-Pase) activity. To characterize this issue we studied the relationship between Glc-6-Pase activity and FDG release kinetics in a cell culture system. We overexpressed the Glc-6-Pase catalytic unit in a Glc-6-Pase-deficient mouse hepatocyte (Ho-15) and in A431 tumor cell lines. Glc-6-Pase enzyme activity and FDG release rates were determined in cells transfected with the Glc-6-Pase gene (Ho-15-D3 and A431-AC3), in mock-transfected cells of both cell lines, and in wild-type mouse hepatocytes (WT10) as control. Although the highest level of Glc-6-Pase activity was measured in A431-AC3, Ho-15-D3 cells showed much faster FDG release rates. The faster FDG release correlated with the level of glucose 6-phosphate transporter (Glc-6-PT) mRNA, which was found to be expressed at higher levels in Ho-15 compared with A431 cells. Overexpression of Glc-6-PT in A431-AC3 produced a dramatic increase in FDG release compared with control cells. This study gives the first direct evidence that activity of the Glc-6-Pase complex can be quantified in vivo by measuring FDG release. Adequate levels of Glc-6-Pase catalytic unit and Glc-6-PT are required for this function. FDG-positron emission tomography may be utilized to evaluate functional status of the Glc-6-Pase complex.
The worldwide CRPA prevalence has been on the raise and Taiwan has been also keeping up with the trend. Antimicrobials usage should be monitored carefully, especially with carbapenems and aminoglycoside. Clinicians should be award of and understand about the risk of CRPA infection, which increases by 1% with each hospitalization day.
Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) is caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT). Sequence alignments identify a signature motif shared by G6PT and a family of transporters of phosphorylated metabolites. Two null signature motif mutations have been identified in the G6PT gene of GSD-Ib patients. In this study, we characterize the activity of seven additional mutants within the motif. Five mutants lack microsomal G6P uptake activity and one retains residual activity, suggesting that in G6PT the signature motif is a functional element required for microsomal glucose-6phosphate transport.
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