In the current study, we investigated the importance of histone deacetylase (HDAC)6 for glucocorticoid receptor–mediated effects on glucose metabolism and its potential as a therapeutic target for the prevention of glucocorticoid-induced diabetes. Dexamethasone-induced hepatic glucose output and glucocorticoid receptor translocation were analyzed in wild-type (wt) and HDAC6-deficient (HDAC6KO) mice. The effect of the specific HDAC6 inhibitor tubacin was analyzed in vitro. wt and HDAC6KO mice were subjected to 3 weeks’ dexamethasone treatment before analysis of glucose and insulin tolerance. HDAC6KO mice showed impaired dexamethasone-induced hepatic glucocorticoid receptor translocation. Accordingly, dexamethasone-induced expression of a large number of hepatic genes was significantly attenuated in mice lacking HDAC6 and by tubacin in vitro. Glucose output of primary hepatocytes from HDAC6KO mice was diminished. A significant improvement of dexamethasone-induced whole-body glucose intolerance as well as insulin resistance in HDAC6KO mice compared with wt littermates was observed. This study demonstrates that HDAC6 is an essential regulator of hepatic glucocorticoid-stimulated gluconeogenesis and impairment of whole-body glucose metabolism through modification of glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation. Selective pharmacological inhibition of HDAC6 may provide a future therapeutic option against the prodiabetogenic actions of glucocorticoids.

BackgroundSuccessful reduction of body weight (BW) is often followed by recidivism to obesity. BW-changes including BW-loss and -regain is associated with marked alterations in energy expenditure (EE) and adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. Since these processes are sex-specifically controlled, we investigated sexual dimorphisms in metabolic processes during BW-dynamics (gain-loss-regain).Research DesignObesity was induced in C57BL/6J male (m) and female (f) mice by 15 weeks high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. Subsequently BW was reduced (-20%) by caloric restriction (CR) followed by adaptive feeding, and a regain-phase. Measurement of EE, body composition, blood/organ sampling were performed after each feeding period. Lipolysis was analyzed ex-vivo in gonadal AT.ResultsMale mice exhibited accelerated BW-gain compared to females (relative BW-gain m:140.5±3.2%; f:103.7±6.5%; p<0.001). In consonance, lean mass-specific EE was significantly higher in females compared to males during BW-gain. Under CR female mice reached their target-BW significantly faster than male mice (m:12.2 days; f:7.6 days; p<0.001) accompanied by a sustained sex-difference in EE. In addition, female mice predominantly downsized gonadal AT whereas the relation between gonadal and total body fat was not altered in males. Accordingly, only females exhibited an increased rate of forskolin-stimulated lipolysis in AT associated with significantly higher glycerol concentrations, lower RER-values, and increased AT expression of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). Analysis of AT lipolysis in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)–deficient mice revealed a reduced lipolytic rate in the absence of ERα exclusively in females. Finally, re-feeding caused BW-regain faster in males than in females.ConclusionThe present study shows sex-specific dynamics during BW-gain-loss-regain. Female mice responded to CR with an increase in lipolytic activity, and augmented lipid-oxidation leading to more efficient weight loss. These processes likely involve ERα-dependent signaling in AT and sexual dimorphic regulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism.

Key Words: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor Ⅲ atherosclerosis Ⅲ diabetes mellitus Ⅲ vascular biology T he peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ␥ (PPAR␥) belongs to the nuclear receptor family of ligand-dependent transcription factors. 1 PPAR␥ plays an important role in glucose homeostasis and is pharmacologically targeted by the class of insulin-sensitizing drugs named thiazolidinediones or glitazones. 1,2 In addition to its critical metabolic function, glitazone-activated PPAR␥ exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and vascular protective effects by directly affecting gene expression in monocytes/macrophages, T lymphocytes, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). 3,4 PPAR␥-mediated gene regulation comprises several distinct mechanisms, including ligand-dependent transactivation, ligand-independent repression, and ligand-dependent transrepression. 4 For its anti-inflammatory actions in macrophages, inhibition of gene expression by ligand-dependent transrepression has been identified as a key molecular process. 5 However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Original received July 26, 2011; revision received December 14, 2011; accepted December 16, 2011. In November 2011, the average time from submission to first decision for all original research papers submitted to Circulation Research was 15 days.From the Center for Cardiovascular Research, Institute of Pharmacology, Campus Charité Mitte (M.B., V.B., I.N.B., L.H., H.W., K.K., T.U., A.F.-L., U.K.), and Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition (J.S.), Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Cardiology, Giessen University (A.P., D.S.), Giessen, Germany; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine G. Salvatore, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia (F.P., A.B.), Catanzaro, Italy; German Heart Institute Berlin, Department of Cardiology (P.S.), Berlin, Germany; and Instituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR Gaetano Salvatore, Università di Napoli Federico II (A.F.), Napoli, Italy.* Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are PPAR␥ target genes in vascular cells involved in the development of atherosclerosis and have been characterized as important mediators of the vascular protective actions of PPAR␥. 6 -8 PPAR␥ activation by glitazones results in marked inhibition of MMP-9 mRNA/protein expression and its gelatinolytic activity in VSMCs, which indicates MMP-9 as a potential candidate gene for ligand-dependent transrepression in these cells. 8 High-mobility group (HMG) proteins are chromatinbinding proteins that consist of the 3 family members HMGA, HMGB, and HMGN. 9 HMG proteins act as architectural elements that affect various DNA-dependent processes in the context of chromatin. 9 Via DNA-protein or protein-protein interactions, HMG proteins regulate gene transcription and influence multiple biological processes, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and death. 9 The present study aimed to characterize the molecular process of ligand-de...

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