Abstract-LR11, a member of the LDL receptor family, is highly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the hyperplastic intima, and induces enhanced migration of SMCs in vitro via its upregulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) expression. In this study, we have delineated the mechanism by which LR11 elevates the expression levels of uPAR in SMCs. Secretion of soluble LR11 is induced in SMCs during the rapidly proliferating phase, and the secreted LR11 induces the migration activities of SMCs. Both the cell-anchored and secreted forms of LR11 have the capacity to bind to and form complexes with uPAR. LR11-overexpressing cells show significantly enhanced uPAR binding, but decreased uPAR internalization. LR11 colocalizes with uPAR on the cell surface and inhibits the LDL receptor-related protein (

Thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important component of energy expenditure in mammals. Recent studies have confirmed its presence and metabolic role in humans. Defining the physiological regulation of BAT is therefore of great importance for developing strategies to treat metabolic diseases. Here we show that the soluble form of the low-density lipoprotein receptor relative, LR11/SorLA (sLR11), suppresses thermogenesis in adipose tissue in a cell-autonomous manner. Mice lacking LR11 are protected from diet-induced obesity associated with an increased browning of white adipose tissue and hypermetabolism. Treatment of adipocytes with sLR11 inhibits thermogenesis via the bone morphogenetic protein/TGFβ signalling pathway and reduces Smad phosphorylation. In addition, sLR11 levels in humans are shown to positively correlate with body mass index and adiposity. Given the need for tight regulation of a tissue with a high capacity for energy wastage, we propose that LR11 plays an energy conserving role that is exaggerated in states of obesity.

Aims/hypothesis Substantial evidence suggests a link between elevated inflammation and development of insulin resistance. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) recognises a large number of lipid-containing molecules and transduces inflammatory signalling in a variety of cell types, including insulin-responsive cells. Considering the contribution of the fatty acid composition in TLR2-depedent signalling, we hypothesised that the inflammatory signals transduced by TLR2 contribute to insulin resistance.Methods Mice deficient in TLR2 were used to investigate the in vivo roles of TLR2 in initiating and maintaining inflammation-associated insulin resistance and energy homeostasis.Results We first recapitulated the observation with elevated expression of TLR2 and inflammatory cytokines in white adipose tissue and liver of ob/ob mice. Aged or high-fat-fed TLR2-deficient mice were protected from obesity and adipocyte hypertrophy compared with wild-type mice. Moreover, mice lacking TLR2 exhibited improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity regardless of feeding them regular chow or a high-fat diet. This is accompanied by reductions in expression of inflammatory cytokines and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in a liver-specific manner. The attenuated hepatic inflammatory cytokine expression and related signalling are correlated with increased insulin action specifically in the liver in TLR2-deficient mice, reflected by increased insulinstimulated protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation and IRS1 tyrosine phosphorylation and increased insulinsuppressed hepatocyte glucose production. Conclusions/interpretation The absence of TLR2 attenuates local inflammatory cytokine expression and related signalling and increases insulin action specifically in the liver. Thus, our work has identified TLR2 as a key mediator of hepatic inflammation-related signalling and insulin resistance.

Medial-to-intimal migration of

Objective-Macrophages play a key role in lipid-rich unstable plaque formation and interact with intimal smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in early and progressive stages of atherosclerosis. LR11 (also called sorLA), a member of low-density lipoprotein receptor family, is highly and specifically expressed in intimal SMCs, and causes urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor-mediated degradation of extracellular matrices. Here we investigated whether the secreted soluble form of LR11 (solLR11) enhances adhesion, migration, and lipid accumulation in macrophages using animal models and cultured systems. Methods and Results-Immunohistochemistry showed solLR11 expression in thickened intima of balloon-denuded rat artery. Macrophage infiltration into the cuff-injured artery was markedly reduced in LR11-deficient mice. In vitro functional assays using THP-1-derived macrophages showed that solLR11 (1 g/mL) significantly increased acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake by THP-1 cells and cell surface levels of scavenger receptor SR-A 1.7-and 2.8-fold, respectively. SolLR11 dose-dependently increased the migration activity of THP-1 macrophages and adhesion to extracellular matrices 2.0-and 2.1-fold, respectively, at 1 g/mL. These effects of solLR11 were almost completely inhibited by a neutralizing anti-urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor antibody. Conclusion-

High-fat diet (HFD) triggers insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, but their link remains unclear. Characterization of overt hyperglycemia in insulin receptor mutant (InsrP1195L/+) mice exposed to HFD (InsrP1195L/+/HFD mice) revealed increased glucose-6-phosphatase (G6pc) expression in liver and increased gluconeogenesis from glycerol. Lipolysis in white adipose tissues (WAT) and lipolysis-induced blood glucose rise were increased in InsrP1195L/+/HFD mice, while wild-type WAT transplantation ameliorated the hyperglycemia and the increased G6pc expression. We found that the expressions of genes involved in bile acid (BA) metabolism were altered in InsrP1195L/+/HFD liver. Among these, the expression of Cyp7a1, a BA synthesis enzyme, was insulin-dependent and was markedly decreased in InsrP1195L/+/HFD liver. Reduced Cyp7a1 expression in InsrP1195L/+/HFD liver was rescued by WAT transplantation, and the expression of Cyp7a1 was suppressed by glycerol administration in wild-type liver. These findings suggest that unsuppressed lipolysis in adipocytes elicited by HFD feeding is linked with enhanced gluconeogenesis from glycerol and with alterations in BA physiology in InsrP1195L/+/HFD liver.

Objective: Adipocytes accumulated in the visceral area change their function to induce tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) secretion with concomitant matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 induction in mice. This study was performed to clarify the role of macrophages (Mf)-secreted MMP on the functional changes in adipocytes using a culture system. Design: Cultures of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with THP-1 Mf or the Mf-conditioned medium were used to investigate the role of Mf-MMP on the TNF-a gene in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by the addition of MMP inhibitors. For animal experiments, male C57BL/6J mice were rendered insulin resistant by feeding a high-fat diet, and the expression of an Mf marker F4/80, and MMP-3 genes in mesenteric and subcutaneous fat tissue specimens were examined. Results: Mf-conditioned media (Mf-CM) increased the levels of TNF-a mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and these adipocyte responses were abolished by treatment with GM6001, a broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor, or NNGH (N-isobutyl-N-(4-methoxyphenylsulfonyl)-glycylhydroxamic acid), an MMP-3 inhibitor. The activated form of MMP-3 enhanced glycerol release as well as TNF-a protein secretion from 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The incubation of adipocytes with MMP-3 inhibited insulin-induced glucose uptake in adipocytes. Furthermore, a high-fat intake increased the expression of MMP-3, decreased the insulin-induced glucose uptake of adipocytes and induced expression of F4/80 in mesenteric fat tissue of C57BL/6 mice. Conclusion: Mf may cause a pathological link with surrounding adipocytes through the secretion of MMP-3 followed by TNF-a expression in adipocytes in visceral fat tissue.

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