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BackgroundGlucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs protect a variety of cell types against oxidative damage and vascular and neuronal injury via binding to GLP-1 receptors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the GLP-1 analogs exendin-4 and liraglutide on cerebral blood flow, reactive oxygen species production, expression of oxidative stress-related proteins, cognition, and pelvic sympathetic nerve-mediated bladder contraction after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury in the db/db mouse model of diabetes.ResultsSixty minutes of MCAO increased blood and brain reactive oxygen species counts in male db/db mice, as revealed by dihydroethidium staining. MCAO also increased nuclear factor-κB and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and decreased cerebral microcirculation. These effects were attenuated by treatment with exendin-4 or liraglutide. MCAO did not affect basal levels of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) or endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS); however, exendin-4 and liraglutide treatments significantly enhanced p-Akt and p-eNOS levels, indicating activation of the p-Akt/p-eNOS signaling pathway. MCAO-induced motor and cognitive deficits and micturition dysfunction, indicated by reduced pelvic nerve-mediated voiding contractions and increased nonvoiding contractions, were also partially attenuated by exendin-4 treatment.ConclusionsThe above data indicate that treatment with GLP-1 agonists exerts protective effects against oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic damage in brain areas that control parasympathetic/pelvic nerve-mediated voiding contractions and cognitive and motor behaviors in a diabetic mouse model.

Excessive lipid accumulation within liver has been proposed to cause obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Rutin, a common dietary flavonoid that is consumed in fruits, vegetables, and plant-derived beverages, has various biological functions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. However, a hypolipidemic effect of rutin on fatty liver disease has not been reported. In this study, we examined the effect of rutin on reducing lipid accumulation in hepatic cells. Hepatocytes were treated with oleic acid (OA) containing with or without rutin to observe the lipid accumulation by Nile red stain. The result showed rutin suppressed OA-induced lipid accumulation and increased adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in hepatocytes. The expression of critical molecule involved in lipid synthesis, sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1 (SREBP-1), was attenuated in rutin-treated cells. Moreover, long-term incubation of rutin inhibited the transcriptions of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase (HMGCR), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-coenzyme carboxylase (ACC). Besides, we also found out the antioxidative effect of rutin by increasing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and antioxidative enzymes. Taken together, our findings suggest rutin could attenuate lipid accumulation by decreasing lipogenesis and oxidative stress in hepatocyte.

Sarcosine, an endogenous amino acid, is a competitive inhibitor of the type I glycine transporter and an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonist. Recently, we found that sarcosine, an NMDAR enhancer, can improve depression-related behaviors in rodents and humans. This result differs from previous studies, which have reported antidepressant effects of NMDAR antagonists. The mechanisms underlying the therapeutic response of sarcosine remain unknown. This study examines the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptor (AMPAR) activation, which are involved in the antidepressant-like effects of several glutamatergic system modulators. The effects of sarcosine in a forced swim test (FST) and the expression levels of phosphorylated mTOR signaling proteins were examined in the absence or presence of mTOR and AMPAR inhibitors. In addition, the influence of sarcosine on AMPAR trafficking was determined by analyzing the phosphorylation of AMPAR subunit GluR1 at the PKA site (often considered an indicator for GluR1 membrane insertion in neurons). A single injection of sarcosine exhibited antidepressant-like effects in rats in the FST and rapidly activated the mTOR signaling pathway, which were significantly blocked by mTOR inhibitor rapamycin or the AMPAR inhibitor 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline (NBQX) pretreatment. Moreover, NBQX pretreatment eliminated the ability of sarcosine to stimulate the phosphorylated mTOR signaling proteins. Furthermore, GluR1 phosphorylation at its PKA site was significantly increased after an acute in vivo sarcosine treatment. The results demonstrated that sarcosine exerts antidepressant-like effects by enhancing AMPAR–mTOR signaling pathway activity and facilitating AMPAR membrane insertion.HighlightsA single injection of sarcosine rapidly exerted antidepressant-like effects with a concomitant increase in the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin mTOR signaling pathway.The antidepressant-like effects of sarcosine occur through the activated AMPAR–mTOR signaling pathway.Sarcosine could enhance AMPAR membrane insertion via an AMPAR throughput.