In this study, SGA neonates displayed profiles suggestive of lower insulin sensitivity and less favorable lipid metabolism in the early postnatal period.
Individuals with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are prone to insulin resistance, whereas the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated if the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in skeletal muscle tissues involves insulin resistance in IUGR offsprings, particularly ones with catch-up growth. An IUGR rat model was established by feeding rats an isocaloric (30.50 Kcal/g) diet containing 8% protein (low-protein diet) from day 1 of pregnancy until the birth of their pups. Glucometabolic parameters were measured and compared. Quantitative PCR and western blot were performed to assess mRNA and protein expression changes of the PI3K/Akt related signals in skeletal muscle tissues. Pearson analysis was used to assess the correlation of the PI3K/Akt signaling level and catch-up growth with the insulin resistance index (IRI). The values of fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin and IRI were significantly higher, whereas insulin sensitivity index was significantly lower in IUGR offsprings than those in the controls. The PI3K mRNA and protein levels as well as the phospho-Akt Ser473 levels were significantly lower in IUGR offsprings compared to the controls. Reductions of GLUT4 as well as increases of PTEN and nuclear fractional PPARγ were detected in IUGR offsprings. Catch-up growth IUGR rats were positively correlated with insulin resistance and underwent more remarkable alterations of the PI3K, PTEN and GLUT4 expressions. Our results demonstrated that rats born IUGR developed insulin resistance later in life, which was likely mediated by reductions of the PI3K/Akt related signaling activities, particularly in those with excess catch-up growth.
Increased energy intake and reduced physical activity can lead to obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Transcriptional modulation of metabolic networks has become a focus of current drug discovery research into the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders associated with energy surplus and obesity. Tang-Nai-Kang (TNK), a mixture of five herbal plant extracts, has been shown to improve abnormal glucose metabolism in patients with pre-diabetes. Here, we report the metabolic phenotype of SHR.Cg-Lepr cp/NDmcr (SHR/cp) rats treated with TNK. Pre-diabetic SHR/cp rats were randomly divided into control, TNK low-dose (1.67 g/kg) and TNK high-dose (3.24 g/kg) groups. After high-dose treatment for 2 weeks, the serum triglycerides and free fatty acids in SHR/cp rats were markedly reduced compared to controls. After 3 weeks of administration, the high dose of TNK significantly reduced the body weight and fat mass of SHR/cp rats without affecting food consumption. Serum fasting glucose and insulin levels in the TNK-treated groups decreased after 6 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, TNK-treated rats exhibited obvious improvements in glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. The improved glucose metabolism may be caused by the substantial reduction in serum lipids and body weight observed in SHR/cp rats starting at 3 weeks of TNK treatment. The mRNA expression of NAD+-dependent deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and genes related to fatty acid oxidation was markedly up-regulated in the muscle, liver and adipose tissue after TNK treatment. Furthermore, TNK promoted the deacetylation of two well-established SIRT1 targets, PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) and forkhead transcription factor 1 (FOXO1), and induced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in different tissues. These observations suggested that TNK may be an alternative treatment for pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome by inducing a gene expression switch toward fat oxidation through the activation of SIRT1 and AMPK signaling.
This study aimed to determine whether the Trp64Arg mutation in the β3‐adrenergic receptor (β3‐adr) gene is related to childhood obesity and the response to dietary intervention for obesity. The study included 311 healthy children aged 8‐11 y selected at random from 4 primary schools in Beijing. Fasting insulin and lipids were measured and anthropometry was carried out for all samples. The mutation of the β3‐adr gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Forty‐seven obese children were selected and divided into two groups. One group received dietary intervention (36 subjects); the other served as the control group (11 subjects). After 3 mo of dietary intervention, anthropometry was carried out again in 47 obese children. The frequency of the mutated allele was similar in 73 overweight and 238 normal‐weight children (0.18 and 0.17, respectively). Adjusted for age and sex, there was no significant difference in body mass index (BMI) and the levels of fasting lipids and insulin between those with and without the mutation of the 311 children. However, after 3 mo of dietary intervention, increases in weight and BMI were significantly lower in obese children without the mutation than in the control group (2.41 ± 0.56 vs 4.43 ± 0.70, p < 0.05; 0.48 ± 0.24 vs 1.55 ± 0.35, p < 0.05, respectively), but the changes in weight and BMI in obese children with the mutation were similar to the results in the controls (4.32 ± 0.69 vs 4.43 ± 0.70; 1.47 ± 0.32 vs 1.55 ± 0.35). Conclusion: The Trp64Arg mutation of the β3‐adr gene may predict the result of dietary intervention in obese children to some extent, but it was not a major factor affecting weight in Chinese children.
With the improvement of Internet technology, the current education based concept in colleges is mainly based on "online and offline" mode in teaching, this teaching method can improve the teaching efficiency, which can also promote the progress of the current education system. In China's education system, ideological and political teaching has always been a key component of teaching, which is pertinent to educational objectives. The current educational concept is mainly to integrate ideological and political teaching into daily teaching, that is, based on the "online and offline" tegrated teaching. Taking the "College English" course as an example, this study explores the relationship between mixed teaching and ideological and political teaching with analysis on the teaching methods of mixed teaching, and puts forward suggestions on the reform of the evaluation system according to the two parts, hoping to bring reference and help.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.