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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEHypertriglyceridaemia is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Irbesartan, a well-established angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) blocker, improves hypertriglyceridaemia in rodents and humans but the underlying mechanism of action is unclear. ) or vehicle by oral gavage over 7 weeks. Adipocyte-derived hormones in plasma were measured by ELISA. Gene expression in liver and other tissues was assessed by real-time PCR and Western immunoblotting. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH KEY RESULTSIn Koletsky (fa k /fa k ) rats irbesartan lowered plasma concentrations of triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids, and decreased plasma insulin concentrations and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index. However, this treatment did not affect food intake, body weight, epididymal white adipose tissue weight, adipocyte size and plasma leptin concentrations, although plasma adiponectin was decreased. Irbesartan up-regulated hepatic expression of mRNAs corresponding to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)a and its target genes (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1a, acyl-CoA oxidase and fatty acid translocase/CD36) that mediate hepatic fatty acid uptake and oxidation; the increase in hepatic PPARa expression was confirmed at the protein level. In contrast, irbesartan did not affect expression of adipose PPARg and its downstream genes or hepatic genes that mediate fatty acid synthesis. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSThese findings demonstrate that irbesartan treatment up-regulates PPARa and several target genes in liver of obese spontaneously hypertensive Koletsky (fa k /fa k ) rats and offers a novel insight into the lipid-lowering mechanism of irbesartan. AbbreviationsACC, acetyl-CoA carboxylase; ACO, acyl-CoA oxidase; AT1, angiotensin II type 1 receptor; ARB, angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker; CPT, carnitine palmitoyltransferase; DGAT, diacylglycerol acyltransferase; eWAT, epididymal white adipose tissue; FAS, fatty acid synthase; FAT, fatty acid translocase; GLUT, glucose transporter; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; NEFA, non-esterified fatty acids; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SCD, stearoyl-CoA desaturase; SREBP, sterol regulatory element-binding protein

ABSTRACT. Intramuscular fat deposition is a major contributing factor to variations in pork quality. Understanding the mechanisms driving the differentiation and metabolism of muscle-derived adipocytes is important for regulating the fat deposition in muscle. Studies on intramuscular adipocytes commonly involve stromal-vascular (SV) cell cultures, which contain preadipocytes but also several other types of primordial cells. Hence, it is crucial to obtain pure intramuscular preadipocytes for investigating adipocyte differentiation and metabolism in muscle tissue. In this study, we established cultures of pure intramuscular preadipocytes that were derived from mature adipocytes of newborn pigs. Pure mature adipocytes were isolated from the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle and allowed to dedifferentiate into fibroblast-like cells in ceiling culture. These fibroblast-like cells turned out to be preadipocytes; they exhibited the ability to redifferentiate into mature adipocytes when adipogenically induced in vitro. The redifferentiation process was confirmed by lipid accumulation Adipose-derived intramuscular preadipocytes of piglets in the cytoplasm and expression patterns of peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor gamma 2 (PPARg2), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPa), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and adiponectin genes, which were all similar to those observed in previous preadipocyte studies. We optimized the induction conditions for intramuscular preadipocytes by adding 0.25 nM dexamethasone (DEX), 5 mg/mL insulin (INS), and 0.1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Therefore, this study provides a new model for studying the mechanisms of intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation and metabolism.

Background and purpose:Recent clinical guidelines advocate the use of the isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine combination in treatment for heart failure. However, clinical and laboratory evidence suggest that some vasodilators may induce cardiac hypertrophy under uncertain conditions. This study investigated the effects and underlying mechanism of action of the vasodilator hydralazine on cardiac growth. Experimental approach: Wild-type mice and animals deficient in guanylyl cyclase-A (GCA) and/or angiotensin receptors (AT1 and AT2 subtypes) were treated with hydralazine (ª24 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 in drinking water) for 5 weeks. Cardiac mass and/or cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, fibrosis (van Giessen-staining) and cardiac gene expression (real-time RT-PCR) were measured. Key results: Hydralazine lowered blood pressure in mice of all genotypes. However, this treatment increased the heart and left ventricular to body weight ratios, as well as cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, and cardiac expression of atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA in mice lacking GCA. Hydralazine did not affect cardiac hypertrophy in wild-type mice and mice lacking either AT1 or AT2 receptors alone. However, the pro-hypertrophic effect of hydralazine was prevented in mice lacking both GCA and AT2, but not GCA and AT1 receptors. However, hydralazine did decrease cardiac collagen deposition and collagen I mRNA (signs of cardiac fibrosis) in mice that were deficient in GCA, or both GCA and AT2 receptors. Conclusions and implications:The vasodilator hydralazine induced AT2 receptor-mediated cardiomyocyte growth under conditions of GCA deficiency. However, attenuation of cardiac fibrosis by hydralazine could be beneficial in the management of cardiac diseases.