Brain, Liver, and Serum Salusin-Alpha and -Beta Alterations in Sprague-Dawley Rats with or Without Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

BackgroundThis metabolic syndrome (MetS) study was designed to investigate changes in expression of the neuropeptides salusin-α (Sal-α) and salusin-β (Sal-β) in brain and liver tissue in response to obesity and related changes induced by high-fructose diet and explored how these changes were reflected in the circulating levels of Sal-α and Sal-β, as well as revealing how the lipid profile and concentrations of glucose and uric acid were altered.Material/MethodsThe study included 14 Sprague-Dawley rats. The control group was fed ad libitum on standard rat pellets, while the intervention group was given water with 10% fructose in addition to the standard rat pellet for 3 months. Sal-α and Sal-β concentrations in the serum and tissue supernatants were measured by ELISA, and immunohistochemical staining was used to demonstrate expression of the hormones in brain and liver.ResultsSal-α and Sal-β levels in both the serum and the brain and liver tissue supernatants were lower in the MetS group than the control group. Sal-α and Sal-β were shown by immunohistochemistry to be produced in the brain epithelium, the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the liver hepatocytes.ConclusionsThe decrease in Sal-α and Sal-β might be involved in the etiopathology of the metabolic syndrome induced by fructose.

Salusin-β mediates tubular cell apoptosis in acute kidney injury: Involvement of the PKC/ROS signaling pathway

“…Salusin-β, a multifunctional bioactive peptide with 20 amino acid residues [14], plays a critical role in atherosclerosis, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome [15]. Salusin-β is widely expressed in the brain, heart, blood vessels, livers and kidneys [[16], [17], [18]]. The circulating levels of salusin-β are particularly higher in patients with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension than that of control healthy subjects [19,20].…”

Salusin-β in Intermediate Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus Regulates Sympathetic-Parasympathetic Balance and Blood Pressure

“…The initial 18 amino acids of human salusin-β have a high homology with the N-terminal sequence of rat salusin [ 17 ]. Rat salusin is immunologically similar to human salusin-β, and is widely expressed in brain, peripheral tissues and serum [ 17 , 18 ]. Salusin-β promotes vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration [ 19 , 20 ], and knockdown of salusin-β attenuates cardiovascular remodeling and hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) [ 21 ].…”