Effects of adrenal hormones on the expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors in adipose tissue, muscle and liver.

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de Oliveira, Cristiane; Iwanaga-Carvalho, Carla; Mota, João F; Oyama, Lila M; Ribeiro, Eliane B; Oller do Nascimento, Cláudia M

2011-11-01

Adiponectin, an insulin-sensitive hormone that is primarily synthesized in adipose tissue, exerts its effects by binding to two receptors, adipoR1 and adipoR2. Little is known regarding the effects of glucocorticoids on the expression of adiponectin receptors. Male Wistar rats were bilaterally adrenalectomized and treated with dexamethasone (0.2 mg/100 g) twice daily for 3 days. To analyze the potential effects of glucocorticoids, rats received two daily injections of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (RU-486, 5.0 mg) over the course of 3 days. Additionally, 3T3-L1 adipocytes and C2C12 myotubes were treated with dexamethasone, adrenaline or RU-486. The gene expression of adiponectin, adipoR1 and adipoR2 was determined by real-time PCR, and protein secretion was examined by Western blotting using lysates from retroperitoneal, epididymal and subcutaneous adipose tissue depots, liver and muscle. In rats, excess glucocorticoids increased the levels of insulin in serum and decreased serum adiponectin concentrations, whereas adrenalectomy decreased the mRNA expression of adiponectin (3-fold) and adipoR2 (7-fold) in epididymal adipose tissue and increased adipoR2 gene expression in muscle (3-fold) compared to control group sham-operated. Dexamethasone treatment did not reverse the effects of adrenalectomy, and glucocorticoid receptor blockade did not reproduce the effects of adrenalectomy. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, dexamethasone and adrenaline both increased adipoR2 mRNA levels, but RU-486 reduced adipoR2 gene expression in vitro. Dexamethasone treatment induces a state of insulin resistance but does not affect adiponectin receptor expression in adipose tissue. However, the effects of catecholamines on insulin resistance may be due to their effects on adipoR2. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of rs1501299 variant in the adiponectin gene on total adiponectin levels, insulin resistance and weight loss after a Mediterranean hypocaloric diet.

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de Luis, Daniel Antonio; Izaola, Olatz; Primo, David; Aller, Rocio

2017-11-14

Several adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) have been related with adiponectin levels and risk for obesity. Our aim was to analyze the effects of rs1501299 ADIPOQ gene polymorphism on total adiponectin levels, insulin resistance and weight loss after a Mediterranean hypocaloric diet in obese subjects. A Caucasian population of 82 obese patients was analyzed, before and after 3 months on a Mediterranean hypocaloric diet. Before and after 3 months on a hypocaloric diet, an anthropometric evaluation, an assessment of nutritional intake and a biochemical analysis were performed. After dietary treatment and in wild type group, weight, BMI, fat mass, leptin levels, systolic blood pressure and waist circumference decreases were similar to the mutant type group. In wild type group, the decrease in total cholesterol was -28.1±15.3 mg/dl (mutant group: -12.6±16.7 mg/dl:p=0.009), LDL- cholesterol was -31.8±20.5 mg/dl (-12.2±11.5 mg/dl:p=0.006), fasting glucose plasma -4.8±2.5 mg/dL (-0.5±0.1 mg/dL:p=0.02), insulin -3.6±1.5 mUI/L (+0.6±1.1 mUI/L:p=0.02) and HOMA-IR -1.2±0.9 (-0.1±1.1:p=0.03). The present study suggests that T allele of ADIPO (rs1501299) could be a predictor of a lack of response of HOMA-IR, insulin, fasting glucose and LDL cholesterol secondary to a Mediterranean hypocaloric diet in obese subjects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adiponectin gene polymorphism is selectively associated with the concomitant presence of metabolic syndrome and essential hypertension.

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Hsin-Bang Leu

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular risk increases with the presence of both metabolic syndrome (MetS and hypertension (HTN. Although the adiponectin (ADIPOQ gene has been reported to be involved in MetS, its association with HTN remained undetermined. This study aimed to investigate the association of ADIPOQ gene with the phenotypes of HTN and MetS. METHODS: A total of 962 participants from 302 families from the Taiwan young-onset hypertension genetic study were enrolled. Plasma adiponectin were measured, and association analysis was conducted by using GEE regression-based method. Another study, of 1448 unrelated participants, was conducted to replicate the association between ADIPOQ gene and variable phenotypes of MetS with or without HTN. RESULTS: Among 962 subjects from family samples, the lowest plasma adiponectin value was observed in MetS with HTN component (9.3±0.47 µg/ml compared with hypertensives (13.4±0.74 µg /ml or MetS without HTN (11.9±0.60 µg/ml, P<0.05. The SNP rs1501299 (G276T in ADIPOQ gene was found associated with the presence of HTN in MetS (odds ratio for GG+GT vs. TT = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.14-5.3, p = 0.02, but not rs2241766 (T45G. No association of ADIPOQ gene with HTN alone or MetS without HTN was observed. The significant association of the SNP rs1501299 (G276T with the phenotype of presence of HTN in MetS was confirmed (odds ratio for GG+GT vs. TT = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.1-4.3 in the replication study. CONCLUSIONS: ADIPOQ genetic variants were selectively and specifically associated with the concomitant presence of MetS and HTN, suggesting potential genetic linkage between MetS and HTN.

Adiponectin has a pivotal role in the cardioprotective effect of CP-3(iv), a selective CD36 azapeptide ligand, after transient coronary artery occlusion in mice.

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Huynh, David N; Bessi, Valérie L; Ménard, Liliane; Piquereau, Jérôme; Proulx, Caroline; Febbraio, Maria; Lubell, William D; Carpentier, André C; Burelle, Yan; Ong, Huy; Marleau, Sylvie

2018-02-01

CD36 is a multiligand receptor involved in lipid metabolism. We investigated the mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effect of CP-3(iv), an azapeptide belonging to a new class of selective CD36 ligands. The role of CP-3(iv) in mediating cardioprotection was investigated because CD36 signaling leads to activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, a transcriptional regulator of adiponectin. CP-3(iv) pretreatment reduced infarct size by 54% and preserved hemodynamics in C57BL/6 mice subjected to 30 min coronary ligation and reperfusion but had no effect in CD36-deficient mice. The effects of CP-3(iv) were associated with an increase in circulating adiponectin levels, epididymal fat adiponectin gene expression, and adiponectin transcriptional regulators ( Pparg, Cebpb, Sirt1) after 6 h of reperfusion. Reduced myocardial oxidative stress and apoptosis were observed along with an increase in expression of myocardial adiponectin target proteins, including cyclooxygenase-2, phospho-AMPK, and phospho-Akt. Moreover, CP-3(iv) increased myocardial performance in isolated hearts, whereas blockade of adiponectin with an anti-adiponectin antibody abrogated it. CP-3(iv) exerts cardioprotection against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MI/R) injury and dysfunction, at least in part, by increasing circulating and myocardial adiponectin levels. Hence, both paracrine and endocrine effects of adiponectin may contribute to reduced reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis after MI/R, in a CD36-dependent manner.-Huynh, D. N., Bessi, V. L., Ménard, L., Piquereau, J., Proulx, C., Febbraio, M., Lubell, W. D., Carpentier, A. C., Burelle, Y., Ong, H., Marleau, S. Adiponectin has a pivotal role in the cardioprotective effect of CP-3(iv), a selective CD36 azapeptide ligand, after transient coronary artery occlusion in mice.

Gene expression of leptin, resistin, and adiponectin in the white adipose tissue of obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.

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Baranova, Ancha; Gowder, Shobha J; Schlauch, Karen; Elariny, Hazem; Collantes, Rochelle; Afendy, Arian; Ong, Janus P; Goodman, Zachary; Chandhoke, Vikas; Younossi, Zobair M

2006-09-01

Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes a variety of metabolically important substances including adipokines. These factors affect insulin sensitivity and may represent a link between obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (DM), and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study uses real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantification of mRNAs encoding adiponectin, leptin, and resistin on snap-frozen samples of intra-abdominal adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery were studied. Patients were classified into two groups: Group A (with insulin resistance) (N=11; glucose 149.84 +/- 40.56 mg/dL; serum insulin 8.28 +/- 3.52 microU/mL), and Group B (without insulin resistance) (N=10; glucose 102.2 +/- 8.43 mg/dL; serum insulin 3.431 +/- 1.162 microU/mL). Adiponectin mRNA in intra-abdominal adipose tissue and serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in Group A compared to Group B patients (P<0.016 and P<0.03, respectively). Although serum resistin was higher in Group A than in Group B patients (P<0.005), resistin gene expression was not different between the two groups. Finally, for leptin, neither serum level nor gene expression was different between the two groups. Serum adiponectin level was the only predictor of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in this study (P=0.024). Obese patients with insulin resistance have decreased serum adiponectin and increased serum resistin. Additionally, adiponectin gene expression is also decreased in the adipose tissue of these patients. This low level of adiponectin expression may predispose patients to the progressive form of NAFLD or NASH.

Lack of evidence for intermolecular epistatic interactions between adiponectin and resistin gene polymorphisms in Malaysian male subjects

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Cia-Hin Lau

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Epistasis (gene-gene interaction is a ubiquitous component of the genetic architecture of complex traits such as susceptibility to common human diseases. Given the strong negative correlation between circulating adiponectin and resistin levels, the potential intermolecular epistatic interactions between ADIPOQ (SNP+45T > G, SNP+276G > T, SNP+639T > C and SNP+1212A > G and RETN (SNP-420C > G and SNP+299G > A gene polymorphisms in the genetic risk underlying type 2 diabetes (T2DM and metabolic syndrome (MS were assessed. The potential mutual influence of the ADIPOQ and RETN genes on their adipokine levels was also examined. The rare homozygous genotype (risk alleles of SNP-420C > G at the RETN locus tended to be co-inherited together with the common homozygous genotypes (protective alleles of SNP+639T > C and SNP+1212A > G at the ADIPOQ locus. Despite the close structural relationship between the ADIPOQ and RETN genes, there was no evidence of an intermolecular epistatic interaction between these genes. There was also no reciprocal effect of the ADIPOQ and RETN genes on their adipokine levels, i.e., ADIPOQ did not affect resistin levels nor did RETN affect adiponectin levels. The possible influence of the ADIPOQ gene on RETN expression warrants further investigation.

Association of ADIPOQ gene variants with body weight, type 2 diabetes and serum adiponectin concentrations: the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study

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Venojärvi Mika

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin, secreted mainly by mature adipocytes, is a protein with insulin-sensitising and anti-atherogenic effects. Human adiponectin is encoded by the ADIPOQ gene on the chromosomal locus 3q27. Variations in ADIPOQ are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM and related phenotypes in several populations. Our aim was to study the association of the ADIPOQ variations with body weight, serum adiponectin concentrations and conversion to T2DM in overweight subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. Moreover, we investigated whether ADIPOQ gene variants modify the effect of lifestyle changes on these traits. Methods Participants in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study were randomly assigned to a lifestyle intervention group or a control group. Those whose DNA was available (n = 507 were genotyped for ten ADIPOQ single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. Associations between SNPs and baseline body weight and serum adiponectin concentrations were analysed using the univariate analysis of variance. The 4-year longitudinal weight data were analysed using linear mixed models analysis and the change in serum adiponectin from baseline to year four was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis test. In addition, the association of SNPs with the risk of developing T2DM during the follow-up of 0-11 (mean 6.34 years was analysed by Cox regression analysis. Results rs266729, rs16861205, rs1501299, rs3821799 and rs6773957 associated significantly (p Conclusions These results from the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study support the concept that genetic variation in ADIPOQ locus contributes to variation in body size and serum adiponectin concentrations and may also modify the risk of developing T2DM. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00518167

Roles of oxidative stress, adiponectin, and nuclear hormone receptors in obesity-associated insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.

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Matsuda, Morihiro; Shimomura, Iichiro

2014-08-01

Obesity leads to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A better understanding of the molecular basis of obesity will lead to the establishment of effective prevention strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Adipocytes have been shown to generate a variety of endocrine factors termed adipokines/adipocytokines. Obesity-associated changes to these adipocytokines contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Adiponectin, which is one of the most well-characterized adipocytokines, is produced exclusively by adipocytes and exerts insulin-sensitizing and anti-atherogenic effects. Obese subjects have lower levels of circulating adiponectin, and this is recognized as one of the factors involved in obesity-induced insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. Another pathophysiological feature of obesity may involve the low-grade chronic inflammation in adipose tissue. This inflammatory process increases oxidative stress in adipose tissue, which may affect remote organs, leading to the development of diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Nuclear hormone receptors (NRs) regulate the transcription of the target genes in response to binding with their ligands, which include metabolic and nutritional substrates. Among the various NRs, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ promotes the transcription of adiponectin and antioxidative enzymes, whereas mineralocorticoid receptor mediates the effects of aldosterone and glucocorticoid to induce oxidative stress in adipocytes. It is hypothesized that both play crucial roles in the pathophysiology of obesity-associated insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, reduced adiponectin and increased oxidative stress play pathological roles in obesity-associated insulin resistance to increase the cardiovascular disease risk, and various NRs may be involved in this pathogenesis.

Adiponectin Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (+276G/T) and Its ...

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The present study was investigating the association between the single nucleotide polymorphism +276 G/T of the adiponectin gene with serum adiponectin level in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study 100 healthy controls and 100 Egyptian patients with coronary artery disease of both genders ...

Anthocyanin increases adiponectin secretion and protects against diabetes-related endothelial dysfunction.

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Liu, Yan; Li, Dan; Zhang, Yuhua; Sun, Ruifang; Xia, Min

2014-04-15

Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-secreted adipokine with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. In this study, we evaluated a potential role for adiponectin in the protective effects of anthocyanin on diabetes-related endothelial dysfunction. We treated db/db mice on a normal diet with anthocyanin cyanidin-3-O-β-glucoside (C3G; 2 g/kg diet) for 8 wk. Endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxations of the aorta were then evaluated. Adiponectin expression and secretion were also measured. C3G treatment restores endothelium-dependent relaxation of the aorta in db/db mice, whereas diabetic mice treated with an anti-adiponectin antibody do not respond. C3G treatment induces adiponectin expression and secretion in cultured 3T3 adipocytes through transcription factor forkhead box O1 (Foxo1). Silencing Foxo1 expression prevented C3G-stimulated induction of adiponectin expression. In contrast, overexpression of Foxo1-ADA promoted adiponectin expression in adipocytes. C3G activates Foxo1 by increasing its deacetylation via silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Sirt1). Furthermore, purified anthocyanin supplementation significantly improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and increased serum adiponectin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. Changes in adiponectin concentrations positively correlated with FMD in the anthocyanin group. Mechanistically, adiponectin activates cAMP-PKA-eNOS signaling pathways in human aortic endothelial cells, increasing endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability. These results demonstrate that adipocyte-derived adiponectin is required for anthocyanin C3G-mediated improvement of endothelial function in diabetes.

Adiponectin expression in visceral adiposity is an important determinant of insulin resistance in morbid obesity.

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Sirbu, Anca Elena; Buburuzan, Laura; Kevorkian, Steliana; Martin, Sorina; Barbu, Carmen; Copaescu, Catalin; Smeu, Bogdan; Fica, Simona

2018-04-12

Visceral adiposity is associated with decreased serum adiponectin levels, peripheral resistance to insulin and an increased risk of cardio-metabolic complications. However, the link between adiponectin expression in visceral adipose tissue (VAT), its serum levels and metabolic protection is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the adiponectin gene expression in VAT and clinical and metabolic parameters in patients with severe obesity. This is a cross-sectional study that included 51 severely obese patients (age 43.24±11.29 years, BMI 45.13±8.67 kg/m2), extensively evaluated clinically and biologically (metabolic tests, serum adiponectin measurements, HOMA-IR) before bariatric surgery. Omental adipose tissue was sampled during the intervention and the relative quantification of adiponectin gene expression was performed by real-time PCR, using beta-actin as reference gene. Adiponectin mRNA in VAT was significantly higher in obese insulin-sensitive patients than in the rest of obese patients (p<0.05) and negatively correlated with HOMA-IR (r =-0.354, p=0.016) and uric acid (r =-0.304, p=0.045). After adjustment for gender, TG/HDL ratio and uric acid, adiponectin expresion (β= -0.439, p=0.001), waist circumference (β=0.467, p=0.001) and serum adiponectin (β =-0.339, p=0.011) remained significantly associated with HOMA-IR, together explaining more than 50% of its variation. In severely obese patients, adiponectin gene expression in VAT is negatively correlated with serum levels of uric acid and is an independent determinant, together with anthropometric parameters of visceral obesity and serum adiponectin levels, of insulin resistance.

Adiponectin Expression in the Porcine Ovary during the Oestrous Cycle and Its Effect on Ovarian Steroidogenesis

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Anna Maleszka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Adiponectin is an adipose-secreted hormone that regulates energy homeostasis and is also involved in the control of the reproductive system. The goal of the present study was to investigate changes in adiponectin gene and protein expression in porcine ovarian structures during the oestrous cycle and to examine the effects of in vitro administration of adiponectin on basal and gonadotrophin- and/or insulin-induced secretion of ovarian steroid hormones. Both gene and protein expression of adiponectin were enhanced during the luteal phase of the cycle. Adiponectin affected basal secretion of progesterone by luteal cells, oestradiol by granulosa cells, and testosterone by theca interna cells. The gonadotrophin/insulin-induced release of progesterone from granulosa and theca interna cells and the release of oestradiol and androstenedione from theca cells was also modified by adiponectin. In conclusion, the presence of adiponectin mRNA and protein in the porcine ovary coupled with our previous results indicating adiponectin receptors expression suggest that adiponectin may locally affect ovarian functions. The changes in adiponectin expression throughout the oestrous cycle seem to be dependent on the hormonal status of pigs related to the stage of the oestrous cycle. The effect of adiponectin on ovarian steroidogenesis suggests that this adipokine influences reproductive functions in pigs.

Adiponectin gene polymorphism rs2241766 T/G is associated with response to pioglitazone treatment in type 2 diabetic patients from southern China.

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Hong Yang

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Insulin sensitizing drugs such as pioglitazone are not uniformly treatment effective among individual type 2 diabetic patients. Here, the relationship of pioglitazone efficacy to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP of the adiponectin gene, a critical gene directly regulated by the drug, was examined in a cohort of Chinese Han type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Eighty type 2 diabetic patients were treated with pioglitazone (15 mg/day for 12 weeks without interruption of their current therapeutic regimen. Fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c% were collected both prior to and following pioglitazone treatment. Response to pioglitazone was defined as a decrease of at least 15% in HbA1c% levels. Three regions of the adiponectin gene containing SNPs (promoter, intron 2 and exon 2, and exon 3 were amplified and sequenced to determine genotype. RESULTS: Serum adiponectin levels were significantly increased (p<0.001 whereas fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c% values were significantly decreased relative to baseline measurements (p<0.001. Response of patients with TG and TT genotypes at rs2241766 (exon2; 52.9% vs. 12.7%, respectively p = 0.001 was statistically significant relative to all other patients. Amongst rs2241766 TG and TT patients, the mean decrease in HbA1c% levels was greater where the genotype was TG (1.15±0.80 vs. 0.52±0.64, p = 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The adiponectin gene polymorphism rs2241766 T/G is associated with pioglitazone efficacy in type 2 diabetic patients, and status of the polymorphism may be an important clinical factor to consider prior to pioglitazone treatment.

Reactivation of adiponectin expression in obese patients after bariatric surgery.

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Hindle, A Katharine; Edwards, Claire; McCaffrey, Tim; Fu, Sidney W; Brody, Fred

2010-06-01

Bariatric surgery can resolve type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese patients. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers or molecular pathways that are altered after bariatric surgery in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The study enrolled 17 morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Eight of the patients were diabetic, and nine were nondiabetic. In addition, a control group of four nonobese, nondiabetic volunteers was included. Patient blood samples were drawn before and after the operation. All blood samples were stabilized in Paxgene tubes (PreAnalytix). Total RNA was extracted and purified using the Paxgene Blood RNA Kit. For each sample, 100 ng of total RNA was amplified and labeled using the Ovation RNA Amplification System V2 with the Ovation Whole Blood reagent before hybridization to an Affymetrix Focus array containing more than 8,500 verified genes. Microarray results were analyzed with the GeneSpring GX 10.0 program, which uses an analysis of variance (ANOVA), and verified with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) using SYBR green (ABI). Microarray analysis showed that 167 genes were upregulated and 39 were downregulated in the obese diabetic patients. Preoperatively, adiponectin was downregulated 1.5-fold in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients. This was confirmed with quantitative PCR analysis. Preoperatively, morbidly obese patients showed a 3.12-fold downregulation of adiponectin expression versus the control group (p = 0.05). Interestingly, postoperative adiponectin levels were upregulated 2.79-fold (p = 0.02), which is close to the level of the normal control group. Adiponectin is dysregulated in obese patients and significantly dysregulated in obese diabetic patients. These findings correlate with the association between low levels of adiponectin and a predisposition to insulin resistance or diabetes. The data suggest that reactivation of adiponectin expression may

Regulation of Serum Response Factor and Adiponectin by PPARγ Agonist Docosahexaenoic Acid

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Clayton Johnson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Recent studies indicate that significant health benefits involving the regulation of signaling proteins result from the consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs. Serum response factor (SRF is involved in transcriptional regulation of muscle growth and differentiation. SRF levels are increased in the aging heart muscle. It has not been examined whether SRF is made by adipocytes and whether SRF secretion by adipocytes is modulated by PPARγ agonist DHA. Adiponectin is made exclusively by adipocytes. We and others have previously reported that PUFAs such as DHA increase adiponectin levels and secretion in adipocytes. Here we show that DHA downregulates SRF with a simultaneous upregulation of adiponectin and that both these responses are reversible by PPARγ antagonist. Furthermore, there appears to be a direct relationship between DHA exposure and increased levels of membrane-associated high-density adiponectin, as well as lower levels of membrane-associated SRF. Thus, we find that the levels of SRF and adiponectin are inversely related in response to treatment with PPARγ agonist DHA. Decreased levels of SRF along with increase in membrane-associated adiponectin could in part mediate the health benefits of DHA.

Metabolic Profiling of Adiponectin Levels in Adults: Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

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Borges, Maria Carolina; Barros, Aluísio J D; Ferreira, Diana L Santos; Casas, Juan Pablo; Horta, Bernardo Lessa; Kivimaki, Mika; Kumari, Meena; Menon, Usha; Gaunt, Tom R; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Freitas, Deise F; Oliveira, Isabel O; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Fourkala, Evangelia; Lawlor, Debbie A; Hingorani, Aroon D

2017-12-01

Adiponectin, a circulating adipocyte-derived protein, has insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and cardiomyocyte-protective properties in animal models. However, the systemic effects of adiponectin in humans are unknown. Our aims were to define the metabolic profile associated with higher blood adiponectin concentration and investigate whether variation in adiponectin concentration affects the systemic metabolic profile. We applied multivariable regression in ≤5909 adults and Mendelian randomization (using cis -acting genetic variants in the vicinity of the adiponectin gene as instrumental variables) for analyzing the causal effect of adiponectin in the metabolic profile of ≤37 545 adults. Participants were largely European from 6 longitudinal studies and 1 genome-wide association consortium. In the multivariable regression analyses, higher circulating adiponectin was associated with higher high-density lipoprotein lipids and lower very-low-density lipoprotein lipids, glucose levels, branched-chain amino acids, and inflammatory markers. However, these findings were not supported by Mendelian randomization analyses for most metabolites. Findings were consistent between sexes and after excluding high-risk groups (defined by age and occurrence of previous cardiovascular event) and 1 study with admixed population. Our findings indicate that blood adiponectin concentration is more likely to be an epiphenomenon in the context of metabolic disease than a key determinant. © 2017 The Authors.

Correlation of Adiponectin mRNA Abundance and Its Receptors with Quantitative Parameters of Sperm Motility in Rams

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Ali Kadivar

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Adiponectin and its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, known as adiponectin system, have some proven roles in the fat and glucose metabolisms. Several studies have shown that adiponectin can be considered as a candidate in linking metabolism to testicular function. In this regard, we evaluated the correlation between sperm mRNA abundance of adiponectin and its receptors, with sperm motility indices in the present study. Materials and Methods: In this completely randomized design study, semen samples from 6 adult rams were fractionated on a two layer discontinuous percoll gradient into high and low motile sperm cells, then quantitative parameters of sperm motility were determined by computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA. The mRNA abundance levels of Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were measured quantitatively using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR in the high and low motile groups. Results: Firstly, we showed that adiponectin and its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were transcriptionally expressed in the ram sperm cells. Using Pfaff based method qRTPCR, these levels of transcription were significantly higher in the high motile rather than low motile samples. This increase was 3.5, 3.6 and 2.5 fold change rate for Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, respectively. Some of sperm motility indices [curvilinear velocity (VCL, straight-line velocity (VSL, average path velocity (VAP, linearity (LIN, wobble (WOB and straightness (STR] were also significantly correlated with Adiponectin and AdipoR1 relative expression. The correlation of AdipoR2 was also significant with the mentioned parameters, although this correlation was not comparable with adiponectin and AdipoR1. Conclusion: This study revealed the novel association of adiponectin system with sperm motility. The results of our study suggested that adiponectin is one of the possible factors which can be evaluated and studied in male infertility disorders.

Characteristics of functional enrichment and gene expression level of human putative transcriptional target genes.

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Osato, Naoki

2018-01-19

Transcriptional target genes show functional enrichment of genes. However, how many and how significantly transcriptional target genes include functional enrichments are still unclear. To address these issues, I predicted human transcriptional target genes using open chromatin regions, ChIP-seq data and DNA binding sequences of transcription factors in databases, and examined functional enrichment and gene expression level of putative transcriptional target genes. Gene Ontology annotations showed four times larger numbers of functional enrichments in putative transcriptional target genes than gene expression information alone, independent of transcriptional target genes. To compare the number of functional enrichments of putative transcriptional target genes between cells or search conditions, I normalized the number of functional enrichment by calculating its ratios in the total number of transcriptional target genes. With this analysis, native putative transcriptional target genes showed the largest normalized number of functional enrichments, compared with target genes including 5-60% of randomly selected genes. The normalized number of functional enrichments was changed according to the criteria of enhancer-promoter interactions such as distance from transcriptional start sites and orientation of CTCF-binding sites. Forward-reverse orientation of CTCF-binding sites showed significantly higher normalized number of functional enrichments than the other orientations. Journal papers showed that the top five frequent functional enrichments were related to the cellular functions in the three cell types. The median expression level of transcriptional target genes changed according to the criteria of enhancer-promoter assignments (i.e. interactions) and was correlated with the changes of the normalized number of functional enrichments of transcriptional target genes. Human putative transcriptional target genes showed significant functional enrichments. Functional

Different susceptibility to insulin resistance and fatty liver depending on the combination of TNF-α C-857T and adiponectin G+276T gene polymorphisms in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes

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Ohara, Mio; Maesawa, Chihaya; Takebe, Noriko

2012-01-01

The C-857T promoter polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene is associated with obese type 2 diabetes, while the adiponectin G+276T gene polymorphism in intron 2 may influence the fat accumulation in the liver. In this study, we examined effects of these polymorphisms on clinical markers of insulin resistance and fatty liver (a liver/spleen CT ratio <0.9). These polymorphisms were determined in 342 Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes. The liver/spleen CT ratio was lower in the subjects with the adiponectin +276G/G genotype than that in the subjects with the +276T allele (P<0.05), indicating that fat accumulation in the liver is associated with the +276G/G genotype. Multiple comparisons among the 4 combinations of each polymorphism of the TNF-α and adiponectin genes revealed a significant difference in the liver/spleen CT ratio (P<0.05) among the 4 groups, indicating that the gene combinations influence the degree of fat accumulation in the liver. The subjects carrying the TNF-α-857T allele (C/T or T/T genotype) and the adiponectin +276G/G genotype had greater risks for fatty liver and insulin resistance that was evaluated by higher levels of fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, as compared with the other groups. Therefore, Japanese subjects with the TNF-α-857T allele and the adiponectin +276G/G genotype may be more susceptible to insulin resistance and fatty liver. The present study provides the evidence for the interaction between TNF-α and adiponectin genes in the insulin resistance and fatty liver in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes. (author)

Production of the 2400 kb Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene transcript; transcription time and cotranscriptional splicing

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Tennyson, C.N.; Worton, R.G. [Univ. of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario (Canada)

1994-09-01

The largest known gene in any organism is the human DMD gene which has 79 exons that span 2400 kb. The extreme nature of the DMD gene raises questions concerning the time required for transcription and whether splicing begins before transcription is complete. DMD gene transcription is induced as cultured human myoblasts differentiate to form multinucleated myotubes, providing a system for studying the kinetics of transcription and splicing. Using quantitative RT-PCR, transcript accumulation was monitored from four different regions within the gene following induction of expression. By comparing the accumulation of transcripts from the 5{prime} and 3{prime} ends of the gene we have shown that approximately 12 hours are required to transcribe 1770 kb of the gene, extrapolating to a time of 16 hours for the transcription unit expressed in muscle. Comparison of accumulation profiles for spliced and total transcript demonstrated that transcripts are spliced at the 5{prime} end before transcription is complete, providing strong evidence for cotranscriptional splicing of DMD gene transcripts. Finally, the rate of transcript accumulation was reduced at the 3{prime} end of the gene relative to the 5{prime} end, perhaps due to premature termination of transcription complexes as they traverse this enormous transcription unit. The lag between transcription initiation and the appearance of complete transcripts could be important in limiting transcript production in dividing cells and to the timing of mRNA appearance in differentiating muscle.

Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of nucleotide excision repair genes in human cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lefkofsky, Hailey B. [Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Veloso, Artur [Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Bioinformatics Program, Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Ljungman, Mats, E-mail: ljungman@umich.edu [Translational Oncology Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2015-06-15

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) removes DNA helix-distorting lesions induced by UV light and various chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin. These lesions efficiently block the elongation of transcription and need to be rapidly removed by transcription-coupled NER (TC-NER) to avoid the induction of apoptosis. Twenty-nine genes have been classified to code for proteins participating in nucleotide excision repair (NER) in human cells. Here we explored the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of these NER genes across 13 human cell lines using Bru-seq and BruChase-seq, respectively. Many NER genes are relatively large in size and therefore will be easily inactivated by UV-induced transcription-blocking lesions. Furthermore, many of these genes produce transcripts that are rather unstable. Thus, these genes are expected to rapidly lose expression leading to a diminished function of NER. One such gene is ERCC6 that codes for the CSB protein critical for TC-NER. Due to its large gene size and high RNA turnover rate, the ERCC6 gene may act as dosimeter of DNA damage so that at high levels of damage, ERCC6 RNA levels would be diminished leading to the loss of CSB expression, inhibition of TC-NER and the promotion of cell death.

MADS-box gene evolution - structure and transcription patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Bo; Pedersen, Louise Buchholt; Skipper, Martin

2002-01-01

Mads-box genes, ABC model, Evolution, Phylogeny, Transcription patterns, Gene structure, Conserved motifs......Mads-box genes, ABC model, Evolution, Phylogeny, Transcription patterns, Gene structure, Conserved motifs...

A method comparison of total and HMW adiponectin: HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies versus total adiponectin, independent of clinical condition.

Science.gov (United States)

van Andel, Merel; Drent, Madeleine L; van Herwaarden, Antonius E; Ackermans, Mariëtte T; Heijboer, Annemieke C

2017-02-01

Total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin have been associated with endocrine and cardiovascular pathology. As no gold standard is available, the discussion about biological relevance of isoforms is complicated. In our study we perform a method comparison between two commercially available assays measuring HMW and total adiponectin, in various patient groups, thus contributing further to this discussion. We determined levels of HMW and total adiponectin using assays by Lumipulse® and Millipore® respectively, in 126 patients with different clinical characteristics (n=29 healthy volunteers, n=22 dialysis patients, n=25 elderly with body mass index (BMI) LUMIPULSE ∗0.5-0.9=total adiponectin MILLIPORE , albeit with significant deviation from linearity (p<0.001). Pearson's correlation was R=0.987 (p=0.000). No significant differences between patient groups were observed (p=0.190). The HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies with total adiponectin concentration independent of clinical conditions studied. Our results imply that total and HMW adiponectin have similar utility when assessing adiponectin levels in blood, as the ratio is independent of clinical condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerobic training increases the expression of adiponectin receptor genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of young men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SH Lee

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the effect of exercise training on the expression of adiponectin receptor genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs. In this study, we investigated the effects of aerobic training on the expression of AdipoR1 and AidpoR2 mRNAs in PBMCs, whole body insulin sensitivity, and circulating adiponectins in men. Thirty young men were randomly assigned to either a control (n=15 or an exercise (n=15 group. Subjects assigned to the exercise group underwent a 12-week jogging and/or running programme on a motor-driven treadmill at an intensity of 60%-75% of the age-based maximum heart rate with duration of 40 minutes per session and a frequency of 5 days per week. Two-way mixed ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test any significant time-by-group interaction effects for the measured variables at p=0.05. We found significant time-by-group interaction effects for waist circumference (p=0.001, VO2 max (p<0.001, fasting insulin (p=0.016, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR (p=0.010, area under the curve (AUC for insulin response during the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (p=0.002, high-molecular weight (HMW adiponectin (p=0.016, and the PBMC mRNA levels of AdipoR1 (p<0.001 and AdipoR2 (p=0.001. The exercise group had significantly increased mRNA levels of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 in PBMCs, along with increased whole body insulin sensitivity and HMW adiponectin, decreased waist circumference, and increased VO2 max compared with the control group. In summary, the current findings suggest that exercise training modulates the expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mRNAs in PBMCs, implying that manipulation of the expression of these genes could be a potential surrogate for lifestyle intervention-mediated improvements of whole body insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis.

Repression of meiotic genes by antisense transcription and by Fkh2 transcription factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huei-Mei; Rosebrock, Adam P; Khan, Sohail R; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet K

2012-01-01

In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s) of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the "unspliced" signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression.

Combined Adiponectin Deficiency and Resistance in Obese Patients: Can It Solve Part of the Puzzle in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Salman, Ahmed; Hegazy, Mona; AbdElfadl, Soheir

2015-06-15

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent cause of liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis in obese patients identifies the risk group with increased incidence of liver-related deaths. To clarify the role of serum adiponectin and its receptor liver gene expression in the progression of liver damage in NAFLD. Fifty four (54) obese patients with NAFLD preliminary diagnosed by liver ultra-sound were recruited. Full medical history, anthropometric measurement, biochemical studies, serum adiponectin level, liver biopsy for histological examination and NAS score to identify NASH patients, and assessment of adiponectin receptor gene expression by RT-PCR, were conducted for each patients. Fifteen ages matched average weight healthy adult had been chosen as a control for serum adiponectin level. According to NAS score, patients were divided into non- NASH (8 patients), and NASH (46 patients). Serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in NAFLD patients compared to normal participants (p < 0.004). Serum adiponectin level was lower in NASH patients (4.437 ± 2.569 ng/dl in NASH vs. 5.138 ± 2.841 ng/dl in non-NASH). Adiponectin receptor liver gene expression was lower in NASH patients (0.8459 ± 0.4671 vs. 1.0688 ± 0.3965 in non-NASH). Both adiponectin deficiency and resistance had a role in progression of simple liver steatosis to severe injury in obese patients.

Investigating the causal effect of vitamin D on serum adiponectin using a mendelian randomization approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husemoen, L. L. N.; Skaaby, T.; Martinussen, Torben

2014-01-01

Background/Objectives: The aim was to examine the causal effect of vitamin D on serum adiponectin using a multiple instrument Mendelian randomization approach. Subjects/Methods: Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and serum total or high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin were measured in two...... doubling of 25(OH)D was 4.78, 95% CI: 1.96, 7.68, Pvitamin D-binding protein gene and the filaggrin gene as instrumental variables, the causal effect in % was estimated to 61.46, 95% CI: 17.51, 120.28, P=0.003 higher adiponectin per doubling of 25(OH)D. In the MONICA10...... effect estimate in % per doubling of 25(OH)D was 37.13, 95% CI:-3.67, 95.20, P=0.080). Conclusions: The results indicate a possible causal association between serum 25(OH)D and total adiponectin. However, the association was not replicated for HMW adiponectin. Thus, further studies are needed to confirm...

Adiponectin in mice with altered GH action: links to insulin sensitivity and longevity?

Science.gov (United States)

Lubbers, Ellen R; List, Edward O; Jara, Adam; Sackman-Sala, Lucila; Cordoba-Chacon, Jose; Gahete, Manuel D; Kineman, Rhonda D; Boparai, Ravneet; Bartke, Andrzej; Kopchick, John J; Berryman, Darlene E

2013-03-01

Adiponectin is positively correlated with longevity and negatively correlated with many obesity-related diseases. While there are several circulating forms of adiponectin, the high-molecular-weight (HMW) version has been suggested to have the predominant bioactivity. Adiponectin gene expression and cognate serum protein levels are of particular interest in mice with altered GH signaling as these mice exhibit extremes in obesity that are positively associated with insulin sensitivity and lifespan as opposed to the typical negative association of these factors. While a few studies have reported total adiponectin levels in young adult mice with altered GH signaling, much remains unresolved, including changes in adiponectin levels with advancing age, proportion of total adiponectin in the HMW form, adipose depot of origin, and differential effects of GH vs IGF1. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to address these issues using assorted mouse lines with altered GH signaling. Our results show that adiponectin is generally negatively associated with GH activity, regardless of age. Further, the amount of HMW adiponectin is consistently linked with the level of total adiponectin and not necessarily with previously reported lifespan or insulin sensitivity of these mice. Interestingly, circulating adiponectin levels correlated strongly with inguinal fat mass, implying that the effects of GH on adiponectin are depot specific. Interestingly, rbGH, but not IGF1, decreased circulating total and HMW adiponectin levels. Taken together, these results fill important gaps in the literature related to GH and adiponectin and question the frequently reported associations of total and HMW adiponectin with insulin sensitivity and longevity.

Repression of Meiotic Genes by Antisense Transcription and by Fkh2 Transcription Factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huei-Mei; Rosebrock, Adam P.; Khan, Sohail R.; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet K.

2012-01-01

In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s) of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the “unspliced” signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression. PMID:22238674

Repression of meiotic genes by antisense transcription and by Fkh2 transcription factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huei-Mei Chen

Full Text Available In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the "unspliced" signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression.

Lipopolysaccharide induces a downregulation of adiponectin receptors in-vitro and in-vivo

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Alison Hall

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background. Adipose tissue contributes to the inflammatory response through production of cytokines, recruitment of macrophages and modulation of the adiponectin system. Previous studies have identified a down-regulation of adiponectin in pathologies characterised by acute (sepsis and endotoxaemia and chronic inflammation (obesity and type-II diabetes mellitus. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that LPS would reduce adiponectin receptor expression in a murine model of endotoxaemia and in adipoocyte and myocyte cell cultures.Methods. 25 mg/kg LPS was injected intra-peritoneally into C57BL/6J mice, equivalent volumes of normal saline were used in control animals. Mice were killed at 4 or 24 h post injection and tissues harvested. Murine adipocytes (3T3-L1 and myocytes (C2C12 were grown in standard culture, treated with LPS (0.1 µg/ml–10 µg/ml and harvested at 4 and 24 h. RNA was extracted and qPCR was conducted according to standard protocols and relative expression was calculated.Results. After LPS treatment there was a significant reduction after 4 h in gene expression of adipo R1 in muscle and peri-renal fat and of adipo R2 in liver, peri-renal fat and abdominal wall subcutaneous fat. After 24 h, significant reductions were limited to muscle. Cell culture extracts showed varied changes with reduction in adiponectin and adipo R2 gene expression only in adipocytes.Conclusions. LPS reduced adiponectin receptor gene expression in several tissues including adipocytes. This reflects a down-regulation of this anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitising pathway in response to LPS. The trend towards base line after 24 h in tissue depots may reflect counter-regulatory mechanisms. Adiponectin receptor regulation differs in the tissues investigated.

The Regulation of Chemerin and CMKLR1 Genes Expression by TNF-α, Adiponectin, and Chemerin Analog in Bovine Differentiated Adipocytes

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Y. Suzuki

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Adipokines, adipocyte-derived protein, have important roles in various kinds of physiology including energy homeostasis. Chemerin, one of adipocyte-derived adipokines, is highly expressed in differentiated adipocytes and is known to induce macrophage chemotaxis and glucose intolerance. The objective of the present study was to investigate the changes of chemerin and the chemokine-like-receptor 1 (CMKLR1 gene expression levels during differentiation of the bovine adipocyte and in differentiated adipocytes treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, adiponectin, leptin, and chemerin (peptide analog. The expression levels of the chemerin gene increased at d 6 and 12 of the differentiation period accompanied by increased cytoplasm lipid droplets. From d 6 onward, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPAR-γ2 gene expression levels were significantly higher than that of d 0 and 3. In contrast, CMKLR1 expression levels decreased at the end of the differentiation period. In fully differentiated adipocytes (i.e. at d 12, the treatment of TNF-α and adiponectin upregulated both chemerin and CMKLR1 gene expression levels, although leptin did not show such effects. Moreover, chemerin analog treatment was shown to upregulate chemerin gene expression levels regardless of doses. These results suggest that the expression of chemerin in bovine adipocyte might be regulated by chemerin itself and other adipokines, which indicates its possible role in modulating the adipokine secretions in adipose tissues.

GGRNA: an ultrafast, transcript-oriented search engine for genes and transcripts.

Science.gov (United States)

Naito, Yuki; Bono, Hidemasa

2012-07-01

GGRNA (http://GGRNA.dbcls.jp/) is a Google-like, ultrafast search engine for genes and transcripts. The web server accepts arbitrary words and phrases, such as gene names, IDs, gene descriptions, annotations of gene and even nucleotide/amino acid sequences through one simple search box, and quickly returns relevant RefSeq transcripts. A typical search takes just a few seconds, which dramatically enhances the usability of routine searching. In particular, GGRNA can search sequences as short as 10 nt or 4 amino acids, which cannot be handled easily by popular sequence analysis tools. Nucleotide sequences can be searched allowing up to three mismatches, or the query sequences may contain degenerate nucleotide codes (e.g. N, R, Y, S). Furthermore, Gene Ontology annotations, Enzyme Commission numbers and probe sequences of catalog microarrays are also incorporated into GGRNA, which may help users to conduct searches by various types of keywords. GGRNA web server will provide a simple and powerful interface for finding genes and transcripts for a wide range of users. All services at GGRNA are provided free of charge to all users.

FRUITING GENES OF SCHIZOPHYLLUM-COMMUNE ARE TRANSCRIPTIONALLY REGULATED

NARCIS (Netherlands)

SCHUREN, FHJ; VANDERLENDE, TR; WESSELS, JGH

Fruiting genes in Schizophyllum commune are controlled by the mating-type genes and other regulatory genes. To examine whether differential accumulation of mRNAs for these fruiting genes is caused by transcriptional regulation, run-on transcription assaYs were performed with nuclei isolated from

Adiponectin influences progesterone production from MA-10 Leydig cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, David; Paré, Aurélie; Jean, Stéphanie; Martin, Luc J

2015-04-01

Obesity in men is associated with lower testosterone levels, related to reduced sperm concentration and the development of various diseases with aging. Hormones produced by the adipose tissue may have influences on both metabolism and reproductive function. Among them, the production and secretion of adiponectin is inversely correlated to total body fat. Adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) have been found to be expressed in testicular Leydig cells (producing testosterone). Since StAR and Cyp11a1 are essential for testosterone synthesis and adiponectin has been shown to regulate StAR mRNA in swine granulosa cells, we hypothesized that adiponectin might also regulate these genes in Leydig cells. Our objective was to determine whether adiponectin regulates StAR and Cyp11a1 genes in Leydig cells and to better define its mechanisms of action. Methods used in the current study are qPCR for the mRNA levels, transfections for promoter activities, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the progesterone concentration. We have found that adiponectin cooperates with cAMP-dependent stimulation to activate StAR and Cyp11a1 mRNA expressions in a dose-dependent manner in MA-10 Leydig cells as demonstrated by transfection of a luciferase reporter plasmid. These results led to a significant increase in progesterone production from MA-10 cells. Thus, our data suggest that high doses of adiponectin typical of normal body weight may promote testosterone production from Leydig cells.

Haplotypes and Sequence Variation in the Ovine Adiponectin Gene (ADIPOQ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qing-Ming An

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ plays an important role in energy homeostasis. In this study five separate regions (regions 1 to 5 of ovine ADIPOQ were analysed using PCR-SSCP. Four different PCR-SSCP patterns (A1-D1, A2-D2 were detected in region-1 and region-2, respectively, with seven and six SNPs being revealed. In region-3, three different patterns (A3-C3 and three SNPs were observed. Two patterns (A4-B4, A5-B5 and two and one SNPs were observed in region-4 and region-5, respectively. In total, nineteen SNPs were detected, with five of them in the coding region and two (c.46T/C and c.515G/A putatively resulting in amino acid changes (p.Tyr16His and p.Lys172Arg. In region-1, -2 and -3 of 316 sheep from eight New Zealand breeds, variants A1, A2 and A3 were the most common, although variant frequencies differed in the eight breeds. Across region-1 and region-3, nine haplotypes were identified and haplotypes A1-A3, A1-C3, B1-A3 and B1-C3 were most common. These results indicate that the ADIPOQ gene is polymorphic and suggest that further analysis is required to see if the variation in the gene is associated with animal production traits.

Adiponectin in mice with altered growth hormone action: links to insulin sensitivity and longevity?

Science.gov (United States)

Lubbers, Ellen R.; List, Edward O.; Jara, Adam; Sackman-Sala, Lucila; Cordoba-Chacon, Jose; Gahete, Manuel D.; Kineman, Rhonda D.; Boparai, Ravneet; Bartke, Andrzej; Kopchick, John J.; Berryman, Darlene E.

2013-01-01

Adiponectin is positively correlated with longevity and negatively correlated with many obesity-related diseases. While there are several circulating forms of adiponectin, the high molecular weight (HMW) version has been suggested to have the predominant bioactivity. Adiponectin gene expression and cognate serum protein levels are of particular interest in mice with altered growth hormone (GH) signaling as these mice exhibit extremes in obesity that are positively associated with insulin sensitivity and lifespan as opposed to the typical negative association of these factors. While a few studies have reported total adiponectin levels in young adult mice with altered GH signaling, much remains unresolved, including changes in adiponectin levels with advancing age, proportion of total adiponectin in the HMW form, adipose depot of origin, and differential effects of GH versus IGF1. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to address these issues using assorted mouse lines with altered GH signaling. Our results show that adiponectin is generally negatively associated with GH activity, regardless of age. Further, the amount of HMW adiponectin is consistently linked with the level of total adiponectin and not necessarily with previously reported lifespan or insulin sensitivity of these mice. Interestingly, circulating adiponectin levels correlated strongly with inguinal fat mass, implying the effects of GH on adiponectin are depot-specific. Interestingly rbGH, but not IGF1, decreased circulating total and HMW adiponectin levels. Taken together, these results fill important gaps in the literature related to GH and adiponectin and question the frequently reported associations of total and HMW adiponectin with insulin sensitivity and longevity. PMID:23261955

Repression of Meiotic Genes by Antisense Transcription and by Fkh2 Transcription Factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

OpenAIRE

Chen, Huei-Mei; Rosebrock, Adam P.; Khan, Sohail R.; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet K.

2012-01-01

In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription ...

Adiponectin Is Involved in Connective Tissue Growth Factor-Induced Proliferation, Migration and Overproduction of the Extracellular Matrix in Keloid Fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Limin; Li, Jun; Liu, Han; Jian, Xiaoqing; Zou, Qianlei; Zhao, Qing; Le, Qu; Chen, Hongdou; Gao, Xinghua; He, Chundi

2017-05-12

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, exerts pleiotropic biological effects on metabolism, inflammation, vascular homeostasis, apoptosis and immunity. Recently, adiponectin has been suggested to attenuate the progression of human dermal fibrosis. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is induced in keloids and is thought to be participated in the formation of keloid fibrosis. However, the roles played by adiponectin in keloids remain unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of adiponectin on CTGF-induced cell proliferation, migration and the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and their associated intracellular signalling pathways in keloid fibroblasts (KFs). We also explored possible mechanisms of keloid pathogenesis. Primary fibroblast cultures were established from foreskin biopsies and skin biopsies from patients with keloids. The expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors (adipoRs) was evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), quantitative real-time RT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining, and immunohistochemical analysis. Next, KFs and normal dermal fibroblasts (NFs) were treated with CTGF in the presence or absence of adiponectin. A cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and the Transwell assay were used to examine cell proliferation and migration. The level of the collagen I, fibronectin (FN) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNAs and proteins were determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. The effects of RNA interference (RNAi) targeting the adipoR genes were detected. Phosphorylation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-protein kinase (PI3K-Akt) were examined by western blotting to further investigate the signalling pathways. Furthermore, inhibitors of signal transduction pathways were investigated. The expression levels of adiponectin and adipoRs were significantly decreased in keloids compared with those

Naturally occurring mutations in the human 5-lipoxygenase gene promoter that modify transcription factor binding and reporter gene transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

In, K H; Asano, K; Beier, D; Grobholz, J; Finn, P W; Silverman, E K; Silverman, E S; Collins, T; Fischer, A R; Keith, T P; Serino, K; Kim, S W; De Sanctis, G T; Yandava, C; Pillari, A; Rubin, P; Kemp, J; Israel, E; Busse, W; Ledford, D; Murray, J J; Segal, A; Tinkleman, D; Drazen, J M

1997-03-01

Five lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the first committed enzyme in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of the leukotrienes. We examined genomic DNA isolated from 25 normal subjects and 31 patients with asthma (6 of whom had aspirin-sensitive asthma) for mutations in the known transcription factor binding regions and the protein encoding region of the 5-LO gene. A family of mutations in the G + C-rich transcription factor binding region was identified consisting of the deletion of one, deletion of two, or addition of one zinc finger (Sp1/Egr-1) binding sites in the region 176 to 147 bp upstream from the ATG translation start site where there are normally 5 Sp1 binding motifs in tandem. Reporter gene activity directed by any of the mutant forms of the transcription factor binding region was significantly (P < 0.05) less effective than the activity driven by the wild type transcription factor binding region. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated the capacity of wild type and mutant transcription factor binding regions to bind nuclear extracts from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These data are consistent with a family of mutations in the 5-LO gene that can modify reporter gene transcription possibly through differences in Sp1 and Egr-1 transactivation.

Major Components of Metabolic Parameters and Nutritional Intakes in Different Genotypes of Adiponectin +276 G>T Gene Polymorphism in Non-Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Iranian Fatty Liver Patients.

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Mohseni, Fatemeh; Moghbelinejad, Sahar; Najafipour, Reza

2017-01-01

Genetic and environmental factors are both involved in the etiology of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Among the genetic factors, certain polymorphisms of adiponectin gene are associated with NAFLD. In the current study, we investigated the association between metabolic parameters with different genotypes of adiponectin +276 G>T polymorphism among the Iranian NAFLD patients, and the effect of nutritional intake with development of NAFLD. In this study, 75 patients with NAFLD and 76 healthy individuals were enrolled. Dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative Food-Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) were calculated. Biochemical assays including FSG (Fasting Serum Glucose), liver enzymes, lipid profiles, Malondialdehyde, insulin resistance and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were measured after 12 hr fasting. Gene polymorphism study was done by using of sequencing method. Although, T allele frequency was more prevalent in patients with NAFLD than control, adiponectin +276 G>T polymorphism was not associated with risk of NAFLD. Among the metabolic parameters, TAC in TT genotype was significantly lower 1.44(0.69 to 2.81) p>0.05, AST in GT, GG genotypes, and ALT in all three genotypes were higher in NAFLD patients in compared to healthy subjects (pconsumption and vitamin E intake as compared to control group with the same genotype (pstudy, we showed the association of different genotypes of +276 G>T polymorphism in adiponectin gene with some metabolic parameters.

Adiponectin activates the AMPK signaling pathway to regulate lipid metabolism in bovine hepatocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hui; Zhang, Liang; Li, Xinwei; Li, Xiaobing; Sun, Guoquan; Yuan, Xue; Lei, Liancheng; Liu, Juxiong; Yin, Liheng; Deng, Qinghua; Wang, Jianguo; Liu, Zhaoxi; Yang, Wentao; Wang, Zhe; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Guowen

2013-11-01

Adiponectin (Ad) plays a crucial role in hepatic lipid metabolism. However, the regulating mechanism of hepatic lipid metabolism by Ad in dairy cows is unclear. Hepatocytes from a newborn female calf were cultured in vitro and treated with different concentrations of Ad and BML-275 (an AMPKα inhibitor). The results showed that Ad significantly increased the expression of two Ad receptors. Furthermore, the phosphorylation and activity of AMPKα, as well as the expression levels and transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-α (PPARα) and its target genes involved in lipid oxidation, showed a corresponding trend of upregulation. However, the expression levels and transcriptional activity of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) and carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) decreased in a similar manner. When BML-275 was added, the p-AMPKα level as well as the expression and activity of PPARα and its target genes were significantly decreased. However, the expression levels of SREBP-1c, ChREBP and their target genes showed a trend of upregulation. Furthermore, the triglyceride (TG) content was significantly decreased in the Ad-treated groups. These results indicate that Ad activates the AMPK signaling pathway and mediates lipid metabolism in bovine hepatocytes cultured in vitro by promoting lipid oxidation, suppressing lipid synthesis and reducing hepatic lipid accumulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic determination of adiponectin and its relationship with body fat topography in multigenerational families of African heritage.

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Miljkovic-Gacic, Iva; Wang, Xiaojing; Kammerer, Candace M; Bunker, Clareann H; Wheeler, Victor W; Patrick, Alan L; Kuller, Lewis H; Evans, Rhobert W; Zmuda, Joseph M

2007-02-01

Adiponectin, an adipose-specific protein, is negatively associated with adiposity, insulin sensitivity, and diabetes. Very few studies have examined the role of heredity in the regulation of adiponectin and its association with body fat among individuals of African heritage. Thus, we measured fasting serum adiponectin levels by radioimmunoassay and body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 402 individuals aged 18 to 103 years belonging to 7 multigenerational families of African heritage in the relatively homogeneous island population of Tobago. Heritability of adiponectin was 33.2% (P genetic factors are a significant source of interindividual differences in circulating adiponectin among Afro-Caribbeans. Adiponectin may serve as a promising quantitative intermediate trait in studies designed to map the genes underlying diabetes and obesity in this population.

Adiponectin and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Acromegaly.

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Gurbulak, Sabriye; Akin, Fulya; Yerlikaya, Emrah; Yaylali, Guzin F; Topsakal, Senay; Tanriverdi, Halil; Akdag, Beyza; Kaptanoglu, Bunyamin

2016-01-01

Adiponectin is an adipocytes-derived hormone which has been shown to possess insulin-sensitizing, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In acromegaly, the data on adiponectin is contradictory. The relationship between adiponectin levels and cardiac parameters has not been studied. The aim of this study was to find out how adiponectin levels were affected in acromegalic patients and the relationship between adiponectin levels and cardiac parameters. We included 30 subjects (15 male, 15 female), diagnosed with acromegaly and 30 healthy (10 male, 20 female) subjects. Serum glucose, insulin, GH, IGF-1 and adiponectin levels were obtained and the insulin resistance of the subjects was calculated. Echocardiographic studies of the subjects were performed. We determined that adiponectin levels were significantly higher in the acromegalic group than the control group. In the acromegalic group, there was no statistically significant relation between serum adiponectin and growth hormone (GH), or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels (p = 0.3, p = 0.1). We demonstrated that cardiac function and structure are affected by acromegaly. IVST, PWT, LVMI, E/A ratio, DT, ET, IVRT, VPR, and LVESV values were increased and the results were statistically significant. In the acromegalic group, adiponectin levels were positively related with left ventricle mass index (LVMI) but this correlation was found to be statistically weak (p = 0.03). In our study, there was a positive correlation between VAI and LVM. We also could not find any correlation between VAI and adiponectin levels. Although insulin resistance and high insulin levels occur in active acromegaly patients, adiponectin levels were higher in our study as a consequence of GH lowering therapies. Our study showed that adiponectin levels may be an indicator of the cardiac involvement acromegaly. However, the usage of serum adiponectin levels in acromegalic patients as an indicator of cardiac involvement should be

Adiponectin protects against development of metabolic disturbances in a PCOS mouse model.

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Benrick, Anna; Chanclón, Belén; Micallef, Peter; Wu, Yanling; Hadi, Laila; Shelton, John M; Stener-Victorin, Elisabet; Wernstedt Asterholm, Ingrid

2017-08-22

Adiponectin, together with adipocyte size, is the strongest factor associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study investigates the causal relationship between adiponectin levels and metabolic and reproductive functions in PCOS. Prepubertal mice overexpressing adiponectin from adipose tissue (APNtg), adiponectin knockouts (APNko), and their wild-type (WT) littermate mice were continuously exposed to placebo or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to induce PCOS-like traits. As expected, DHT exposure led to reproductive dysfunction, as judged by continuous anestrus, smaller ovaries with a decreased number of corpus luteum, and an increased number of cystic/atretic follicles. A two-way between-groups analysis showed that there was a significant main effect for DHT exposure, but not for genotype, indicating adiponectin does not influence follicle development. Adiponectin had, however, some protective effects on ovarian function. Similar to in many women with PCOS, DHT exposure led to reduced adiponectin levels, larger adipocyte size, and reduced insulin sensitivity in WTs. APNtg mice remained metabolically healthy despite DHT exposure, while APNko-DHT mice were even more insulin resistant than their DHT-exposed littermate WTs. DHT exposure also reduced the mRNA expression of genes involved in metabolic pathways in gonadal adipose tissue of WT and APNko, but this effect of DHT was not observed in APNtg mice. Moreover, APNtg-DHT mice displayed increased pancreatic mRNA levels of insulin receptors, Pdx1 and Igf1R , suggesting adiponectin stimulates beta cell viability/hyperplasia in the context of PCOS. In conclusion, adiponectin improves metabolic health but has only minor effects on reproductive functions in this PCOS-like mouse model.

Temporal and Molecular Analyses of Cardiac Extracellular Matrix Remodeling following Pressure Overload in Adiponectin Deficient Mice.

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Keith Dadson

Full Text Available Adiponectin, circulating levels of which are reduced in obesity and diabetes, mediates cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM remodeling in response to pressure overload (PO. Here, we performed a detailed temporal analysis of progressive cardiac ECM remodelling in adiponectin knockout (AdKO and wild-type (WT mice at 3 days and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks following the induction of mild PO via minimally invasive transverse aortic banding. We first observed that myocardial adiponectin gene expression was reduced after 4 weeks of PO, whereas increased adiponectin levels were detected in cardiac homogenates at this time despite decreased circulating levels of adiponectin. Scanning electron microscopy and Masson's trichrome staining showed collagen accumulation increased in response to 2 and 4 weeks of PO in WT mice, while fibrosis in AdKO mice was notably absent after 2 weeks but highly apparent after 4 weeks of PO. Time and intensity of fibroblast appearance after PO was not significantly different between AdKO and WT animals. Gene array analysis indicated that MMP2, TIMP2, collagen 1α1 and collagen 1α3 were induced after 2 weeks of PO in WT but not AdKO mice. After 4 weeks MMP8 was induced in both genotypes, MMP9 only in WT mice and MMP1α only in AdKO mice. Direct stimulation of primary cardiac fibroblasts with adiponectin induced a transient increase in total collagen detected by picrosirius red staining and collagen III levels synthesis, as well as enhanced MMP2 activity detected via gelatin zymography. Adiponectin also enhanced fibroblast migration and attenuated angiotensin-II induced differentiation to a myofibroblast phenotype. In conclusion, these data indicate that increased myocardial bioavailability of adiponectin mediates ECM remodeling following PO and that adiponectin deficiency delays these effects.

Functional Profiling of Transcription Factor Genes in Neurospora crassa

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Alexander J. Carrillo

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Regulation of gene expression by DNA-binding transcription factors is essential for proper control of growth and development in all organisms. In this study, we annotate and characterize growth and developmental phenotypes for transcription factor genes in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. We identified 312 transcription factor genes, corresponding to 3.2% of the protein coding genes in the genome. The largest class was the fungal-specific Zn2Cys6 (C6 binuclear cluster, with 135 members, followed by the highly conserved C2H2 zinc finger group, with 61 genes. Viable knockout mutants were produced for 273 genes, and complete growth and developmental phenotypic data are available for 242 strains, with 64% possessing at least one defect. The most prominent defect observed was in growth of basal hyphae (43% of mutants analyzed, followed by asexual sporulation (38%, and the various stages of sexual development (19%. Two growth or developmental defects were observed for 21% of the mutants, while 8% were defective in all three major phenotypes tested. Analysis of available mRNA expression data for a time course of sexual development revealed mutants with sexual phenotypes that correlate with transcription factor transcript abundance in wild type. Inspection of this data also implicated cryptic roles in sexual development for several cotranscribed transcription factor genes that do not produce a phenotype when mutated.

Globular adiponectin induces a pro-inflammatory response in human astrocytic cells

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Wan, Zhongxiao; Mah, Dorrian; Simtchouk, Svetlana; Klegeris, Andis; Little, Jonathan P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Adiponectin receptors are expressed in human astrocytes. • Globular adiponectin induces secretion of IL-6 and MCP-1 from cultured astrocytes. • Adiponectin may play a pro-inflammatory role in astrocytes. - Abstract: Neuroinflammation, mediated in part by activated brain astrocytes, plays a critical role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Adiponectin is the most abundant adipokine secreted from adipose tissue and has been reported to exert both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects in peripheral tissues; however, the effects of adiponectin on astrocytes remain unknown. Shifts in peripheral concentrations of adipokines, including adiponectin, could contribute to the observed link between midlife adiposity and increased AD risk. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of globular adiponectin (gAd) on pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression and secretion in human U373 MG astrocytic cells and to explore the potential involvement of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3 K) signaling pathways in these processes. We demonstrated expression of adiponectin receptor 1 (adipoR1) and adipoR2 in U373 MG cells and primary human astrocytes. gAd induced secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and gene expression of IL-6, MCP-1, IL-1β and IL-8 in U373 MG cells. Using specific inhibitors, we found that NF-κB, p38MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways are involved in gAd-induced induction of cytokines with ERK1/2 contributing the most. These findings provide evidence that gAd may induce a pro-inflammatory phenotype in human astrocytes

Globular adiponectin induces a pro-inflammatory response in human astrocytic cells

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Wan, Zhongxiao; Mah, Dorrian; Simtchouk, Svetlana [School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC (Canada); Klegeris, Andis [Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC (Canada); Little, Jonathan P., E-mail: jonathan.little@ubc.ca [School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC (Canada)

2014-03-28

Highlights: • Adiponectin receptors are expressed in human astrocytes. • Globular adiponectin induces secretion of IL-6 and MCP-1 from cultured astrocytes. • Adiponectin may play a pro-inflammatory role in astrocytes. - Abstract: Neuroinflammation, mediated in part by activated brain astrocytes, plays a critical role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Adiponectin is the most abundant adipokine secreted from adipose tissue and has been reported to exert both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects in peripheral tissues; however, the effects of adiponectin on astrocytes remain unknown. Shifts in peripheral concentrations of adipokines, including adiponectin, could contribute to the observed link between midlife adiposity and increased AD risk. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of globular adiponectin (gAd) on pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression and secretion in human U373 MG astrocytic cells and to explore the potential involvement of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3 K) signaling pathways in these processes. We demonstrated expression of adiponectin receptor 1 (adipoR1) and adipoR2 in U373 MG cells and primary human astrocytes. gAd induced secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and gene expression of IL-6, MCP-1, IL-1β and IL-8 in U373 MG cells. Using specific inhibitors, we found that NF-κB, p38MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways are involved in gAd-induced induction of cytokines with ERK1/2 contributing the most. These findings provide evidence that gAd may induce a pro-inflammatory phenotype in human astrocytes.

Triiodothyronine modulates the expression of leptin and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

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Oliveira, Miriane de; de Síbio, Maria Teresa; Olimpio, Regiane Marques Castro; Moretto, Fernanda Cristina Fontes; Luvizotto, Renata de Azevedo Melo; Nogueira, Celia Regina

2015-01-01

To study the effect of different doses of triiodothyronine on gene expression of the adipokines leptin and adiponectin, at different times, and to evaluate the difference in expression between the two adipokines in each group. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated with triiodothyronine at physiological dose (10nM) and supraphysiological doses (100nM or 1,000nM), or without triiodothyronine (control, C) for 0.5, 6, or 24 hours. Leptin and adiponectin mRNA was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). One-way analyses of variance, Tukey's test or Student's t test, were used to analyze data, and significance level was set at 5%. Leptin levels decreased in the 1,000nM-dose group after 0.5 hour. Adiponectin levels dropped in the 10nM-dose group, but increased at the 100nM dose. After 6 hours, both genes were suppressed in all hormone concentrations. After 24 hours, leptin levels increased at 10, 100 and 1,000nM groups as compared to the control group; and adiponectin levels increased only in the 100nM group as compared to the control group. These results demonstrated fast actions of triiodothyronine on the leptin and adiponectin expression, starting at 0.5 hour, at a dose of 1,000nM for leptin and 100nM for adiponectin. Triiodothyronine stimulated or inhibited the expression of adipokines in adipocytes at different times and doses which may be useful to assist in the treatment of obesity, assuming that leptin is increased and adiponectin is decreased, in obesity cases.

Relationship between Adiponectin Gene Polymorphisms and Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease.

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Wei Li

Full Text Available In recent years, researchers have found that adiponectin (ANP plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD, and low serum concentrations of ANP are associated with AD. Higher plasma ANP level have a protective effect against the development of cognitive decline, suggesting that ANP may affect AD onset. Meanwhile, accumulating evidence supports the crucial role of ANP in the pathogenesis of AD. To study the relationship between ANP gene polymorphisms (rs266729, -11377C>G and rs1501299, G276T and late-onset AD (LOAD, we carried out a case-control study that included 201 LOAD patients and 257 healthy control subjects. Statistically significant differences were detected in the genotype and allelotype frequency distributions of rs266729 and rs1501299 between the LOAD group and the control group, with a noticeable increase in the G and T allelotype frequency distributions in the LOAD group (P 0.05 between the LOAD group and control group, whereas the CG and GT haplotypes were significantly different (P < 0.05, suggesting a negative correlation between the CG haplotype and LOAD onset (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.57-0.96, P = 0.022, and a positive correlation between the GT haplotype and LOAD onset (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.42-3.68, P = 0.005. Therefore, we speculated that the rs266729 and rs1501299 of ANP gene polymorphisms and the GT and CG haplotypes were associated with LOAD.

Fetuin-A induces cytokine expression and suppresses adiponectin production.

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Anita M Hennige

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The secreted liver protein fetuin-A (AHSG is up-regulated in hepatic steatosis and the metabolic syndrome. These states are strongly associated with low-grade inflammation and hypoadiponectinemia. We, therefore, hypothesized that fetuin-A may play a role in the regulation of cytokine expression, the modulation of adipose tissue expression and plasma concentration of the insulin-sensitizing and atheroprotective adipokine adiponectin. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Human monocytic THP1 cells and human in vitro differenttiated adipocytes as well as C57BL/6 mice were treated with fetuin-A. mRNA expression of the genes encoding inflammatory cytokines and the adipokine adiponectin (ADIPOQ was assessed by real-time RT-PCR. In 122 subjects, plasma levels of fetuin-A, adiponectin and, in a subgroup, the multimeric forms of adiponectin were determined. Fetuin-A treatment induced TNF and IL1B mRNA expression in THP1 cells (p<0.05. Treatment of mice with fetuin-A, analogously, resulted in a marked increase in adipose tissue Tnf mRNA as well as Il6 expression (27- and 174-fold, respectively. These effects were accompanied by a decrease in adipose tissue Adipoq mRNA expression and lower circulating adiponectin levels (p<0.05, both. Furthermore, fetuin-A repressed ADIPOQ mRNA expression of human in vitro differentiated adipocytes (p<0.02 and induced inflammatory cytokine expression. In humans in plasma, fetuin-A correlated positively with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker of subclinical inflammation (r = 0.26, p = 0.01, and negatively with total- (r = -0.28, p = 0.02 and, particularly, high molecular weight adiponectin (r = -0.36, p = 0.01. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: We provide novel evidence that the secreted liver protein fetuin-A induces low-grade inflammation and represses adiponectin production in animals and in humans. These data suggest an important role of fatty liver in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and

Scaling proprioceptor gene transcription by retrograde NT3 signaling.

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Jun Lee

Full Text Available Cell-type specific intrinsic programs instruct neuronal subpopulations before target-derived factors influence later neuronal maturation. Retrograde neurotrophin signaling controls neuronal survival and maturation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG sensory neurons, but how these potent signaling pathways intersect with transcriptional programs established at earlier developmental stages remains poorly understood. Here we determine the consequences of genetic alternation of NT3 signaling on genome-wide transcription programs in proprioceptors, an important sensory neuron subpopulation involved in motor reflex behavior. We find that the expression of many proprioceptor-enriched genes is dramatically altered by genetic NT3 elimination, independent of survival-related activities. Combinatorial analysis of gene expression profiles with proprioceptors isolated from mice expressing surplus muscular NT3 identifies an anticorrelated gene set with transcriptional levels scaled in opposite directions. Voluntary running experiments in adult mice further demonstrate the maintenance of transcriptional adjustability of genes expressed by DRG neurons, pointing to life-long gene expression plasticity in sensory neurons.

Adiponectin as a routine clinical biomarker.

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Kishida, Ken; Funahashi, Tohru; Shimomura, Iichiro

2014-01-01

Adiponectin is a protein synthesized and secreted predominantly by adipocytes into the peripheral blood. However, circulating adiponectin level is inversely related with body weight, especially visceral fat accumulation. The mechanism of this paradoxical relation remains obscure. Low circulating adiponectin concentrations (hypoadiponectinemia; osteoporosis, and cancer (endometrial cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, leukemia, colon cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer). On the other hand, hyperadiponectinemia is associated with cardiac, renal and pulmonary diseases. This review article focuses on the significance of adiponectin as a clinical biomarker of obesity-related diseases. Routine measurement of adiponectin in patients with lifestyle-related diseases is highly recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Causal relationship between adiponectin and metabolic traits: a Mendelian randomization study in a multiethnic population.

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Andrew Mente

Full Text Available Adiponectin, a secretagogue exclusively produced by adipocytes, has been associated with metabolic features, but its role in the development of the metabolic syndrome remains unclear.We investigated the association between serum adiponectin level and metabolic traits, using both observational and genetic epidemiologic approaches in a multiethnic population assembled in Canada.Clinical data and serum adiponectin level were collected in 1,157 participants of the SHARE/SHARE-AP studies. Participants were genotyped for the functional rs266729 and rs1260326 SNPs in ADIPOQ and GCKR genes.Adiponectin level was positively associated with HDL cholesterol and negatively associated with body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, systolic and diastolic pressure (all P<0.002. The rs266729 minor G allele was associated with lower adiponectin and higher HOMA-IR (P = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively. The association between rs266729 SNP and HOMA-IR was no longer significant after adjustment for adiponectin concentration (P = 0.10. The rs266729 SNP was associated with HOMA-IR to an extent that exceeded its effect on adiponectin level (0.15 SD 95% C.I. [0.06, 0.24], P<0.001. There was no significant interaction between rs266729 SNP and ethnicity on adiponectin or HOMA-IR. In contrast, the SNP rs1260326 in GCKR was associated with HOMA-IR (P<0.001, but not with adiponectin level (P = 0.67.The association of the functional promoter polymorphism rs266729 with lower serum adiponectin and increased insulin resistance in diverse ethnic groups may suggest a causal relationship between adiponectin level and insulin resistance.

Serum Adiponectin in Women with Gestational Diabetes

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2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background &Objective: Adiponectin is an adipose tissue adipokin that may contribute to obesity and insulin resistantance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between serum concentrations of adiponectin and insulin resistance in gestational diabetes (GDM.Materials & Methods: Serum adiponectin levels, fasting blood sugar (FBS, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C, insulin levels and blood lipids were measured in 66 women with GDM and 70 pregnant women without GDM. The associations between serum concentrations of adiponectin and insulin resistance were evaluated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA–IR and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI.Results: There were statistically significant between-group differences in FBS, HbA1C and HOMA–IR. Adiponectin concentrations were not significantly different in GDM women in comparison with the control group. However, GDM women above the age of 30 have significantly lower adiponectin concentrations than those without GDM. Adiponectin was positively associated with QUICKI (r = 0.268, P < 0.03 and inversely related to HOMA–IR (r = 0.238, P < 0.05.Conclusion: Adiponectin is significantly decreased in older women with GDM. Deficiency of adiponectin may correlate with insulin resistance in GDM.

Is gene transcription involved in seed dry after-ripening?

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Patrice Meimoun

Full Text Available Orthodox seeds are living organisms that survive anhydrobiosis and may display dormancy, an inability to germinate at harvest. Seed germination potential can be acquired during a prolonged period of dry storage called after-ripening. The aim of this work was to determine if gene transcription is an underlying regulatory mechanism for dormancy alleviation during after-ripening. To identify changes in gene transcription strictly associated with the acquisition of germination potential but not with storage, we used seed storage at low relative humidity that maintains dormancy as control. Transcriptome profiling was performed using DNA microarray to compare change in gene transcript abundance between dormant (D, after-ripened non-dormant (ND and after-ripened dormant seeds (control, C. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR was used to confirm gene expression. Comparison between D and ND showed the differential expression of 115 probesets at cut-off values of two-fold change (p<0.05. Comparisons between both D and C with ND in transcript abundance showed that only 13 transcripts, among 115, could be specific to dormancy alleviation. qPCR confirms the expression pattern of these transcripts but without significant variation between conditions. Here we show that sunflower seed dormancy alleviation in the dry state is not related to regulated changes in gene expression.

Adiposity distribution influences circulating adiponectin levels

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Guenther, Mitchell; James, Roland; Marks, Jacqueline; Zhao, Shi; Szabo, Aniko; Kidambi, Srividya

2015-01-01

Thirty percent of obese individuals are metabolically healthy and were noted have increased peripheral obesity. Adipose tissue is the primary source of adiponectin, an adipokine with insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory properties. Lower adiponectin levels are observed in individuals with obesity and those at risk for cardiovascular disease. Conversely, higher levels are noted in some obese individuals who are metabolically healthy. Our objective was to determine whether abdominal adiposity distribution, rather than BMI status, influences plasma adiponectin level. Four-hundred and twenty-four subjects (female: 255) of Northern European ancestry were recruited from “Take Off Pounds Sensibly” (TOPS) weight loss club members. Demographics, anthropometrics, and dual X-ray absorptiometry of the whole body and CT scan of the abdomen were performed to obtain total body fat content and to quantify subcutaneous adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue respectively. Laboratory measurements included fasting plasma glucose, insulin, lipid panel, and adiponectin. Age- and gender-adjusted correlation analyses showed that adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, total fat mass, and visceral adipose tissue. A positive correlation was noted with HDL-cholesterol and fat free mass (padipose tissue -to-visceral adipose tissue ratios were also significantly associated with adiponectin (r=0.13, p = 0.001). Further, the best positive predictors for plasma adiponectin were found to be subcutaneous adipose tissue -to-visceral adipose tissue ratios and gender by regression analyses (Padiposity distribution is an important predictor of plasma adiponectin and obese individuals with higher subcutaneous adipose tissue -to-visceral adipose tissue ratios may have higher adiponectin levels. PMID:24811003

Transcription factor trapping by RNA in gene regulatory elements.

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Sigova, Alla A; Abraham, Brian J; Ji, Xiong; Molinie, Benoit; Hannett, Nancy M; Guo, Yang Eric; Jangi, Mohini; Giallourakis, Cosmas C; Sharp, Phillip A; Young, Richard A

2015-11-20

Transcription factors (TFs) bind specific sequences in promoter-proximal and -distal DNA elements to regulate gene transcription. RNA is transcribed from both of these DNA elements, and some DNA binding TFs bind RNA. Hence, RNA transcribed from regulatory elements may contribute to stable TF occupancy at these sites. We show that the ubiquitously expressed TF Yin-Yang 1 (YY1) binds to both gene regulatory elements and their associated RNA species across the entire genome. Reduced transcription of regulatory elements diminishes YY1 occupancy, whereas artificial tethering of RNA enhances YY1 occupancy at these elements. We propose that RNA makes a modest but important contribution to the maintenance of certain TFs at gene regulatory elements and suggest that transcription of regulatory elements produces a positive-feedback loop that contributes to the stability of gene expression programs. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Identification of transcription-factor genes expressed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte

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Kang Il-Ho

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In flowering plants, the female gametophyte is typically a seven-celled structure with four cell types: the egg cell, the central cell, the synergid cells, and the antipodal cells. These cells perform essential functions required for double fertilization and early seed development. Differentiation of these distinct cell types likely involves coordinated changes in gene expression regulated by transcription factors. Therefore, understanding female gametophyte cell differentiation and function will require dissection of the gene regulatory networks operating in each of the cell types. These efforts have been hampered because few transcription factor genes expressed in the female gametophyte have been identified. To identify such genes, we undertook a large-scale differential expression screen followed by promoter-fusion analysis to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte. Results Using quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR, we analyzed 1,482 Arabidopsis transcription-factor genes and identified 26 genes exhibiting reduced mRNA levels in determinate infertile 1 mutant ovaries, which lack female gametophytes, relative to ovaries containing female gametophytes. Spatial patterns of gene transcription within the mature female gametophyte were identified for 17 transcription-factor genes using promoter-fusion analysis. Of these, ten genes were predominantly expressed in a single cell type of the female gametophyte including the egg cell, central cell and the antipodal cells whereas the remaining seven genes were expressed in two or more cell types. After fertilization, 12 genes were transcriptionally active in the developing embryo and/or endosperm. Conclusions We have shown that our quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR differential-expression screen is sufficiently sensitive to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the female gametophyte. Most of the genes identified in this

Adiponectin haploinsufficiency promotes mammary tumor development in MMTV-PyVT mice by modulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog activities.

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Janice B B Lam

Full Text Available Adiponectin is an adipokine possessing beneficial effects on obesity-related medical complications. A negative association of adiponectin levels with breast cancer development has been demonstrated. However, the precise role of adiponectin deficiency in mammary carcinogenesis remains elusive.In the present study, MMTV-polyomavirus middle T antigen (MMTV-PyVT transgenic mice with reduced adiponectin expressions were established and the stromal effects of adiponectin haploinsufficiency on mammary tumor development evaluated. In mice from both FVB/N and C57BL/6J backgrounds, insufficient adiponectin production promoted mammary tumor onset and development. A distinctive basal-like subtype of tumors, with a more aggressive phenotype, was derived from adiponectin haplodeficient MMTV-PyVT mice. Comparing with those from control MMTV-PyVT mice, the isolated mammary tumor cells showed enhanced tumor progression in re-implanted nude mice, accelerated proliferation in primary cultures, and hyperactivated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K/Akt/beta-catenin signaling, which at least partly attributed to the decreased phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN activities. Further analysis revealed that PTEN was inactivated by a redox-regulated mechanism. Increased association of PTEN-thioredoxin complexes was detected in tumors derived from mice with reduced adiponectin levels. The activities of thioredoxin (Trx1 and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1 were significantly elevated, whereas treatment with either curcumin, an irreversible inhibitor of TrxR1, or adiponectin largely attenuated their activities and resulted in the re-activation of PTEN in these tumor cells. Moreover, adiponectin could inhibit TrxR1 promoter-mediated transcription and restore the mRNA expressions of TrxR1.Adiponectin haploinsufficiency facilitated mammary tumorigenesis by down-regulation of PTEN activity and activation of PI3K/Akt signalling pathway through a mechanism involving Trx1/TrxR1

Adiponectin and plant-derived mammalian adiponectin homolog exert a protective effect in murine colitis

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Arsenescu, Violeta; Narasimhan, Meena L.; Halide, Tuna; Bressan, Ray Anthony; Barisione, Chiara; Cohen, Donald A.; De Villiers, Willem Js S; Arsenescu, Razvan I.

2011-01-01

Background: Hypoadiponectinemia has been associated with states of chronic inflammation in humans. Mesenteric fat hypertrophy and low adiponectin have been described in patients with Crohn's disease. We investigated whether adiponectin and the plant

Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in Yersinia species

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Chelsea A Schiano

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Proper regulation of gene expression is required by bacterial pathogens to respond to continually changing environmental conditions and the host response during the infectious process. While transcriptional regulation is perhaps the most well understood form of controlling gene expression, recent studies have demonstrated the importance of post-transcriptional mechanisms of gene regulation that allow for more refined management of the bacterial response to host conditions. Yersinia species of bacteria are known to use various forms of post-transcriptional regulation for control of many virulence-associated genes. These include regulation by cis- and trans-acting small non-coding RNAs, RNA-binding proteins, RNases, and thermoswitches. The effects of these and other regulatory mechanisms on Yersinia physiology can be profound and have been shown to influence type III secretion, motility, biofilm formation, host cell invasion, intracellular survival and replication, and more. In this review, we will discuss these and other post-transcriptional mechanisms and their influence on virulence gene regulation, with a particular emphasis on how these processes influence the virulence of Yersinia in the host.

Frequency Modulation of Transcriptional Bursting Enables Sensitive and Rapid Gene Regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Congxin; Cesbron, François; Oehler, Michael; Brunner, Michael; Höfer, Thomas

2018-04-25

Gene regulation is a complex non-equilibrium process. Here, we show that quantitating the temporal regulation of key gene states (transcriptionally inactive, active, and refractory) provides a parsimonious framework for analyzing gene regulation. Our theory makes two non-intuitive predictions. First, for transcription factors (TFs) that regulate transcription burst frequency, as opposed to amplitude or duration, weak TF binding is sufficient to elicit strong transcriptional responses. Second, refractoriness of a gene after a transcription burst enables rapid responses to stimuli. We validate both predictions experimentally by exploiting the natural, optogenetic-like responsiveness of the Neurospora GATA-type TF White Collar Complex (WCC) to blue light. Further, we demonstrate that differential regulation of WCC target genes is caused by different gene activation rates, not different TF occupancy, and that these rates are tuned by both the core promoter and the distance between TF-binding site and core promoter. In total, our work demonstrates the relevance of a kinetic, non-equilibrium framework for understanding transcriptional regulation. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alkane Biosynthesis Genes in Cyanobacteria and Their Transcriptional Organization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klähn, Stephan; Baumgartner, Desirée; Pfreundt, Ulrike; Voigt, Karsten; Schön, Verena; Steglich, Claudia; Hess, Wolfgang R.

2014-01-01

In cyanobacteria, alkanes are synthesized from a fatty acyl-ACP by two enzymes, acyl–acyl carrier protein reductase and aldehyde deformylating oxygenase. Despite the great interest in the exploitation for biofuel production, nothing is known about the transcriptional organization of their genes or the physiological function of alkane synthesis. The comparison of 115 microarray datasets indicates the relatively constitutive expression of aar and ado genes. The analysis of 181 available genomes showed that in 90% of the genomes both genes are present, likely indicating their physiological relevance. In 61% of them they cluster together with genes encoding acetyl-CoA carboxyl transferase and a short-chain dehydrogenase, strengthening the link to fatty acid metabolism and in 76% of the genomes they are located in tandem, suggesting constraints on the gene arrangement. However, contrary to the expectations for an operon, we found in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 specific promoters for the two genes, sll0208 (ado) and sll0209 (aar), which give rise to monocistronic transcripts. Moreover, the upstream located ado gene is driven by a proximal as well as a second, distal, promoter, from which a third transcript, the ~160 nt sRNA SyR9 is transcribed. Thus, the transcriptional organization of the alkane biosynthesis genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is of substantial complexity. We verified all three promoters to function independently from each other and show a similar promoter arrangement also in the more distant Nodularia spumigena, Trichodesmium erythraeum, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, Prochlorococcus MIT9313, and MED4. The presence of separate regulatory elements and the dominance of monocistronic mRNAs suggest the possible autonomous regulation of ado and aar. The complex transcriptional organization of the alkane synthesis gene cluster has possible metabolic implications and should be considered when manipulating the expression of these genes in cyanobacteria.

Alkane biosynthesis genes in cyanobacteria and their transcriptional organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephan eKlähn

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In cyanobacteria, alkanes are synthesized from a fatty acyl-ACP by two enzymes, acyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (AAR and aldehyde deformylating oxygenase (ADO. Despite the great interest in the exploitation for biofuel production, nothing is known about the transcriptional organization of their genes or the physiological function of alkane synthesis. The comparison of 115 microarray datasets indicates the relatively constitutive expression of aar and ado genes. The analysis of 181 available genomes showed that in 90% of the genomes both genes are present, likely indicating their physiological relevance. In 61% of them they cluster together with genes encoding acetyl-CoA carboxyl transferase and a short chain dehydrogenase, strengthening the link to fatty acid metabolism and in 76% of the genomes they are located in tandem, suggesting constraints on the gene arrangement. However, contrary to the expectations for an operon, we found in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 specific promoters for the two genes, sll0208 (ado and sll0209 (aar, that give rise to monocistronic transcripts. Moreover, the upstream located ado gene is driven by a proximal as well as a second, distal, promoter, from which a third transcript, the ~160 nt sRNA SyR9 is transcribed. Thus, the transcriptional organization of the alkane biosynthesis genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is of substantial complexity. We verified all three promoters to function independently from each other and show a similar promoter arrangement also in the more distant Nodularia spumigena, Trichodesmium erythraeum, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, Prochlorococcus MIT9313 and MED4. The presence of separate regulatory elements and the dominance of monocistronic mRNAs suggest the possible autonomous regulation of ado and aar. The complex transcriptional organization of the alkane synthesis gene cluster has possible metabolic implications and should be considered when manipulating the expression of these genes in

Alkane Biosynthesis Genes in Cyanobacteria and Their Transcriptional Organization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klähn, Stephan; Baumgartner, Desirée; Pfreundt, Ulrike; Voigt, Karsten; Schön, Verena; Steglich, Claudia; Hess, Wolfgang R., E-mail: wolfgang.hess@biologie.uni-freiburg.de [Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Institute of Biology 3, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg (Germany)

2014-07-14

In cyanobacteria, alkanes are synthesized from a fatty acyl-ACP by two enzymes, acyl–acyl carrier protein reductase and aldehyde deformylating oxygenase. Despite the great interest in the exploitation for biofuel production, nothing is known about the transcriptional organization of their genes or the physiological function of alkane synthesis. The comparison of 115 microarray datasets indicates the relatively constitutive expression of aar and ado genes. The analysis of 181 available genomes showed that in 90% of the genomes both genes are present, likely indicating their physiological relevance. In 61% of them they cluster together with genes encoding acetyl-CoA carboxyl transferase and a short-chain dehydrogenase, strengthening the link to fatty acid metabolism and in 76% of the genomes they are located in tandem, suggesting constraints on the gene arrangement. However, contrary to the expectations for an operon, we found in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 specific promoters for the two genes, sll0208 (ado) and sll0209 (aar), which give rise to monocistronic transcripts. Moreover, the upstream located ado gene is driven by a proximal as well as a second, distal, promoter, from which a third transcript, the ~160 nt sRNA SyR9 is transcribed. Thus, the transcriptional organization of the alkane biosynthesis genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is of substantial complexity. We verified all three promoters to function independently from each other and show a similar promoter arrangement also in the more distant Nodularia spumigena, Trichodesmium erythraeum, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, Prochlorococcus MIT9313, and MED4. The presence of separate regulatory elements and the dominance of monocistronic mRNAs suggest the possible autonomous regulation of ado and aar. The complex transcriptional organization of the alkane synthesis gene cluster has possible metabolic implications and should be considered when manipulating the expression of these genes in cyanobacteria.

Disturbed secretion of mutant adiponectin associated with the metabolic syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kishida, Ken; Nagaretani, Hiroyuki; Kondo, Hidehiko; Kobayashi, Hideki; Tanaka, Sachiyo; Maeda, Norikazu; Nagasawa, Azumi; Hibuse, Toshiyuki; Ohashi, Koji; Kumada, Masahiro; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Okamoto, Yoshihisa; Ouchi, Noriyuki; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Kihara, Shinji; Funahashi, Tohru; Matsuzawa, Yuji

2003-06-20

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived protein, consists of collagen-like fibrous and complement C1q-like globular domains, and circulates in human plasma in a multimeric form. The protein exhibits anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic activities. However, adiponectin plasma concentrations are low in obese subjects, and hypoadiponectinemia is associated with the metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. We have recently reported a missense mutation in the adiponectin gene, in which isoleucine at position 164 in the globular domain is substituted with threonine (I164T). Subjects with this mutation showed markedly low level of plasma adiponectin and clinical features of the metabolic syndrome. Here, we examined the molecular characteristics of the mutant protein associated with a genetic cause of hypoadiponectinemia. The current study revealed (1) the mutant protein showed an oligomerization state similar to the wild-type as determined by gel filtration chromatography and, (2) the mutant protein exhibited normal insulin-sensitizing activity, but (3) pulse-chase study showed abnormal secretion of the mutant protein from adipose tissues. Our results suggest that I164T mutation is associated with hypoadiponectinemia through disturbed secretion into plasma, which may contribute to the development of the metabolic syndrome.

Endometria from Obese PCOS Women with Hyperinsulinemia Exhibit Altered Adiponectin Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

García, V; Oróstica, L; Poblete, C; Rosas, C; Astorga, I; Romero, C; Vega, M

2015-11-01

Hyperandrogenemia, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity affect 60-70% of patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), who exhibit an altered endometrial insulin signaling. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinism, and obesity present in PCOS patients impair the endometrial adiponectin signaling pathway. The ex vivo study was conducted on 27 samples from lean (n=9), obese (n=9), and obese-PCOS (n=9) patients. The in vitro assays were performed in immortalized human endometrial stromal cells stimulated with testosterone, insulin, or testosterone plus insulin. Serum steroid-hormones, adiponectin, glucose, and insulin; body mass index, free androgen index, ISI-Composite, and HOMA were evaluated in the 3 groups. Ex vivo and in vitro gene expression and protein content of adiponectin, AdipoR1, AdipoR2, and APPL1 were determined. Adiponectin serum levels were decreased in obese-PCOS patients compared to lean (78%) and obese (54%) controls (pPCOS and lean groups (2-fold, plean group (6-fold, pPCOS patients, corroborated in the in vitro model, which could affect endometrial function and potentially the implantation process. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Tumoral Environment Triggers Transcript Anomalies in Established Tumors: Induction of Altered Gene Expression and of Aberrant, Truncated and B2 Repeat-Containing Gene Transcripts

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Pieter Rottiers

1999-12-01

Full Text Available In addition to eugenetic changes, cancerous cells exhibit extensive modifications in the expression levels of a variety of genes. The phenotypic switch observed after inoculation of T lymphoma cells into syngenic mice illustrates the active participation of tumoral environment in the induction of an aberrant gene expression pattern. To further substantiate this contribution, we performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR-based subtraction suppression hybridization (SSH to identify genes that are differentially expressed in tumor-derived EL4/13.3 cells compared to the same cells isolated from cultures. Besides a number of unknown genes, the subtracted library contained several known genes that have been reported to be expressed at increased levels in tumors and/or to contribute to carcinogenesis. Apart from clones representing translated transcripts, the subtracted library also contained a high number of clones representing B2 repeat elements, viz. short interspersed repetitive elements that are transcribed by RNA polymerase III. Northern blotting confirmed the induction of B2 transcripts in tumor tissue and also revealed induction of chimeric, B2 repeat-containing mRNA. The appearance of chimeric transcripts was accompanied by aberrant, shorter-than-full-length transcripts, specifically from upregulated genes. Accordingly, in addition to altered gene expression, tumoral environmental triggers constitute a potent mechanism to create an epigenetic diversity in cancers by inducing extensive transcript anomalies.

Transcription of the soybean leghemoglobin genes during nodule development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marcker, Anne; Ø Jensen, Erik; Marcker, Kjeld A

1984-01-01

During the early stages of soybean nodule development the leghemoglobin (Lb) genes are activated sequentially in the opposite order to which they are arranged in the soybean genome. At a specific stage after the initial activation of all the Lb genes, a large increment occurs in the transcription...... of the Lb(c1), Lb(c3) and Lb(a) genes while the transcription of the Lb(c2) gene is not amplified to a similar extent. All the Lb genes retain significant activity for a long period during the lifetime of a nodule. Consequently the soybean Lb genes are not regulated by a developmental gene switching...

Total and high molecular weight adiponectin are elevated in patients with Laron syndrome despite marked obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanety, Hannah; Hemi, Rina; Ginsberg, Shira; Pariente, Clara; Yissachar, Eleanor; Barhod, Ehud; Funahashi, Tohru; Laron, Zvi

2009-12-01

Patients with Laron syndrome (LS; primary GH insensitivity) caused by molecular defects of the GH receptor gene, are characterized by dwarfism, profound obesity, and hyperlipidemia. The aim of the current study was to evaluate adiponectin levels in LS, as obesity is known to be associated with low adiponectin. We studied nine untreated LS adult patients (5 males, 4 females) and six girls with LS receiving once-daily treatment by IGF1. Total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin levels, adiponectin multimers distribution, and metabolic indices were analyzed in serum samples obtained during several years of follow-up. Adiponectin levels in the severely obese adult LS patients (percent body fat; females 61.0+/-2.5%, males 40.6+/-8.1%) were two- to three-fold higher than those reported for subjects of corresponding age, gender and degree of adiposity. Total adiponectin was significantly higher in females compared with males (21.4+/-3.5 vs 10.2+/-4.6 microg/ml, P<0.001). The elevated adiponectin in LS subjects was associated with an increased abundance of the HMW isoform, and positively correlated with body fat percentage (r=0.65, P=0.017) and leptin (r=0.65, P=0.012). There was no correlation between adiponectin levels (total and HMW) and the degree of insulin resistance in LS subjects or their blood lipids levels. Adiponectin was also high in young girls with LS (22.9+/-7.4 microg/ml) and did not change during long-term IGF1 replacement therapy. Adiponectin hypersecretion in LS, despite profound obesity, suggests that GH activity may negatively impact adiponectin secretion from adipocytes.

Adiponectin enhances osteogenic differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells by activating the APPL1-AMPK signaling pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Tong; Wu, Yu-wei; Lu, Hui; Guo, Yuan [Second Dental Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China); National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China); Tang, Zhi-hui, E-mail: tang_zhihui@live.cn [Second Dental Center, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China); National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China)

2015-05-29

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with multi-lineage differentiation potential including osteogenesis and adipogenesis. While significant progress has been made in understanding the transcriptional control of hASC fate, little is known about how hASC differentiation is regulated by the autocrine loop. The most abundant adipocytokine secreted by adipocytes, adiponectin (APN) plays a pivotal role in glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis. Growing evidence suggests a positive association between APN and bone formation yet little is known regarding the direct effects of APN on hASC osteogenesis. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the varied osteogenic effects and regulatory mechanisms of APN in the osteogenic commitment of hASCs. We found that APN enhanced the expression of osteoblast-related genes in hASCs, such as osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, and runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2, also known as CBFa1), in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This was further confirmed by the higher expression levels of alkaline phosphatase and increased formation of mineralization nodules, along with the absence of inhibition of cell proliferation. Importantly, APN at 1 μg/ml was the optimal concentration, resulting in maximum deposition of calcium nodules, and was significant superior to bone morphogenetic protein 2. Mechanistically, we found for the first time that APN increased nuclear translocation of the leucine zipper motif (APPL)-1 as well as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, which were reversed by pretreatment with APPL1 siRNA. Our results indicate that APN promotes the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs by activating APPL1-AMPK signaling, suggesting that manipulation of APN is a novel therapeutic target for controlling hASC fate. - Highlights: • Adiponectin enhances osteogenic differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells. • The knock-down of APPL1 block the enhancement of

Dynamical behavior of psb gene transcripts in greening wheat seedlings. I. Time course of accumulation of the pshA through psbN gene transcripts during light-induced greening.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, H; Fukuda, I; Shiina, T; Toyoshima, Y

1992-11-01

The time course of the accumulation of the transcripts from 13 psb genes encoding a major part of the proteins composing photosystem II during light-induced greening of dark-grown wheat seedlings was examined focusing on early stages of plastid development (0.5 h through 72 h). The 13 genes can be divided into three groups. (1) The psbA gene is transcribed as a single transcript of 1.3 kb in the dark-grown seedlings, but its level increases 5- to 7-fold in response to light due to selective increase in RNA stability as well as in transcription activity. (2) The psbE-F-L-J operon, psbM and psbN genes are transcribed as a single transcript of 1.1 kb, two transcripts of 0.5 and 0.7 kb and a single transcript of 0.3 kb, respectively, in the dark-grown seedlings. The levels of accumulation of every transcript remain unchanged or rather decrease during plastid development under illumination. (3) The psbK-I-D-C gene cluster and psbB-H operon exhibit fairly complicated northern hybridization patterns during the greening process. When a psbC or psbD gene probe was used for northern hybridization, five transcripts differing in length were detected in the etioplasts from 5-day old dark-grown seedlings. After 2 h illumination, two new transcripts of different length appeared. Light induction of new transcripts was also observed in the psbB-H operon.

Relationship between adiponectin and type 2 diabetes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Cuiying; Wang Qing; Han Yuan; Huang Gang

2007-01-01

In order to study the effect of plasma adiponectin on type 2 diabetes patients, the correlation between plasma adiponectin, serum glucose, insulin and plasma lipid of the patients with type 2 diabetes was analyzed. 32 subjects with normal glucose, 105 with type 2 diabetes, including 53 subjects without obesity (BMI 2 ) and 52 with obesity (BMI≥25kg/m 2 ) were involved into this study. The fasting plasma adiponectin, serum glucose, insulin and plasma lipid were measured by RIA. The results showed that the mean plasma adiponectin in normal, non-obesity and obesity group was 9.46±0.89 mg/L, 5.83±1.06mg/L and 3.17± 0.56mg/L, respectively. The plasma adiponectin levels in the type 2 diabetes group were significantly lower than that in normal group (P<0.05), especially in obesity group. The adiponectin level was significantly correlated with serum glucose and triglyceride, r value was -0.59 and -0.76, respectively. Adiponectin may be a kind of protective factor. It takes part in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, and is close correlated with insulin resistance. The plasma adiponectin might be an effective index in the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. (authors)

Maternal serum levels of adiponectin in preeclampsia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khosrowbeygi, A.; Ahmadvand, H.

2009-01-01

The results of the serum levels of adiponectin in pre eclamptic patients are conflicting. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess serum levels of adiponectin in women with pre eclampsia compared with healthy pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed. The case group consisted of women with pre eclampsia (n=30). The control group consisted of 30 matched normal pregnant women. Serum levels of adiponectin were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: Serum levels of adiponectin were significantly higher in the pre eclamptic group than those in the normal control group. In the pre eclamptic patients serum levels of adiponectin showed a significant negative correlation with body mass index while no correlation was found in the normal pregnant women. In women with pre eclampsia, levels of adiponectin were decreased significantly in the overweight women compared with normal weight women, while in the control group no significant difference was observed. Conclusion: In conclusion, elevation of adiponectin levels might be a physiological feedback response to minimize endothelial dysfunction in pre eclamptic patients. (author)

Leptin, adiponectin, leptin to adiponectin ratio and insulin resistance in depressive women.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeman, Miroslav; Jirak, Roman; Jachymova, Marie; Vecka, Marek; Tvrzicka, Eva; Zak, Ales

2009-01-01

Depressive disorder (DD) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It was suggested, that metabolic syndrome (MetS), cluster of metabolic and hormonal changes, such as insulin resistence (IR), abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension and elevated fasting glycaemia, could stand behind the connection. Recent findings have shown, that adipocytokines leptin and adiponectin might play a role in both depression and MetS. The aim of this pilot study was to observe the plasma concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio and indices of IR in women with depressive disorder. The plasma leptin, adiponectin, parameters of lipid and glucose homeostasis and indices of IR were investigated in a group of 38 women with DD. The results were compared with those of 38 healthy women of the control group, matched for age. Depressive women differed significantly from the controls in higher concentrations of plasma leptin (p insulin (p insulin sensitivity was lower (p <0.01). HAM-D score of DD cases correlated negatively with adiponectin (r = - 0.3505; p < 0.05), independently of HOMA-IR. We have not found in DD group any differences between the drug free patients and those treated either with escitaloprame alone or in the combination with mirtazapine. The results of the pilot study presented support the hypothesis that at least part of DD cases has increased leptin serum levels and certain features of MetS. It could be the factor connecting depression with an increased risk of either DM2 or CVD.

Adipocyte spliced form of X-box-binding protein 1 promotes adiponectin multimerization and systemic glucose homeostasis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sha, H.; Yang, L.; Liu, M.; Xia, S.; Liu, Y.; Liu, F.; Kersten, A.H.; Qi, L.

2014-01-01

The physiological role of the spliced form of X-box–binding protein 1 (XBP1s), a key transcription factor of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, in adipose tissue remains largely unknown. In this study, we show that overexpression of XBP1s promotes adiponectin multimerization in

Serum high molecular weight complex of adiponectin correlates better with glucose tolerance than total serum adiponectin in Indo-Asian males.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, F F M; Trujillo, M E; Hanif, W; Barnett, A H; McTernan, P G; Scherer, P E; Kumar, S

2005-06-01

It is well established that total systemic adiponectin is reduced in type 2 diabetic subjects. To date most studies have been concerned with the singular full-length protein or proteolytically cleaved globular domain. It is, however, apparent that the native protein circulates in serum as a lower molecular weight hexamer and as larger multimeric structures of high molecular weight (HMW). In this study we address the clinical significance of each form of the protein with respect to glucose tolerance. Serum was obtained from 34 Indo-Asian male subjects (BMI 26.5+/-3.1; age 52.15+/-10.14 years) who had undertaken a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. An aliquot of serum was fractionated using velocity sedimentation followed by reducing SDS-PAGE. Western blots were probed for adiponectin, and HMW adiponectin as a percentage of total adiponectin (percentage of higher molecular weight adiponectin [S(A)] index) was calculated from densitometry readings. Total adiponectin was measured using ELISA; leptin, insulin and IL-6 were determined using ELISA. Analysis of the cohort demonstrated that total adiponectin (r = 0.625, p = 0.0001), fasting insulin (r = -0.354, p = 0.040) and age (r = 0.567, p = 0.0001) correlated with S(A). S(A) showed a tighter, inverse correlation with 2-h glucose levels (r = -0.58, p = 0.0003) than total adiponectin (r = -0.38, p = 0.0001). This study demonstrates the importance of the S(A) index as a better determinant of glucose intolerance than measurements of total adiponectin. Our findings suggest that HMW adiponectin is the active form of the protein.

Leptin and adiponectin in the female life course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.B. Lecke

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Adipose tissue secretes a variety of adipokines, including leptin and adiponectin, which are involved in endocrine processes regulating glucose and fatty metabolism, energy expenditure, inflammatory response, immunity, cardiovascular function, and reproduction. The present article describes the fluctuations in circulating leptin and adiponectin as well as their patterns of secretion in women from birth to menopause. During pregnancy, leptin and adiponectin seem to act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion in the placenta and adipose tissue, playing a role in the maternal-fetal interface and contributing to glucose metabolism and fetal development. In newborns, adiponectin levels are two to three times higher than in adults. Full-term newborns have significantly higher leptin and adiponectin levels than preterms, whereas small-for-gestational-age infants have lower levels of these adipokines than adequate-for-gestational-age newborns. However, with weight gain, leptin concentrations increase significantly. Children between 5 and 8 years of age experience an increase in leptin and a decrease in adiponectin regardless of body mass index, with a reversal of the newborn pattern for adiponectin: plasma adiponectin levels at age five are inversely correlated with percentage of body fat. In puberty, leptin plays a role in the regulation of menstrual cycles. In adults, it has been suggested that obese individuals exhibit both leptin resistance and decreased serum adiponectin levels. In conclusion, a progressive increase in adiposity throughout life seems to influence the relationship between leptin and adiponectin in women.

Increased hypothalamic 5-HT2A receptor gene expression and effects of pharmacologic 5-HT2A receptor inactivation in obese Ay mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nonogaki, Katsunori; Nozue, Kana; Oka, Yoshitomo

2006-01-01

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) 2A receptors contribute to the effects of 5-HT on platelet aggregation and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and are reportedly involved in decreases in plasma levels of adiponectin, an adipokine, in diabetic subjects. Here, we report that systemic administration of sarpogrelate, a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, suppressed appetite and increased hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript, corticotropin releasing hormone, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT1B receptor gene expression. A y mice, which have ectopic expression of the agouti protein, significantly increased hypothalamic 5-HT2A receptor gene expression in association with obesity compared with wild-type mice matched for age. Systemic administration of sarpogrelate suppressed overfeeding, body weight gain, and hyperglycemia in obese A y mice, whereas it did not increase plasma adiponectin levels. These results suggest that obesity increases hypothalamic 5-HT2A receptor gene expression, and pharmacologic inactivation of 5-HT2A receptors inhibits overfeeding and obesity in A y mice, but did not increase plasma adiponectin levels

Nicotinic Acid Increases Adiponectin Secretion from Differentiated Bovine Preadipocytes through G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Kopp

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The transition period in dairy cows (3 weeks prepartum until 3 weeks postpartum is associated with substantial mobilization of energy stores, which is often associated with metabolic diseases. Nicotinic acid (NA is an antilipolytic and lipid-lowering compound used to treat dyslipidaemia in humans, and it also reduces non-esterified fatty acids in cattle. In mice the G-protein coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A ligand NA positively affects the secretion of adiponectin, an important modulator of glucose and fat metabolism. In cattle, the corresponding data linking NA to adiponectin are missing. Our objective was to examine the effects of NA on adiponectin and AMPK protein abundance and the expression of mRNAs of related genes such as chemerin, an adipokine that enhances adiponectin secretion in vitro. Differentiated bovine adipocytes were incubated with pertussis toxin (PTX to verify the involvement of GPR signaling, and treated with 10 or 15 µM NA for 12 or 24 h. NA increased adiponectin concentrations (p ≤ 0.001 and the mRNA abundances of GPR109A (p ≤ 0.05 and chemerin (p ≤ 0.01. Pre-incubation with PTX reduced the adiponectin response to NA (p ≤ 0.001. The NA-stimulated secretion of adiponectin and the mRNA expression of chemerin in the bovine adipocytes were suggestive of GPR signaling-dependent improved insulin sensitivity and/or adipocyte metabolism in dairy cows.

Mapping the transcription termination region of the mouse immunoglobulin kappa gene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, M.; Garrard, W.T.

1986-01-01

To define the transcription termination region of the mouse immunoglobulin kappa gene, they have subcloned single copy DNA sequences corresponding to both the template and the non-template strands of this locus. In vitro nuclear transcription with isolated MPC-11 nuclei was performed and the resulting 32 P-labeled RNA was hybridized to slot-blotted, single-stranded M13 probes covering regions within and flanking the kappa gene. The hybridization pattern for the template-strand reveals that transcription terminates within the region between 1.1 to 2.3 kb downstream from the poly(A) site. Ten different short sequences (8-13 bp) reside within 460 bp of this region that exhibit homology with sequences found in the termination regions of mouse β-globin and chicken ovalbumin genes. Transcription of the non-template strand occurs on either side of this termination region. They note that no transcription is detectable on the non-template strand downstream of the enhancer, indicating that if RNA polymerase II enters at this site, it does not initiate transcription during transit to the promoter region. They conclude that transcription of the kappa gene passes the poly(A) addition site and terminates within 2.3 Kb downstream

Microarray-Based Identification of Transcription Factor Target Genes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorte, M.; Horstman, A.; Page, R.B.; Heidstra, R.; Stromberg, A.; Boutilier, K.A.

2011-01-01

Microarray analysis is widely used to identify transcriptional changes associated with genetic perturbation or signaling events. Here we describe its application in the identification of plant transcription factor target genes with emphasis on the design of suitable DNA constructs for controlling TF

Analysis of convergent gene transcripts in the obligate intracellular bacterium Rickettsia prowazekii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Woodard

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Termination of transcription is an important component of bacterial gene expression. However, little is known concerning this process in the obligate intracellular pathogen and model for reductive evolution, Rickettsia prowazekii. To assess transcriptional termination in this bacterium, transcripts of convergent gene pairs, some containing predicted intrinsic terminators, were analyzed. These analyses revealed that, rather than terminating at a specific site within the intervening region between the convergent genes, most of the transcripts demonstrated either a lack of termination within this region, which generated antisense RNA, or a putative non-site-specific termination that occurred throughout the intervening sequence. Transcripts terminating at predicted intrinsic terminators, as well as at a putative Rho-dependant terminator, were also examined and found to vary based on the rickettsial host environment. These results suggest that transcriptional termination, or lack thereof, plays a role in rickettsial gene regulation.

A genome-wide association study reveals variants in ARL15 that influence adiponectin levels.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Brent Richards

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The adipocyte-derived protein adiponectin is highly heritable and inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D and coronary heart disease (CHD. We meta-analyzed 3 genome-wide association studies for circulating adiponectin levels (n = 8,531 and sought validation of the lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in 5 additional cohorts (n = 6,202. Five SNPs were genome-wide significant in their relationship with adiponectin (P< or =5x10(-8. We then tested whether these 5 SNPs were associated with risk of T2D and CHD using a Bonferroni-corrected threshold of P< or =0.011 to declare statistical significance for these disease associations. SNPs at the adiponectin-encoding ADIPOQ locus demonstrated the strongest associations with adiponectin levels (P-combined = 9.2x10(-19 for lead SNP, rs266717, n = 14,733. A novel variant in the ARL15 (ADP-ribosylation factor-like 15 gene was associated with lower circulating levels of adiponectin (rs4311394-G, P-combined = 2.9x10(-8, n = 14,733. This same risk allele at ARL15 was also associated with a higher risk of CHD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, P = 8.5x10(-6, n = 22,421 more nominally, an increased risk of T2D (OR = 1.11, P = 3.2x10(-3, n = 10,128, and several metabolic traits. Expression studies in humans indicated that ARL15 is well-expressed in skeletal muscle. These findings identify a novel protein, ARL15, which influences circulating adiponectin levels and may impact upon CHD risk.

Serum adiponectin predicts all-cause mortality and end stage renal disease in patients with type I diabetes and diabetic nephropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jorsal, A.; Tarnow, L.; Frystyk, J.

2008-01-01

Adiponectin levels are increased in patients with type I diabetes especially in the presence of microangiopathy. Here we determined the predictive value of serum adiponectin levels and 8 adiponectin gene polymorphisms for mortality, cardiovascular events and end-stage renal disease in type I...... diabetic patients. This prospective, observational follow-up study of type I diabetics consisted of 438 patients with overt diabetic nephropathy that were compared to 440 type I patients with normal albumin excretion. These two groups were followed an average of 8 years and generally matched for gender......, age and duration of diabetes. Cox regression analysis of 373 patients showed a covariate-adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality of 1.46 for a change of one standard deviation in log10 of serum adiponectin. There was no association with cardiovascular events; however, serum adiponectin levels...

Cryptic Transcription and Early Termination in the Control of Gene Expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessie Colin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Recent studies on yeast transcriptome have revealed the presence of a large set of RNA polymerase II transcripts mapping to intergenic and antisense regions or overlapping canonical genes. Most of these ncRNAs (ncRNAs are subject to termination by the Nrd1-dependent pathway and rapid degradation by the nuclear exosome and have been dubbed cryptic unstable transcripts (CUTs. CUTs are often considered as by-products of transcriptional noise, but in an increasing number of cases they play a central role in the control of gene expression. Regulatory mechanisms involving expression of a CUT are diverse and include attenuation, transcriptional interference, and alternative transcription start site choice. This review focuses on the impact of cryptic transcription on gene expression, describes the role of the Nrd1-complex as the main actor in preventing nonfunctional and potentially harmful transcription, and details a few systems where expression of a CUT has an essential regulatory function. We also summarize the most recent studies concerning other types of ncRNAs and their possible role in regulation.

Effect of berberine on the ratio of high-molecular weight adiponectin to total adiponectin and adiponectin receptors expressions in high-fat diet fed rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yue-Yue; Zha, Ying; Liu, Jun; Wang, Fang; Xu, Jiong; Chen, Zao-Ping; Ding, He-Yuan; Sheng, Li; Han, Xiao-Jie

2016-11-17

To assess the effects of berberine (BBR) on high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and adiponectin receptors (adipoR1/adipoR2) expressions in high-fat (HF) diet fed rats. Forty Wistar male rats were randomly assigned into a normal diet fed group and three HF diet (fat for 45% calories) fed groups (n=10 for each group). All rats underwent 12 weeks of feeding. After 4 weeks feeding, rats in the two of three HF diet fed groups were treated with 150 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 BBR (HF+LBBR group) and 380 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 BBR (HF+HBBR group) by gavage once a day respectively for the next 8 weeks while the rats in other groups treated with vehicle (NF+Veh and HF+Veh). Body weight and food intake were observed and recorded on daily basis. At the end of 12 weeks, the blood, liver, epididymal fat tissues and quadriceps femoris muscles were collected. Fasting insulin, plasma fasting glucose, serum free fatty acid (FFA), total adiponectin and HMW adiponectin levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. Glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were performed to determine the insulinsensitizing. Meanwhile the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) method was used to determine insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The expressions of adipoR1, adipoR2 and adenosine monophophate activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation level in skeletal muscle and liver tissue were detected by Western blot. Liver and kidney toxicity were evaluated during treatment. The body weight of rats in high- or low-dose BBR group reduced as well as HOMA-IR, FFA concentrations and fasting insulin levels decreased compared with HF+Veh group (Pinsulin resistance by increasing the expression of adiponectin receptors and the ratio of HMW to total adiponectin.

Synaptic, transcriptional and chromatin genes disrupted in autism.

Science.gov (United States)

De Rubeis, Silvia; He, Xin; Goldberg, Arthur P; Poultney, Christopher S; Samocha, Kaitlin; Cicek, A Erucment; Kou, Yan; Liu, Li; Fromer, Menachem; Walker, Susan; Singh, Tarinder; Klei, Lambertus; Kosmicki, Jack; Shih-Chen, Fu; Aleksic, Branko; Biscaldi, Monica; Bolton, Patrick F; Brownfeld, Jessica M; Cai, Jinlu; Campbell, Nicholas G; Carracedo, Angel; Chahrour, Maria H; Chiocchetti, Andreas G; Coon, Hilary; Crawford, Emily L; Curran, Sarah R; Dawson, Geraldine; Duketis, Eftichia; Fernandez, Bridget A; Gallagher, Louise; Geller, Evan; Guter, Stephen J; Hill, R Sean; Ionita-Laza, Juliana; Jimenz Gonzalez, Patricia; Kilpinen, Helena; Klauck, Sabine M; Kolevzon, Alexander; Lee, Irene; Lei, Irene; Lei, Jing; Lehtimäki, Terho; Lin, Chiao-Feng; Ma'ayan, Avi; Marshall, Christian R; McInnes, Alison L; Neale, Benjamin; Owen, Michael J; Ozaki, Noriio; Parellada, Mara; Parr, Jeremy R; Purcell, Shaun; Puura, Kaija; Rajagopalan, Deepthi; Rehnström, Karola; Reichenberg, Abraham; Sabo, Aniko; Sachse, Michael; Sanders, Stephan J; Schafer, Chad; Schulte-Rüther, Martin; Skuse, David; Stevens, Christine; Szatmari, Peter; Tammimies, Kristiina; Valladares, Otto; Voran, Annette; Li-San, Wang; Weiss, Lauren A; Willsey, A Jeremy; Yu, Timothy W; Yuen, Ryan K C; Cook, Edwin H; Freitag, Christine M; Gill, Michael; Hultman, Christina M; Lehner, Thomas; Palotie, Aaarno; Schellenberg, Gerard D; Sklar, Pamela; State, Matthew W; Sutcliffe, James S; Walsh, Christiopher A; Scherer, Stephen W; Zwick, Michael E; Barett, Jeffrey C; Cutler, David J; Roeder, Kathryn; Devlin, Bernie; Daly, Mark J; Buxbaum, Joseph D

2014-11-13

The genetic architecture of autism spectrum disorder involves the interplay of common and rare variants and their impact on hundreds of genes. Using exome sequencing, here we show that analysis of rare coding variation in 3,871 autism cases and 9,937 ancestry-matched or parental controls implicates 22 autosomal genes at a false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05, plus a set of 107 autosomal genes strongly enriched for those likely to affect risk (FDR < 0.30). These 107 genes, which show unusual evolutionary constraint against mutations, incur de novo loss-of-function mutations in over 5% of autistic subjects. Many of the genes implicated encode proteins for synaptic formation, transcriptional regulation and chromatin-remodelling pathways. These include voltage-gated ion channels regulating the propagation of action potentials, pacemaking and excitability-transcription coupling, as well as histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodellers-most prominently those that mediate post-translational lysine methylation/demethylation modifications of histones.

Light-harvesting complex gene expression is controlled by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms during photoacclimation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

CERN Document Server

Durnford Dion, G; McKim, Sarah M; Sarchfield, Michelle L

2003-01-01

To compensate for increases in photon flux density (PFD), photosynthetic organisms possess mechanisms for reversibly modulating their photosynthetic apparatus to minimize photodamage. The photoacclimation response in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was assessed following a 10-fold increase in PFD over 24h. In addition to a 50% reduction in the amount of chlorophyll and light-harvesting complexes (LHC) per cell, the expression of genes encoding polypeptides of the light-harvesting antenna were also affected. The abundance of Lhcb (a LHCH gene), Lhcb4 (a CP29-like gene), and Lhca (a LHCI gene) transcripts were reduced by 65 to 80%, within 1-2 h; however, the RNA levels of all three genes recovered to their low-light (LL) concentrations within 6-8 h. To determine the role of transcript turnover in this transient decline in abundance, the stability of all transcripts was measured. Although there was no change in the Lhcb or Lhca transcript turnover time, the Lhcb4 mRNA stability decreased 2.5-fold immediately following...

Post-transcriptional bursting in genes regulated by small RNA molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigo, Guillermo

2018-03-01

Gene expression programs in living cells are highly dynamic due to spatiotemporal molecular signaling and inherent biochemical stochasticity. Here we study a mechanism based on molecule-to-molecule variability at the RNA level for the generation of bursts of protein production, which can lead to heterogeneity in a cell population. We develop a mathematical framework to show numerically and analytically that genes regulated post transcriptionally by small RNA molecules can exhibit such bursts due to different states of translation activity (on or off), mostly revealed in a regime of few molecules. We exploit this framework to compare transcriptional and post-transcriptional bursting and also to illustrate how to tune the resulting protein distribution with additional post-transcriptional regulations. Moreover, because RNA-RNA interactions are predictable with an energy model, we define the kinetic constants of on-off switching as functions of the two characteristic free-energy differences of the system, activation and formation, with a nonequilibrium scheme. Overall, post-transcriptional bursting represents a distinctive principle linking gene regulation to gene expression noise, which highlights the importance of the RNA layer beyond the simple information transfer paradigm and significantly contributes to the understanding of the intracellular processes from a first-principles perspective.

Effects of exercise on plasma adiponectin levels in athletes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Popović Mirjana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ which releases biologically active adipokines. Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived protein structurally similar to complement 1q, plays a significant role in metabolic disorders, due to its insulin sensitizing, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties. AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, mediate the metabolic actions of adiponectin by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors- alpha (PPAR-α which leads to an increase in fatty acid combustion and energy consumption, fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake in myocytes and reduces gluconeogenesis and thus leads to increased insulin sensitivity. Plasma adiponectin level is affected by multiple factors: gender (females have higher plasma adiponectin levels, obesity-linked diseases (metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type 2 and atherosclerosis are associated with lower adiponectin levels, lifestyle -including exercise. Yet, to date, little is known about the response of adiponectin concentrations to exercise and, in particular, the response of this hormone to training in population of athletes. The aim of this review is to overview the published evidence for the effects of exercise on adiponectin levels in athletes. Adiponectin concentration presents a delayed increase (30 min after short-term intense performance, by athletes, both male and female. It seems that adiponectin concentrations do not change in response to long-term exercise. No significant difference was found in total adiponectin and/or high-molecular weight (HMW oligomers in long-term effects of high physical training in athletes. Adiponectin can serve to monitor training loads and the establishment of individual limit values of training loads. Further studies are needed to clarify possible mechanisms by which adiponectin might influence energy homeostasis during heavy training in elite athletes.

Transcriptional regulation of genes related to progesterone production.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizutani, Tetsuya; Ishikane, Shin; Kawabe, Shinya; Umezawa, Akihiro; Miyamoto, Kaoru

2015-01-01

Steroid hormones are synthesized from cholesterol in various tissues, mainly in the adrenal glands and gonads. Because these lipid-soluble steroid hormones immediately diffuse through the cells in which they are produced, their secretion directly reflects the activity of the genes related to their production. Progesterone is important not only for luteinization and maintenance of pregnancy, but also as a substrate for most other steroids. Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ(5)-Δ(4) isomerase (3β-HSD) are well-known proteins essential for progesterone production. In addition to them, glutathione S-transferase A1-1 and A3-3 are shown to exert Δ(5)-Δ(4) isomerization activity to produce progesterone in a cooperative fashion with 3β-HSD. 5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase 1, ferredoxin 1, and ferredoxin reductase also play a role in steroidogenesis as accessory factors. Members of the nuclear receptor 5A (NR5A) family (steroidogenic factor 1 and liver receptor homolog 1) play a crucial role in the transcriptional regulation of these genes. The NR5A family activates these genes by binding to NR5A responsive elements present within their promoter regions, as well as to the elements far from their promoters. In addition, various NR5A-interacting proteins including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), nuclear receptor subfamily 0, group B, member 1 (DAX-1), and CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) are involved in the transcription of NR5A target genes and regulate the transcription either positively or negatively under both basal and tropic hormone-stimulated conditions. In this review, we describe the transcriptional regulation of genes related to progesterone production.

Essential roles of insulin, AMPK signaling and lysyl and prolyl hydroxylases in the biosynthesis and multimerization of adiponectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lin; Li, Ming-Ming; Corcoran, Marie; Zhang, Shaoping; Cooper, Garth J S

2015-01-05

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the adiponectin molecule are essential for its full bioactivity, and defects in PTMs leading to its defective production and multimerization have been linked to the mechanisms of insulin resistance, obesity, and type-2 diabetes. Here we observed that, in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, decreased insulin signaling caused by blocking of insulin receptors (InsR) with an anti-InsR blocking antibody, increased rates of adiponectin secretion, whereas concomitant elevations in insulin levels counteracted this effect. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling regulated adiponectin production by modulating the expression of adiponectin receptors, the secretion of adiponectin, and eventually the expression of adiponectin itself. We found that lysyl hydroxylases (LHs) and prolyl hydroxylases (PHs) were expressed in white-adipose tissue of ob/ob mice, wherein LH3 levels were increased compared with controls. In differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, both non-specific inhibition of LHs and PHs by dipyridyl, and specific inhibition of LHs by minoxidil and of P4H with ethyl-3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, caused significant suppression of adiponectin production, more particularly of the higher-order isoforms. Transient gene knock-down of LH3 (Plod3) caused a suppressive effect, especially on the high molecular-weight (HMW) isoforms. These data indicate that PHs and LHs are both required for physiological adiponectin production and in particular are essential for the formation/secretion of the HMW isoforms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pairwise comparisons of ten porcine tissues identify differential transcriptional regulation at the gene, isoform, promoter and transcription start site level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farajzadeh, Leila; Hornshøj, Henrik; Momeni, Jamal; Thomsen, Bo; Larsen, Knud; Hedegaard, Jakob; Bendixen, Christian; Madsen, Lone Bruhn

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Transcriptome sequencing yielded 223 mill porcine RNA-seq reads, and 59,000 transcribed locations. •Establishment of unique transcription profiles for ten porcine tissues including four brain tissues. •Comparison of transcription profiles at gene, isoform, promoter and transcription start site level. •Highlights a high level of regulation of neuro-related genes at both gene, isoform, and TSS level. •Our results emphasize the pig as a valuable animal model with respect to human biological issues. -- Abstract: The transcriptome is the absolute set of transcripts in a tissue or cell at the time of sampling. In this study RNA-Seq is employed to enable the differential analysis of the transcriptome profile for ten porcine tissues in order to evaluate differences between the tissues at the gene and isoform expression level, together with an analysis of variation in transcription start sites, promoter usage, and splicing. Totally, 223 million RNA fragments were sequenced leading to the identification of 59,930 transcribed gene locations and 290,936 transcript variants using Cufflinks with similarity to approximately 13,899 annotated human genes. Pairwise analysis of tissues for differential expression at the gene level showed that the smallest differences were between tissues originating from the porcine brain. Interestingly, the relative level of differential expression at the isoform level did generally not vary between tissue contrasts. Furthermore, analysis of differential promoter usage between tissues, revealed a proportionally higher variation between cerebellum (CBE) versus frontal cortex and cerebellum versus hypothalamus (HYP) than in the remaining comparisons. In addition, the comparison of differential transcription start sites showed that the number of these sites is generally increased in comparisons including hypothalamus in contrast to other pairwise assessments. A comprehensive analysis of one of the tissue contrasts, i

Adiponectin, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Søren; Jensen, Jan Skov; Bjerre, Mette

2015-01-01

participants experienced a CV event (myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, or CV death). RESULTS: Participants with increasing adiponectin had reduced risk of developing T2DM (p physical activity, alcohol......BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is viewed as an insulin-sensitizing hormone with anti-inflammatory effects. In accordance, plasma adiponectin is decreased in metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, in spite of the apparently beneficially effects, recent data from large...

Regulation of endogenous human gene expression by ligand-inducible TALE transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercer, Andrew C; Gaj, Thomas; Sirk, Shannon J; Lamb, Brian M; Barbas, Carlos F

2014-10-17

The construction of increasingly sophisticated synthetic biological circuits is dependent on the development of extensible tools capable of providing specific control of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. Here, we describe a new class of synthetic transcription factors that activate gene expression in response to extracellular chemical stimuli. These inducible activators consist of customizable transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins combined with steroid hormone receptor ligand-binding domains. We demonstrate that these ligand-responsive TALE transcription factors allow for tunable and conditional control of gene activation and can be used to regulate the expression of endogenous genes in human cells. Since TALEs can be designed to recognize any contiguous DNA sequence, the conditional gene regulatory system described herein will enable the design of advanced synthetic gene networks.

Accurate Gene Expression-Based Biodosimetry Using a Minimal Set of Human Gene Transcripts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tucker, James D., E-mail: jtucker@biology.biosci.wayne.edu [Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Joiner, Michael C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Thomas, Robert A.; Grever, William E.; Bakhmutsky, Marina V. [Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Chinkhota, Chantelle N.; Smolinski, Joseph M. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Divine, George W. [Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Auner, Gregory W. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan (United States)

2014-03-15

Purpose: Rapid and reliable methods for conducting biological dosimetry are a necessity in the event of a large-scale nuclear event. Conventional biodosimetry methods lack the speed, portability, ease of use, and low cost required for triaging numerous victims. Here we address this need by showing that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on a small number of gene transcripts can provide accurate and rapid dosimetry. The low cost and relative ease of PCR compared with existing dosimetry methods suggest that this approach may be useful in mass-casualty triage situations. Methods and Materials: Human peripheral blood from 60 adult donors was acutely exposed to cobalt-60 gamma rays at doses of 0 (control) to 10 Gy. mRNA expression levels of 121 selected genes were obtained 0.5, 1, and 2 days after exposure by reverse-transcriptase real-time PCR. Optimal dosimetry at each time point was obtained by stepwise regression of dose received against individual gene transcript expression levels. Results: Only 3 to 4 different gene transcripts, ASTN2, CDKN1A, GDF15, and ATM, are needed to explain ≥0.87 of the variance (R{sup 2}). Receiver-operator characteristics, a measure of sensitivity and specificity, of 0.98 for these statistical models were achieved at each time point. Conclusions: The actual and predicted radiation doses agree very closely up to 6 Gy. Dosimetry at 8 and 10 Gy shows some effect of saturation, thereby slightly diminishing the ability to quantify higher exposures. Analyses of these gene transcripts may be advantageous for use in a field-portable device designed to assess exposures in mass casualty situations or in clinical radiation emergencies.

Circadian Enhancers Coordinate Multiple Phases of Rhythmic Gene Transcription In Vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Bin; Everett, Logan J.; Jager, Jennifer; Briggs, Erika; Armour, Sean M.; Feng, Dan; Roy, Ankur; Gerhart-Hines, Zachary; Sun, Zheng; Lazar, Mitchell A.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Mammalian transcriptomes display complex circadian rhythms with multiple phases of gene expression that cannot be accounted for by current models of the molecular clock. We have determined the underlying mechanisms by measuring nascent RNA transcription around the clock in mouse liver. Unbiased examination of eRNAs that cluster in specific circadian phases identified functional enhancers driven by distinct transcription factors (TFs). We further identify on a global scale the components of the TF cistromes that function to orchestrate circadian gene expression. Integrated genomic analyses also revealed novel mechanisms by which a single circadian factor controls opposing transcriptional phases. These findings shed new light on the diversity and specificity of TF function in the generation of multiple phases of circadian gene transcription in a mammalian organ. PMID:25416951

Genetic variation in the ADIPOQ gene, adiponectin concentrations and risk of colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nimptsch, Katharina; Song, Mingyang; Aleksandrova, Krasimira

2017-01-01

Higher levels of circulating adiponectin have been related to lower risk of colorectal cancer in several prospective cohort studies, but it remains unclear whether this association may be causal. We aimed to improve causal inference in a Mendelian Randomization meta-analysis using nested case–con...

The 5th Symposium on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression (PTRoPGE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karen S. Browning; Marie Petrocek; Bonnie Bartel

2006-06-01

The 5th Symposium on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression (PTRoPGE) will be held June 8-12, 2005 at the University of Texas at Austin. Exciting new and ongoing discoveries show significant regulation of gene expression occurs after transcription. These post-transcriptional control events in plants range from subtle regulation of transcribed genes and phosphorylation, to the processes of gene regulation through small RNAs. This meeting will focus on the regulatory role of RNA, from transcription, through translation and finally degradation. The cross-disciplinary design of this meeting is necessary to encourage interactions between researchers that have a common interest in post-transcriptional gene expression in plants. By bringing together a diverse group of plant molecular biologist and biochemists at all careers stages from across the world, this meeting will bring about more rapid progress in understanding how plant genomes work and how genes are finely regulated by post-transcriptional processes to ultimately regulate cells.

Characteristics and potential functions of human milk adiponectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Newburg, David S; Woo, Jessica G; Morrow, Ardythe L

2010-02-01

Adiponectin is a protein hormone produced by adipose tissue, whose circulating levels are inversely related to adiposity and inflammation. Adiponectin circulates as oligomers, from the low-molecular-weight trimer to the high-molecular-weight octodecamer (18 mer). Each oligomer has distinct biological activities, which include enhancement of insulin sensitivity and metabolic control and suppression of inflammation. Adiponectin occurs in human milk at higher concentrations than leptin. The adiponectin in human milk is almost entirely of the high-molecular-weight form, the form with the highest activity in controlling many types of metabolic processes. Human adiponectin fed to infant mice is transported across the intestinal mucosa into the serum. An inverse relationship between adiponectin levels in milk and adiposity (weight-for-height) of the breast-fed infant was observed and could be due to modulation of infant metabolism by milk adiponectin and may be related to the observed protection against obesity by breast-feeding. Human milk may be a medium whereby the hormonal milieu (in response to internal factors and the environment) of the mother can be used to communicate with the breast-fed infant to modify infant metabolic processes. Transmission of information from mother to infant through milk may allow adaptation to fluctuating environmental conditions. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Recipient But Not Donor Adiponectin Polymorphisms Are Associated With Early Posttransplant Hepatic Steatosis in Patients Transplanted for Non-Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Indications.

Science.gov (United States)

John, Binu V; Aiken, Taylor; Garber, Ari; Thomas, Dawn; Lopez, Rocio; Patil, Deepa; Konjeti, Venkata Rajesh; Fung, John J; McCollough, Arthur J; Askar, Medhat

2018-06-01

De novo steatosis after liver transplant is common and can occur in up to one-third of patients who are transplanted for liver disease other than for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Genetic factors may influence posttransplant steatosis; in a posttransplant setting, donor or recipient genetic factors could also play roles. Genetic polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene have been associated with metabolic syndrome in the pretransplant setting. We aimed to assess the association between donor and recipient adiponectin polymorphisms and early posttransplant hepatic steatosis identified on liver biopsies. Clinical data were collected for 302 liver transplant patients who underwent protocol biopsies for hepatitis C. Of these, 111 patients had available biopsies and donor/recipient DNA. Patients with grade 1 steatosis or greater (35% of patients) were compared with patients without posttransplant steatosis with respect to clinical features and donor/recipient adiponectin polymorphism genotypes. Patients who developed posttransplant steatosis and those without steatosis were similar with respect to individual components of metabolic syndrome. The adiponectin polymorphisms rs1501299 G/G and rs17300539 G/G genotypes in recipients were associated with early posttransplant graft steatosis. We found no associations between graft steatosis and donor adiponectin polymorphisms. Genetic polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene of recipients (but not donors) are associated with early de novo posttransplant hepatic steatosis, independent of components of metabolic syndrome.

Thirty-seven transcription factor genes differentially respond to a ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Plant transcription factors and insect defence si. Thirty-seven transcription factor genes differentially respond to a harpin protein and affect resistance to the green peach aphid in Arabidopsis. HUNLIN. PIN. RUOXUE LIŲ, BEIBEI LÜ, XIAOMENG WANG, CHUNLING ZHANG, SHUPING ZHANG, JUN QIAN, LEI CHEN,.

Extracellular Matrix-Regulated Gene Expression RequiresCooperation of SWI/SNF and Transcription Factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ren; Spencer, Virginia A.; Bissell, Mina J.

2006-05-25

Extracellular cues play crucial roles in the transcriptional regulation of tissue-specific genes, but whether and how these signals lead to chromatin remodeling is not understood and subject to debate. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and mammary-specific genes as models, we show here that extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and prolactin cooperate to induce histone acetylation and binding of transcription factors and the SWI/SNF complex to the {beta}- and ?-casein promoters. Introduction of a dominant negative Brg1, an ATPase subunit of SWI/SNF complex, significantly reduced both {beta}- and ?-casein expression, suggesting that SWI/SNF-dependent chromatin remodeling is required for transcription of mammary-specific genes. ChIP analyses demonstrated that the ATPase activity of SWI/SNF is necessary for recruitment of RNA transcriptional machinery, but not for binding of transcription factors or for histone acetylation. Coimmunoprecipitation analyses showed that the SWI/SNF complex is associated with STAT5, C/EBP{beta}, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Thus, ECM- and prolactin-regulated transcription of the mammary-specific casein genes requires the concerted action of chromatin remodeling enzymes and transcription factors.

Structural and functional similarities between osmotin from Nicotiana tabacum seeds and human adiponectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Miele, Marco; Costantini, Susan; Colonna, Giovanni

2011-02-02

Osmotin, a plant protein, specifically binds a seven transmembrane domain receptor-like protein to exert its biological activity via a RAS2/cAMP signaling pathway. The receptor protein is encoded in the gene ORE20/PHO36 and the mammalian homolog of PHO36 is a receptor for the human hormone adiponectin (ADIPOR1). Moreover it is known that the osmotin domain I can be overlapped to the β-barrel domain of adiponectin. Therefore, these observations and some already existing structural and biological data open a window on a possible use of the osmotin or of its derivative as adiponectin agonist. We have modelled the three-dimensional structure of the adiponectin trimer (ADIPOQ), and two ADIPOR1 and PHO36 receptors. Moreover, we have also modelled the following complexes: ADIPOQ/ADIPOR1, osmotin/PHO36 and osmotin/ADIPOR1. We have then shown the structural determinants of these interactions and their physico-chemical features and analyzed the related interaction residues involved in the formation of the complexes. The stability of the modelled structures and their complexes was always evaluated and controlled by molecular dynamics. On the basis of these results a 9 residues osmotin peptide was selected and its interaction with ADIPOR1 and PHO36 was modelled and analysed in term of energetic stability by molecular dynamics. To confirm in vivo the molecular modelling data, osmotin has been purified from nicotiana tabacum seeds and its nine residues peptide synthesized. We have used cultured human synovial fibroblasts that respond to adiponectin by increasing the expression of IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta via ADIPOR1. The biological effect on fibroblasts of osmotin and its peptide derivative has been found similar to that of adiponectin confirming the results found in silico.

Serum adiponectin levels in patients with coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fayyaz, I.; Shah, S.I.; Ghani, M.

2009-01-01

Adiponectin is an adipocytokine secreted from white adipose tissue. Serum level of adiponectin has been shown to be reduced in several disease states like obesity and diabetes. Hypoadiponectinemia has also been included in the list of newer risk factors for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). In this analytical cross-sectional study serum adiponectin level was measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) in 60 cases of coronary artery disease (CAD) (both sexes, aged 40-60 yrs) and 60 healthy controls. Low levels of adiponectin were seen in CAD patients as well as controls. These levels were lower as compared to western standards. Our study conforms to the previous observation of lower serum adiponectin levels in South Asians compared to the western standards. Serum adiponectin level should be considered in the laboratory work-up of CAD patients. (author)

Involvement of DNA topoisomerase I in transcription of human ribosomal RNA genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H.; Wang, J.C.; Liu, L.F.

1988-01-01

Treatment of HeLa cells with a DNA topoisomerase I-specific inhibitor, camptothecin, results in rapid cessation of the synthesis of the 45S rRNA precursor. The inhibition of rRNA synthesis is reversible following drug removal and correlates with the presence of camptothecin-trapped topoisomerase I-DNA abortive complexes, which can be detected as topoisomerase I-linked DNA breaks upon lysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate. These breaks were found to be concentrated within the transcribed region of human rRNA genes. No such sites can be detected in the inactive human rRNA genes in mouse-human hybrid cells, suggesting a preferential association of topoisomerase I with actively transcribed genes. The distribution of RNA polymerase molecules along the transcription unit of human rRNA genes in camptothecin-treated HeLa cells, as assayed by nuclear run-on transcription, shows a graded decrease of the RNA polymerase density toward the 3' end of the transcription unit; the density is minimally affected near the 5' start of the transcription unit. These results suggest that DNA topoisomerase I is normally involved in the elongation step of transcription, especially when the transcripts are long, and that camptothecin interferes with this role

Transcriptional delay stabilizes bistable gene networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Chinmaya; López, José Manuel; Ott, William; Josić, Krešimir; Bennett, Matthew R

2013-08-02

Transcriptional delay can significantly impact the dynamics of gene networks. Here we examine how such delay affects bistable systems. We investigate several stochastic models of bistable gene networks and find that increasing delay dramatically increases the mean residence times near stable states. To explain this, we introduce a non-Markovian, analytically tractable reduced model. The model shows that stabilization is the consequence of an increased number of failed transitions between stable states. Each of the bistable systems that we simulate behaves in this manner.

Exogenous reference gene normalization for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis under dynamic endogenous transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Stephen; Gallaher, Zachary; Czaja, Krzysztof

2012-05-15

Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is widely used to investigate transcriptional changes following experimental manipulations to the nervous system. Despite the widespread utilization of qPCR, the interpretation of results is marred by the lack of a suitable reference gene due to the dynamic nature of endogenous transcription. To address this inherent deficiency, we investigated the use of an exogenous spike-in mRNA, luciferase, as an internal reference gene for the 2(-∆∆Ct) normalization method. To induce dynamic transcription, we systemically administered capsaicin, a neurotoxin selective for C-type sensory neurons expressing the TRPV-1 receptor, to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. We later isolated nodose ganglia for qPCR analysis with the reference being either exogenous luciferase mRNA or the commonly used endogenous reference β-III tubulin. The exogenous luciferase mRNA reference clearly demonstrated the dynamic expression of the endogenous reference. Furthermore, variability of the endogenous reference would lead to misinterpretation of other genes of interest. In conclusion, traditional reference genes are often unstable under physiologically normal situations, and certainly unstable following the damage to the nervous system. The use of exogenous spike-in reference provides a consistent and easily implemented alternative for the analysis of qPCR data.

Molecular evolution of adiponectin in Carnivora and its mRNA expression in relation to hepatic lipidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieminen, Petteri; Rouvinen-Watt, Kirsti; Kapiainen, Suvi; Harris, Lora; Mustonen, Anne-Mari

2010-09-15

Adiponectin is a novel adipocyte-derived hormone with low circulating concentrations and/or mRNA expression in obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The adiponectin mRNA of several Carnivora species was sequenced to enable further gene expression studies in this clade with potential experimental species to examine the connections of hypoadiponectinemia to hepatic lipidosis. In addition, adiponectin mRNA expression was studied in the retroperitoneal fat of the American mink (Neovison vison), as hepatic lipidosis with close similarities to NAFLD can be rapidly induced to the species by fasting. The mRNA expression was determined after overnight-7d of food deprivation and 28d of re-feeding and correlated to the liver fat %. The homologies between the determined carnivoran mRNA sequences and that of the domestic dog were 92.2-99.1%. As the mRNA expression was not affected by short-term fasting and did not correlate with the liver fat %, there seems to be no clear connection between adiponectin and the development of lipidosis in the American mink. In the future, the obtained sequences can be utilized in further studies of adiponectin expression in comparative endocrinology. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ascofuranone stimulates expression of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor through the modulation of mitogen activated protein kinase family members in 3T3-L1, murine pre-adipocyte cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Young-Chae; Cho, Hyun-Ji

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ascofuranone increases expression of adiponectin and PPARγ. ► Inhibitors for MEK and JNK increased the expression of adiponectin and PPARγ. ► Ascofuranone significantly suppressed phosho-ERK, while increasing phospho-p38. -- Abstract: Ascofuranone, an isoprenoid antibiotic, was originally isolated as a hypolipidemic substance from a culture broth of the phytopathogenic fungus, Ascochyta visiae. Adiponectin is mainly synthesized by adipocytes. It relieves insulin resistance by decreasing the plasma triglycerides and improving glucose uptake, and has anti-atherogenic properties. Here, we found that ascofuranone increases expression of adiponectin and PPARγ, a major transcription factor for adiponectin, in 3T3-L1, murine pre-adipocytes cell line, without promoting accumulation of lipid droplets. Ascofuranone induced expression of adiponectin, and increases the promoter activity of adiponectin and PPRE, PPAR response element, as comparably as a PPARγ agonist, rosiglitazone, that stimulates lipid accumulation in the preadipocyte cell line. Moreover, inhibitors for MEK and JNK, like ascofuranone, considerably increased the expression of adiponectin and PPARγ, while a p38 inhibitor significantly suppressed. Ascofuranone significantly suppressed ERK phosphorylation, while increasing p38 phosphorylation, during adipocyte differentiation program. These results suggest that ascofuranone regulates the expression of adiponectin and PPARγ through the modulation of MAP kinase family members.

Transcriptional switch from albumin to alpha-fetoprotein and changes in transcription of other genes during carbon tetrachloride induced liver regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panduro, A.; Shalaby, F.; Weiner, F.R.; Biempica, L.; Zern, M.A.; Shafritz, D.A.

1986-01-01

During liver regeneration induced by CCl 4 administration to rats, changes in the relative transcription rates of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein genes have been measured in conjunction with other liver-specific and general cellular function genes. Within 24 h following CCl 4 administration, albumin gene transcription decreases by 85%, whereas alpha-fetoprotein transcription increases from undetectable levels to 50% of that observed for albumin. These changes precede maximal [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into DNA which peaks at 48 h. Other genes related to liver-specific functions, such as ligandin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and cytochrome P-450's, as well as general cellular genes pro alpha 1- and pro alpha 2-collagen, beta-actin, and alpha-tubulin, respond in kinetic patterns often distinct from each other and from albumin and alpha-fetoprotein. Changes in the steady-state levels of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein mRNA correlate with changes in transcription, but there is a lag in alpha-fetoprotein mRNA accumulation, which peaks at 72 h following CCl 4 administration. These studies indicate that reciprocal changes in albumin and alpha-fetoprotein gene transcription occur during CCl 4 -induced liver regeneration, leading to changes in the level of these specific mRNAs. These changes precede DNA synthesis and would appear to represent an alteration in differentiated function of hepatocytes in conjunction with the liver regenerative process

High-molecular-weight adiponectin is selectively reduced in women with polycystic ovary syndrome independent of body mass index and severity of insulin resistance.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Connor, A

2010-03-01

Context: High-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin contributes to insulin resistance (IR), which is closely associated with the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Abnormalities in adipocyte function have been identified in PCOS and potentially contribute to lower adiponectin concentrations. Objective: Our objective was to determine which variables in plasma and adipose tissue influence HMW adiponectin in a well characterized cohort of women with PCOS. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Settings and Participants: A teaching hospital. Women with PCOS (n = 98) and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls (n = 103) (including 68 age-, BMI-, and IR-matched pairs). Interventions: A standard 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was performed for each participant. Subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were taken by needle biopsy for a subset of PCOS women (n = 9) and controls (n = 8). Main Outcome Measures: Serum levels of HMW adiponectin and their relation to indices of insulin sensitivity, body composition, and circulating androgens as well as adipose tissue expression levels of ADIPOQ, TNFalpha, PPARgamma, and AR were assessed. Results: HMW adiponectin was significantly lower in women with PCOS compared with both BMI- and BMI- and IR-matched controls (P = 0.009 and P = 0.027, respectively). Although BMI and IR were the main predictors of HMW adiponectin, an interaction between waist to hip ratio and plasma testosterone contributed to its variance (P = 0.026). Adipose tissue gene expression analysis demonstrated that AR and TNFalpha (P = 0.008 and P = 0.035, respectively) but not ADIPOQ mRNA levels were increased in PCOS compared with controls. Conclusions: HMW adiponectin is selectively reduced in women with PCOS, independent of BMI and IR. Gene expression analysis suggests that posttranscriptional\\/translational modification contributes to reduced HMW adiponectin in PCOS.

Naturally occurring mutations in the human 5-lipoxygenase gene promoter that modify transcription factor binding and reporter gene transcription.

OpenAIRE

In, K H; Asano, K; Beier, D; Grobholz, J; Finn, P W; Silverman, E K; Silverman, E S; Collins, T; Fischer, A R; Keith, T P; Serino, K; Kim, S W; De Sanctis, G T; Yandava, C; Pillari, A

1997-01-01

Five lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the first committed enzyme in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of the leukotrienes. We examined genomic DNA isolated from 25 normal subjects and 31 patients with asthma (6 of whom had aspirin-sensitive asthma) for mutations in the known transcription factor binding regions and the protein encoding region of the 5-LO gene. A family of mutations in the G + C-rich transcription factor binding region was identified consisting of the deletion of one, delet...

The WRKY Transcription Factor Genes in Lotus japonicus

OpenAIRE

Song, Hui; Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Zhibiao; Wang, Xingjun

2014-01-01

WRKY transcription factor genes play critical roles in plant growth and development, as well as stress responses. WRKY genes have been examined in various higher plants, but they have not been characterized in Lotus japonicus. The recent release of the L. japonicus whole genome sequence provides an opportunity for a genome wide analysis of WRKY genes in this species. In this study, we identified 61 WRKY genes in the L. japonicus genome. Based on the WRKY protein structure, L. japonicus WRKY (...

Thermodynamics-based models of transcriptional regulation with gene sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuqiang; Shen, Yanyan; Hu, Jinxing

2015-12-01

Quantitative models of gene regulatory activity have the potential to improve our mechanistic understanding of transcriptional regulation. However, the few models available today have been based on simplistic assumptions about the sequences being modeled or heuristic approximations of the underlying regulatory mechanisms. In this work, we have developed a thermodynamics-based model to predict gene expression driven by any DNA sequence. The proposed model relies on a continuous time, differential equation description of transcriptional dynamics. The sequence features of the promoter are exploited to derive the binding affinity which is derived based on statistical molecular thermodynamics. Experimental results show that the proposed model can effectively identify the activity levels of transcription factors and the regulatory parameters. Comparing with the previous models, the proposed model can reveal more biological sense.

Transcriptional Regulation in Ebola Virus: Effects of Gene Border Structure and Regulatory Elements on Gene Expression and Polymerase Scanning Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Brauburger, Kristina; Boehmann, Yannik; Krähling, Verena; Mühlberger, Elke

2016-02-15

The highly pathogenic Ebola virus (EBOV) has a nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA genome containing seven genes. The viral genes either are separated by intergenic regions (IRs) of variable length or overlap. The structure of the EBOV gene overlaps is conserved throughout all filovirus genomes and is distinct from that of the overlaps found in other NNS RNA viruses. Here, we analyzed how diverse gene borders and noncoding regions surrounding the gene borders influence transcript levels and govern polymerase behavior during viral transcription. Transcription of overlapping genes in EBOV bicistronic minigenomes followed the stop-start mechanism, similar to that followed by IR-containing gene borders. When the gene overlaps were extended, the EBOV polymerase was able to scan the template in an upstream direction. This polymerase feature seems to be generally conserved among NNS RNA virus polymerases. Analysis of IR-containing gene borders showed that the IR sequence plays only a minor role in transcription regulation. Changes in IR length were generally well tolerated, but specific IR lengths led to a strong decrease in downstream gene expression. Correlation analysis revealed that these effects were largely independent of the surrounding gene borders. Each EBOV gene contains exceptionally long untranslated regions (UTRs) flanking the open reading frame. Our data suggest that the UTRs adjacent to the gene borders are the main regulators of transcript levels. A highly complex interplay between the different cis-acting elements to modulate transcription was revealed for specific combinations of IRs and UTRs, emphasizing the importance of the noncoding regions in EBOV gene expression control. Our data extend those from previous analyses investigating the implication of noncoding regions at the EBOV gene borders for gene expression control. We show that EBOV transcription is regulated in a highly complex yet not easily predictable manner by a set of interacting cis

Transcriptional Regulatory Network Analysis of MYB Transcription Factor Family Genes in Rice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuchi eSmita

2015-12-01

Full Text Available MYB transcription factor (TF is one of the largest TF families and regulates defense responses to various stresses, hormone signaling as well as many metabolic and developmental processes in plants. Understanding these regulatory hierarchies of gene expression networks in response to developmental and environmental cues is a major challenge due to the complex interactions between the genetic elements. Correlation analyses are useful to unravel co-regulated gene pairs governing biological process as well as identification of new candidate hub genes in response to these complex processes. High throughput expression profiling data are highly useful for construction of co-expression networks. In the present study, we utilized transcriptome data for comprehensive regulatory network studies of MYB TFs by top down and guide gene approaches. More than 50% of OsMYBs were strongly correlated under fifty experimental conditions with 51 hub genes via top down approach. Further, clusters were identified using Markov Clustering (MCL. To maximize the clustering performance, parameter evaluation of the MCL inflation score (I was performed in terms of enriched GO categories by measuring F-score. Comparison of co-expressed cluster and clads analyzed from phylogenetic analysis signifies their evolutionarily conserved co-regulatory role. We utilized compendium of known interaction and biological role with Gene Ontology enrichment analysis to hypothesize function of coexpressed OsMYBs. In the other part, the transcriptional regulatory network analysis by guide gene approach revealed 40 putative targets of 26 OsMYB TF hubs with high correlation value utilizing 815 microarray data. The putative targets with MYB-binding cis-elements enrichment in their promoter region, functional co-occurrence as well as nuclear localization supports our finding. Specially, enrichment of MYB binding regions involved in drought-inducibility implying their regulatory role in drought

Reference genes for accurate transcript normalization in citrus genotypes under different experimental conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valéria Mafra

Full Text Available Real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR has emerged as an accurate and widely used technique for expression profiling of selected genes. However, obtaining reliable measurements depends on the selection of appropriate reference genes for gene expression normalization. The aim of this work was to assess the expression stability of 15 candidate genes to determine which set of reference genes is best suited for transcript normalization in citrus in different tissues and organs and leaves challenged with five pathogens (Alternaria alternata, Phytophthora parasitica, Xylella fastidiosa and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. We tested traditional genes used for transcript normalization in citrus and orthologs of Arabidopsis thaliana genes described as superior reference genes based on transcriptome data. geNorm and NormFinder algorithms were used to find the best reference genes to normalize all samples and conditions tested. Additionally, each biotic stress was individually analyzed by geNorm. In general, FBOX (encoding a member of the F-box family and GAPC2 (GAPDH was the most stable candidate gene set assessed under the different conditions and subsets tested, while CYP (cyclophilin, TUB (tubulin and CtP (cathepsin were the least stably expressed genes found. Validation of the best suitable reference genes for normalizing the expression level of the WRKY70 transcription factor in leaves infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus showed that arbitrary use of reference genes without previous testing could lead to misinterpretation of data. Our results revealed FBOX, SAND (a SAND family protein, GAPC2 and UPL7 (ubiquitin protein ligase 7 to be superior reference genes, and we recommend their use in studies of gene expression in citrus species and relatives. This work constitutes the first systematic analysis for the selection of superior reference genes for transcript normalization in different citrus organs and under biotic stress.

Adiponectin and its receptors in the ovary: further evidence for a link between obesity and hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio V Comim

Full Text Available Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, characterized by ovarian androgen excess, is the commonest endocrine disorder in women. Obesity increases androgen synthesis, a phenomenon attributed to the accompanying hyperinsulinemia. Our hypothesis was that adipokines, fat cell-derived hormones, play a direct role in modulating ovarian androgen secretion. Therefore, the aims of this study were to explore the effects of adipokines (in particular, adiponectin on ovarian steroidogenesis and compare the expression of adiponectin receptors in ovaries from women with and without PCO. Sections of archived human ovaries (nine from women with normal ovaries and 16 with PCOS, classified histologically, with reference to menstrual history and ultrasound were analysed by quantitative morphometry and the proportion of positive-labelling cells compared. In addition, studies of androgen production in relation to adipokine function in primary bovine theca cell culture were also performed. A significantly lower proportion of theca cells expressed adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 (AdipoR1, AdipoR2 in polycystic ovaries than in normal ovaries. In cultured theca cells, adiponectin suppressed androstenedione production and gene expression of LH receptor and key enzymes in the androgen synthesis pathway. Moreover, knockdown of genes for AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 was associated with increased androstenedione secretion by bovine theca cells. These results provide evidence for a direct link between fat cell metabolism and ovarian steroidogenesis, suggesting that disruption of adiponectin and/or its receptors plays a key role in pathogenesis of hyperandrogenism in PCOS.

Adiponectin and Its Receptors in the Ovary: Further Evidence for a Link between Obesity and Hyperandrogenism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Comim, Fabio V.; Hardy, Kate; Franks, Stephen

2013-01-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), characterized by ovarian androgen excess, is the commonest endocrine disorder in women. Obesity increases androgen synthesis, a phenomenon attributed to the accompanying hyperinsulinemia. Our hypothesis was that adipokines, fat cell-derived hormones, play a direct role in modulating ovarian androgen secretion. Therefore, the aims of this study were to explore the effects of adipokines (in particular, adiponectin) on ovarian steroidogenesis and compare the expression of adiponectin receptors in ovaries from women with and without PCO. Sections of archived human ovaries (nine from women with normal ovaries and 16 with PCOS, classified histologically, with reference to menstrual history and ultrasound) were analysed by quantitative morphometry and the proportion of positive-labelling cells compared. In addition, studies of androgen production in relation to adipokine function in primary bovine theca cell culture were also performed. A significantly lower proportion of theca cells expressed adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 (AdipoR1, AdipoR2) in polycystic ovaries than in normal ovaries. In cultured theca cells, adiponectin suppressed androstenedione production and gene expression of LH receptor and key enzymes in the androgen synthesis pathway. Moreover, knockdown of genes for AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 was associated with increased androstenedione secretion by bovine theca cells. These results provide evidence for a direct link between fat cell metabolism and ovarian steroidogenesis, suggesting that disruption of adiponectin and/or its receptors plays a key role in pathogenesis of hyperandrogenism in PCOS. PMID:24260388

Mapping of gene transcripts by nuclease protection assays and cDNA primer extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calzone, F.J.; Britten, R.J.; Davidson, E.J.

1987-01-01

An important problem often faced in the molecular characterization of genes is the precise mapping of those genomic sequences transcribed into RNA. This requires identification of the genomic site initiating gene transcription, the location of genomic sequences removed from the primary gene transcript during RNA processing, and knowledge of sequences terminating the processed gene transcript. The objective of the protocols described here is the generation of transcription maps utilizing relatively uncharacterized gene fragments. The basic approach is hybridization of a single-stranded DNA probe with cellular RNA, followed by treatment with a single-strand-specific nuclease that does not attack DNA-RNA hybrids, in order to destroy any unreacted probe sequences. Thus the probe sequences included in the hybrid duplexes are protected from nuclease digestion. The sizes of the protected probe fragments determined by gel electrophoresis correspond to the lengths of the hybridized sequence elements

The ratio of high-molecular weight adiponectin and total adiponectin differs in preterm and term infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Tomohide; Nagasaki, Hiraku; Asato, Yoshihide; Ohta, Takao

2009-05-01

Adiponectin consists of three subspecies (high-, middle- and low-molecular weight adiponectin). Among these, high-molecular weight adiponectin (H-adn) is suggested to be an active form of this protein. To assess the relationship between H-adn and postnatal growth in preterm infants (PIs), serum H-adn and total adiponectin (T-adn) were measured in 46 PIs at birth and at corrected term, and 26 term infants (TI) at birth. T-adn and H-adn concentrations, and the ratio of H-adn to T-adn (H/T-adn) were significantly greater in TI and PI at corrected term than in PI at birth (p adn and H-adn concentrations in PI at corrected term were similar to those in TI, but H/T-adn in PI at corrected term was less than that in TI (p adn and serum concentrations of T- and H-adn in PI at corrected term were different from those in TI. These data suggest that quality of early postnatal growth in PIs is different from that in normally developed TI. Postnatal growth accompanying adipose tissue similar to TI may be important for PI to prevent future development of cardiovascular disease.

Adiponectin but not leptin is involved in early hepatic disease in morbidly obese patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, Anna Katharine; Edwards, Claire; Mendonsa, Alisha; Rojkind, Marcos; McCaffrey, Tim; Fu, Sidney; Brody, Fred

2010-07-01

Pathologic changes in the liver are common in morbidly obese patients, and insulin resistance may potentiate the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis to fibrosis and cirrhosis. This study investigates the impact of leptin and adiponectin in morbidly obese diabetic and nondiabetic patients with regard to histopathologic changes in the liver. Thirty-seven morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery with liver biopsies were enrolled in the study. Fourteen were diabetic and 23 were nondiabetic. Intraoperative liver tissue was sent for histopathologic analysis and extraneous intraoperative tissue was snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was extracted and RNA was reverse transcribed to cDNA. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to determine relative gene expression levels. The data were analyzed using a logarithmic transformation and normalized by 18S ribosome expression. Student's t test was used for statistical analysis with p < or = 0.05 as significant. Adiponectin expression was downregulated 4.4-fold (p < or = 0.05) in liver samples with evidence of inflammation on pathology. When hepatic inflammation was evaluated separately, there were no statistically significant differences in adiponectin levels between the diabetic and nondiabetic patients. However, overall adiponectin levels in hepatic samples of diabetic patients were 3.8-fold higher than those of nondiabetic patients (p < or = 0.05). There were no significant differences in leptin levels regardless of hepatic pathology or diabetic status. This study illustrates that there is a downregulation of adiponectin in morbidly obese patients with inflammatory infiltrates in the liver. Variations in adiponectin levels could be an indicator of disease progression since inflammatory infiltrates are commonly associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in morbidly obese patients. Currently, we are using human myofibroblasts derived from livers of morbidly obese people to further

Sequential Logic Model Deciphers Dynamic Transcriptional Control of Gene Expressions

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Zhen Xuan; Wong, Sum Thai; Arjunan, Satya Nanda Vel; Piras, Vincent; Tomita, Masaru; Selvarajoo, Kumar; Giuliani, Alessandro; Tsuchiya, Masa

2007-01-01

Background Cellular signaling involves a sequence of events from ligand binding to membrane receptors through transcription factors activation and the induction of mRNA expression. The transcriptional-regulatory system plays a pivotal role in the control of gene expression. A novel computational approach to the study of gene regulation circuits is presented here. Methodology Based on the concept of finite state machine, which provides a discrete view of gene regulation, a novel sequential logic model (SLM) is developed to decipher control mechanisms of dynamic transcriptional regulation of gene expressions. The SLM technique is also used to systematically analyze the dynamic function of transcriptional inputs, the dependency and cooperativity, such as synergy effect, among the binding sites with respect to when, how much and how fast the gene of interest is expressed. Principal Findings SLM is verified by a set of well studied expression data on endo16 of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (sea urchin) during the embryonic midgut development. A dynamic regulatory mechanism for endo16 expression controlled by three binding sites, UI, R and Otx is identified and demonstrated to be consistent with experimental findings. Furthermore, we show that during transition from specification to differentiation in wild type endo16 expression profile, SLM reveals three binary activities are not sufficient to explain the transcriptional regulation of endo16 expression and additional activities of binding sites are required. Further analyses suggest detailed mechanism of R switch activity where indirect dependency occurs in between UI activity and R switch during specification to differentiation stage. Conclusions/Significance The sequential logic formalism allows for a simplification of regulation network dynamics going from a continuous to a discrete representation of gene activation in time. In effect our SLM is non-parametric and model-independent, yet providing rich biological

Sequential logic model deciphers dynamic transcriptional control of gene expressions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Xuan Yeo

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cellular signaling involves a sequence of events from ligand binding to membrane receptors through transcription factors activation and the induction of mRNA expression. The transcriptional-regulatory system plays a pivotal role in the control of gene expression. A novel computational approach to the study of gene regulation circuits is presented here. METHODOLOGY: Based on the concept of finite state machine, which provides a discrete view of gene regulation, a novel sequential logic model (SLM is developed to decipher control mechanisms of dynamic transcriptional regulation of gene expressions. The SLM technique is also used to systematically analyze the dynamic function of transcriptional inputs, the dependency and cooperativity, such as synergy effect, among the binding sites with respect to when, how much and how fast the gene of interest is expressed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: SLM is verified by a set of well studied expression data on endo16 of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (sea urchin during the embryonic midgut development. A dynamic regulatory mechanism for endo16 expression controlled by three binding sites, UI, R and Otx is identified and demonstrated to be consistent with experimental findings. Furthermore, we show that during transition from specification to differentiation in wild type endo16 expression profile, SLM reveals three binary activities are not sufficient to explain the transcriptional regulation of endo16 expression and additional activities of binding sites are required. Further analyses suggest detailed mechanism of R switch activity where indirect dependency occurs in between UI activity and R switch during specification to differentiation stage. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The sequential logic formalism allows for a simplification of regulation network dynamics going from a continuous to a discrete representation of gene activation in time. In effect our SLM is non-parametric and model-independent, yet

Arabidopsis Pol II-Dependent in Vitro Transcription System Reveals Role of Chromatin for Light-Inducible rbcS Gene Transcription1

Science.gov (United States)

Ido, Ayaka; Iwata, Shinya; Iwata, Yuka; Igarashi, Hisako; Hamada, Takahiro; Sonobe, Seiji; Sugiura, Masahiro; Yukawa, Yasushi

2016-01-01

In vitro transcription is an essential tool to study the molecular mechanisms of transcription. For over a decade, we have developed an in vitro transcription system from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)-cultured cells (BY-2), and this system supported the basic activities of the three RNA polymerases (Pol I, Pol II, and Pol III). However, it was not suitable to study photosynthetic genes, because BY-2 cells have lost their photosynthetic activity. Therefore, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) in vitro transcription systems were developed from green and etiolated suspension cells. Sufficient in vitro Pol II activity was detected after the minor modification of the nuclear soluble extracts preparation method; removal of vacuoles from protoplasts and L-ascorbic acid supplementation in the extraction buffer were particularly effective. Surprisingly, all four Arabidopsis Rubisco small subunit (rbcS-1A, rbcS-1B, rbcS-2B, and rbcS-3B) gene members were in vitro transcribed from the naked DNA templates without any light-dependent manner. However, clear light-inducible transcriptions were observed using chromatin template of rbcS-1A gene, which was prepared with a human nucleosome assembly protein 1 (hNAP1) and HeLa histones. This suggested that a key determinant of light-dependency through the rbcS gene transcription was a higher order of DNA structure (i.e. chromatin). PMID:26662274

Transcriptional control in the segmentation gene network of Drosophila.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark D Schroeder

2004-09-01

Full Text Available The segmentation gene network of Drosophila consists of maternal and zygotic factors that generate, by transcriptional (cross- regulation, expression patterns of increasing complexity along the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo. Using known binding site information for maternal and zygotic gap transcription factors, the computer algorithm Ahab recovers known segmentation control elements (modules with excellent success and predicts many novel modules within the network and genome-wide. We show that novel module predictions are highly enriched in the network and typically clustered proximal to the promoter, not only upstream, but also in intronic space and downstream. When placed upstream of a reporter gene, they consistently drive patterned blastoderm expression, in most cases faithfully producing one or more pattern elements of the endogenous gene. Moreover, we demonstrate for the entire set of known and newly validated modules that Ahab's prediction of binding sites correlates well with the expression patterns produced by the modules, revealing basic rules governing their composition. Specifically, we show that maternal factors consistently act as activators and that gap factors act as repressors, except for the bimodal factor Hunchback. Our data suggest a simple context-dependent rule for its switch from repressive to activating function. Overall, the composition of modules appears well fitted to the spatiotemporal distribution of their positive and negative input factors. Finally, by comparing Ahab predictions with different categories of transcription factor input, we confirm the global regulatory structure of the segmentation gene network, but find odd skipped behaving like a primary pair-rule gene. The study expands our knowledge of the segmentation gene network by increasing the number of experimentally tested modules by 50%. For the first time, the entire set of validated modules is analyzed for binding site composition under a

Analysis of Single-cell Gene Transcription by RNA Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ronander, Elena; Bengtsson, Dominique C; Joergensen, Louise

2012-01-01

Adhesion of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes (IE) to human endothelial receptors during malaria infections is mediated by expression of PfEMP1 protein variants encoded by the var genes. The haploid P. falciparum genome harbors approximately 60 different var genes of which only one has...... been believed to be transcribed per cell at a time during the blood stage of the infection. How such mutually exclusive regulation of var gene transcription is achieved is unclear, as is the identification of individual var genes or sub-groups of var genes associated with different receptors...... fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of var gene transcription by the parasite in individual nuclei of P. falciparum IE(1). Here, we present a detailed protocol for carrying out the RNA-FISH methodology for analysis of var gene transcription in single-nuclei of P. falciparum infected human...

Ascofuranone stimulates expression of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor through the modulation of mitogen activated protein kinase family members in 3T3-L1, murine pre-adipocyte cell line

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Young-Chae, E-mail: ycchang@cu.ac.kr [Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu 705-718 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Hyun-Ji, E-mail: hjcho.dr@gmail.com [Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu 705-718 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-06-08

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ascofuranone increases expression of adiponectin and PPAR{gamma}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibitors for MEK and JNK increased the expression of adiponectin and PPAR{gamma}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ascofuranone significantly suppressed phosho-ERK, while increasing phospho-p38. -- Abstract: Ascofuranone, an isoprenoid antibiotic, was originally isolated as a hypolipidemic substance from a culture broth of the phytopathogenic fungus, Ascochyta visiae. Adiponectin is mainly synthesized by adipocytes. It relieves insulin resistance by decreasing the plasma triglycerides and improving glucose uptake, and has anti-atherogenic properties. Here, we found that ascofuranone increases expression of adiponectin and PPAR{gamma}, a major transcription factor for adiponectin, in 3T3-L1, murine pre-adipocytes cell line, without promoting accumulation of lipid droplets. Ascofuranone induced expression of adiponectin, and increases the promoter activity of adiponectin and PPRE, PPAR response element, as comparably as a PPAR{gamma} agonist, rosiglitazone, that stimulates lipid accumulation in the preadipocyte cell line. Moreover, inhibitors for MEK and JNK, like ascofuranone, considerably increased the expression of adiponectin and PPAR{gamma}, while a p38 inhibitor significantly suppressed. Ascofuranone significantly suppressed ERK phosphorylation, while increasing p38 phosphorylation, during adipocyte differentiation program. These results suggest that ascofuranone regulates the expression of adiponectin and PPAR{gamma} through the modulation of MAP kinase family members.

Transcript-level annotation of Affymetrix probesets improves the interpretation of gene expression data

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Tu Kang

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The wide use of Affymetrix microarray in broadened fields of biological research has made the probeset annotation an important issue. Standard Affymetrix probeset annotation is at gene level, i.e. a probeset is precisely linked to a gene, and probeset intensity is interpreted as gene expression. The increased knowledge that one gene may have multiple transcript variants clearly brings up the necessity of updating this gene-level annotation to a refined transcript-level. Results Through performing rigorous alignments of the Affymetrix probe sequences against a comprehensive pool of currently available transcript sequences, and further linking the probesets to the International Protein Index, we generated transcript-level or protein-level annotation tables for two popular Affymetrix expression arrays, Mouse Genome 430A 2.0 Array and Human Genome U133A Array. Application of our new annotations in re-examining existing expression data sets shows increased expression consistency among synonymous probesets and strengthened expression correlation between interacting proteins. Conclusion By refining the standard Affymetrix annotation of microarray probesets from the gene level to the transcript level and protein level, one can achieve a more reliable interpretation of their experimental data, which may lead to discovery of more profound regulatory mechanism.

Interferon-Stimulated Genes Are Transcriptionally Repressed by PR in Breast Cancer.

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Walter, Katherine R; Goodman, Merit L; Singhal, Hari; Hall, Jade A; Li, Tianbao; Holloran, Sean M; Trinca, Gloria M; Gibson, Katelin A; Jin, Victor X; Greene, Geoffrey L; Hagan, Christy R

2017-10-01

The progesterone receptor (PR) regulates transcriptional programs that drive proliferation, survival, and stem cell phenotypes. Although the role of native progesterone in the development of breast cancer remains controversial, PR clearly alters the transcriptome in breast tumors. This study identifies a class of genes, Interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs), potently downregulated by ligand-activated PR which have not been previously shown to be regulated by PR. Progestin-dependent transcriptional repression of ISGs was observed in breast cancer cell line models and human breast tumors. Ligand-independent regulation of ISGs was also observed, as basal transcript levels were markedly higher in cells with PR knockdown. PR repressed ISG transcription in response to IFN treatment, the canonical mechanism through which these genes are activated. Liganded PR is robustly recruited to enhancer regions of ISGs, and ISG transcriptional repression is dependent upon PR's ability to bind DNA. In response to PR activation, key regulatory transcription factors that are required for IFN-activated ISG transcription, STAT2 and IRF9, exhibit impaired recruitment to ISG promoter regions, correlating with PR/ligand-dependent ISG transcriptional repression. IFN activation is a critical early step in nascent tumor recognition and destruction through immunosurveillance. As the large majority of breast tumors are PR positive at the time of diagnosis, PR-dependent downregulation of IFN signaling may be a mechanism through which early PR-positive breast tumors evade the immune system and develop into clinically relevant tumors. Implications: This study highlights a novel transcriptional mechanism through which PR drives breast cancer development and potentially evades the immune system. Mol Cancer Res; 15(10); 1331-40. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Engineering synthetic TALE and CRISPR/Cas9 transcription factors for regulating gene expression.

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Kabadi, Ami M; Gersbach, Charles A

2014-09-01

Engineered DNA-binding proteins that can be targeted to specific sites in the genome to manipulate gene expression have enabled many advances in biomedical research. This includes generating tools to study fundamental aspects of gene regulation and the development of a new class of gene therapies that alter the expression of endogenous genes. Designed transcription factors have entered clinical trials for the treatment of human diseases and others are in preclinical development. High-throughput and user-friendly platforms for designing synthetic DNA-binding proteins present innovative methods for deciphering cell biology and designing custom synthetic gene circuits. We review two platforms for designing synthetic transcription factors for manipulating gene expression: Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) and the RNA-guided clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. We present an overview of each technology and a guide for designing and assembling custom TALE- and CRISPR/Cas9-based transcription factors. We also discuss characteristics of each platform that are best suited for different applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional interference networks coordinate the expression of functionally related genes clustered in the same genomic loci.

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Boldogköi, Zsolt

2012-01-01

The regulation of gene expression is essential for normal functioning of biological systems in every form of life. Gene expression is primarily controlled at the level of transcription, especially at the phase of initiation. Non-coding RNAs are one of the major players at every level of genetic regulation, including the control of chromatin organization, transcription, various post-transcriptional processes, and translation. In this study, the Transcriptional Interference Network (TIN) hypothesis was put forward in an attempt to explain the global expression of antisense RNAs and the overall occurrence of tandem gene clusters in the genomes of various biological systems ranging from viruses to mammalian cells. The TIN hypothesis suggests the existence of a novel layer of genetic regulation, based on the interactions between the transcriptional machineries of neighboring genes at their overlapping regions, which are assumed to play a fundamental role in coordinating gene expression within a cluster of functionally linked genes. It is claimed that the transcriptional overlaps between adjacent genes are much more widespread in genomes than is thought today. The Waterfall model of the TIN hypothesis postulates a unidirectional effect of upstream genes on the transcription of downstream genes within a cluster of tandemly arrayed genes, while the Seesaw model proposes a mutual interdependence of gene expression between the oppositely oriented genes. The TIN represents an auto-regulatory system with an exquisitely timed and highly synchronized cascade of gene expression in functionally linked genes located in close physical proximity to each other. In this study, we focused on herpesviruses. The reason for this lies in the compressed nature of viral genes, which allows a tight regulation and an easier investigation of the transcriptional interactions between genes. However, I believe that the same or similar principles can be applied to cellular organisms too.

Transcriptional interference networks coordinate the expression of functionally-related genes clustered in the same genomic loci

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Zsolt eBoldogkoi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The regulation of gene expression is essential for normal functioning of biological systems in every form of life. Gene expression is primarily controlled at the level of transcription, especially at the phase of initiation. Non-coding RNAs are one of the major players at every level of genetic regulation, including the control of chromatin organisation, transcription, various post-transcriptional processes and translation. In this study, the Transcriptional Interference Network (TIN hypothesis was put forward in an attempt to explain the global expression of antisense RNAs and the overall occurrence of tandem gene clusters in the genomes of various biological systems ranging from viruses to mammalian cells. The TIN hypothesis suggests the existence of a novel layer of genetic regulation, based on the interactions between the transcriptional machineries of neighbouring genes at their overlapping regions, which are assumed to play a fundamental role in coordinating gene expression within a cluster of functionally-linked genes. It is claimed that the transcriptional overlaps between adjacent genes are much more widespread in genomes than is thought today. The Waterfall model of the TIN hypothesis postulates a unidirectional effect of upstream genes on the transcription of downstream genes within a cluster of tandemly-arrayed genes, while the Seesaw model proposes a mutual interdependence of gene expression between the oppositely-oriented genes. The TIN represents an auto-regulatory system with an exquisitely timed and highly synchronised cascade of gene expression in functionally-linked genes located in close physical proximity to each other. In this study, we focused on herpesviruses. The reason for this lies in the compressed nature of viral genes, which allows a tight regulation and an easier investigation of the transcriptional interactions between genes. However, I believe that the same or similar principles can be applied to cellular

DNA context represents transcription regulation of the gene in mouse embryonic stem cells

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Ha, Misook; Hong, Soondo

2016-04-01

Understanding gene regulatory information in DNA remains a significant challenge in biomedical research. This study presents a computational approach to infer gene regulatory programs from primary DNA sequences. Using DNA around transcription start sites as attributes, our model predicts gene regulation in the gene. We find that H3K27ac around TSS is an informative descriptor of the transcription program in mouse embryonic stem cells. We build a computational model inferring the cell-type-specific H3K27ac signatures in the DNA around TSS. A comparison of embryonic stem cell and liver cell-specific H3K27ac signatures in DNA shows that the H3K27ac signatures in DNA around TSS efficiently distinguish the cell-type specific H3K27ac peaks and the gene regulation. The arrangement of the H3K27ac signatures inferred from the DNA represents the transcription regulation of the gene in mESC. We show that the DNA around transcription start sites is associated with the gene regulatory program by specific interaction with H3K27ac.

Genome Binding and Gene Regulation by Stem Cell Transcription Factors

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J.H. Brandsma (Johan)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractNearly all cells of an individual organism contain the same genome. However, each cell type transcribes a different set of genes due to the presence of different sets of cell type-specific transcription factors. Such transcription factors bind to regulatory regions such as promoters

Reduced Neuronal Transcription of Escargot, the Drosophila Gene Encoding a Snail-Type Transcription Factor, Promotes Longevity

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Symonenko, Alexander V.; Roshina, Natalia V.; Krementsova, Anna V.; Pasyukova, Elena G.

2018-01-01

In recent years, several genes involved in complex neuron specification networks have been shown to control life span. However, information on these genes is scattered, and studies to discover new neuronal genes and gene cascades contributing to life span control are needed, especially because of the recognized role of the nervous system in governing homeostasis, aging, and longevity. Previously, we demonstrated that several genes that encode RNA polymerase II transcription factors and that are involved in the development of the nervous system affect life span in Drosophila melanogaster. Among other genes, escargot (esg) was demonstrated to be causally associated with an increase in the life span of male flies. Here, we present new data on the role of esg in life span control. We show that esg affects the life spans of both mated and unmated males and females to varying degrees. By analyzing the survival and locomotion of the esg mutants, we demonstrate that esg is involved in the control of aging. We show that increased longevity is caused by decreased esg transcription. In particular, we demonstrate that esg knockdown in the nervous system increased life span, directly establishing the involvement of the neuronal esg function in life span control. Our data invite attention to the mechanisms regulating the esg transcription rate, which is changed by insertions of DNA fragments of different sizes downstream of the structural part of the gene, indicating the direction of further research. Our data agree with the previously made suggestion that alterations in gene expression during development might affect adult lifespan, due to epigenetic patterns inherited in cell lineages or predetermined during the development of the structural and functional properties of the nervous system. PMID:29760717

Low plasma adiponectin concentrations do not predict weight gain in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vozarova, Barbora; Stefan, Norbert; Lindsay, Robert S

2002-01-01

Low concentrations of plasma adiponectin, the most abundant adipose-specific protein, are observed in obese individuals and predict the development of type 2 diabetes. Administration of adiponectin to rodents prevented diet-induced weight gain, suggesting a potential etiologic role of hypoadipone......Low concentrations of plasma adiponectin, the most abundant adipose-specific protein, are observed in obese individuals and predict the development of type 2 diabetes. Administration of adiponectin to rodents prevented diet-induced weight gain, suggesting a potential etiologic role...... of hypoadiponectinemia in the development of obesity. Our aim was to prospectively examine whether low plasma adiponectin concentrations predict future weight gain in Pima Indians, explaining the predictive effect of adiponectin on the development of type 2 diabetes. We measured plasma adiponectin concentrations in 219...... nondiabetic Pima Indians (112 M/107 F, age 31 +/- 9 years, body weight 96 +/- 20 kg [mean +/- SD]) in whom body weight and height were measured and BMI calculated at baseline and follow-up. Cross-sectionally, plasma adiponectin concentrations were negatively associated with body weight (r = -0.28, P = 0...

Characterisation of adiponectin multimers and the IGF axis in humans with a heterozygote mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of the insulin receptor gene

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Højlund, Kurt; Beck-Nielsen, Henning; Flyvbjerg, Allan

2012-01-01

Objective: Low levels of adiponectin, IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-1, and IGFBP-2, and high levels of leptin correlate with several indices of insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes. However, in insulin receptoropathies plasma adiponectin is paradoxically increased despite severe insulin...... resistance, whereas the IGF-axis is sparsely described. Here, we aimed to characterize the multimeric distribution of adiponectin and the IGF-axis in humans with a heterozygous INSR mutation (Arg1174Gln).Methods: Blood samples obtained in six Arg1174Gln-carriers and 10 lean, healthy controls before and after...... an euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp were examined for plasma adiponectin multimers, leptin, total IGF-I, IGF-II, free IGF-I, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2.Results: Despite 10-fold elevated fasting insulin and marked insulin resistance in Arg1174Gln-carriers, the levels of total adiponectin, leptin, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2...

Genes Involved in Human Ribosome Biogenesis areTranscriptionally Upregulated in Colorectal Cancer

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Mansilla, Francisco; Lamy, Philippe; Ørntoft, Torben Falck

2009-01-01

Microarray gene expression profiling comprising 168 colorectal adenocarcinomas and 10 normal mucosas showed that over 79% of the genes involved in human ribosome biogenesis are significantly upregulated (log2>0.5, p<10-3) when compared to normal mucosa. Overexpression was independent of microsate......Microarray gene expression profiling comprising 168 colorectal adenocarcinomas and 10 normal mucosas showed that over 79% of the genes involved in human ribosome biogenesis are significantly upregulated (log2>0.5, p... of microsatellite status. The promoters of the genes studied showed a significant enrichment for several transcription factor binding sites. There was a significant correlation between the number of binding site targets for these transcription factors and the observed gene transcript upregulation. The upregulation...

Delayed liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in adiponectin knockout mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezaki, Hisao; Yoshida, Yuichi; Saji, Yukiko; Takemura, Takayo; Fukushima, Juichi; Matsumoto, Hitoshi; Kamada, Yoshihiro; Wada, Akira; Igura, Takumi; Kihara, Shinji; Funahashi, Tohru; Shimomura, Iichiro; Tamura, Shinji; Kiso, Shinichi; Hayashi, Norio

2009-01-01

We previously demonstrated that adiponectin has anti-fibrogenic and anti-inflammatory effects in the liver of mouse models of various liver diseases. However, its role in liver regeneration remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the role of adiponectin in liver regeneration. We assessed liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in wild-type (WT) and adiponectin knockout (KO) mice. We analyzed DNA replication and various signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation and metabolism. Adiponectin KO mice exhibited delayed DNA replication and increased lipid accumulation in the regenerating liver. The expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1), a key enzyme in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, were decreased in adiponectin KO mice, suggesting possible contribution of altered fat metabolism to these phenomena. Collectively, the present results highlight a new role for adiponectin in the process of liver regeneration.

Global transcriptional regulatory network for Escherichia coli robustly connects gene expression to transcription factor activities

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Fang, Xin; Sastry, Anand; Mih, Nathan; Kim, Donghyuk; Tan, Justin; Lloyd, Colton J.; Gao, Ye; Yang, Laurence; Palsson, Bernhard O.

2017-01-01

Transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) have been studied intensely for >25 y. Yet, even for the Escherichia coli TRN—probably the best characterized TRN—several questions remain. Here, we address three questions: (i) How complete is our knowledge of the E. coli TRN; (ii) how well can we predict gene expression using this TRN; and (iii) how robust is our understanding of the TRN? First, we reconstructed a high-confidence TRN (hiTRN) consisting of 147 transcription factors (TFs) regulating 1,538 transcription units (TUs) encoding 1,764 genes. The 3,797 high-confidence regulatory interactions were collected from published, validated chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data and RegulonDB. For 21 different TF knockouts, up to 63% of the differentially expressed genes in the hiTRN were traced to the knocked-out TF through regulatory cascades. Second, we trained supervised machine learning algorithms to predict the expression of 1,364 TUs given TF activities using 441 samples. The algorithms accurately predicted condition-specific expression for 86% (1,174 of 1,364) of the TUs, while 193 TUs (14%) were predicted better than random TRNs. Third, we identified 10 regulatory modules whose definitions were robust against changes to the TRN or expression compendium. Using surrogate variable analysis, we also identified three unmodeled factors that systematically influenced gene expression. Our computational workflow comprehensively characterizes the predictive capabilities and systems-level functions of an organism’s TRN from disparate data types. PMID:28874552

Perfluorooctanoic acid stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis and gene transcription in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, M.W.; Bjork, J.A.; Wallace, K.B.

2009-01-01

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used in the production of non-stick surface compounds, exhibits a worldwide distribution in the serum of humans and wildlife. In rodents PFOA transactivates PPARα and PPARγ nuclear receptors and increases mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, which may be critical to the altered metabolic state of affected animals. A key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and transcription of mitochondrial genes is the PPARγ coactivator-1α (Pgc-1α) protein. The purpose of this study was to determine if Pgc-1α is implicated in the stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis that occurs following the treatment of rats with PFOA. Livers from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats that received a 30 mg/kg daily oral dose of PFOA for 28 days were used for all experiments. Analysis of mitochondrial replication and transcription was performed by real time PCR, and proteins were detected using western blotting. PFOA treatment caused a transcriptional activation of the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway leading to a doubling of mtDNA copy number. Further, transcription of OXPHOS genes encoded by mtDNA was 3-4 times greater than that of nuclear encoded genes, suggestive of a preferential induction of mtDNA transcription. Western blot analysis revealed an increase in Pgc-1α, unchanged Tfam and decreased Cox II and Cox IV subunit protein expression. We conclude that PFOA treatment in rats induces mitochondrial biogenesis at the transcriptional level with a preferential stimulation of mtDNA transcription and that this occurs by way of activation of the Pgc-1α pathway. Implication of the Pgc-1α pathway is consistent with PPARγ transactivation by PFOA and reveals new understanding and possibly new critical targets for assessing or averting the associated metabolic disease.

Transcriptional regulation of gene expression clusters in motor neurons following spinal cord injury

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Westerdahl Ann-Charlotte

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Spinal cord injury leads to neurological dysfunctions affecting the motor, sensory as well as the autonomic systems. Increased excitability of motor neurons has been implicated in injury-induced spasticity, where the reappearance of self-sustained plateau potentials in the absence of modulatory inputs from the brain correlates with the development of spasticity. Results Here we examine the dynamic transcriptional response of motor neurons to spinal cord injury as it evolves over time to unravel common gene expression patterns and their underlying regulatory mechanisms. For this we use a rat-tail-model with complete spinal cord transection causing injury-induced spasticity, where gene expression profiles are obtained from labeled motor neurons extracted with laser microdissection 0, 2, 7, 21 and 60 days post injury. Consensus clustering identifies 12 gene clusters with distinct time expression profiles. Analysis of these gene clusters identifies early immunological/inflammatory and late developmental responses as well as a regulation of genes relating to neuron excitability that support the development of motor neuron hyper-excitability and the reappearance of plateau potentials in the late phase of the injury response. Transcription factor motif analysis identifies differentially expressed transcription factors involved in the regulation of each gene cluster, shaping the expression of the identified biological processes and their associated genes underlying the changes in motor neuron excitability. Conclusions This analysis provides important clues to the underlying mechanisms of transcriptional regulation responsible for the increased excitability observed in motor neurons in the late chronic phase of spinal cord injury suggesting alternative targets for treatment of spinal cord injury. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of gene clusters containing elements related to motor neuron hyper

Transcriptional regulation of gene expression clusters in motor neurons following spinal cord injury.

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Ryge, Jesper; Winther, Ole; Wienecke, Jacob; Sandelin, Albin; Westerdahl, Ann-Charlotte; Hultborn, Hans; Kiehn, Ole

2010-06-09

Spinal cord injury leads to neurological dysfunctions affecting the motor, sensory as well as the autonomic systems. Increased excitability of motor neurons has been implicated in injury-induced spasticity, where the reappearance of self-sustained plateau potentials in the absence of modulatory inputs from the brain correlates with the development of spasticity. Here we examine the dynamic transcriptional response of motor neurons to spinal cord injury as it evolves over time to unravel common gene expression patterns and their underlying regulatory mechanisms. For this we use a rat-tail-model with complete spinal cord transection causing injury-induced spasticity, where gene expression profiles are obtained from labeled motor neurons extracted with laser microdissection 0, 2, 7, 21 and 60 days post injury. Consensus clustering identifies 12 gene clusters with distinct time expression profiles. Analysis of these gene clusters identifies early immunological/inflammatory and late developmental responses as well as a regulation of genes relating to neuron excitability that support the development of motor neuron hyper-excitability and the reappearance of plateau potentials in the late phase of the injury response. Transcription factor motif analysis identifies differentially expressed transcription factors involved in the regulation of each gene cluster, shaping the expression of the identified biological processes and their associated genes underlying the changes in motor neuron excitability. This analysis provides important clues to the underlying mechanisms of transcriptional regulation responsible for the increased excitability observed in motor neurons in the late chronic phase of spinal cord injury suggesting alternative targets for treatment of spinal cord injury. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of gene clusters containing elements related to motor neuron hyper-excitability, the manipulation of which potentially could be

Liver lipid molecules induce PEPCK-C gene transcription and attenuate insulin action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Guoxun

2007-01-01

Cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C) plays key roles in gluconeogenesis, glyceroneogenesis, and cataplerosis. Experiments were designed to examine the effects of endogenous lipid molecules from rat livers on the expression of PEPCK-C gene in primary rat hepatocytes. The lipid extracts prepared from livers of Zucker fatty, lean, and Wistar rats induced the expression levels of PEPCK-C transcripts. Insulin-mediated reduction of PEPCK-C gene expression was attenuated by the same treatment. The lipid extracts induced the relative luciferase activity of reporter gene constructs that contain a 2.2-kb 5' promoter fragment of PEPCK-C gene, but not the construct that contains only the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of its mRNA. The estimated half life of PEPCK-C transcripts in the presence of the lipid extract is the same as that in the absence of it. My results demonstrate for the first time that endogenous lipid molecules induce PEPCK-C gene transcription and attenuate insulin action in liver

Role of redox environment on the oligomerization of higher molecular weight adiponectin

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Nuñez Martha

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone with insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory actions. The assembly of trimeric, hexameric, and higher molecular weight (HMW species of adiponectin is a topic of significant interest because physiological actions of adiponectin are oligomer-specific. In addition, adiponectin assembly is an example of oxidative oligomerization of multi-subunit protein complexes in endoplasmic reticulum (ER. Results We previously reported that trimers assemble into HMW adiponectin via intermediates stabilized by disulfide bonds, and complete oxidation of available cysteines locks adiponectin in hexameric conformation. In this study, we examined the effects of redox environment on the rate of oligomer formation and the distribution of oligomers. Reassembly of adiponectin under oxidizing conditions accelerated disulfide bonding but favored formation of hexamers over the HMW species. Increased ratios of HMW to hexameric adiponectin could be achieved rapidly under oxidizing conditions by promoting disulfide rearrangement. Conclusions Based upon these observations, we propose oxidative assembly of multi-subunit adiponectin complexes in a defined and stable redox environment is favored under oxidizing conditions coupled with high rates of disulfide rearrangement.

Step out of the groove : epigenetic gene control systems and engineered transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verschure, P.J.; Visser, A.E.; Rots, M.G.

2006-01-01

At the linear DNA level, gene activity is believed to be driven by binding of transcription factors, which subsequently recruit the RNA polymerase to the gene promoter region. However, it has become clear that transcriptional activation involves large complexes of many different proteins, which not

Role of natural antisense transcripts pertaining to tumor suppressor genes in human carcinomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelicci, G.; Pierotti, M.

2009-01-01

Overlapping transcripts in opposite orientations can potentially form perfect sense-antisense duplex RNA. Recently, several studies have revealed the extent of natural antisense transcripts (NATs) and their role in important biological phenomena also in higher organisms. In order to test the hypothesis that the function of NATs in man might represent an essential element in the regulation of gene expression, especially at transcriptional level, in this study we planned to look for, systematically examine, and characterize NATs belonging in the human genome to the tumour suppressor class of genes, so to identify physiological (and potentially pathological) modulators in this gene class

Directional gene expression and antisense transcripts in sexual and asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum

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López-Barragán María J

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been shown that nearly a quarter of the initial predicted gene models in the Plasmodium falciparum genome contain errors. Although there have been efforts to obtain complete cDNA sequences to correct the errors, the coverage of cDNA sequences on the predicted genes is still incomplete, and many gene models for those expressed in sexual or mosquito stages have not been validated. Antisense transcripts have widely been reported in P. falciparum; however, the extent and pattern of antisense transcripts in different developmental stages remain largely unknown. Results We have sequenced seven bidirectional libraries from ring, early and late trophozoite, schizont, gametocyte II, gametocyte V, and ookinete, and four strand-specific libraries from late trophozoite, schizont, gametocyte II, and gametocyte V of the 3D7 parasites. Alignment of the cDNA sequences to the 3D7 reference genome revealed stage-specific antisense transcripts and novel intron-exon splicing junctions. Sequencing of strand-specific cDNA libraries suggested that more genes are expressed in one direction in gametocyte than in schizont. Alternatively spliced genes, antisense transcripts, and stage-specific expressed genes were also characterized. Conclusions It is necessary to continue to sequence cDNA from different developmental stages, particularly those of non-erythrocytic stages. The presence of antisense transcripts in some gametocyte and ookinete genes suggests that these antisense RNA may play an important role in gene expression regulation and parasite development. Future gene expression studies should make use of directional cDNA libraries. Antisense transcripts may partly explain the observed discrepancy between levels of mRNA and protein expression.

Alteration of BRCA1 expression affects alcohol-induced transcription of RNA Pol III-dependent genes.

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Zhong, Qian; Shi, Ganggang; Zhang, Yanmei; Lu, Lei; Levy, Daniel; Zhong, Shuping

2015-02-01

Emerging evidence has indicated that alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for breast cancer. Deregulation of RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription enhances cellular Pol III gene production, leading to an increase in translational capacity to promote cell transformation and tumor formation. We have reported that alcohol intake increases Pol III gene transcription to promote cell transformation and tumor formation in vitro and in vivo. Studies revealed that tumor suppressors, pRb, p53, PTEN and Maf1 repress the transcription of Pol III genes. BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor and its mutation is tightly related to breast cancer development. However, it is not clear whether BRCA1 expression affects alcohol-induced transcription of Pol III genes. At the present studies, we report that restoring BRCA1 in HCC 1937 cells, which is a BRCA1 deficient cell line, represses Pol III gene transcription. Expressing mutant or truncated BRCA1 in these cells does not affect the ability of repression on Pol III genes. Our analysis has demonstrated that alcohol induces Pol III gene transcription. More importantly, overexpression of BRCA1 in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer cells (MCF-7) decreases the induction of tRNA(Leu) and 5S rRNA genes by alcohol, whereas reduction of BRCA1 by its siRNA slightly increases the transcription of the class of genes. This suggests that BRCA1 is associated with alcohol-induced deregulation of Pol III genes. These studies for the first time demonstrate the role of BRCA1 in induction of Pol III genes by alcohol and uncover a novel mechanism of alcohol-associated breast cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adiponectin stimulates human osteoblasts proliferation and differentiation via the MAPK signaling pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Xianghang; Guo Lijuan; Yuan Lingqing; Xie Hui; Zhou Houde; Wu Xianping; Liao Eryuan

2005-01-01

Adipocytes can highly and specifically express adiponectin, and the adiponectin receptor (AdipoR) has been detected in bone-forming cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate the action of adiponectin on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. AdipoR1 protein was detected in human osteoblasts. Adiponectin promoted osteoblast proliferation and resulted in a dose- and time-dependent increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin and type I collagen production, and an increase in mineralized matrix. Suppression of AdipoR1 with small-interfering RNA (siRNA) abolished the adiponectin-induced cell proliferation and ALP expression. Adiponectin induces activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), but not ERK1/2 in osteoblasts, and these effects were blocked by suppression of AdipoR1 with siRNA. Furthermore, pretreatment of osteoblasts with the JNK inhibitor SP600125 abolished the adiponectin-induced cell proliferation. p38 inhibitor SB203580 blocked the adiponectin-induced ALP activity. These data indicate that adiponectin induces human osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, and the proliferation response is mediated by the AdipoR/JNK pathway, while the differentiation response is mediated via the AdipoR/p38 pathway. These findings suggest that osteoblasts are the direct targets of adiponectin

Ultradian hormone stimulation induces glucocorticoid receptor-mediated pulses of gene transcription.

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Stavreva, Diana A; Wiench, Malgorzata; John, Sam; Conway-Campbell, Becky L; McKenna, Mervyn A; Pooley, John R; Johnson, Thomas A; Voss, Ty C; Lightman, Stafford L; Hager, Gordon L

2009-09-01

Studies on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) action typically assess gene responses by long-term stimulation with synthetic hormones. As corticosteroids are released from adrenal glands in a circadian and high-frequency (ultradian) mode, such treatments may not provide an accurate assessment of physiological hormone action. Here we demonstrate that ultradian hormone stimulation induces cyclic GR-mediated transcriptional regulation, or gene pulsing, both in cultured cells and in animal models. Equilibrium receptor-occupancy of regulatory elements precisely tracks the ligand pulses. Nascent RNA transcripts from GR-regulated genes are released in distinct quanta, demonstrating a profound difference between the transcriptional programs induced by ultradian and constant stimulation. Gene pulsing is driven by rapid GR exchange with response elements and by GR recycling through the chaperone machinery, which promotes GR activation and reactivation in response to the ultradian hormone release, thus coupling promoter activity to the naturally occurring fluctuations in hormone levels. The GR signalling pathway has been optimized for a prompt and timely response to fluctuations in hormone levels, indicating that biologically accurate regulation of gene targets by GR requires an ultradian mode of hormone stimulation.

Adiponectin Concentrations: A Genome-wide Association Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jee, Sun Ha; Sull, Jae Woong; Lee, Jong-Eun; Shin, Chol; Park, Jongkeun; Kimm, Heejin; Cho, Eun-Young; Shin, Eun-Soon; Yun, Ji Eun; Park, Ji Wan; Kim, Sang Yeun; Lee, Sun Ju; Jee, Eun Jung; Baik, Inkyung; Kao, Linda; Yoon, Sungjoo Kim; Jang, Yangsoo; Beaty, Terri H.

2010-01-01

Adiponectin is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. To date, there has been no genome-wide association study (GWAS) of adiponectin levels in Asians. Here we present a GWAS of a cohort of Korean volunteers. A total of 4,001 subjects were genotyped by using a genome-wide marker panel in a two-stage design (979 subjects initially and 3,022 in a second stage). Another 2,304 subjects were used for follow-up replication studies with selected markers. In the discovery phase, the top SNP associated with mean log adiponectin was rs3865188 in CDH13 on chromosome 16 (p = 1.69 × 10−15 in the initial sample, p = 6.58 × 10−39 in the second genome-wide sample, and p = 2.12 × 10−32 in the replication sample). The meta-analysis p value for rs3865188 in all 6,305 individuals was 2.82 × 10−83. The association of rs3865188 with high-molecular-weight adiponectin (p = 7.36 × 10−58) was even stronger in the third sample. A reporter assay that evaluated the effects of a CDH13 promoter SNP in complete linkage disequilibrium with rs3865188 revealed that the major allele increased expression 2.2-fold. This study clearly shows that genetic variants in CDH13 influence adiponectin levels in Korean adults. PMID:20887962

Serum Adiponectin and Cardiometabolic Risk in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Gustavo Bernardes de Figueiredo; França, João Ítalo Dias; Piegas, Leopoldo Soares

2013-01-01

The adipose tissue is considered not only a storable energy source, but mainly an endocrine organ that secretes several cytokines. Adiponectin, a novel protein similar to collagen, has been found to be an adipocyte-specific cytokine and a promising cardiovascular risk marker. To evaluate the association between serum adiponectin levels and the risk for cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), as well as the correlations between adiponectin and metabolic, inflammatory, and myocardial biomarkers. We recruited 114 patients with ACS and a mean 1.13-year follow-up to measure clinical outcomes. Clinical characteristics and biomarkers were compared according to adiponectin quartiles. Cox proportional hazard regression models with Firth's penalization were applied to assess the independent association between adiponectin and the subsequent risk for both primary (composite of cardiovascular death/non-fatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI)/non-fatal stroke) and co-primary outcomes (composite of cardiovascular death/non-fatal AMI/non-fatal stroke/ rehospitalization requiring revascularization). There were significant direct correlations between adiponectin and age, HDL-cholesterol, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and significant inverse correlations between adiponectin and waist circumference, body weight, body mass index, Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) index, triglycerides, and insulin. Adiponectin was associated with higher risk for primary and co-primary outcomes (adjusted HR 1.08 and 1.07/increment of 1000; p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). In ACS patients, serum adiponectin was an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. In addition to the anthropometric and metabolic correlations, there was a significant direct correlation between adiponectin and BNP

Serum Adiponectin and Cardiometabolic Risk in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Gustavo Bernardes de Figueiredo, E-mail: goliveira@cardiol.br; França, João Ítalo Dias; Piegas, Leopoldo Soares [Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-11-15

The adipose tissue is considered not only a storable energy source, but mainly an endocrine organ that secretes several cytokines. Adiponectin, a novel protein similar to collagen, has been found to be an adipocyte-specific cytokine and a promising cardiovascular risk marker. To evaluate the association between serum adiponectin levels and the risk for cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), as well as the correlations between adiponectin and metabolic, inflammatory, and myocardial biomarkers. We recruited 114 patients with ACS and a mean 1.13-year follow-up to measure clinical outcomes. Clinical characteristics and biomarkers were compared according to adiponectin quartiles. Cox proportional hazard regression models with Firth's penalization were applied to assess the independent association between adiponectin and the subsequent risk for both primary (composite of cardiovascular death/non-fatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI)/non-fatal stroke) and co-primary outcomes (composite of cardiovascular death/non-fatal AMI/non-fatal stroke/ rehospitalization requiring revascularization). There were significant direct correlations between adiponectin and age, HDL-cholesterol, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and significant inverse correlations between adiponectin and waist circumference, body weight, body mass index, Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) index, triglycerides, and insulin. Adiponectin was associated with higher risk for primary and co-primary outcomes (adjusted HR 1.08 and 1.07/increment of 1000; p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). In ACS patients, serum adiponectin was an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. In addition to the anthropometric and metabolic correlations, there was a significant direct correlation between adiponectin and BNP.

Adiposity distribution influences circulating adiponectin levels

OpenAIRE

Guenther, Mitchell; James, Roland; Marks, Jacqueline; Zhao, Shi; Szabo, Aniko; Kidambi, Srividya

2014-01-01

Thirty percent of obese individuals are metabolically healthy and were noted have increased peripheral obesity. Adipose tissue is the primary source of adiponectin, an adipokine with insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory properties. Lower adiponectin levels are observed in individuals with obesity and those at risk for cardiovascular disease. Conversely, higher levels are noted in some obese individuals who are metabolically healthy. Our objective was to determine whether abdominal adipos...

Circuit-wide Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Brain Region-Specific Gene Networks Regulating Depression Susceptibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagot, Rosemary C; Cates, Hannah M; Purushothaman, Immanuel; Lorsch, Zachary S; Walker, Deena M; Wang, Junshi; Huang, Xiaojie; Schlüter, Oliver M; Maze, Ian; Peña, Catherine J; Heller, Elizabeth A; Issler, Orna; Wang, Minghui; Song, Won-Min; Stein, Jason L; Liu, Xiaochuan; Doyle, Marie A; Scobie, Kimberly N; Sun, Hao Sheng; Neve, Rachael L; Geschwind, Daniel; Dong, Yan; Shen, Li; Zhang, Bin; Nestler, Eric J

2016-06-01

Depression is a complex, heterogeneous disorder and a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. Most previous research has focused on individual brain regions and genes contributing to depression. However, emerging evidence in humans and animal models suggests that dysregulated circuit function and gene expression across multiple brain regions drive depressive phenotypes. Here, we performed RNA sequencing on four brain regions from control animals and those susceptible or resilient to chronic social defeat stress at multiple time points. We employed an integrative network biology approach to identify transcriptional networks and key driver genes that regulate susceptibility to depressive-like symptoms. Further, we validated in vivo several key drivers and their associated transcriptional networks that regulate depression susceptibility and confirmed their functional significance at the levels of gene transcription, synaptic regulation, and behavior. Our study reveals novel transcriptional networks that control stress susceptibility and offers fundamentally new leads for antidepressant drug discovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adiponectin receptor 2 is regulated by nutritional status, leptin and pregnancy in a tissue-specific manner.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Carmen Ruth; Caminos, Jorge Eduardo; Gallego, Rosalía; Tovar, Sulay; Vázquez, María Jesús; Garcés, María Fernanda; Lopez, Miguel; García-Caballero, Tomás; Tena-Sempere, Manuel; Nogueiras, Rubén; Diéguez, Carlos

2010-01-12

The aim of the present work was to study the regulation of circulating adiponectin levels and the expression of adiponectin receptor 2 (Adipo-R2) in several rat tissues in relation to fasting, leptin challenge, pregnancy, and chronic undernutrition. Using real-time PCR, we found Adipo-R2 mRNA expression in the liver, stomach, white and brown adipose tissues (WAT and BAT) of adult rats. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed protein expression in the same tissues. Adipo-R2 mRNA levels were decreased in liver after fasting, with no changes in the other tissues. Leptin decreased Adipo-R2 expression in liver and stomach, but increased its expression in WAT and BAT. Chronic caloric restriction in normal rats increased Adipo-R2 gene expression in stomach, while it decreased hepatic Adipo-R2 levels in pregnant rats. Using radioimmunoassay, we found that plasma adiponectin levels were diminished by fasting and leptin. Conversely, circulating adiponectin was increased in food-restricted rats, whereas its levels decreased in food-restricted pregnant rats by the end of gestation. In conclusion our findings provide the first evidence that (a) Adipo-R2 mRNA is regulated in a tissue-specific manner by fasting, but leptin is not responsible for those changes; (b) chronic caloric restriction in normal and pregnant rats also regulate Adipo-R2 mRNA in a tissue-specific manner; and (c) Adipo-R2 mRNA does not show a clear correlation with plasma adiponectin levels.

The transcription factor ATF3 is upregulated during chondrocyte differentiation and represses cyclin D1 and A gene transcription

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James Claudine G

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coordinated chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation are required for normal endochondral bone growth. Transcription factors binding to the cyclicAMP response element (CRE are known to regulate these processes. One member of this family, Activating Tanscription Factor 3 (ATF3, is expressed during skeletogenesis and acts as a transcriptional repressor, but the function of this protein in chondrogenesis is unknown. Results Here we demonstrate that Atf3 mRNA levels increase during mouse chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, Atf3 mRNA levels are increased in response to cytochalasin D treatment, an inducer of chondrocyte maturation. This is accompanied by increased Atf3 promoter activity in cytochalasin D-treated chondrocytes. We had shown earlier that transcription of the cell cycle genes cyclin D1 and cyclin A in chondrocytes is dependent on CREs. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of ATF3 in primary mouse chondrocytes results in reduced transcription of both genes, as well as decreased activity of a CRE reporter plasmid. Repression of cyclin A transcription by ATF3 required the CRE in the cyclin A promoter. In parallel, ATF3 overexpression reduces the activity of a SOX9-dependent promoter and increases the activity of a RUNX2-dependent promoter. Conclusion Our data suggest that transcriptional induction of the Atf3 gene in maturing chondrocytes results in down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin A expression as well as activation of RUNX2-dependent transcription. Therefore, ATF3 induction appears to facilitate cell cycle exit and terminal differentiation of chondrocytes.

Neurotoxocarosis alters myelin protein gene transcription and expression.

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Heuer, Lea; Beyerbach, Martin; Lühder, Fred; Beineke, Andreas; Strube, Christina

2015-06-01

Neurotoxocarosis is an infection of the central nervous system caused by migrating larvae of the common dog and cat roundworms (Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati), which are zoonotic agents. As these parasites are prevalent worldwide and neuropathological and molecular investigations on neurotoxocarosis are scare, this study aims to characterise nerve fibre demyelination associated with neurotoxocarosis on a molecular level. Transcription of eight myelin-associated genes (Cnp, Mag, Mbp, Mog, Mrf-1, Nogo-A, Plp1, Olig2) was determined in the mouse model during six time points of the chronic phase of infection using qRT-PCR. Expression of selected proteins was analysed by Western blotting or immunohistochemistry. Additionally, demyelination and neuronal damage were investigated histologically. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between transcription rates of T. canis-infected and uninfected control mice were detected for all analysed genes while T. cati affected five of eight investigated genes. Interestingly, 2', 3 ´-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (Cnp) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (Mog) were upregulated in both T. canis- and T. cati-infected mice preceding demyelination. Later, CNPase expression was additionally enhanced. As expected, myelin basic protein (Mbp) was downregulated in cerebra and cerebella of T. canis-infected mice when severe demyelination was present 120 days post infectionem (dpi). The transcriptional pattern observed in the present study appears to reflect direct traumatic and hypoxic effects of larval migration as well as secondary processes including host immune reactions, demyelination and attempts to remyelinate damaged areas.

Transcript Profile of Flowering Regulatory Genes in VcFT-Overexpressing Blueberry Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Walworth, Aaron E; Chai, Benli; Song, Guo-Qing

2016-01-01

In order to identify genetic components in flowering pathways of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), a transcriptome reference composed of 254,396 transcripts and 179,853 gene contigs was developed by assembly of 72.7 million reads using Trinity. Using this transcriptome reference and a query of flowering pathway genes of herbaceous plants, we identified potential flowering pathway genes/transcripts of blueberry. Transcriptome analysis of flowering pathway genes was then conducted on leaf tissue samples of transgenic blueberry cv. Aurora ('VcFT-Aurora'), which overexpresses a blueberry FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene (VcFT). Sixty-one blueberry transcripts of 40 genes showed high similarities to 33 known flowering-related genes of herbaceous plants, of which 17 down-regulated and 16 up-regulated genes were identified in 'VcFT-Aurora'. All down-regulated genes encoded transcription factors/enzymes upstream in the signaling pathway containing VcFT. A blueberry CONSTANS-LIKE 5-like (VcCOL5) gene was down-regulated and associated with five other differentially expressed (DE) genes in the photoperiod-mediated flowering pathway. Three down-regulated genes, i.e., a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 2-like gene (VcMAF2), a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 5-like gene (VcMAF5), and a VERNALIZATION1-like gene (VcVRN1), may function as integrators in place of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) in the vernalization pathway. Because no CONSTAN1-like or FLOWERING LOCUS C-like genes were found in blueberry, VcCOL5 and VcMAF2/VcMAF5 or VRN1 might be the major integrator(s) in the photoperiod- and vernalization-mediated flowering pathway, respectively. The major down-stream genes of VcFT, i.e., SUPPRESSOR of Overexpression of Constans 1-like (VcSOC1), LEAFY-like (VcLFY), APETALA1-like (VcAP1), CAULIFLOWER 1-like (VcCAL1), and FRUITFULL-like (VcFUL) genes were present and showed high similarity to their orthologues in herbaceous plants. Moreover, overexpression of VcFT promoted expression of all of these

Transcript Profile of Flowering Regulatory Genes in VcFT-Overexpressing Blueberry Plants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron E Walworth

Full Text Available In order to identify genetic components in flowering pathways of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L., a transcriptome reference composed of 254,396 transcripts and 179,853 gene contigs was developed by assembly of 72.7 million reads using Trinity. Using this transcriptome reference and a query of flowering pathway genes of herbaceous plants, we identified potential flowering pathway genes/transcripts of blueberry. Transcriptome analysis of flowering pathway genes was then conducted on leaf tissue samples of transgenic blueberry cv. Aurora ('VcFT-Aurora', which overexpresses a blueberry FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene (VcFT. Sixty-one blueberry transcripts of 40 genes showed high similarities to 33 known flowering-related genes of herbaceous plants, of which 17 down-regulated and 16 up-regulated genes were identified in 'VcFT-Aurora'. All down-regulated genes encoded transcription factors/enzymes upstream in the signaling pathway containing VcFT. A blueberry CONSTANS-LIKE 5-like (VcCOL5 gene was down-regulated and associated with five other differentially expressed (DE genes in the photoperiod-mediated flowering pathway. Three down-regulated genes, i.e., a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 2-like gene (VcMAF2, a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 5-like gene (VcMAF5, and a VERNALIZATION1-like gene (VcVRN1, may function as integrators in place of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC in the vernalization pathway. Because no CONSTAN1-like or FLOWERING LOCUS C-like genes were found in blueberry, VcCOL5 and VcMAF2/VcMAF5 or VRN1 might be the major integrator(s in the photoperiod- and vernalization-mediated flowering pathway, respectively. The major down-stream genes of VcFT, i.e., SUPPRESSOR of Overexpression of Constans 1-like (VcSOC1, LEAFY-like (VcLFY, APETALA1-like (VcAP1, CAULIFLOWER 1-like (VcCAL1, and FRUITFULL-like (VcFUL genes were present and showed high similarity to their orthologues in herbaceous plants. Moreover, overexpression of VcFT promoted expression of all of

Transcript Profile of Flowering Regulatory Genes in VcFT-Overexpressing Blueberry Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Walworth, Aaron E.; Chai, Benli; Song, Guo-qing

2016-01-01

In order to identify genetic components in flowering pathways of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), a transcriptome reference composed of 254,396 transcripts and 179,853 gene contigs was developed by assembly of 72.7 million reads using Trinity. Using this transcriptome reference and a query of flowering pathway genes of herbaceous plants, we identified potential flowering pathway genes/transcripts of blueberry. Transcriptome analysis of flowering pathway genes was then conducted on leaf tissue samples of transgenic blueberry cv. Aurora (‘VcFT-Aurora’), which overexpresses a blueberry FLOWERING LOCUS T-like gene (VcFT). Sixty-one blueberry transcripts of 40 genes showed high similarities to 33 known flowering-related genes of herbaceous plants, of which 17 down-regulated and 16 up-regulated genes were identified in ‘VcFT-Aurora’. All down-regulated genes encoded transcription factors/enzymes upstream in the signaling pathway containing VcFT. A blueberry CONSTANS-LIKE 5-like (VcCOL5) gene was down-regulated and associated with five other differentially expressed (DE) genes in the photoperiod-mediated flowering pathway. Three down-regulated genes, i.e., a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 2-like gene (VcMAF2), a MADS-AFFECTING FLOWERING 5-like gene (VcMAF5), and a VERNALIZATION1-like gene (VcVRN1), may function as integrators in place of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) in the vernalization pathway. Because no CONSTAN1-like or FLOWERING LOCUS C-like genes were found in blueberry, VcCOL5 and VcMAF2/VcMAF5 or VRN1 might be the major integrator(s) in the photoperiod- and vernalization-mediated flowering pathway, respectively. The major down-stream genes of VcFT, i.e., SUPPRESSOR of Overexpression of Constans 1-like (VcSOC1), LEAFY-like (VcLFY), APETALA1-like (VcAP1), CAULIFLOWER 1-like (VcCAL1), and FRUITFULL-like (VcFUL) genes were present and showed high similarity to their orthologues in herbaceous plants. Moreover, overexpression of VcFT promoted expression of all

DNA dynamics play a role as a basal transcription factor in the positioning and regulation of gene transcription initiation

OpenAIRE

Alexandrov, Boian S.; Gelev, Vladimir; Yoo, Sang Wook; Alexandrov, Ludmil B.; Fukuyo, Yayoi; Bishop, Alan R.; Rasmussen, Kim ?.; Usheva, Anny

2009-01-01

We assess the role of DNA breathing dynamics as a determinant of promoter strength and transcription start site (TSS) location. We compare DNA Langevin dynamic profiles of representative gene promoters, calculated with the extended non-linear PBD model of DNA with experimental data on transcription factor binding and transcriptional activity. Our results demonstrate that DNA dynamic activity at the TSS can be suppressed by mutations that do not affect basal transcription factor binding–DNA co...

Changes in transcriptional orientation are associated with increases in evolutionary rates of enterobacterial genes

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Hsiung Chao

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Changes in transcriptional orientation (“CTOs” occur frequently in prokaryotic genomes. Such changes usually result from genomic inversions, which may cause a conflict between the directions of replication and transcription and an increase in mutation rate. However, CTOs do not always lead to the replication-transcription confrontation. Furthermore, CTOs may cause deleterious disruptions of operon structure and/or gene regulations. The currently existing CTOs may indicate relaxation of selection pressure. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate whether CTOs have an independent effect on the evolutionary rates of the affected genes, and whether these genes are subject to any type of selection pressure in prokaryotes. Methods Three closely related enterbacteria, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, were selected for comparisons of synonymous (dS and nonsynonymous (dN substitution rate between the genes that have experienced changes in transcriptional orientation (changed-orientation genes, “COGs” and those that do not (same-orientation genes, “SOGs”. The dN/dS ratio was also derived to evaluate the selection pressure on the analyzed genes. Confounding factors in the estimation of evolutionary rates, such as gene essentiality, gene expression level, replication-transcription confrontation, and decreased dS at gene terminals were controlled in the COG-SOG comparisons. Results We demonstrate that COGs have significantly higher dN and dS than SOGs when a series of confounding factors are controlled. However, the dN/dS ratios are similar between the two gene groups, suggesting that the increase in dS can sufficiently explain the increase in dN in COGs. Therefore, the increases in evolutionary rates in COGs may be mainly mutation-driven. Conclusions Here we show that CTOs can increase the evolutionary rates of the affected genes. This effect is independent of the

The histone genes in HeLa cells are on individual transcriptional units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hackett, P.B.; Traub, P.; Gallwitz, D.

1978-01-01

The distances of the five major histone genes from their promotors have been investigated in order to determine whether in human cells these genes could be transcribed as a single polycistronic transcriptional unit. By measuring the decreases of both histone protein and histone mRNA synthesis as functions of the ultraviolet light dosage, it was possible to calculate the distances of the histone genes from their promotors. The inactivation kinetics for histone genes H1 and H3 are first-order, indicating a single type of transcriptional unit for each gene. The dose-response kinetics for genes H2A, H2B and H4 are first-order with two distinct rates; 10 to 15% of the genes for each of these histones appear to be much more sensitive to ultraviolet light inactivation than are the majority. It is concluded that the transcriptional units for 85 to 90% of the genes for H2A, H2B and H4 are similar. As determined by the inhibition of protein synthesis, the inactivation coefficients for the major component of each histone are: H1, 907 mm 2 /erg; H2A, 878 mm 2 /erg; H2B, 871 mm 2 /erg; H3, 965 mm 2 /erg; and H4, 792 mm 2 /erg. The sensitivities of histone mRNA synthesis to irradiation were measured by translation in vitro with similar results. The calculated target sizes for the genes (in base-pairs) are: H1, 1190; H2A, 1240; H2B, 1250; H3, 1130; and H4, 1380. This similarity in target sizes for all five of the histones genes indicates that they are primarily transcribed from individual transcriptional units. (author)

A combination of independent transcriptional regulators shapes bacterial virulence gene expression during infection.

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Samuel A Shelburne

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Transcriptional regulatory networks are fundamental to how microbes alter gene expression in response to environmental stimuli, thereby playing a critical role in bacterial pathogenesis. However, understanding how bacterial transcriptional regulatory networks function during host-pathogen interaction is limited. Recent studies in group A Streptococcus (GAS suggested that the transcriptional regulator catabolite control protein A (CcpA influences many of the same genes as the control of virulence (CovRS two-component gene regulatory system. To provide new information about the CcpA and CovRS networks, we compared the CcpA and CovR transcriptomes in a serotype M1 GAS strain. The transcript levels of several of the same genes encoding virulence factors and proteins involved in basic metabolic processes were affected in both DeltaccpA and DeltacovR isogenic mutant strains. Recombinant CcpA and CovR bound with high-affinity to the promoter regions of several co-regulated genes, including those encoding proteins involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Compared to the wild-type parental strain, DeltaccpA and DeltacovRDeltaccpA isogenic mutant strains were significantly less virulent in a mouse myositis model. Inactivation of CcpA and CovR alone and in combination led to significant alterations in the transcript levels of several key GAS virulence factor encoding genes during infection. Importantly, the transcript level alterations in the DeltaccpA and DeltacovRDeltaccpA isogenic mutant strains observed during infection were distinct from those occurring during growth in laboratory medium. These data provide new knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms by which pathogenic bacteria respond to environmental signals to regulate virulence factor production and basic metabolic processes during infection.

Resistance-related gene transcription and antioxidant enzyme ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The two tobacco relatives of Nicotiana alata and Nicotiana longiflora display a high level of resistance against Colletotrichum nicotianae and the two genes NTF6 and NtPAL related to pathogen defense transcription were higher in N. alata and N. longiflora than the commercial cv. K326. Inoculation with C. nicotianae ...

Selective activation of human heat shock gene transcription by nitrosourea antitumor drugs mediated by isocyanate-induced damage and activation of heat shock transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kroes, R A; Abravaya, K; Seidenfeld, J; Morimoto, R I

1991-01-01

Treatment of cultured human tumor cells with the chloroethylnitrosourea antitumor drug 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) selectively induces transcription and protein synthesis of a subset of the human heat shock or stress-induced genes (HSP90 and HSP70) with little effect on other stress genes or on expression of the c-fos, c-myc, or beta-actin genes. The active component of BCNU and related compounds appears to be the isocyanate moiety that causes carbamoylation of proteins and nucleic acids. Transcriptional activation of the human HSP70 gene by BCNU is dependent on the heat shock element and correlates with the level of heat shock transcription factor and its binding to the heat shock element in vivo. Unlike activation by heat or heavy metals, BCNU-mediated activation is strongly dependent upon new protein synthesis. This suggests that BCNU-induced, isocyanate-mediated damage to newly synthesized protein(s) may be responsible for activation of the heat shock transcription factor and increased transcription of the HSP90 and HSP70 genes. Images PMID:2052560

Human milk adiponectin is associated with infant growth in two independent cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, Jessica G; Guerrero, M Lourdes; Altaye, Mekibib; Ruiz-Palacios, Guillermo M; Martin, Lisa J; Dubert-Ferrandon, Alix; Newburg, David S; Morrow, Ardythe L

2009-06-01

Adiponectin, a circulating adipocyte protein, is associated with lower obesity. We have previously shown that adiponectin is present in human milk. This study determined whether higher milk adiponectin is associated with infant growth and investigated milk adiponectin's oligomeric form. This is a study of two parallel longitudinal cohorts of breastfed infants born between 1998 and 2005. Forty-five mother-infant pairs from Cincinnati, OH and 277 mother-infant pairs from Mexico City, Mexico were analyzed. All participants were healthy, term infants breastfed at least 1 month who completed 6 months of follow-up. Monthly milk samples (n = 1,379) up to 6 months were assayed for adiponectin by radioimmunoassay. Infant weight-for-age, length-for-age, and weight-for-length Z-scores up to 6 months of age were calculated using World Health Organization standards. Repeated-measures analysis was conducted. The structural form of human milk adiponectin was assessed by western blot. In the population studies, initial milk adiponectin was 24.0 +/- 8.6 microg/L and did not differ by cohort. Over the first 6 months, higher milk adiponectin was associated with lower infant weight-for-age Z-score (-0.20 +/- 0.04, p milk adiponectin was predominantly in the biologically active high-molecular-weight form. Our data suggest milk adiponectin may play a role in the early growth and development of breastfed infants.

Glucocorticoid control of gene transcription in neural tissue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morsink, Maarten Christian

2007-01-01

Glucocorticoid hormones exert modulatory effects on neural function in a delayed genomic fashion. The two receptor types that can bind glucocorticoids, the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), are ligand-inducible transcription factors. Therefore, changes in gene

Improved methods and resources for paramecium genomics: transcription units, gene annotation and gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnaiz, Olivier; Van Dijk, Erwin; Bétermier, Mireille; Lhuillier-Akakpo, Maoussi; de Vanssay, Augustin; Duharcourt, Sandra; Sallet, Erika; Gouzy, Jérôme; Sperling, Linda

2017-06-26

The 15 sibling species of the Paramecium aurelia cryptic species complex emerged after a whole genome duplication that occurred tens of millions of years ago. Given extensive knowledge of the genetics and epigenetics of Paramecium acquired over the last century, this species complex offers a uniquely powerful system to investigate the consequences of whole genome duplication in a unicellular eukaryote as well as the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that drive speciation. High quality Paramecium gene models are important for research using this system. The major aim of the work reported here was to build an improved gene annotation pipeline for the Paramecium lineage. We generated oriented RNA-Seq transcriptome data across the sexual process of autogamy for the model species Paramecium tetraurelia. We determined, for the first time in a ciliate, candidate P. tetraurelia transcription start sites using an adapted Cap-Seq protocol. We developed TrUC, multi-threaded Perl software that in conjunction with TopHat mapping of RNA-Seq data to a reference genome, predicts transcription units for the annotation pipeline. We used EuGene software to combine annotation evidence. The high quality gene structural annotations obtained for P. tetraurelia were used as evidence to improve published annotations for 3 other Paramecium species. The RNA-Seq data were also used for differential gene expression analysis, providing a gene expression atlas that is more sensitive than the previously established microarray resource. We have developed a gene annotation pipeline tailored for the compact genomes and tiny introns of Paramecium species. A novel component of this pipeline, TrUC, predicts transcription units using Cap-Seq and oriented RNA-Seq data. TrUC could prove useful beyond Paramecium, especially in the case of high gene density. Accurate predictions of 3' and 5' UTR will be particularly valuable for studies of gene expression (e.g. nucleosome positioning, identification of cis

Dissecting specific and global transcriptional regulation of bacterial gene expression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerosa, Luca; Kochanowski, Karl; Heinemann, Matthias; Sauer, Uwe

Gene expression is regulated by specific transcriptional circuits but also by the global expression machinery as a function of growth. Simultaneous specific and global regulation thus constitutes an additional-but often neglected-layer of complexity in gene expression. Here, we develop an

Longitudinal Analysis of Adiponectin through 20-Year Type 1 Diabetes Duration.

Science.gov (United States)

LeCaire, Tamara J; Palta, Mari

2015-01-01

Little information exists on the trajectory and determinants of adiponectin, a possible insulin sensitizer and marker for inflammation and endothelial function, across the duration of type 1 diabetes. The Wisconsin Diabetes Registry Study followed an incident cohort ≤ 30 years of age when diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during 1987-1992 up to 20-year duration. Adiponectin was concurrently and retrospectively (from samples frozen at -80 °C) measured for those participating in a 20-year exam (n = 304), during 2007-2011. Adiponectin levels were higher in females, declined through adolescence, and increased with age thereafter. Lower levels were associated with greater body weight and waist circumference and with higher insulin dose, especially at longer diabetes durations. Higher levels were associated with higher HbA1c and, at longer durations, with higher albumin-creatinine ratio. Adiponectin levels showed consistency within individuals that was not explained by these factors. We conclude that markers for insulin resistance are associated with lower adiponectin, and markers for potential microvascular complications are associated with higher adiponectin. The previously reported relationship with HbA1c remains largely unexplained. Additional individual specific factors likely also influence adiponectin level. The relationship between adiponectin and urinary protein excretion may enable identification of those predisposed to kidney disease earlier in type 1 diabetes.

Insulin increases transcription of rat gene 33 through cis-acting elements in 5[prime]-flanking DNA

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Cadilla, C.; Isham, K.R.; Lee, K.L.; Ch' ang, L.Y.; Kenney, F.T. (Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)); Johnson, A.C. (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD (United States). Lab. of Molecular Biology)

1992-01-01

Gene 33 is a multihormonally-regulated rat gene whose transcription is rapidly and markedly enhanced by insulin in liver and cultured hepatoma cells. To examine the mechanism by which insulin regulates transcription, the authors have constructed chimeric plasmids in which expression of the bacterial cat gene, encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), is governed by gene 33 promoter elements and contiguous sequence in DNA flanking the transcription start point (tsp). When transfected into H4IIE hepatoma cells, these constructs gave rise to stably transformed cell lines producing the bacterial CAT enzyme. This expression was increased by insulin treatment in a fashion resembling the effect of this hormone on transcription of the native gene. In vitro transcription assays in nuclear extracts also revealed increased transcription of the chimeric plasmids when the extracts were prepared from insulin-treated rat hepatoma cells. The results demonstrate that induction by insulin is mediated by cis-acting nucleotide sequences located between bp [minus]480 to +27 relative to the tsp.

Adiponectin as a Biomarker of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women: Controversies

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Anna Lubkowska

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The literature reports indicating a link between plasma levels of adiponectin and body fat, bone mineral density, sex hormones, and peri- and postmenopausal changes, draw attention to the possible use of adiponectin as an indicator of osteoporotic changes, suggesting that adiponectin may also modulate bone metabolism. In this study, we attempted to analyze the available in vitro and in vivo results which could verify this hypothesis. Although several studies have shown that adiponectin has an adverse effect on bone mass, mainly by intensifying resorption, this peptide has also been demonstrated to increase the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, inhibit the activity of osteoclasts, and reduce bone resorption. There are still many ambiguities; for example, it can be assumed that concentrations of adiponectin in plasma do not satisfactorily reflect its production by adipose tissue, as well as conflicting in vitro and in vivo results. It seems that the potential benefit in the treatment of patients with osteoporosis associated with the pharmacological regulation of adiponectin is controversial.

Different gene-specific mechanisms determine the 'revised-response' memory transcription patterns of a subset of A. thaliana dehydration stress responding genes.

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Liu, Ning; Ding, Yong; Fromm, Michael; Avramova, Zoya

2014-05-01

Plants that have experienced several exposures to dehydration stress show increased resistance to future exposures by producing faster and/or stronger reactions, while many dehydration stress responding genes in Arabidopsis thaliana super-induce their transcription as a 'memory' from the previous encounter. A previously unknown, rather unusual, memory response pattern is displayed by a subset of the dehydration stress response genes. Despite robustly responding to a first stress, these genes return to their initial, pre-stressed, transcript levels during the watered recovery; surprisingly, they do not respond further to subsequent stresses of similar magnitude and duration. This transcriptional behavior defines the 'revised-response' memory genes. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms regulating this transcription memory behavior. Potential roles of abscisic acid (ABA), of transcription factors (TFs) from the ABA signaling pathways (ABF2/3/4 and MYC2), and of histone modifications (H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) as factors in the revised-response transcription memory patterns are elucidated. We identify the TF MYC2 as the critical component for the memory behavior of a specific subset of MYC2-dependent genes. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Quantitative profiling of housekeeping and Epstein-Barr virus gene transcription in Burkitt lymphoma cell lines using an oligonucleotide microarray

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Niggli Felix K

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV is associated with lymphoid malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma (BL, and can transform human B cells in vitro. EBV-harboring cell lines are widely used to investigate lymphocyte transformation and oncogenesis. Qualitative EBV gene expression has been extensively described, but knowledge of quantitative transcription is lacking. We hypothesized that transcription levels of EBNA1, the gene essential for EBV persistence within an infected cell, are similar in BL cell lines. Results To compare quantitative gene transcription in the BL cell lines Namalwa, Raji, Akata, Jijoye, and P3HR1, we developed an oligonucleotide microarray chip, including 17 housekeeping genes, six latent EBV genes (EBNA1, EBNA2, EBNA3A, EBNA3C, LMP1, LMP2, and four lytic EBV genes (BZLF1, BXLF2, BKRF2, BZLF2, and used the cell line B95.8 as a reference for EBV gene transcription. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to validate microarray results. We found that transcription levels of housekeeping genes differed considerably among BL cell lines. Using a selection of housekeeping genes with similar quantitative transcription in the tested cell lines to normalize EBV gene transcription data, we showed that transcription levels of EBNA1 were quite similar in very different BL cell lines, in contrast to transcription levels of other EBV genes. As demonstrated with Akata cells, the chip allowed us to accurately measure EBV gene transcription changes triggered by treatment interventions. Conclusion Our results suggest uniform EBNA1 transcription levels in BL and that microarray profiling can reveal novel insights on quantitative EBV gene transcription and its impact on lymphocyte biology.

Integrating gene transcription-based biomarkers to understand desert tortoise and ecosystem health

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Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Drake, Karla K.; Waters, Shannon C.; Esque, Todd C.; Nussear, Kenneth E.

2015-01-01

Tortoises are susceptible to a wide variety of environmental stressors, and the influence of human disturbances on health and survival of tortoises is difficult to detect. As an addition to current diagnostic methods for desert tortoises, we have developed the first leukocyte gene transcription biomarker panel for the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), enhancing the ability to identify specific environmental conditions potentially linked to declining animal health. Blood leukocyte transcript profiles have the potential to identify physiologically stressed animals in lieu of clinical signs. For desert tortoises, the gene transcript profile included a combination of immune or detoxification response genes with the potential to be modified by biological or physical injury and consequently provide information on the type and magnitude of stressors present in the animal’s habitat. Blood from 64 wild adult tortoises at three sites in Clark County, NV, and San Bernardino, CA, and from 19 captive tortoises in Clark County, NV, was collected and evaluated for genes indicative of physiological status. Statistical analysis using a priori groupings indicated significant differences among groups for several genes, while multidimensional scaling and cluster analyses of transcriptionC T values indicated strong differentiation of a large cluster and multiple outlying individual tortoises or small clusters in multidimensional space. These analyses highlight the effectiveness of the gene panel at detecting environmental perturbations as well as providing guidance in determining the health of the desert tortoise.

Transcriptional analysis of exopolysaccharides biosynthesis gene clusters in Lactobacillus plantarum.

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Vastano, Valeria; Perrone, Filomena; Marasco, Rosangela; Sacco, Margherita; Muscariello, Lidia

2016-04-01

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) from lactic acid bacteria contribute to specific rheology and texture of fermented milk products and find applications also in non-dairy foods and in therapeutics. Recently, four clusters of genes (cps) associated with surface polysaccharide production have been identified in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1, a probiotic and food-associated lactobacillus. These clusters are involved in cell surface architecture and probably in release and/or exposure of immunomodulating bacterial molecules. Here we show a transcriptional analysis of these clusters. Indeed, RT-PCR experiments revealed that the cps loci are organized in five operons. Moreover, by reverse transcription-qPCR analysis performed on L. plantarum WCFS1 (wild type) and WCFS1-2 (ΔccpA), we demonstrated that expression of three cps clusters is under the control of the global regulator CcpA. These results, together with the identification of putative CcpA target sequences (catabolite responsive element CRE) in the regulatory region of four out of five transcriptional units, strongly suggest for the first time a role of the master regulator CcpA in EPS gene transcription among lactobacilli.

Modulation of DNA binding by gene-specific transcription factors.

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Schleif, Robert F

2013-10-01

The transcription of many genes, particularly in prokaryotes, is controlled by transcription factors whose activity can be modulated by controlling their DNA binding affinity. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which DNA binding affinity is regulated is important, but because forming definitive conclusions usually requires detailed structural information in combination with data from extensive biophysical, biochemical, and sometimes genetic experiments, little is truly understood about this topic. This review describes the biological requirements placed upon DNA binding transcription factors and their consequent properties, particularly the ways that DNA binding affinity can be modulated and methods for its study. What is known and not known about the mechanisms modulating the DNA binding affinity of a number of prokaryotic transcription factors, including CAP and lac repressor, is provided.

Low adiponectin levels at baseline and decreasing adiponectin levels over 10 years of follow-up predict risk of the metabolic syndrome

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Lindberg, S; Jensen, J S; Bjerre, Mette

2017-01-01

AIM: Adiponectin is the most abundant adipokine and may play a key role in the interplay between obesity, inflammation, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Thus, this large population-based cohort investigated whether adiponectin at baseline and/or a decrease in adiponectin during......-up were inversely associated with an increase in the number of components of MetS (Pvs 7.0mg/L (95% CI: 6.3-7.9) for those with four to five components. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Low plasma...

[Evaluation of adiponectin level in children and adolescents with diabetes type 1].

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Peczyńska, Jadwiga; Urban, Mirosława; Głowińska, Barbara; Florys, Bozena

2008-01-01

Adipose tissue is not only an energy storage place, but it also secretes numerous "adipocytokines" - substances that have systemic influence. Adiponectin has an anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic properties and increases insulin sensitivity. It is emphasized that adiponectin levels are different in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. was to evaluate adiponectin levels in young patients with diabetes type 1, and to analyse of the correlation between adiponectin and: BMI, lipid parameters, glomerular filtration rate and microalbuminuria. The study group was formed by 95 patients from the Outpatient Diabetology Department 2nd Department of Children's Diseases, 45 girls and 50 boys, aged from 7 to 20 years (mean - 14.97 yrs) suffering from diabetes from 1 to 17 years (mean 6.68 yrs). Control group consisted of healthy children, age matched, without family history of cardiovascular diseases. In all patients anthropometric measurements were performed (BMI was calculated), metabolic control was evaluated on the basis of HbA1c level, microalbuminuria was studied in 24 hour urine sample. We assessed glomerular filtration rate (endogenous creatinine clearance), lipid parameters and adiponectin level. In children and adolescents with diabetes type 1 we found significantly higher levels of adiponectin compared to control group: 32.72+/-13.49 vs. 26.53+/-7.63 ug/ml; p=0.024. Adiponectin level was higher in girls than in boys (33.56 vs. 28.75 ug/ml; p=0.036). Adiponectin level did not depend on metabolic control and on diabetes duration. We found a statistically significant negative correlation between adiponectin and creatinine (r=-0.26; p=0.011). In patients with diabetic complications we found insignificantly lower adiponectin level compared to patients without complications (30.99+/-14.29 vs. 33.67+/-11.68 ug/ml; p=0.35). 1. In patients with diabetes type 1 significantly higher level of adiponectin was found compared to healthy control group. 2. Adiponectin level correlated

Metabolic Risk Susceptibility in Men Is Partially Related to Adiponectin/Leptin Ratio

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Gloria Lena Vega

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. High adiponectin/leptin ratio may be protective from metabolic risks imparted by high triglyceride, low HDL, and insulin resistance. Methods. This cross-sectional study examines plasma adipokine levels in 428 adult men who were subgrouped according to low (<6.5 μg/mLand high (≥6.5 μg/mLadiponectin levels or a low or high ratio of adiponectin/leptin. Results. Men with high adiponectin/leptin ratio had lower plasma triglyceride and higher HDL cholesterol than those with low ratio. Similarly, those with high adiponectin/leptin ratio had lower TG/HDL cholesterol ratio and HOMA2-IR than those with low ratio. In contrast, levels of adiponectin or the ratio of adiponectin/leptin did not associate with systolic blood pressure. But the ratio of adiponectin/leptin decreased progressively with the increase in the number of risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Conclusion. Adipokine levels may reflect adipose tissue triglyceride storage capacity and insulin sensitivity. Leptin is an index of fat mass, and adiponectin is a biomarker of triglyceride metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Men with high adiponectin/leptin ratios have better triglyceride profile and insulin sensitivity than men with a low ratio regardless of waist girth.

Stochastic model for gene transcription on Drosophila melanogaster embryos

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Prata, Guilherme N.; Hornos, José Eduardo M.; Ramos, Alexandre F.

2016-02-01

We examine immunostaining experimental data for the formation of stripe 2 of even-skipped (eve) transcripts on D. melanogaster embryos. An estimate of the factor converting immunofluorescence intensity units into molecular numbers is given. The analysis of the eve dynamics at the region of stripe 2 suggests that the promoter site of the gene has two distinct regimes: an earlier phase when it is predominantly activated until a critical time when it becomes mainly repressed. That suggests proposing a stochastic binary model for gene transcription on D. melanogaster embryos. Our model has two random variables: the transcripts number and the state of the source of mRNAs given as active or repressed. We are able to reproduce available experimental data for the average number of transcripts. An analysis of the random fluctuations on the number of eves and their consequences on the spatial precision of stripe 2 is presented. We show that the position of the anterior or posterior borders fluctuate around their average position by ˜1 % of the embryo length, which is similar to what is found experimentally. The fitting of data by such a simple model suggests that it can be useful to understand the functions of randomness during developmental processes.

Grr1p is required for transcriptional induction of amino acid permease genes and proper transcriptional regulation of genes in carbon metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Eckert-Boulet, Nadine; Regenberg, Birgitte; Nielsen, Jens

2005-01-01

and a grr1 Delta strain and adding citrulline in the exponential phase. Whole-genome transcription analyses were performed on samples from each cultivation, both immediately before and 30 min after citrulline addition. Transcriptional induction of the AAP genes AGP1, BAP2, BAP3, DIP5, GNP1 and TAT1 is fully...

Transcription profiles of mitochondrial genes correlate with mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in a natural population of Silene vulgaris

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Olson Matthew S

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although rapid changes in copy number and gene order are common within plant mitochondrial genomes, associated patterns of gene transcription are underinvestigated. Previous studies have shown that the gynodioecious plant species Silene vulgaris exhibits high mitochondrial diversity and occasional paternal inheritance of mitochondrial markers. Here we address whether variation in DNA molecular markers is correlated with variation in transcription of mitochondrial genes in S. vulgaris collected from natural populations. Results We analyzed RFLP variation in two mitochondrial genes, cox1 and atp1, in offspring of ten plants from a natural population of S. vulgaris in Central Europe. We also investigated transcription profiles of the atp1 and cox1 genes. Most DNA haplotypes and transcription profiles were maternally inherited; for these, transcription profiles were associated with specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. One individual exhibited a pattern consistent with paternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA; this individual exhibited a transcription profile suggestive of paternal but inconsistent with maternal inheritance. We found no associations between gender and transcript profiles. Conclusions Specific transcription profiles of mitochondrial genes were associated with specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in a natural population of a gynodioecious species S. vulgaris. Our findings suggest the potential for a causal association between rearrangements in the plant mt genome and transcription product variation.

Insulators target active genes to transcription factories and polycomb-repressed genes to polycomb bodies.

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Hua-Bing Li

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Polycomb bodies are foci of Polycomb proteins in which different Polycomb target genes are thought to co-localize in the nucleus, looping out from their chromosomal context. We have shown previously that insulators, not Polycomb response elements (PREs, mediate associations among Polycomb Group (PcG targets to form Polycomb bodies. Here we use live imaging and 3C interactions to show that transgenes containing PREs and endogenous PcG-regulated genes are targeted by insulator proteins to different nuclear structures depending on their state of activity. When two genes are repressed, they co-localize in Polycomb bodies. When both are active, they are targeted to transcription factories in a fashion dependent on Trithorax and enhancer specificity as well as the insulator protein CTCF. In the absence of CTCF, assembly of Polycomb bodies is essentially reduced to those representing genomic clusters of Polycomb target genes. The critical role of Trithorax suggests that stable association with a specialized transcription factory underlies the cellular memory of the active state.

Hepatic transcriptional changes in critical genes for gluconeogenesis following castration of bulls.

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Fassah, Dilla Mareistia; Jeong, Jin Young; Baik, Myunggi

2018-04-01

This study was performed to understand transcriptional changes in the genes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycolysis pathways following castration of bulls. Twenty Korean bulls were weaned at average 3 months of age, and castrated at 6 months. Liver tissues were collected from bulls (n = 10) and steers (n = 10) of Korean cattle, and hepatic gene expression levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We examined hepatic transcription levels of genes encoding enzymes for irreversible reactions in both gluconeogenesis and glycolysis as well as genes encoding enzymes for the utilization of several glucogenic substrates. Correlations between hepatic gene expression and carcass characteristics were performed to understand their associations. Castration increased the mRNA (3.6 fold; pcastration. Castration increased mRNA levels of both lactate dehydrogenase A (1.5 fold; pCastration increased mRNA levels of glycerol kinase (2.7 fold; pCastration also increased mRNA levels of propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta (mitochondrial) (3.5 fold; pCastration increases transcription levels of critical genes coding for enzymes involved in irreversible gluconeogenesis reactions from pyruvate to glucose and enzymes responsible for incorporation of glucogenic substrates including lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression levels were associated with intramuscular fat deposition.

Gene-gene, gene-environment, gene-nutrient interactions and single nucleotide polymorphisms of inflammatory cytokines.

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Nadeem, Amina; Mumtaz, Sadaf; Naveed, Abdul Khaliq; Aslam, Muhammad; Siddiqui, Arif; Lodhi, Ghulam Mustafa; Ahmad, Tausif

2015-05-15

Inflammation plays a significant role in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The rise in the pro-inflammatory cytokines is the essential step in glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity induced mitochondrial injury, oxidative stress and beta cell apoptosis in T2DM. Among the recognized markers are interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, IL-10, IL-18, tissue necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein, resistin, adiponectin, tissue plasminogen activator, fibrinogen and heptoglobins. Diabetes mellitus has firm genetic and very strong environmental influence; exhibiting a polygenic mode of inheritance. Many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various genes including those of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines have been reported as a risk for T2DM. Not all the SNPs have been confirmed by unifying results in different studies and wide variations have been reported in various ethnic groups. The inter-ethnic variations can be explained by the fact that gene expression may be regulated by gene-gene, gene-environment and gene-nutrient interactions. This review highlights the impact of these interactions on determining the role of single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-6, TNF-α, resistin and adiponectin in pathogenesis of T2DM.

Adiponectin could be a comprehensive marker of metabolic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: The objectives were to investigate the relationship between the serum adiponectin level and the metabolic syndrome (MS) phenotype in children, and to examine the independent association between the serum adiponectin level and the individual components of MS. Design: A cross-sectional design was used.

Adiponectin could be a comprehensive marker of metabolic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-01-25

Jan 25, 2011 ... Correspondence to: Hod Atwa, e-mail: atwahoda@gmail.com. Keywords: obesity, metabolic syndrome, adiponectin. Adiponectin could be a comprehensive marker of metabolic syndrome in obese children. Introduction. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically as a result of modern lifestyles ...

Silencing of human T-cell leukemia virus type I gene transcription by epigenetic mechanisms

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Mueller Nancy

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I causes adult T-cell leukemia (ATL after a long latent period. Among accessory genes encoded by HTLV-I, the tax gene is thought to play a central role in oncogenesis. However, Tax expression is disrupted by several mechanims including genetic changes of the tax gene, deletion/hypermethylation of 5'-LTR. To clarify the role of epigenetic changes, we analyzed DNA methylation and histone modification in the whole HTLV-I provirus genome. Results The gag, pol and env genes of HTLV-I provirus were more methylated than pX region, whereas methylation of 5'-LTR was variable and 3'-LTR was not methylated at all. In ATL cell lines, complete DNA methylation of 5'-LTR was associated with transcriptional silencing of viral genes. HTLV-I provirus was more methylated in primary ATL cells than in carrier state, indicating the association with disease progression. In seroconvertors, DNA methylation was already observed in internal sequences of provirus just after seroconversion. Taken together, it is speculated that DNA methylation first occurs in the gag, pol and env regions and then extends in the 5' and 3' directions in vivo, and when 5'-LTR becomes methylated, viral transcription is silenced. Analysis of histone modification in the HTLV-I provirus showed that the methylated provirus was associated with hypoacetylation. However, the tax gene transcript could not be detected in fresh ATL cells regardless of hyperacetylated histone H3 in 5'-LTR. The transcription rapidly recovered after in vitro culture in such ATL cells. Conclusion These results showed that epigenetic changes of provirus facilitated ATL cells to evade host immune system by suppressing viral gene transcription. In addition, this study shows the presence of another reversible mechanism that suppresses the tax gene transcription without DNA methylation and hypoacetylated histone.

Longitudinal Analysis of Adiponectin through 20-Year Type 1 Diabetes Duration

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Tamara J. LeCaire

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Little information exists on the trajectory and determinants of adiponectin, a possible insulin sensitizer and marker for inflammation and endothelial function, across the duration of type 1 diabetes. The Wisconsin Diabetes Registry Study followed an incident cohort ≤30 years of age when diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during 1987–1992 up to 20-year duration. Adiponectin was concurrently and retrospectively (from samples frozen at −80°C measured for those participating in a 20-year exam (n=304, during 2007–2011. Adiponectin levels were higher in females, declined through adolescence, and increased with age thereafter. Lower levels were associated with greater body weight and waist circumference and with higher insulin dose, especially at longer diabetes durations. Higher levels were associated with higher HbA1c and, at longer durations, with higher albumin-creatinine ratio. Adiponectin levels showed consistency within individuals that was not explained by these factors. We conclude that markers for insulin resistance are associated with lower adiponectin, and markers for potential microvascular complications are associated with higher adiponectin. The previously reported relationship with HbA1c remains largely unexplained. Additional individual specific factors likely also influence adiponectin level. The relationship between adiponectin and urinary protein excretion may enable identification of those predisposed to kidney disease earlier in type 1 diabetes.

Innate immune responses: Crosstalk of signaling and regulation of gene transcription

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Bo; Tien Po; Shu Hongbing

2006-01-01

Innate immune responses to pathogens such as bacteria and viruses are triggered by recognition of specific structures of invading pathogens called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by cellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that are located at plasma membrane or inside cells. Stimulation of different PAMPs activates Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent and -independent signaling pathways that lead to activation of transcription factors nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), interferon regulatory factor 3/7 (IRF3/7) and/or activator protein-1 (AP-1), which collaborate to induce transcription of a large number of downstream genes. This review focuses on the rapid progress that has recently improved our understanding of the crosstalk among the pathways and the precise regulation of transcription of the downstream genes

Transcriptional activation of ribosomal RNA genes during compensatory renal hypertrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ouellette, A.J.; Moonka, R.; Zelenetz, A.; Malt, R.A.

1986-01-01

The overall rate of rDNA transcription increases by 50% during the first 24 hours of compensatory renal hypertrophy in the mouse. To study mechanisms of ribosome accumulation after uninephrectomy, transcription rates were measured in isolated kidneys by transcriptional runoff. 32 P-labeled nascent transcripts were hybridized to blots containing linearized, denatured cloned rDNA, and hybridization was quantitated autoradiographically and by direct counting. Overall transcriptional activity of rDNA was increased by 30% above control levels at 6 hrs after nephrectomy and by 50% at 12, 18, and 24 hrs after operation. Hybridizing RNA was insensitive to inhibiby alpha-amanitin, and no hybridization was detected to vector DNA. Thus, accelerated rDNA transcription is one regulatory element in the accretion of ribosomes in renal growth, and the regulatory event is an early event. Mechanisms of activation may include enhanced transcription of active genes or induction of inactive DNA

Effect of physiological determinants and cardiac disease on plasma adiponectin concentrations in dogs.

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Damoiseaux, C; Merveille, A-C; Krafft, E; Da Costa, A M; Gomart, S; Jespers, P; Michaux, C; Clercx, C; Verhoeven, C; Mc Entee, K

2014-01-01

In humans, a high concentration of adiponectin is associated with a favorable cardiovascular risk profile whereas, in patients with heart failure (HF), a high concentration of adiponectin is associated with a less favorable prognosis. To evaluate the physiological determinants of plasma adiponectin concentration in dogs and the influence of heart disease, myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). One hundred and fourteen client-owned dogs and 9 Beagles from the research colony of the Clinical Veterinary Unit of the University of Liège. We prospectively measured circulating adiponectin concentration in healthy control dogs (n = 77), dogs with MMVD (n = 22) and dogs with DCM (n = 15) of various degrees of severity. Diagnosis was confirmed by Doppler echocardiography. Plasma adiponectin concentration was measured by a canine-specific sandwich ELISA kit. An analysis of covariance showed an association between adiponectin concentration and age, neuter status, and heart disease. No association between adiponectin concentration and class of HF, sex, body condition score, body weight, circadian rhythm, or feeding was found. Plasma adiponectin concentration was negatively correlated with age (P = .001). Adiponectin was lower in neutered (P = .008) compared to intact dogs. Circulating adiponectin concentration was increased in dogs with DCM compared to healthy dogs (P = .018) and to dogs with MMVD (P = .014). Age and neutering negatively influence circulating adiponectin concentration. Plasma adiponectin concentration increased in dogs with DCM. Additional research is required to investigate if this hormone is implicated in the pathophysiology of DCM and associated with clinical outcome. Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Predictive modelling of gene expression from transcriptional regulatory elements.

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Budden, David M; Hurley, Daniel G; Crampin, Edmund J

2015-07-01

Predictive modelling of gene expression provides a powerful framework for exploring the regulatory logic underpinning transcriptional regulation. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of such models in identifying dysregulation of gene and miRNA expression associated with abnormal patterns of transcription factor (TF) binding or nucleosomal histone modifications (HMs). Despite the growing popularity of such approaches, a comparative review of the various modelling algorithms and feature extraction methods is lacking. We define and compare three methods of quantifying pairwise gene-TF/HM interactions and discuss their suitability for integrating the heterogeneous chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq binding patterns exhibited by TFs and HMs. We then construct log-linear and ϵ-support vector regression models from various mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) and human lymphoblastoid (GM12878) data sets, considering both ChIP-seq- and position weight matrix- (PWM)-derived in silico TF-binding. The two algorithms are evaluated both in terms of their modelling prediction accuracy and ability to identify the established regulatory roles of individual TFs and HMs. Our results demonstrate that TF-binding and HMs are highly predictive of gene expression as measured by mRNA transcript abundance, irrespective of algorithm or cell type selection and considering both ChIP-seq and PWM-derived TF-binding. As we encourage other researchers to explore and develop these results, our framework is implemented using open-source software and made available as a preconfigured bootable virtual environment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adiponectin Suppresses T Helper 17 Cell Differentiation and Limits Autoimmune CNS Inflammation via the SIRT1/PPARγ/RORγt Pathway.

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Zhang, Kai; Guo, Yawei; Ge, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Zhihui; Da, Yurong; Li, Wen; Zhang, Zimu; Xue, Zhenyi; Li, Yan; Ren, Yinghui; Jia, Long; Chan, Koon-Ho; Yang, Fengrui; Yan, Jun; Yao, Zhi; Xu, Aimin; Zhang, Rongxin

2017-09-01

T helper 17 (Th17) cells are vital components of the adaptive immune system involved in the pathogenesis of most autoimmune and inflammatory syndromes, and adiponectin(ADN) is correlated with inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and type II diabetes. However, the regulatory effects of adiponectin on pathogenic Th17 cell and Th17-mediated autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) inflammation are not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrated that ADN could inhibit Th1 and Th17 but not Th2 cells differentiation in vitro. In the in vivo study, we demonstrated that ADN deficiency promoted CNS inflammation and demyelination and exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of human MS. Furthermore, ADN deficiency increased the Th1 and Th17 cell cytokines of both the peripheral immune system and CNS in mice suffering from EAE. It is worth mentioning that ADN deficiency predominantly promoted the antigen-specific Th17 cells response in autoimmune encephalomyelitis. In addition, in vitro and in vivo, ADN upregulated sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and inhibited retinoid-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt); the key transcription factor during Th17 cell differentiation. These results systematically uncovered the role and mechanism of adiponectin on pathogenic Th17 cells and suggested that adiponectin could inhibit Th17 cell-mediated autoimmune CNS inflammation.

Review: Adiponectin – The Missing Link between Maternal Adiposity, Placental Transport and Fetal Growth?

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Aye, Irving L. M. H.; Powell, Theresa L.; Jansson, Thomas

2012-01-01

Adiponectin has well-established insulin-sensitizing effects in non-pregnant individuals. Pregnant women who are obese or have gestational diabetes typically have low circulating levels of adiponectin, which is associated with increased fetal growth. Lean women, on the other hand, have high circulating levels of adiponectin. As a result, maternal serum adiponectin is inversely correlated to fetal growth across the full range of birth weights, suggesting that maternal adiponectin may limit fetal growth. In the mother, adiponectin is predicted to promote insulin sensitivity and stimulate glucose uptake in maternal skeletal muscle thereby reducing nutrient availability for placental transfer. Adiponectin prevents insulin-stimulated amino acid uptake in cultured primary human trophoblast cells by modulating insulin receptor substrate phosphorylation. Furthermore, chronic administration of adiponectin to pregnant mice inhibits placental insulin and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, down-regulates the activity and expression of key placental nutrient transporters and decreases fetal growth. Preliminary findings indicate that adiponectin binds to the adiponectin receptor-2 on the trophoblast cell and activates p38 MAPK and PPAR-α, which inhibits the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway. In contrast to maternal adiponectin, recent reports suggest that fetal adiponectin may promote expansion of adipose tissue and stimulate fetal growth. Regulation of placental function by adiponectin constitutes a novel physiological mechanism by which the endocrine functions of maternal adipose tissue influence fetal growth. These findings may help us better understand the factors determining birth weight in normal pregnancies and in pregnancy complications associated with altered maternal adiponectin levels such as obesity and gestational diabetes. PMID:23245987

The "fourth dimension" of gene transcription.

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O'Malley, Bert W

2009-05-01

The three dimensions of space provide our relationship to position on the earth, but the fourth dimension of time has an equally profound influence on our lives. Everything from light and sound to weather and biology operate on the principle of measurable temporal periodicity. Consequently, a wide variety of time clocks affect all aspects of our existence. The annual (and biannual) cycles of activity, metabolism, and mating, the monthly physiological clocks of women and men, and the 24-h diurnal rhythms of humans are prime examples. Should it be surprising to us that the fourth dimension also impinges upon gene expression and that the genome itself is regulated by the fastest running of all biological clocks? Recent evidence substantiates the existence of such a ubiquitin-dependent transcriptional clock that is based upon the activation and destruction of transcriptional coactivators.

Serum adiponectin levels in gestational diabetes mellitus

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Abhijit Bhograj

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy.[1] Pregnancy is a unique situation in which there is a physiological temporary increase in insulin resistance (IR. The mechanisms responsible for the gestational-induced IR are not completely understood. The current study was undertaken to compare adiponectin levels during 24–28 weeks period of gestation in drug-naive newly diagnosed GDM women with a cohort of normoglycemic pregnant women. Subjects and Methods: A total of 47 pregnant women in the age group of 18–40 years were included in this cross-sectional study, of which 13 were GDM cases and 34 were normoglycemic controls. Serum adiponectin level was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean adiponectin level was 16.92 ng/ml (standard deviation [SD] = 2.78 and 19.38 ng/ml (SD = 2.71 in case and control groups, respectively, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.008. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated decreased serum adiponectin levels in women with GDM when compared with age- and body mass index-matched euglycemic pregnant women.

Advanced Glycation End-Products affect transcription factors regulating insulin gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puddu, A.; Storace, D.; Odetti, P.; Viviani, G.L.

2010-01-01

Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) are generated by the covalent interaction of reducing sugars with proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. AGEs are implicated in diabetic complications and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that exposure of the pancreatic islet cell line HIT-T15 to high concentrations of AGEs leads to a significant decrease of insulin secretion and content. Insulin gene transcription is positively regulated by the beta cell specific transcription factor PDX-1 (Pancreatic and Duodenal Homeobox-1). On the contrary, the forkhead transcription factor FoxO1 inhibits PDX-1 gene transcription. Activity of FoxO1 is regulated by post-translational modifications: phosphorylation deactivates FoxO1, and acetylation prevents FoxO1 ubiquitination. In this work we investigated whether AGEs affect expression and subcellular localization of PDX-1 and FoxO1. HIT-T15 cells were cultured for 5 days in presence of AGEs. Cells were then lysed and processed for subcellular fractionation. We determined intracellular insulin content, then we assessed the expression and subcellular localization of PDX-1, FoxO1, phosphoFoxO1 and acetylFoxO1. As expected intracellular insulin content was lower in HIT-T15 cells cultured with AGEs. The results showed that AGEs decreased expression and nuclear localization of PDX-1, reduced phosphorylation of FoxO1, and increased expression and acetylation of FoxO1. These results suggest that AGEs decrease insulin content unbalancing transcription factors regulating insulin gene expression.

Regulating expressin of cell and tissue-specific genes by modifying transcription

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Beachy, Roger N. [Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO (United States); Dai, Shunhong [Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO (United States)

2009-12-15

Transcriptional regulation is the primary step to control gene expression, therefore function. Such regulation is achieved primarily via a combination of the activities of the promoter cis regulatory DNA elements and trans regulatory proteins that function through binding to these DNA elements. Our research supported by this program has led to the identification of rice bZIP transcription factors RF2a, RF2b and RLP1 that play key roles in regulating the activity of a vascular tissue specific promoter isolated from Rice Tungro Bacilliform Virus (RTBV) through their interactions with the Box II essential cis element located in the promoter. RF2a, RF2b and RLP1 possess multiple regulatory domains. Functional characterization reveals that those domains can activate or repress the activity of the RTBV promoter. Studies of transcriptional regulation of the RTBV promoter by this group of bZIP proteins not only provide insights about gene expression in the vascular tissue, but also insights about general mechanisms of transcription activation and repression. The knowledge gained from this research will also enable us to develop a well-described set of tools that can be used to control expression of multiple genes in transgenic plants and to improve biofuel feedstock.

Mechanical control of cyclic AMP signalling and gene transcription through integrins

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Meyer, C. J.; Alenghat, F. J.; Rim, P.; Fong, J. H.; Fabry, B.; Ingber, D. E.

2000-01-01

This study was carried out to discriminate between two alternative hypotheses as to how cells sense mechanical forces and transduce them into changes in gene transcription. Do cells sense mechanical signals through generalized membrane distortion or through specific transmembrane receptors, such as integrins? Here we show that mechanical stresses applied to the cell surface alter the cyclic AMP signalling cascade and downstream gene transcription by modulating local release of signals generated by activated integrin receptors in a G-protein-dependent manner, whereas distortion of integrins in the absence of receptor occupancy has no effect.

Design and development of a peptide-based adiponectin receptor agonist for cancer treatment

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Lovas Sandor

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin, a fat tissue-derived adipokine, exhibits beneficial effects against insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions, and cancer. Circulating adiponectin levels are decreased in obese individuals, and this feature correlates with increased risk of developing several metabolic, immunological and neoplastic diseases. Thus, pharmacological replacement of adiponectin might prove clinically beneficial, especially for the obese patient population. At present, adiponectin-based therapeutics are not available, partly due to yet unclear structure/function relationships of the cytokine and difficulties in converting the full size adiponectin protein into a viable drug. Results We aimed to generate adiponectin-based short peptide that can mimic adiponectin action and be suitable for preclinical and clinical development as a cancer therapeutic. Using a panel of 66 overlapping 10 amino acid-long peptides covering the entire adiponectin globular domain (residues 105-254, we identified the 149-166 region as the adiponectin active site. Three-dimensional modeling of the active site and functional screening of additional 330 peptide analogs covering this region resulted in the development of a lead peptidomimetic, ADP 355 (H-DAsn-Ile-Pro-Nva-Leu-Tyr-DSer-Phe-Ala-DSer-NH2. In several adiponectin receptor-positive cancer cell lines, ADP 355 restricted proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at 100 nM-10 μM concentrations (exceeding the effects of 50 ng/mL globular adiponectin. Furthermore, ADP 355 modulated several key signaling pathways (AMPK, Akt, STAT3, ERK1/2 in an adiponectin-like manner. siRNA knockdown experiments suggested that ADP 355 effects can be transmitted through both adiponectin receptors, with a greater contribution of AdipoR1. In vivo, intraperitoneal administration of 1 mg/kg/day ADP 355 for 28 days suppressed the growth of orthotopic human breast cancer xenografts by ~31%. The peptide

Ethylene and pollination decrease transcript abundance of an ethylene receptor gene in Dendrobium petals.

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Thongkum, Monthathip; Burns, Parichart; Bhunchoth, Anjana; Warin, Nuchnard; Chatchawankanphanich, Orawan; van Doorn, Wouter G

2015-03-15

We studied the expression of a gene encoding an ethylene receptor, called Ethylene Response Sensor 1 (Den-ERS1), in the petals of Dendrobium orchid flowers. Transcripts accumulated during the young floral bud stage and declined by the time the flowers had been open for several days. Pollination or exposure to exogenous ethylene resulted in earlier flower senescence, an increase in ethylene production and a lower Den-ERS1 transcript abundance. Treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of the ethylene receptor, decreased ethylene production and resulted in high transcript abundance. The literature indicates two kinds of ethylene receptor genes with regard to the effects of ethylene. One group shows ethylene-induced down-regulated transcription, while the other has ethylene-induced up-regulation. The present gene is an example of the first group. The 5' flanking region showed binding sites for Myb and myb-like, homeodomain, MADS domain, NAC, TCP, bHLH and EIN3-like transcription factors. The binding site for the EIN3-like factor might explain the ethylene effect on transcription. A few other transcription factors (RAV1 and NAC) seem also related to ethylene effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effect of ethnicity, dietary intake and physical activity on plasma adiponectin concentrations among malaysian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Chin, Koo Hui; Sathyasurya, Daniel Robert; Abu Saad, Hazizi; Jan Mohamed, Hamid Jan B

2013-01-01

difference among the various ethnic groups. In conclusion, lower concentration of adiponectin in the Indian population when compared with the Malay and the Chinese populations is not associated with lifestyle factors. The possibility of adiponectin gene polymorphism should be discussed further.

Identification of adiponectin receptor agonist utilizing a fluorescence polarization based high throughput assay.

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Yiyi Sun

Full Text Available Adiponectin, the adipose-derived hormone, plays an important role in the suppression of metabolic disorders that can result in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis. It has been shown that up-regulation of adiponectin or adiponectin receptor has a number of therapeutic benefits. Given that it is hard to convert the full size adiponectin protein into a viable drug, adiponectin receptor agonists could be designed or identified using high-throughput screening. Here, we report on the development of a two-step screening process to identify adiponectin agonists. First step, we developed a high throughput screening assay based on fluorescence polarization to identify adiponectin ligands. The fluorescence polarization assay reported here could be adapted to screening against larger small molecular compound libraries. A natural product library containing 10,000 compounds was screened and 9 hits were selected for validation. These compounds have been taken for the second-step in vitro tests to confirm their agonistic activity. The most active adiponectin receptor 1 agonists are matairesinol, arctiin, (--arctigenin and gramine. The most active adiponectin receptor 2 agonists are parthenolide, taxifoliol, deoxyschizandrin, and syringin. These compounds may be useful drug candidates for hypoadiponectin related diseases.

Adiponectin potentiates the acute effects of leptin in arcuate Pomc neurons

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Jia Sun

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: Adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs are located on neurons of the hypothalamus involved in metabolic regulation – including arcuate proopiomelanocortin (Pomc and Neuropeptide Y/Agouti-related peptide (NPY/AgRP neurons. AdipoRs play a critical role in regulating glucose and fatty acid metabolism by initiating several signaling cascades overlapping with Leptin receptors (LepRs. However, the mechanism by which adiponectin regulates cellular activity in the brain remains undefined. Methods: In order to resolve this issue, we utilized neuron-specific transgenic mouse models to identify Pomc and NPY/AgRP neurons which express LepRs for patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments. Results: We found that leptin and adiponectin synergistically activated melanocortin neurons in the arcuate nucleus. Conversely, NPY/AgRP neurons were inhibited in response to adiponectin. The adiponectin-induced depolarization of arcuate Pomc neurons occurred via activation of Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K signaling, independent of 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK activity. Adiponectin also activated melanocortin neurons at various physiological glucose levels. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a requirement for PI3K signaling in the acute adiponectin-induced effects on the cellular activity of arcuate melanocortin neurons. Moreover, these data provide evidence for PI3K as a substrate for both leptin and adiponectin to regulate energy balance and glucose metabolism via melanocortin activity. Author Video: Author Video Watch what authors say about their articles Keywords: Melanocortin, Obesity, Diabetes, Energy balance, Patch-clamp, Electrophysiology

Serum Adiponectin and Ghrelin, Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. Decreases in circulating adiponectin and ghrelin have been associated with MetS. Our primary aim was to evaluate the relationship of MetS with adiponectin and ghrelin for Cuban Americans with ...

Pairwise comparisons of ten porcine tissues identify differential transcriptional regulation at the gene, isoform, promoter and transcription start site level

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farajzadeh, Leila; Hornshøj, Henrik; Momeni, Jamal

2013-01-01

, isoform, and transcription start site (TSS), and promoter level showed that several of the genes differed at all four levels. Interestingly, these genes were mainly annotated to the "electron transport chain" and neuronal differentiation, emphasizing that "tissue important" genes are regulated at several...

Association between uncoupling protein 2, adiponectin and resting energy expenditure in obese women with normal and low resting energy expenditure.

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Taghadomi Masoumi, Zahra; Eshraghian, Mohammad Reza; Hedayati, Mahdi; Pishva, Hamideh

2018-02-01

Obesity is recognized as the most prevalent metabolic disease worldwide. Decreases in energy expenditure may increase risk of obesity. One of the key regulators of energy balance is uncoupling protein2 (UCP2), a transporter protein presents in mitochondrial inner membrane. Moreover, adiponectin is the most abundant adipocytokine, it may play a role in energy metabolism and gene expression of UCP2. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between the level of uncoupling protein 2 and adiponectin and their relationship with REE (Resting Energy Expenditure) in obese women with normal and low resting energy expenditure. A total of 49 subjects (women, 25-50 years old), were included in current study, 16 subjects with BMI > 30 and low resting energy expenditure, 17 subjects with BMI > 30 and normal resting energy expenditure and 16 non-obese subjects as a control group. Anthropometric, body composition parameters and resting energy expenditure were measured. Plasma adiponectin, UCP2 protein and total protein in PBMC were determined. Measured resting energy expenditure in obese subjects with low REE was significantly lower than other groups. Plasma adiponectin in the obese subjects with low REE was significantly lower compared to normal weight group. There was a significant relationship between 'UCP2 protein/Total protein' ratio and plasma adiponectin in obese group with low REE and in three groups when we pooled. There was a significant association between REE and plasma adiponectin in three groups when we pooled. There was a significant association between plasma adiponectin and REE. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between UCP2 and REE.

Intraperitoneal administration of the globular adiponectin gene ameliorates diabetic nephropathy in Wistar rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Fang; Liu, Ying-Hong; Liu, Fu-You; Peng, You-Ming; Tian, Jun-Wei

2014-06-01

The present study investigated the potential effects of the long-term expression of exogenous adiponectin (ADPN) on normal and diabetic kidneys. Type 2 diabetes mellitus models were induced by high-lipid and high-sucrose feeding plus intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The recombinant plasmid pIRES2-EGFP-gAd, which is able to co-express globular ADPN (gAd) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), was intraperitoneally injected into rat models mediated by Lipofectamine. In total, 32 Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: the normal control group, the diabetes group, the diabetes group treated with pIRES2-EGFP-gAd and the diabetes group treated with pIRES2-EGFP. After 12 weeks, serum biochemistry and urine albumin levels were measured. The kidneys were collected to assess the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the renal pathological changes were observed by light microcopy. The protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) were determined by an immunohistochemical staining method and western blot analysis. Intraperitoneal injection of the human gAd gene via Lipofectamine resulted in abundant ADPN protein in the kidney. In the diabetic rats, the delivery of the exogenous gAd gene ameliorated the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). ADPN attenuated urine albumin excretion in the diabetic rats. ADPN also mitigated glomerular mesangial expansion, reduced the generation of ROS and prevented interstitial fibrosis. In addition, the expression of gAd inhibited the renal expression of TGF-β1, promoted the protein expression of eNOS and activated the opening of the AMPK signaling pathway in the renal tissues of the diabetic rats. Despite the effects of ADPN on DN being controversial, these observations indicate that the supplementation of ADPN is beneficial in ameliorating DN in rats.

An excited state underlies gene regulation of a transcriptional riboswitch

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Zhao, Bo; Guffy, Sharon L.; Williams, Benfeard; Zhang, Qi

2017-01-01

Riboswitches control gene expression through ligand-dependent structural rearrangements of the sensing aptamer domain. However, we found that the Bacillus cereus fluoride riboswitch aptamer adopts identical tertiary structures in solution with and without ligand. Using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) NMR spectroscopy, we revealed that the structured ligand-free aptamer transiently accesses a low-populated (~1%) and short-lived (~3 ms) excited conformational state that unravels a conserved ‘linchpin’ base pair to signal transcription termination. Upon fluoride binding, this highly localized fleeting process is allosterically suppressed to activate transcription. We demonstrated that this mechanism confers effective fluoride-dependent gene activation over a wide range of transcription rates, which is essential for robust toxicity response across diverse cellular conditions. These results unveil a novel switching mechanism that employs ligand-dependent suppression of an aptamer excited state to coordinate regulatory conformational transitions rather than adopting distinct aptamer ground-state tertiary architectures, exemplifying a new mode of ligand-dependent RNA regulation. PMID:28719589

ETS transcription factors control transcription of EZH2 and epigenetic silencing of the tumor suppressor gene Nkx3.1 in prostate cancer.

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Paolo Kunderfranco

2010-05-01

Full Text Available ETS transcription factors regulate important signaling pathways involved in cell differentiation and development in many tissues and have emerged as important players in prostate cancer. However, the biological impact of ETS factors in prostate tumorigenesis is still debated.We performed an analysis of the ETS gene family using microarray data and real-time PCR in normal and tumor tissues along with functional studies in normal and cancer cell lines to understand the impact in prostate tumorigenesis and identify key targets of these transcription factors. We found frequent dysregulation of ETS genes with oncogenic (i.e., ERG and ESE1 and tumor suppressor (i.e., ESE3 properties in prostate tumors compared to normal prostate. Tumor subgroups (i.e., ERG(high, ESE1(high, ESE3(low and NoETS tumors were identified on the basis of their ETS expression status and showed distinct transcriptional and biological features. ERG(high and ESE3(low tumors had the most robust gene signatures with both distinct and overlapping features. Integrating genomic data with functional studies in multiple cell lines, we demonstrated that ERG and ESE3 controlled in opposite direction transcription of the Polycomb Group protein EZH2, a key gene in development, differentiation, stem cell biology and tumorigenesis. We further demonstrated that the prostate-specific tumor suppressor gene Nkx3.1 was controlled by ERG and ESE3 both directly and through induction of EZH2.These findings provide new insights into the role of the ETS transcriptional network in prostate tumorigenesis and uncover previously unrecognized links between aberrant expression of ETS factors, deregulation of epigenetic effectors and silencing of tumor suppressor genes. The link between aberrant ETS activity and epigenetic gene silencing may be relevant for the clinical management of prostate cancer and design of new therapeutic strategies.

Epigenetic Transcriptional Memory of GAL Genes Depends on Growth in Glucose and the Tup1 Transcription Factor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Sood, Varun; Cajigas, Ivelisse; D'Urso, Agustina; Light, William H; Brickner, Jason H

2017-08-01

Previously expressed inducible genes can remain poised for faster reactivation for multiple cell divisions, a conserved phenomenon called epigenetic transcriptional memory. The GAL genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae show faster reactivation for up to seven generations after being repressed. During memory, previously produced Gal1 protein enhances the rate of reactivation of GAL1 , GAL10 , GAL2 , and GAL7 These genes also interact with the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and localize to the nuclear periphery both when active and during memory. Peripheral localization of GAL1 during memory requires the Gal1 protein, a memory-specific cis -acting element in the promoter, and the NPC protein Nup100 However, unlike other examples of transcriptional memory, the interaction with NPC is not required for faster GAL gene reactivation. Rather, downstream of Gal1, the Tup1 transcription factor and growth in glucose promote GAL transcriptional memory. Cells only show signs of memory and only benefit from memory when growing in glucose. Tup1 promotes memory-specific chromatin changes at the GAL1 promoter: incorporation of histone variant H2A.Z and dimethylation of histone H3, lysine 4. Tup1 and H2A.Z function downstream of Gal1 to promote binding of a preinitiation form of RNA Polymerase II at the GAL1 promoter, poising the gene for faster reactivation. This mechanism allows cells to integrate a previous experience (growth in galactose, reflected by Gal1 levels) with current conditions (growth in glucose, potentially through Tup1 function) to overcome repression and to poise critical GAL genes for future reactivation. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

A method comparison of total and HMW adiponectin : HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies versus total adiponectin, independent of clinical condition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Andel, Merel; Drent, Madeleine L; van Herwaarden, Antonius E; Ackermans, Mariëtte T; Heijboer, Annemieke C

BACKGROUND: Total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin have been associated with endocrine and cardiovascular pathology. As no gold standard is available, the discussion about biological relevance of isoforms is complicated. In our study we perform a method comparison between two commercially

A method comparison of total and HMW adiponectin: HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies versus total adiponectin, independent of clinical condition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Andel, Merel; Drent, Madeleine L.; van Herwaarden, Antonius E.; Ackermans, Mariëtte T.; Heijboer, Annemieke C.

2017-01-01

Background: Total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin have been associated with endocrine and cardiovascular pathology. As no gold standard is available, the discussion about biological relevance of isoforms is complicated. In our study we perform a method comparison between two commercially

Promoter polymorphisms in genes involved in porcine myogenesis influence their transcriptional activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bongiorni, Silvia; Tilesi, Francesca; Bicorgna, Silvia; Iacoponi, Francesca; Willems, Daniela; Gargani, Maria; D'Andrea, MariaSilvia; Pilla, Fabio; Valentini, Alessio

2014-11-07

Success of meat production and selection for improvement of meat quality is among the primary aims in animal production. Meat quality traits are economically important in swine; however, the underlying genetic nature is very complex. Therefore, an improved pork production strongly depends on identifying and studying how genetic variations contribute to modulate gene expression. Promoters are key regions in gene modulation as they harbour several binding motifs to transcription regulatory factors. Therefore, polymorphisms in these regions are likely to deeply affect RNA levels and consequently protein synthesis. In this study, we report the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in promoter regions of candidate genes involved in development, cellular differentiation and muscle growth in Sus scrofa. We identified SNPs in the promoter regions of genes belonging to the Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRF) gene family (the Myogenic Differentiation gene, MYOD1) and to Growth and Differentiation Factors (GDF) gene family (Myostatin gene, MSTN, GDF8), in Casertana and Large White breeds. The purpose of this study was to investigate if polymorphisms in the promoters could affect the transcriptional activity of these genes. With this aim, we evaluated in vitro the functional activity of the luciferase reporter gene luc2 activity, driven by two constructs carrying different promoter haplotypes. We tested the effects of the G302A (U12574) transition on the promoter efficiency in MYOD1 gene. We ascertained a difference in transcription efficiency for the two variants. A stronger activity of the A-carrying construct is more evident in C2C12. The luciferase expression driven by the MYOD1-A allelic variant displayed a 3.8-fold increased transcriptional activity. We investigated the activity of two haplotype variants (AY527152) in the promoter of GDF8 gene. The haploptype-1 (A435-A447-A879) up-regulated the expression of the reporter gene by a two-fold increase, and

Basal transcription of APOBEC3G is regulated by USF1 gene in hepatocyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Yanli [Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhengzhou University People' s Hospital (Henan Provincial People' s Hospital), Zhengzhou, 450003 (China); Li, Hui [The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science Technology, Wuhan, 430000 (China); Zhang, Xiaoju [Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhengzhou University People' s Hospital (Henan Provincial People' s Hospital), Zhengzhou, 450003 (China); Shang, Jia [Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhengzhou University People' s Hospital (Henan Provincial People' s Hospital), Zhengzhou, 450003 (China); Kang, Yi, E-mail: kykangyi@163.com [Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhengzhou University People' s Hospital (Henan Provincial People' s Hospital), Zhengzhou, 450003 (China)

2016-01-29

Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G, A3G) exert antiviral defense as an important factor of innate immunity. A variety of cytokines such as IFN-γ,IL2,IL15,IL7 could induce the transcription of A3G. However, the regulation of other nuclear factor on the transcription of A3G have not been reported at the present. To gain new insights into the transcriptional regulation of this restriction factor, we cloned and characterized the promoter region of A3G and investigate the modulation of USF1 gene on the transcription of A3G. We identified a 232 bp region that was sufficient to regulate the activity of full promoter. Transcriptional start sites (TSS) were identified by the luciferase reporter assays of plasmids containing full or shorter fragments of the A3G promoter. The results demonstrated that the core promoter of A3G is located within the region -159/-84 relative to the TSS. Transcriptional activity of A3G core promoter regulated by USF1 was dependent on an E-box (located at position -91/-86 relative to the major TSS) and was abolished after mutation of this DNA element. USF1 gene can take part in basal transcription regulation of the human A3G gene in hepatocyte, and the identified E-box represented a binding site for the USF1. - Highlights: • The core promoter of A3G is located within the region −159/−84 relative to the TSS. • Transcriptional activity of A3G core promoter regulated by USF1 was dependent on an E-box (located at position −91/−86 relative to the major TSS). • USF1 gene can take part in basal transcription regulation of the human A3G gene in hepatocyte.

Basal transcription of APOBEC3G is regulated by USF1 gene in hepatocyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Yanli; Li, Hui; Zhang, Xiaoju; Shang, Jia; Kang, Yi

2016-01-01

Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G, A3G) exert antiviral defense as an important factor of innate immunity. A variety of cytokines such as IFN-γ,IL2,IL15,IL7 could induce the transcription of A3G. However, the regulation of other nuclear factor on the transcription of A3G have not been reported at the present. To gain new insights into the transcriptional regulation of this restriction factor, we cloned and characterized the promoter region of A3G and investigate the modulation of USF1 gene on the transcription of A3G. We identified a 232 bp region that was sufficient to regulate the activity of full promoter. Transcriptional start sites (TSS) were identified by the luciferase reporter assays of plasmids containing full or shorter fragments of the A3G promoter. The results demonstrated that the core promoter of A3G is located within the region -159/-84 relative to the TSS. Transcriptional activity of A3G core promoter regulated by USF1 was dependent on an E-box (located at position -91/-86 relative to the major TSS) and was abolished after mutation of this DNA element. USF1 gene can take part in basal transcription regulation of the human A3G gene in hepatocyte, and the identified E-box represented a binding site for the USF1. - Highlights: • The core promoter of A3G is located within the region −159/−84 relative to the TSS. • Transcriptional activity of A3G core promoter regulated by USF1 was dependent on an E-box (located at position −91/−86 relative to the major TSS). • USF1 gene can take part in basal transcription regulation of the human A3G gene in hepatocyte.

Intronic L1 retrotransposons and nested genes cause transcriptional interference by inducing intron retention, exonization and cryptic polyadenylation.

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Kristel Kaer

Full Text Available Transcriptional interference has been recently recognized as an unexpectedly complex and mostly negative regulation of genes. Despite a relatively few studies that emerged in recent years, it has been demonstrated that a readthrough transcription derived from one gene can influence the transcription of another overlapping or nested gene. However, the molecular effects resulting from this interaction are largely unknown.Using in silico chromosome walking, we searched for prematurely terminated transcripts bearing signatures of intron retention or exonization of intronic sequence at their 3' ends upstream to human L1 retrotransposons, protein-coding and noncoding nested genes. We demonstrate that transcriptional interference induced by intronic L1s (or other repeated DNAs and nested genes could be characterized by intron retention, forced exonization and cryptic polyadenylation. These molecular effects were revealed from the analysis of endogenous transcripts derived from different cell lines and tissues and confirmed by the expression of three minigenes in cell culture. While intron retention and exonization were comparably observed in introns upstream to L1s, forced exonization was preferentially detected in nested genes. Transcriptional interference induced by L1 or nested genes was dependent on the presence or absence of cryptic splice sites, affected the inclusion or exclusion of the upstream exon and the use of cryptic polyadenylation signals.Our results suggest that transcriptional interference induced by intronic L1s and nested genes could influence the transcription of the large number of genes in normal as well as in tumor tissues. Therefore, this type of interference could have a major impact on the regulation of the host gene expression.

Transcription Factors Encoded on Core and Accessory Chromosomes of Fusarium oxysporum Induce Expression of Effector Genes

Science.gov (United States)

van der Does, H. Charlotte; Schmidt, Sarah M.; Langereis, Léon; Hughes, Timothy R.

2016-01-01

Proteins secreted by pathogens during host colonization largely determine the outcome of pathogen-host interactions and are commonly called ‘effectors’. In fungal plant pathogens, coordinated transcriptional up-regulation of effector genes is a key feature of pathogenesis and effectors are often encoded in genomic regions with distinct repeat content, histone code and rate of evolution. In the tomato pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol), effector genes reside on one of four accessory chromosomes, known as the ‘pathogenicity’ chromosome, which can be exchanged between strains through horizontal transfer. The three other accessory chromosomes in the Fol reference strain may also be important for virulence towards tomato. Expression of effector genes in Fol is highly up-regulated upon infection and requires Sge1, a transcription factor encoded on the core genome. Interestingly, the pathogenicity chromosome itself contains 13 predicted transcription factor genes and for all except one, there is a homolog on the core genome. We determined DNA binding specificity for nine transcription factors using oligonucleotide arrays. The binding sites for homologous transcription factors were highly similar, suggesting that extensive neofunctionalization of DNA binding specificity has not occurred. Several DNA binding sites are enriched on accessory chromosomes, and expression of FTF1, its core homolog FTF2 and SGE1 from a constitutive promoter can induce expression of effector genes. The DNA binding sites of only these three transcription factors are enriched among genes up-regulated during infection. We further show that Ftf1, Ftf2 and Sge1 can activate transcription from their binding sites in yeast. RNAseq analysis revealed that in strains with constitutive expression of FTF1, FTF2 or SGE1, expression of a similar set of plant-responsive genes on the pathogenicity chromosome is induced, including most effector genes. We conclude that the Fol

NFIA co-localizes with PPARγ and transcriptionally controls the brown fat gene program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hiraike, Yuta; Waki, Hironori; Yu, Jing

2017-01-01

. NFIA and the master transcriptional regulator of adipogenesis, PPARγ, co-localize at the brown-fat-specific enhancers. Moreover, the binding of NFIA precedes and facilitates the binding of PPARγ, leading to increased chromatin accessibility and active transcription. Introduction of NFIA into myoblasts...... results in brown adipocyte differentiation. Conversely, the brown fat of NFIA-knockout mice displays impaired expression of the brown-fat-specific genes and reciprocal elevation of muscle genes. Finally, expression of NFIA and the brown-fat-specific genes is positively correlated in human brown fat...

Adiponectin is required for maintaining normal body temperature in a cold environment

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Thermogenic impairment promotes obesity and insulin resistance. Adiponectin is an important regulator of energy homeostasis. While many beneficial metabolic effects of adiponectin resemble that of activated thermogenesis, the role of adiponectin in thermogenesis is not clear. In this study, we inves...

Activating human genes with zinc finger proteins, transcription activator-like effectors and CRISPR/Cas9 for gene therapy and regenerative medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Gersbach, Charles A; Perez-Pinera, Pablo

2014-08-01

New technologies have recently been developed to control the expression of human genes in their native genomic context by engineering synthetic transcription factors that can be targeted to any DNA sequence. The ability to precisely regulate any gene as it occurs naturally in the genome provides a means to address a variety of diseases and disorders. This approach also circumvents some of the traditional challenges of gene therapy. In this editorial, we review the technologies that have enabled targeted human gene activation, including the engineering of transcription factors based on zinc finger proteins, transcription activator-like effectors and the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Additionally, we highlight examples in which these methods have been developed for therapeutic applications and discuss challenges and opportunities.

The role of adiponectin in reproduction: from polycystic ovary syndrome to assisted reproduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalakis, Konstantinos G; Segars, James H

2010-11-01

To summarize the effects of the adipokine adiponectin on the reproductive endocrine system, from the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to the gonads and target tissues of the reproductive system. A Medline computer search was performed to identify relevant articles. Research institution. None. Adiponectin is a hormone secreted by adipose tissue that acts to reduce insulin resistance and atherogenic damage, but it also exerts actions in other tissues. Adiponectin mediates its actions in the periphery mainly via two receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. Adiponectin receptors are present in many reproductive tissues, including the central nervous system, ovaries, oviduct, endometrium, and testes. Adiponectin influences gonadotropin release, normal pregnancy, and assisted reproduction outcomes. Adiponectin, a beneficial adipokine, represents a major link between obesity and reproduction. Higher levels of adiponectin are associated with improved menstrual function and better outcomes in assisted reproductive cycles. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Relation of Adiponectin to Glucose Tolerance Status, Adiposity, and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Load

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N. Wolfson

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Adiponectin has anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the influence of adiponectin on glucose tolerance status, adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs. Design and Patients. Study consisted of 107 subjects: 55 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT and 52 with impaired glucose regulation (IGR who were divided into two groups: 24 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG Group and 28 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM Group. In additional analysis, study participants were divided into two groups, according to CVRFs: low and high risk. Measurements: Patients were evaluated for glucose, HbA1C, insulin, lipids, CRP, HOMA-IR and adiponectin. Measurements. Patients were evaluated for glucose, HbA1C, insulin, lipids, CRP, HOMA-IR and adiponectin. Results. Adiponectin was significantly higher in NGT group than in IFG (=0.003 and DM (=0.01 groups. Adiponectin was significantly, positively associated with HDL and inversely associated with glucose, HbA1c, ALT, AST, TG, HOMA-IR. Patients with higher CVRFs load have lesser adiponectin compared to patients with low cardiovascular risk <0.0001. Adiponectin was inversely associated with the number of risk factors (=−0.430, =0.0001. Conclusions. Circulating adiponectin was significantly lower in subjects with different degree of IGR compared to subjects with normal glucose homeostasis. Adiponectin was significantly lower in high risk group than low risk group and decreased concurrently with increased number of CVRFs.

Serum adipokines (adiponectin and resistin) correlation in developing gestational diabetes mellitus: pilot study.

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Siddiqui, Khalid; George, Teena P; Nawaz, Shaik Sarfaraz; Shehata, Nevene; El-Sayed, Amel Ahmed; Khanam, Latifa

2018-06-01

Adiponectin and resistin are adipose tissue-derived proteins with antagonistic actions; adiponectin has insulin sensitive properties while resistin is involved in the development of insulin resistance. We analyzed adiponectin and resistin levels in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) women to evaluate the association of these adipokines in a very high diabetes prevalence population. An age-matched case-control study of GDM and normal pregnant women in Saudi population. We recruited 90 pregnant women at 24-32 weeks of gestation. Glucose levels (fasting, 1, 2, and 3 h) and lipid parameters (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol) were measured. Serum adiponectin and resistin levels were analyzed using Randox evidence biochip analyzer. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association of adiponectin and resistin with GDM risk factors. GDM women showed significantly low adiponectin and high resistin levels when compared with control group. Pearson's correlation analysis of adiponectin and resistin in all the subjects with various GDM risk factors showed a negative association of adiponectin (r = -0.32, p = .05) and a positive correlation of resistin (r = 0.41, p = .01) with LDL cholesterol. This study analyzes adiponectin and resistin levels together, as accumulating evidences shows that these are involved in the pathophysiology of GDM. This is going to help to determine in conjunction with traditional risk factors the incremental value of circulating adiponectin and resistin in developing GDM.

A community resource for high-throughput quantitative RT-PCR analysis of transcription factor gene expression in Medicago truncatula

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Redman Julia C

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medicago truncatula is a model legume species that is currently the focus of an international genome sequencing effort. Although several different oligonucleotide and cDNA arrays have been produced for genome-wide transcript analysis of this species, intrinsic limitations in the sensitivity of hybridization-based technologies mean that transcripts of genes expressed at low-levels cannot be measured accurately with these tools. Amongst such genes are many encoding transcription factors (TFs, which are arguably the most important class of regulatory proteins. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR is the most sensitive method currently available for transcript quantification, and one that can be scaled up to analyze transcripts of thousands of genes in parallel. Thus, qRT-PCR is an ideal method to tackle the problem of TF transcript quantification in Medicago and other plants. Results We established a bioinformatics pipeline to identify putative TF genes in Medicago truncatula and to design gene-specific oligonucleotide primers for qRT-PCR analysis of TF transcripts. We validated the efficacy and gene-specificity of over 1000 TF primer pairs and utilized these to identify sets of organ-enhanced TF genes that may play important roles in organ development or differentiation in this species. This community resource will be developed further as more genome sequence becomes available, with the ultimate goal of producing validated, gene-specific primers for all Medicago TF genes. Conclusion High-throughput qRT-PCR using a 384-well plate format enables rapid, flexible, and sensitive quantification of all predicted Medicago transcription factor mRNAs. This resource has been utilized recently by several groups in Europe, Australia, and the USA, and we expect that it will become the 'gold-standard' for TF transcript profiling in Medicago truncatula.

No association of defined variability in leptin, leptin receptor, adiponectin, proopiomelanocortin and ghrelin gene with food preferences in the Czech population.

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Bienertova-Vasku, Julie; Bienert, Petr; Tomandl, Josef; Forejt, Martin; Vavrina, Martin; Kudelkova, Jana; Vasku, Anna

2008-02-01

Previously, it has been reported that mutations in the genes encoding for adipokines may be associated with impaired food intake and may serve as potential obesity biomarkers. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible associations of defined variability in leptin, leptin receptor, adiponectin, proopiomelanocortin and ghrelin genes with food preferences in the obese and non-obese Czech population and evaluate their potential as the obesity susceptibility genes. Using PCR followed by restriction analysis, we studied 185 volunteers. Basic anthropometrical characteristics associated to obesity were measured and the food intake was monitored using a 7-day record method. In the group of obese individuals, a subset of 34 morbidly obese patients was studied for plasma leptin and soluble leptin receptor levels. None of the examined polymorphisms was associated to anthropometrical or demographic characteristics of the study subjects. The Gln223Arg polymorphism within the leptin receptor gene was significantly associated with lower plasma leptin levels (the RR genotype being more frequent in patients with lower plasma leptin levels; P = 0.001). No associations of the examined polymorphisms with food preferences was observed. Based on our results, the examined polymorphisms in the adipokine genes do not seem to be the major risk factor for obesity development in the Czech population nor significantly affect food preferences.

Connected Gene Communities Underlie Transcriptional Changes in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.

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Boudaoud, Imène; Fournier, Éric; Baguette, Audrey; Vallée, Maxime; Lamaze, Fabien C; Droit, Arnaud; Bilodeau, Steve

2017-09-01

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a complex multisystem developmental disorder caused by mutations in cohesin subunits and regulators. While its precise molecular mechanisms are not well defined, they point toward a global deregulation of the transcriptional gene expression program. Cohesin is associated with the boundaries of chromosome domains and with enhancer and promoter regions connecting the three-dimensional genome organization with transcriptional regulation. Here, we show that connected gene communities, structures emerging from the interactions of noncoding regulatory elements and genes in the three-dimensional chromosomal space, provide a molecular explanation for the pathoetiology of CdLS associated with mutations in the cohesin-loading factor NIPBL and the cohesin subunit SMC1A NIPBL and cohesin are important constituents of connected gene communities that are centrally positioned at noncoding regulatory elements. Accordingly, genes deregulated in CdLS are positioned within reach of NIPBL- and cohesin-occupied regions through promoter-promoter interactions. Our findings suggest a dynamic model where NIPBL loads cohesin to connect genes in communities, offering an explanation for the gene expression deregulation in the CdLS. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

A PCA3 gene-based transcriptional amplification system targeting primary prostate cancer

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Neveu, Bertrand; Jain, Pallavi; T?tu, Bernard; Wu, Lily; Fradet, Yves; Pouliot, Fr?d?ric

2015-01-01

Targeting specifically primary prostate cancer (PCa) cells for immune therapy, gene therapy or molecular imaging is of high importance. The PCA3 long non-coding RNA is a unique PCa biomarker and oncogene that has been widely studied. This gene has been mainly exploited as an accurate diagnostic urine biomarker for PCa detection. In this study, the PCA3 promoter was introduced into a new transcriptional amplification system named the 3-Step Transcriptional Amplification System (PCA3-3STA) and ...

Association between circulating adiponectin levels and polycystic ovarian syndrome

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S.S. Mirza (Saira); K. Shafique (Kashif); A.R. Shaikh (Abdul Rauf); N.A. Khan (Naveed Ali); M. Anwar Qureshi (Masood)

2014-01-01

textabstractBackground: Low adiponectin levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have been largely attributed to obesity which is common among these patients. In addition, evidence also suggests that low adiponectin in PCOS may be related to insulin resistance (IR) in these women. However,

Transcriptional Mechanisms Controlling miR-375 Gene Expression in the Pancreas

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Tali Avnit-Sagi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play an important role in mediating a broad and expanding range of biological activities. miR-375 is expressed selectively in the pancreas. We have previously shown that selective expression of miR-375 in pancreatic beta cells is controlled by transcriptional mechanisms operating through a TATA box-containing promoter. Expression of miR-375 has been reported in non-beta cells within the endocrine pancreas, and indeed inactivation of miR-375 leads to perturbation in cell mass and number of both alpha and beta cells. Consistent with its expression throughout the endocrine pancreas, we now show that the promoter of the miR-375 gene shows selective activity in pancreatic endocrine alpha cells, comparable to that observed in beta cells. We previously identified a novel negative regulatory element located downstream of the miR-375 gene transcription start site. By generating luciferase reporter genes, we now show that the sequence is functional also when positioned upstream of a heterologous promoter, thus proving that the repressor effect is mediated at least in part at the level of transcription. Further characterization of the transcriptional control mechanism regulating expression of miR-375 and other pancreatic miRNAs will contribute to a better understanding of pancreas development and function.

Mutations on the DNA binding surface of TBP discriminate between yeast TATA and TATA-less gene transcription.

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Kamenova, Ivanka; Warfield, Linda; Hahn, Steven

2014-08-01

Most RNA polymerase (Pol) II promoters lack a TATA element, yet nearly all Pol II transcription requires TATA binding protein (TBP). While the TBP-TATA interaction is critical for transcription at TATA-containing promoters, it has been unclear whether TBP sequence-specific DNA contacts are required for transcription at TATA-less genes. Transcription factor IID (TFIID), the TBP-containing coactivator that functions at most TATA-less genes, recognizes short sequence-specific promoter elements in metazoans, but analogous promoter elements have not been identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We generated a set of mutations in the yeast TBP DNA binding surface and found that most support growth of yeast. Both in vivo and in vitro, many of these mutations are specifically defective for transcription of two TATA-containing genes with only minor defects in transcription of two TATA-less, TFIID-dependent genes. TBP binds several TATA-less promoters with apparent high affinity, but our results suggest that this binding is not important for transcription activity. Our results are consistent with the model that sequence-specific TBP-DNA contacts are not important at yeast TATA-less genes and suggest that other general transcription factors or coactivator subunits are responsible for recognition of TATA-less promoters. Our results also explain why yeast TBP derivatives defective for TATA binding appear defective in activated transcription. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Inter-replicon Gene Flow Contributes to Transcriptional Integration in the Sinorhizobium meliloti Multipartite Genome.

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diCenzo, George C; Wellappili, Deelaka; Golding, G Brian; Finan, Turlough M

2018-05-04

Integration of newly acquired genes into existing regulatory networks is necessary for successful horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Ten percent of bacterial species contain at least two DNA replicons over 300 kilobases in size, with the secondary replicons derived predominately through HGT. The Sinorhizobium meliloti genome is split between a 3.7 Mb chromosome, a 1.7 Mb chromid consisting largely of genes acquired through ancient HGT, and a 1.4 Mb megaplasmid consisting primarily of recently acquired genes. Here, RNA-sequencing is used to examine the transcriptional consequences of massive, synthetic genome reduction produced through the removal of the megaplasmid and/or the chromid. Removal of the pSymA megaplasmid influenced the transcription of only six genes. In contrast, removal of the chromid influenced expression of ∼8% of chromosomal genes and ∼4% of megaplasmid genes. This was mediated in part by the loss of the ETR DNA region whose presence on pSymB is due to a translocation from the chromosome. No obvious functional bias among the up-regulated genes was detected, although genes with putative homologs on the chromid were enriched. Down-regulated genes were enriched in motility and sensory transduction pathways. Four transcripts were examined further, and in each case the transcriptional change could be traced to loss of specific pSymB regions. In particularly, a chromosomal transporter was induced due to deletion of bdhA likely mediated through 3-hydroxybutyrate accumulation. These data provide new insights into the evolution of the multipartite bacterial genome, and more generally into the integration of horizontally acquired genes into the transcriptome. Copyright © 2018 diCenzo, et al.

Inter-replicon Gene Flow Contributes to Transcriptional Integration in the Sinorhizobium meliloti Multipartite Genome

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George C. diCenzo

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Integration of newly acquired genes into existing regulatory networks is necessary for successful horizontal gene transfer (HGT. Ten percent of bacterial species contain at least two DNA replicons over 300 kilobases in size, with the secondary replicons derived predominately through HGT. The Sinorhizobium meliloti genome is split between a 3.7 Mb chromosome, a 1.7 Mb chromid consisting largely of genes acquired through ancient HGT, and a 1.4 Mb megaplasmid consisting primarily of recently acquired genes. Here, RNA-sequencing is used to examine the transcriptional consequences of massive, synthetic genome reduction produced through the removal of the megaplasmid and/or the chromid. Removal of the pSymA megaplasmid influenced the transcription of only six genes. In contrast, removal of the chromid influenced expression of ∼8% of chromosomal genes and ∼4% of megaplasmid genes. This was mediated in part by the loss of the ETR DNA region whose presence on pSymB is due to a translocation from the chromosome. No obvious functional bias among the up-regulated genes was detected, although genes with putative homologs on the chromid were enriched. Down-regulated genes were enriched in motility and sensory transduction pathways. Four transcripts were examined further, and in each case the transcriptional change could be traced to loss of specific pSymB regions. In particularly, a chromosomal transporter was induced due to deletion of bdhA likely mediated through 3-hydroxybutyrate accumulation. These data provide new insights into the evolution of the multipartite bacterial genome, and more generally into the integration of horizontally acquired genes into the transcriptome.

Connections between Transcription Downstream of Genes and cis-SAGe Chimeric RNA.

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Chwalenia, Katarzyna; Qin, Fujun; Singh, Sandeep; Tangtrongstittikul, Panjapon; Li, Hui

2017-11-22

cis-Splicing between adjacent genes (cis-SAGe) is being recognized as one way to produce chimeric fusion RNAs. However, its detail mechanism is not clear. Recent study revealed induction of transcriptions downstream of genes (DoGs) under osmotic stress. Here, we investigated the influence of osmotic stress on cis-SAGe chimeric RNAs and their connection to DoGs. We found,the absence of induction of at least some cis-SAGe fusions and/or their corresponding DoGs at early time point(s). In fact, these DoGs and their cis-SAGe fusions are inversely correlated. This negative correlation was changed to positive at a later time point. These results suggest a direct competition between the two categories of transcripts when total pool of readthrough transcripts is limited at an early time point. At a later time point, DoGs and corresponding cis-SAGe fusions are both induced, indicating that total readthrough transcripts become more abundant. Finally, we observed overall enhancement of cis-SAGe chimeric RNAs in KCl-treated samples by RNA-Seq analysis.

Hepatic transcriptional changes in critical genes for gluconeogenesis following castration of bulls

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Dilla Mareistia Fassah

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Objective This study was performed to understand transcriptional changes in the genes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycolysis pathways following castration of bulls. Methods Twenty Korean bulls were weaned at average 3 months of age, and castrated at 6 months. Liver tissues were collected from bulls (n = 10 and steers (n = 10 of Korean cattle, and hepatic gene expression levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We examined hepatic transcription levels of genes encoding enzymes for irreversible reactions in both gluconeogenesis and glycolysis as well as genes encoding enzymes for the utilization of several glucogenic substrates. Correlations between hepatic gene expression and carcass characteristics were performed to understand their associations. Results Castration increased the mRNA (3.6 fold; p<0.01 and protein levels (1.4 fold; p< 0.05 of pyruvate carboxylase and mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase genes (1.7 fold; p<0.05. Hepatic mRNA levels of genes encoding the glycolysis enzymes were not changed by castration. Castration increased mRNA levels of both lactate dehydrogenase A (1.5 fold; p<0.05 and lactate dehydrogenase B (2.2 fold; p<0.01 genes for lactate utilization. Castration increased mRNA levels of glycerol kinase (2.7 fold; p<0.05 and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (1.5 fold; p<0.05 genes for glycerol utilization. Castration also increased mRNA levels of propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta (mitochondrial (3.5 fold; p<0.01 and acyl-CoA synthetase short chain family member 3 (1.3 fold; p = 0.06 genes for propionate incorporation. Conclusion Castration increases transcription levels of critical genes coding for enzymes involved in irreversible gluconeogenesis reactions from pyruvate to glucose and enzymes responsible for incorporation of glucogenic substrates including lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression levels were associated with intramuscular

Modulation of ovarian steroidogenesis by adiponectin during delayed embryonic development of Cynopterus sphinx.

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Anuradha; Krishna, Amitabh

2014-09-01

The aim of present study was to evaluate role of adiponectin in ovarian steroidogenesis during delayed embryonic development of Cynopterus sphinx. This study showed significantly low circulating adiponectin level and a decline in expression of adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) in the ovary during the period of delayed embryonic development as compared with the normal development. The adiponectin treatment in vivo during the period of delayed development caused significantly increased in circulating progesterone and estradiol levels together with increased expression of AdipoR1 in the ovary. The in vitro study confirmed the stimulatory effect of adiponectin on progesterone synthesis. Both in vivo and in vitro studies showed that the effects of adiponectin on ovarian steroidogenesis were mediated through increased expression of luteinizing hormone-receptor, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and 3β-hydroxyl steroid dehydrogenase enzyme. The adiponectin treatment may also promote progesterone synthesis by modulating ovarian angiogenesis, cell survival and rate of apoptosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-scale analysis of antisense transcription in wheat using the Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array

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Settles Matthew L

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Natural antisense transcripts (NATs are transcripts of the opposite DNA strand to the sense-strand either at the same locus (cis-encoded or a different locus (trans-encoded. They can affect gene expression at multiple stages including transcription, RNA processing and transport, and translation. NATs give rise to sense-antisense transcript pairs and the number of these identified has escalated greatly with the availability of DNA sequencing resources and public databases. Traditionally, NATs were identified by the alignment of full-length cDNAs or expressed sequence tags to genome sequences, but an alternative method for large-scale detection of sense-antisense transcript pairs involves the use of microarrays. In this study we developed a novel protocol to assay sense- and antisense-strand transcription on the 55 K Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array, which is a 3' in vitro transcription (3'IVT expression array. We selected five different tissue types for assay to enable maximum discovery, and used the 'Chinese Spring' wheat genotype because most of the wheat GeneChip probe sequences were based on its genomic sequence. This study is the first report of using a 3'IVT expression array to discover the expression of natural sense-antisense transcript pairs, and may be considered as proof-of-concept. Results By using alternative target preparation schemes, both the sense- and antisense-strand derived transcripts were labeled and hybridized to the Wheat GeneChip. Quality assurance verified that successful hybridization did occur in the antisense-strand assay. A stringent threshold for positive hybridization was applied, which resulted in the identification of 110 sense-antisense transcript pairs, as well as 80 potentially antisense-specific transcripts. Strand-specific RT-PCR validated the microarray observations, and showed that antisense transcription is likely to be tissue specific. For the annotated sense

Effect of adiponectin on bovine granulosa cell steroidogenesis, oocyte maturation and embryo development

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Coyral-Castel Stéphanie

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin is an adipokine, mainly produced by adipose tissue. It regulates several reproductive processes. The protein expression of the adiponectin system (adiponectin, its receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 and the APPL1 adaptor in bovine ovary and its role on ovarian cells and embryo, remain however to be determined. Methods Here, we identified the adiponectin system in bovine ovarian cells and embryo using RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we investigated in vitro the effects of recombinant human adiponectin (10 micro g/mL on proliferation of granulosa cells (GC measured by [3H] thymidine incorporation, progesterone and estradiol secretions measured by radioimmunoassay in the culture medium of GC, nuclear oocyte maturation and early embryo development. Results We show that the mRNAs and proteins for the adiponectin system are present in bovine ovary (small and large follicles and corpus luteum and embryo. Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were more precisely localized in oocyte, GC and theca cells. Adiponectin increased IGF-1 10(-8 M-induced GC proliferation (P Conclusions In bovine species, adiponectin decreased insulin-induced steroidogenesis and increased IGF-1-induced proliferation of cultured GC through a potential involvement of ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, whereas it did not modify oocyte maturation and embryo development in vitro.

Hepatic transcriptional changes in critical genes for gluconeogenesis following castration of bulls

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Fassah, Dilla Mareistia; Jeong, Jin Young

2018-01-01

Objective This study was performed to understand transcriptional changes in the genes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycolysis pathways following castration of bulls. Methods Twenty Korean bulls were weaned at average 3 months of age, and castrated at 6 months. Liver tissues were collected from bulls (n = 10) and steers (n = 10) of Korean cattle, and hepatic gene expression levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We examined hepatic transcription levels of genes encoding enzymes for irreversible reactions in both gluconeogenesis and glycolysis as well as genes encoding enzymes for the utilization of several glucogenic substrates. Correlations between hepatic gene expression and carcass characteristics were performed to understand their associations. Results Castration increased the mRNA (3.6 fold; pgluconeogenesis reactions from pyruvate to glucose and enzymes responsible for incorporation of glucogenic substrates including lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression levels were associated with intramuscular fat deposition. PMID:29502393

Undercarboxylated osteocalcin is associated with insulin resistance, but not adiponectin, during pregnancy.

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Srichomkwun, Panudda; Houngngam, Natnicha; Pasatrat, Sophitsachi; Tharavanij, Thipaporn; Wattanachanya, Lalita; Khovidhunkit, Weerapan

2016-07-01

In mice, undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) improves beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity through adiponectin. In humans, levels of total osteocalcin (OC) and ucOC were negatively correlated with insulin resistance (IR) indices in patients with type 2 diabetes. Whether ucOC plays a role in glucose homeostasis and whether its effect is mediated through adiponectin during pregnancy is unclear. Serum levels of total OC, ucOC, and adiponectin were measured in 130 pregnant women with varying degrees of IR [gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), n = 74 and non-GDM, n = 56]. In all participants, total OC and ucOC levels were positively correlated with HOMA-IR and HOMA-%B, and negatively correlated with QUICKI. In contrast, adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with HOMA-IR and positively correlated with QUICKI (P insulin secretion and IR indices, but not adiponectin levels, in pregnant women. Changes in OC might be a sensitive response to increased IR during pregnancy, which was not mediated through adiponectin.

Differential transcription and message stability of two genes encoding soybean ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirley, B.W.; Berry-Lowe, S.L.; Grandbastien, M.A.; Zurfluh, L.L.; Shah, D.M.; Meagher, R.B.

1987-01-01

The expression of two closely related soybean ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit (Rubisco ss) genes, SRS1 and SRS4, has been compared. These genes account for approximately 2-4% of the total transcription in light grown leaves, SRS4 being twice as transcriptionally active as SRS1. The transcription of these genes is reduced more than 30 fold after a pulse of far-red light or extended periods of darkness. When etiolated seedlings are shifted to the light the transcription of both genes increases 30-50 fold. Despite this 30-fold range in transcriptional expression the steady state mRNA levels in light and dark grown tissue differ by less than 8 fold. This suggests that the mRNAs are less stable in light grown tissue. 38 refs., 5 figs

Two genes in Balbiani ring 2 with metabolically different 75S transcripts

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Galler, R.; Saiga, H.; Widmer, R. M.; Lezzi, M.; Edström, J.-E.

1985-01-01

Balbiani ring 2 (BR2) in salivary glands of Chironomus pallidivittatus and C. tentans (two sibling species of the subgenus Camptochironomus) is a favoured model system for studies of gene organization and transcript formation. Here we show that BR2 is more complex than hitherto believed, containing two 75S RNA-producing genes, BR2a and BR2b, present in different 35–40 kb blocks of DNA. The transcripts hybridizing to two different repeat units originating in BR2 differ in size. Further support...

Cooperative binding of transcription factors promotes bimodal gene expression response.

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Pablo S Gutierrez

Full Text Available In the present work we extend and analyze the scope of our recently proposed stochastic model for transcriptional regulation, which considers an arbitrarily complex cis-regulatory system using only elementary reactions. Previously, we determined the role of cooperativity on the intrinsic fluctuations of gene expression for activating transcriptional switches, by means of master equation formalism and computer simulation. This model allowed us to distinguish between two cooperative binding mechanisms and, even though the mean expression levels were not affected differently by the acting mechanism, we showed that the associated fluctuations were different. In the present generalized model we include other regulatory functions in addition to those associated to an activator switch. Namely, we introduce repressive regulatory functions and two theoretical mechanisms that account for the biphasic response that some cis-regulatory systems show to the transcription factor concentration. We have also extended our previous master equation formalism in order to include protein production by stochastic translation of mRNA. Furthermore, we examine the graded/binary scenarios in the context of the interaction energy between transcription factors. In this sense, this is the first report to show that the cooperative binding of transcription factors to DNA promotes the "all-or-none" phenomenon observed in eukaryotic systems. In addition, we confirm that gene expression fluctuation levels associated with one of two cooperative binding mechanism never exceed the fluctuation levels of the other.

Gene transcription in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from disparate populations

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Bowen, Lizabeth; Miles, A. Keith; Waters, Shannon C.; Meyerson, Randi; Rode, Karyn D.; Atwood, Todd C.

2015-01-01

Polar bears in the Beaufort (SB) and Chukchi (CS) Seas experience different environments due primarily to a longer history of sea ice loss in the Beaufort Sea. Ecological differences have been identified as a possible reason for the generally poorer body condition and reproduction of Beaufort polar bears compared to those from the Chukchi, but the influence of exposure to other stressors remains unknown. We use molecular technology, quantitative PCR, to identify gene transcription differences among polar bears from the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas as well as captive healthy polar bears. We identified significant transcriptional differences among a priori groups (i.e., captive bears, SB 2012, SB 2013, CS 2013) for ten of the 14 genes of interest (i.e., CaM, HSP70, CCR3, TGFβ, COX2, THRα, T-bet, Gata3, CD69, and IL17); transcription levels of DRβ, IL1β, AHR, and Mx1 did not differ among groups. Multivariate analysis also demonstrated separation among the groups of polar bears. Specifically, we detected transcript profiles consistent with immune function impairment in polar bears from the Beaufort Sea, when compared with Chukchi and captive polar bears. Although there is no strong indication of differential exposure to contaminants or pathogens between CS and SB bears, there are clearly differences in important transcriptional responses between populations. Further investigation is warranted to refine interpretation of potential effects of described stress-related conditions for the SB population.

Relationships between inflammation, adiponectin, and oxidative stress in metabolic syndrome.

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Shu-Ju Chen

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome (MS represents a cluster of physiological and anthropometric abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the levels of inflammation, adiponectin, and oxidative stress in subjects with MS. The inclusion criteria for MS, according to the Taiwan Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, were applied to the case group (n = 72. The control group (n = 105 comprised healthy individuals with normal blood biochemical values. The levels of inflammatory markers [high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP and interleukin-6 (IL-6, adiponectin, an oxidative stress marker (malondialdehyde, and antioxidant enzymes activities [catalase (CAT, superoxide dismutase (SOD, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx] were measured. Subjects with MS had significantly higher concentrations of inflammatory markers and lower adiponectin level, and lower antioxidant enzymes activities than the control subjects. The levels of inflammatory markers and adiponectin were significantly correlated with the components of MS. The level of hs-CRP was significantly correlated with the oxidative stress marker. The IL-6 level was significantly correlated with the SOD and GPx activities, and the adiponectin level was significantly correlated with the GPx activity. A higher level of hs-CRP (≥1.00 mg/L, or IL-6 (≥1.50 pg/mL or a lower level of adiponectin (<7.90 µg/mL were associated with a significantly greater risk of MS. In conclusion, subjects suffering from MS may have a higher inflammation status and a higher level of oxidative stress. A higher inflammation status was significantly correlated with decreases in the levels of antioxidant enzymes and adiponectin and an increase in the risk of MS.

Conventional kinesin KIF5B mediates adiponectin secretion in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

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Cui, Ju, E-mail: juzi.cui@gmail.com [The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital and Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing (China); Pang, Jing; Lin, Ya-Jun; Jiang, Ping; Gong, Huan [The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital and Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing (China); Wang, Zai [Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing (China); Li, Jian; Cai, Jian-Ping [The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital and Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing (China); Huang, Jian-Dong, E-mail: jdhuang@hku.hk [School of Biomedical Sciences and Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam (Hong Kong); The Centre for Synthetic Biology Engineering Research, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen (China); Zhang, Tie-Mei, E-mail: tmzhang126@126.com [The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital and Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing (China)

2016-08-05

Insulin stimulates adiponectin secretion and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation in adipocyte to regulate metabolism homeostasis. Similar to GLUT4 translocation, intracellular trafficking and release of adiponectin in adipocytes relies on the trans-Golgi network and endosomal system. Recent studies show that the heavy chain of conventional kinesin (KIF5B) mediates GLUT4 translocation in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes, however, the motor machinery involved in mediating intracellular trafficking and release of adiponectin is unknown. Here, we examined the role of KIF5B in the regulation of adiponectin secretion. The KIF5B level was up-regulated during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. This increase in cytosolic KIF5B was synchronized with the induction of adiponectin. Endogenous KIF5B and adiponectin were partially colocalized at the peri-nuclear and cytosolic regions. In addition, adiponectin-containing vesicles were co-immunoprecipitated with KIF5B. Knockdown of KIF5B resulted in a marked inhibition of adiponectin secretion and overexpression of KIF5B enhanced adiponectin release, whereas leptin secretion was not affected by changes in KIF5B expression. These data suggest that the secretion of adiponectin, but not leptin, is dependent on functional KIF5B. - Highlights: • The KIF5B level was up regulated during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. • Endogenous KIF5B and adiponectin were partially colicalized. • Adiponectin-containing vesicles were co-immunoprecipitated with KIF5B. • The secretion of adiponectin, but not leptin, is dependent on functional KIF5B.

Conventional kinesin KIF5B mediates adiponectin secretion in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Ju; Pang, Jing; Lin, Ya-Jun; Jiang, Ping; Gong, Huan; Wang, Zai; Li, Jian; Cai, Jian-Ping; Huang, Jian-Dong; Zhang, Tie-Mei

2016-01-01

Insulin stimulates adiponectin secretion and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation in adipocyte to regulate metabolism homeostasis. Similar to GLUT4 translocation, intracellular trafficking and release of adiponectin in adipocytes relies on the trans-Golgi network and endosomal system. Recent studies show that the heavy chain of conventional kinesin (KIF5B) mediates GLUT4 translocation in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes, however, the motor machinery involved in mediating intracellular trafficking and release of adiponectin is unknown. Here, we examined the role of KIF5B in the regulation of adiponectin secretion. The KIF5B level was up-regulated during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. This increase in cytosolic KIF5B was synchronized with the induction of adiponectin. Endogenous KIF5B and adiponectin were partially colocalized at the peri-nuclear and cytosolic regions. In addition, adiponectin-containing vesicles were co-immunoprecipitated with KIF5B. Knockdown of KIF5B resulted in a marked inhibition of adiponectin secretion and overexpression of KIF5B enhanced adiponectin release, whereas leptin secretion was not affected by changes in KIF5B expression. These data suggest that the secretion of adiponectin, but not leptin, is dependent on functional KIF5B. - Highlights: • The KIF5B level was up regulated during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. • Endogenous KIF5B and adiponectin were partially colicalized. • Adiponectin-containing vesicles were co-immunoprecipitated with KIF5B. • The secretion of adiponectin, but not leptin, is dependent on functional KIF5B.

Network analysis of inflammatory genes and their transcriptional regulators in coronary artery disease.

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Jiny Nair

Full Text Available Network analysis is a novel method to understand the complex pathogenesis of inflammation-driven atherosclerosis. Using this approach, we attempted to identify key inflammatory genes and their core transcriptional regulators in coronary artery disease (CAD. Initially, we obtained 124 candidate genes associated with inflammation and CAD using Polysearch and CADgene database for which protein-protein interaction network was generated using STRING 9.0 (Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and visualized using Cytoscape v 2.8.3. Based on betweenness centrality (BC and node degree as key topological parameters, we identified interleukin-6 (IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2 as hub nodes. The backbone network constructed with these five hub genes showed 111 nodes connected via 348 edges, with IL-6 having the largest degree and highest BC. Nuclear factor kappa B1 (NFKB1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3 and JUN were identified as the three core transcription factors from the regulatory network derived using MatInspector. For the purpose of validation of the hub genes, 97 test networks were constructed, which revealed the accuracy of the backbone network to be 0.7763 while the frequency of the hub nodes remained largely unaltered. Pathway enrichment analysis with ClueGO, KEGG and REACTOME showed significant enrichment of six validated CAD pathways - smooth muscle cell proliferation, acute-phase response, calcidiol 1-monooxygenase activity, toll-like receptor signaling, NOD-like receptor signaling and adipocytokine signaling pathways. Experimental verification of the above findings in 64 cases and 64 controls showed increased expression of the five candidate genes and the three transcription factors in the cases relative to the controls (p<0.05. Thus, analysis of complex networks aid in the

The strategy of fusion genes construction determines efficient expression of introduced transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamus, Tomasz; Konieczny, Paweł; Sekuła, Małgorzata; Sułkowski, Maciej; Majka, Marcin

2014-01-01

The main goal in gene therapy and biomedical research is an efficient transcription factors (TFs) delivery system. SNAIL, a zinc finger transcription factor, is strongly involved in tumor, what makes its signaling pathways an interesting research subject. The necessity of tracking activation of intracellular pathways has prompted fluorescent proteins usage as localization markers. Advanced molecular cloning techniques allow to generate fusion proteins from fluorescent markers and transcription factors. Depending on fusion strategy, the protein expression levels and nuclear transport ability are significantly different. The P2A self-cleavage motif through its cleavage ability allows two single proteins to be simultaneously expressed. The aim of this study was to compare two strategies for introducing a pair of genes using expression vector system. We have examined GFP and SNAI1 gene fusions by comprising common nucleotide polylinker (multiple cloning site) or P2A motif in between them, resulting in one fusion or two independent protein expressions respectively. In each case transgene expression levels and translation efficiency as well as nuclear localization of expressed protein have been analyzed. Our data showed that usage of P2A motif provides more effective nuclear transport of SNAIL transcription factor than conventional genes linker. At the same time the fluorescent marker spreads evenly in subcellular space.

Novel fusion genes and chimeric transcripts in ependymal tumors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Thale Kristin; Panagopoulos, Ioannis; Gorunova, Ludmila

2016-01-01

with subsequent Sanger sequencing was used to validate the potential fusions. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using locus-specific probes was also performed. A total of 841 candidate chimeric transcripts were identified in the 12 tumors, with an average of 49 unique candidate fusions per tumor. After...... infratentorial anaplastic ependymoma. Our previously reported ALK rearrangements and the RELA and YAP1 fusions found in supratentorial ependymomas were until now the only known fusion genes present in ependymal tumors. The chimeric transcripts presented here are the first to be reported in infratentorial...

The WRKY Transcription Factor Genes in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hui; Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Zhibiao; Wang, Xingjun

2014-01-01

WRKY transcription factor genes play critical roles in plant growth and development, as well as stress responses. WRKY genes have been examined in various higher plants, but they have not been characterized in Lotus japonicus. The recent release of the L. japonicus whole genome sequence provides an opportunity for a genome wide analysis of WRKY genes in this species. In this study, we identified 61 WRKY genes in the L. japonicus genome. Based on the WRKY protein structure, L. japonicus WRKY (LjWRKY) genes can be classified into three groups (I-III). Investigations of gene copy number and gene clusters indicate that only one gene duplication event occurred on chromosome 4 and no clustered genes were detected on chromosomes 3 or 6. Researchers previously believed that group II and III WRKY domains were derived from the C-terminal WRKY domain of group I. Our results suggest that some WRKY genes in group II originated from the N-terminal domain of group I WRKY genes. Additional evidence to support this hypothesis was obtained by Medicago truncatula WRKY (MtWRKY) protein motif analysis. We found that LjWRKY and MtWRKY group III genes are under purifying selection, suggesting that WRKY genes will become increasingly structured and functionally conserved.

Mitochondrial nad2 gene is co-transcripted with CMS-associated orfB gene in cytoplasmic male-sterile stem mustard (Brassica juncea).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jing-Hua; Zhang, Ming-Fang; Yu, Jing-Quan

2009-02-01

The transcriptional patterns of mitochondrial respiratory related genes were investigated in cytoplasmic male-sterile and fertile maintainer lines of stem mustard, Brassica juncea. There were numerous differences in nad2 (subunit 2 of NADH dehydrogenase) between stem mustard CMS and its maintainer line. One novel open reading frame, hereafter named orfB gene, was located at the downstream of mitochondrial nad2 gene in the CMS. The novel orfB gene had high similarity with YMF19 family protein, orfB in Raphanus sativus, Helianthus annuus, Nicotiana tabacum and Beta vulgaris, orfB-CMS in Daucus carota, atp8 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana, 5' flanking of orf224 in B. napus (nap CMS) and 5' flanking of orf220 gene in CMS Brassica juncea. Three copies probed by specific fragment (amplified by primers of nad2F and nad2R from CMS) were found in the CMS line following Southern blotting digested with HindIII, but only a single copy in its maintainer line. Meanwhile, two transcripts were shown in the CMS line following Northern blotting while only one transcript was detected in the maintainer line, which were probed by specific fragment (amplified by primers of nad2F and nad2R from CMS). Meanwhile, the expression of nad2 gene was reduced in CMS bud compared to that in its maintainer line. We thus suggested that nad2 gene may be co-transcripted with CMS-associated orfB gene in the CMS. In addition, the specific fragment that was amplified by primers of nad2F and nad2R just spanned partial sequences of nad2 gene and orfB gene. Such alterations in the nad2 gene would impact the activity of NADH dehydrogenase, and subsequently signaling, inducing the expression of nuclear genes involved in male sterility in this type of cytoplasmic male sterility.

Regulation of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha expression but not adiponectin by dietary protein in finishing pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, T E; Kerr, B J; Spurlock, M E

2008-10-01

Soy protein regulates adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in some species, but the effect of dietary soy protein on adiponectin and PPARalpha in the pig has not been studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether soya bean meal reduction or replacement influences serum adiponectin, adiponectin mRNA, serum metabolites and the expression of PPARalpha and other genes involved in lipid deposition. Thirty-three pigs (11 pigs per treatment) were subjected to one of three dietary treatments: (i) reduced crude protein (CP) diet containing soya bean meal (RCP-Soy), (ii) high CP diet containing soya bean meal (HCP-Soy) or (iii) high CP diet with corn gluten meal replacing soya bean meal (HCP-CGM) for 35 days. Dietary treatment had no effect on overall growth performance, feed intake or measures of body composition. There was no effect of dietary treatment on serum adiponectin or leptin. Dietary treatment did not affect the abundance of the mRNAs for adiponectin, PPARalpha, PPARgamma2, lipoprotein lipase or fatty acid synthase in adipose tissue. The mRNA expression of PPARalpha, PPARgamma2, lipoprotein lipase or fatty acid synthetase in loin muscle was not affected by dietary treatment. In liver tissue, the relative abundance of PPARalpha mRNA was greater (p Soy diets when compared to pigs fed RCP-Soy or HCP-CGM diets. Hepatic mRNA expression of acyl-CoA oxidase or fatty acid synthase was not affected by dietary treatment. Western blot analysis indicated that hepatic PPARalpha protein levels were decreased (p Soy diets when compared to pigs fed the HCP-Soy diets. These data suggest that increasing the soy protein content of swine diets increases hepatic expression of PPARalpha without associated changes in body composition.

Genome Mutational and Transcriptional Hotspots Are Traps for Duplicated Genes and Sources of Adaptations.

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Fares, Mario A; Sabater-Muñoz, Beatriz; Toft, Christina

2017-05-01

Gene duplication generates new genetic material, which has been shown to lead to major innovations in unicellular and multicellular organisms. A whole-genome duplication occurred in the ancestor of Saccharomyces yeast species but 92% of duplicates returned to single-copy genes shortly after duplication. The persisting duplicated genes in Saccharomyces led to the origin of major metabolic innovations, which have been the source of the unique biotechnological capabilities in the Baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. What factors have determined the fate of duplicated genes remains unknown. Here, we report the first demonstration that the local genome mutation and transcription rates determine the fate of duplicates. We show, for the first time, a preferential location of duplicated genes in the mutational and transcriptional hotspots of S. cerevisiae genome. The mechanism of duplication matters, with whole-genome duplicates exhibiting different preservation trends compared to small-scale duplicates. Genome mutational and transcriptional hotspots are rich in duplicates with large repetitive promoter elements. Saccharomyces cerevisiae shows more tolerance to deleterious mutations in duplicates with repetitive promoter elements, which in turn exhibit higher transcriptional plasticity against environmental perturbations. Our data demonstrate that the genome traps duplicates through the accelerated regulatory and functional divergence of their gene copies providing a source of novel adaptations in yeast. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

DNA breaks and chromatin structural changes enhance the transcription of autoimmune regulator target genes.

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Guha, Mithu; Saare, Mario; Maslovskaja, Julia; Kisand, Kai; Liiv, Ingrid; Haljasorg, Uku; Tasa, Tõnis; Metspalu, Andres; Milani, Lili; Peterson, Pärt

2017-04-21

The autoimmune regulator (AIRE) protein is the key factor in thymic negative selection of autoreactive T cells by promoting the ectopic expression of tissue-specific genes in the thymic medullary epithelium. Mutations in AIRE cause a monogenic autoimmune disease called autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy. AIRE has been shown to promote DNA breaks via its interaction with topoisomerase 2 (TOP2). In this study, we investigated topoisomerase-induced DNA breaks and chromatin structural alterations in conjunction with AIRE-dependent gene expression. Using RNA sequencing, we found that inhibition of TOP2 religation activity by etoposide in AIRE-expressing cells had a synergistic effect on genes with low expression levels. AIRE-mediated transcription was not only enhanced by TOP2 inhibition but also by the TOP1 inhibitor camptothecin. The transcriptional activation was associated with structural rearrangements in chromatin, notably the accumulation of γH2AX and the exchange of histone H1 with HMGB1 at AIRE target gene promoters. In addition, we found the transcriptional up-regulation to co-occur with the chromatin structural changes within the genomic cluster of carcinoembryonic antigen-like cellular adhesion molecule genes. Overall, our results suggest that the presence of AIRE can trigger molecular events leading to an altered chromatin landscape and the enhanced transcription of low-expressed genes. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Transcriptional profiling in human HaCaT keratinocytes in response to kaempferol and identification of potential transcription factors for regulating differential gene expression

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Byung Young; Lee, Ki-Hwan; Lee, Yong Sung; Hong, Il; Lee, Mi-Ock; Min, Daejin; Chang, Ihseop; Hwang, Jae Sung; Park, Jun Seong; Kim, Duck Hee

2008-01-01

Kaempferol is the major flavonol in green tea and exhibits many biomedically useful properties such as antioxidative, cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic activities. To elucidate its effects on the skin, we investigated the transcriptional profiles of kaempferol-treated HaCaT cells using cDNA microarray analysis and identified 147 transcripts that exhibited significant changes in expression. Of these, 18 were up-regulated and 129 were down-regulated. These transcripts were then classified into 12 categories according to their functional roles: cell adhesion/cytoskeleton, cell cycle, redox homeostasis, immune/defense responses, metabolism, protein biosynthesis/modification, intracellular transport, RNA processing, DNA modification/ replication, regulation of transcription, signal transduction and transport. We then analyzed the promoter sequences of differentially-regulated genes and identified over-represented regulatory sites and candidate transcription factors (TFs) for gene regulation by kaempferol. These included c-REL, SAP-1, Ahr-ARNT, Nrf-2, Elk-1, SPI-B, NF-κB and p65. In addition, we validated the microarray results and promoter analyses using conventional methods such as real-time PCR and ELISA-based transcription factor assay. Our microarray analysis has provided useful information for determining the genetic regulatory network affected by kaempferol, and this approach will be useful for elucidating gene-phytochemical interactions. PMID:18446059

Impacts of Nonsynonymous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Adiponectin Receptor 1 Gene on Corresponding Protein Stability: A Computational Approach

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Md. Abu Saleh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the reported association of adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1 gene mutations with vulnerability to several human metabolic diseases, there is lack of computational analysis on the functional and structural impacts of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs of the human ADIPOR1 at protein level. Therefore, sequence- and structure-based computational tools were employed in this study to functionally and structurally characterize the coding nsSNPs of ADIPOR1 gene listed in the dbSNP database. Our in silico analysis by SIFT, nsSNPAnalyzer, PolyPhen-2, Fathmm, I-Mutant 2.0, SNPs&GO, PhD-SNP, PANTHER, and SNPeffect tools identified the nsSNPs with distorting functional impacts, namely, rs765425383 (A348G, rs752071352 (H341Y, rs759555652 (R324L, rs200326086 (L224F, and rs766267373 (L143P from 74 nsSNPs of ADIPOR1 gene. Finally the aforementioned five deleterious nsSNPs were introduced using Swiss-PDB Viewer package within the X-ray crystal structure of ADIPOR1 protein, and changes in free energy for these mutations were computed. Although increased free energy was observed for all the mutants, the nsSNP H341Y caused the highest energy increase amongst all. RMSD and TM scores predicted that mutants were structurally similar to wild type protein. Our analyses suggested that the aforementioned variants especially H341Y could directly or indirectly destabilize the amino acid interactions and hydrogen bonding networks of ADIPOR1.

Comprehensive transcriptional profiling of NaCl-stressed Arabidopsis roots reveals novel classes of responsive genes

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Deyholos Michael K

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Roots are an attractive system for genomic and post-genomic studies of NaCl responses, due to their primary importance to agriculture, and because of their relative structural and biochemical simplicity. Excellent genomic resources have been established for the study of Arabidopsis roots, however, a comprehensive microarray analysis of the root transcriptome following NaCl exposure is required to further understand plant responses to abiotic stress and facilitate future, systems-based analyses of the underlying regulatory networks. Results We used microarrays of 70-mer oligonucleotide probes representing 23,686 Arabidopsis genes to identify root transcripts that changed in relative abundance following 6 h, 24 h, or 48 h of hydroponic exposure to 150 mM NaCl. Enrichment analysis identified groups of structurally or functionally related genes whose members were statistically over-represented among up- or down-regulated transcripts. Our results are consistent with generally observed stress response themes, and highlight potentially important roles for underappreciated gene families, including: several groups of transporters (e.g. MATE, LeOPT1-like; signalling molecules (e.g. PERK kinases, MLO-like receptors, carbohydrate active enzymes (e.g. XTH18, transcription factors (e.g. members of ZIM, WRKY, NAC, and other proteins (e.g. 4CL-like, COMT-like, LOB-Class 1. We verified the NaCl-inducible expression of selected transcription factors and other genes by qRT-PCR. Conclusion Micorarray profiling of NaCl-treated Arabidopsis roots revealed dynamic changes in transcript abundance for at least 20% of the genome, including hundreds of transcription factors, kinases/phosphatases, hormone-related genes, and effectors of homeostasis, all of which highlight the complexity of this stress response. Our identification of these transcriptional responses, and groups of evolutionarily related genes with either similar or divergent

Genetic interactions of MAF1 identify a role for Med20 in transcriptional repression of ribosomal protein genes.

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Ian M Willis

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Transcriptional repression of ribosomal components and tRNAs is coordinately regulated in response to a wide variety of environmental stresses. Part of this response involves the convergence of different nutritional and stress signaling pathways on Maf1, a protein that is essential for repressing transcription by RNA polymerase (pol III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we identify the functions buffering yeast cells that are unable to down-regulate transcription by RNA pol III. MAF1 genetic interactions identified in screens of non-essential gene-deletions and conditionally expressed essential genes reveal a highly interconnected network of 64 genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, RNA pol II transcription, tRNA modification, ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis and other processes. A survey of non-essential MAF1 synthetic sick/lethal (SSL genes identified six gene-deletions that are defective in transcriptional repression of ribosomal protein (RP genes following rapamycin treatment. This subset of MAF1 SSL genes included MED20 which encodes a head module subunit of the RNA pol II Mediator complex. Genetic interactions between MAF1 and subunits in each structural module of Mediator were investigated to examine the functional relationship between these transcriptional regulators. Gene expression profiling identified a prominent and highly selective role for Med20 in the repression of RP gene transcription under multiple conditions. In addition, attenuated repression of RP genes by rapamycin was observed in a strain deleted for the Mediator tail module subunit Med16. The data suggest that Mediator and Maf1 function in parallel pathways to negatively regulate RP mRNA and tRNA synthesis.

Adiponectin, leptin and oxidative stress in preeclampsia in Egyptian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Adiponectin and Leptin are closely related adipokines that are associated with the oxidative stresses and endothelial dysfunction and proposed to participate in preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis. This study is to determine changes in serum levels of adiponectin, leptin and oxidative stress in PE women in order to speculate a ...

Specificity versus redundancy in the RAP2.4 transcription factor family of Arabidopsis thaliana: transcriptional regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudnik, Radoslaw; Bulcha, Jote Tafese; Reifschneider, Elena; Ellersiek, Ulrike; Baier, Margarete

2017-08-23

The Arabidopsis ERFIb / RAP2.4 transcription factor family consists of eight members with highly conserved DNA binding domains. Selected members have been characterized individually, but a systematic comparison is pending. The redox-sensitive transcription factor RAP2.4a mediates chloroplast-to-nucleus redox signaling and controls induction of the three most prominent chloroplast peroxidases, namely 2-Cys peroxiredoxin A (2CPA) and thylakoid- and stromal ascorbate peroxidase (tAPx and sAPx). To test the specificity and redundancy of RAP2.4 transcription factors in the regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases, we compared the DNA-binding sites of the transcription factors in tertiary structure models, analyzed transcription factor and target gene regulation by qRT-PCR in RAP2.4, 2-Cys peroxiredoxin and ascorbate peroxidase T-DNA insertion lines and RAP2.4 overexpressing lines of Arabidopsis thaliana and performed promoter binding studies. All RAP2.4 proteins bound the tAPx promoter, but only the four RAP2.4 proteins with identical DNA contact sites, namely RAP2.4a, RAP2.4b, RAP2.4d and RAP2.4h, interacted stably with the redox-sensitive part of the 2CPA promoter. Gene expression analysis in RAP2.4 knockout lines revealed that RAP2.4a is the only one supporting 2CPA and chloroplast APx expression. Rap2.4h binds to the same promoter region as Rap2.4a and antagonizes 2CPA expression. Like the other six RAP2.4 proteins, Rap2.4 h promotes APx mRNA accumulation. Chloroplast ROS signals induced RAP2.4b and RAP2.4d expression, but these two transcription factor genes are (in contrast to RAP2.4a) insensitive to low 2CP availability, and their expression decreased in APx knockout lines. RAP2.4e and RAP2.4f gradually responded to chloroplast APx availability and activated specifically APx expression. These transcription factors bound, like RAP2.4c and RAP2.4g, the tAPx promoter, but hardly the 2CPA promoter. The RAP2.4 transcription factors form an environmentally and

Association of ADIPOQ +45T>G polymorphism with body fat mass and blood levels of soluble adiponectin and inflammation markers in a Mexican-Mestizo population

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Guzman-Ornelas MO

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Milton-Omar Guzman-Ornelas,1 Efrain Chavarria-Avila,1 Jose-Francisco Munoz-Valle,1,2 Laura-Elizabeth Armas-Ramos,3 Jorge Castro-Albarran,3,4 Maria Elena Aguilar Aldrete,1,5 Edith Oregon-Romero,2 Monica Vazquez-Del Mercado,2 Rosa-Elena Navarro-Hernandez1–31Biomedical Sciences Doctorate Program, 2Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, 3Master of Human Nutrition Program, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México; 4HMIELM, Secretaria de Salud Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 5Department of Public Health, University of Guadalajara, Jalisco, MéxicoPurpose: Obesity is a disease with genetic susceptibility characterized by an increase in storage and irregular distribution of body fat. In obese patients, the decrease in the Adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ expression has been associated with a systemic low-grade inflammatory state. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between ADIPOQ +45T>G gene simple nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs2241766 with serum adiponectin (sAdiponectin, distribution of body fat storage, and inflammation markers.Subjects and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 242 individuals from Western Mexico characterized as Mexican-Mestizo and classified by body mass index (BMI, were included. Anthropometrics, body composition, body fat distribution, and inflammation markers were measured by routine methods. Genotypes were characterized using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP technique and sAdiponectin by the ELISA method. A P-value <0.05 was considered the statistically significant threshold.Results: sAdiponectin is associated with BMI (P < 0.001 and the genotypes (P < 0.001 to 0.0046 GG (8169 ± 1162 ng/mL, TG (5189 ± 501 ng/mL, and TT (3741 ± 323 ng/mL, but the SNP ADIPOQ +45T.G is not associated with BMI. However, the detailed analysis showed association of this SNP with a pattern of fat distribution and correlations (P < 0.05 with inflammation markers and

Overexpression of transcription factor Sp1 leads to gene expression perturbations and cell cycle inhibition.

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Emmanuelle Deniaud

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The ubiquitous transcription factor Sp1 regulates the expression of a vast number of genes involved in many cellular functions ranging from differentiation to proliferation and apoptosis. Sp1 expression levels show a dramatic increase during transformation and this could play a critical role for tumour development or maintenance. Although Sp1 deregulation might be beneficial for tumour cells, its overexpression induces apoptosis of untransformed cells. Here we further characterised the functional and transcriptional responses of untransformed cells following Sp1 overexpression. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We made use of wild-type and DNA-binding-deficient Sp1 to demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis by Sp1 is dependent on its capacity to bind DNA. Genome-wide expression profiling identified genes involved in cancer, cell death and cell cycle as being enriched among differentially expressed genes following Sp1 overexpression. In silico search to determine the presence of Sp1 binding sites in the promoter region of modulated genes was conducted. Genes that contained Sp1 binding sites in their promoters were enriched among down-regulated genes. The endogenous sp1 gene is one of the most down-regulated suggesting a negative feedback loop induced by overexpressed Sp1. In contrast, genes containing Sp1 binding sites in their promoters were not enriched among up-regulated genes. These results suggest that the transcriptional response involves both direct Sp1-driven transcription and indirect mechanisms. Finally, we show that Sp1 overexpression led to a modified expression of G1/S transition regulatory genes such as the down-regulation of cyclin D2 and the up-regulation of cyclin G2 and cdkn2c/p18 expression. The biological significance of these modifications was confirmed by showing that the cells accumulated in the G1 phase of the cell cycle before the onset of apoptosis. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the binding to DNA

Transcriptional modulation of genes encoding nitrate reductase in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The free aluminum (Al) content in soil can reach levels that are toxic to plants, and this has frequently limited increased productivity of cultures. Four genes encoding nitrate reductase (NR) were identified, named ZmNR1–4. With the aim of evaluating NR activity and the transcriptional modulation of the ZmNR1, ZmNR2, ...

The hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 regulates RANK gene expression in myeloid progenitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Oh Hyung; Lee, Chong-Kil; Lee, Young Ik; Paik, Sang-Gi; Lee, Hyun-Jun

2005-01-01

Osteoclasts are bone resorbing cells of hematopoietic origin. The hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 is critical for osteoclastogenesis; however, the molecular mechanisms of PU.1-regulated osteoclastogenesis have not been explored. Here, we present evidence that the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) gene that has been shown to be crucial for osteoclastogenesis is a transcriptional target of PU.1. The PU.1 -/- progenitor cells failed to express the RANK gene and reconstitution of PU.1 in these cells induced RANK expression. Treatment of the PU.1 reconstituted cells with M-CSF and RANKL further augmented the RANK gene expression. To explore the regulatory mechanism of the RANK gene expression by PU.1, we have cloned the human RANK promoter. Transient transfection assays have revealed that the 2.2-kb RANK promoter was functional in a monocyte line RAW264.7, whereas co-transfection of PU.1 transactivated the RANK promoter in HeLa cells. Taken together, these results suggest that PU.1 regulates the RANK gene transcription and this may represent one of the key roles of PU.1 in osteoclast differentiation

Land use type significantly affects microbial gene transcription in soil.

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Nacke, Heiko; Fischer, Christiane; Thürmer, Andrea; Meinicke, Peter; Daniel, Rolf

2014-05-01

Soil microorganisms play an essential role in sustaining biogeochemical processes and cycling of nutrients across different land use types. To gain insights into microbial gene transcription in forest and grassland soil, we isolated mRNA from 32 sampling sites. After sequencing of generated complementary DNA (cDNA), a total of 5,824,229 sequences could be further analyzed. We were able to assign nonribosomal cDNA sequences to all three domains of life. A dominance of bacterial sequences, which were affiliated to 25 different phyla, was found. Bacterial groups capable of aromatic compound degradation such as Phenylobacterium and Burkholderia were detected in significantly higher relative abundance in forest soil than in grassland soil. Accordingly, KEGG pathway categories related to degradation of aromatic ring-containing molecules (e.g., benzoate degradation) were identified in high abundance within forest soil-derived metatranscriptomic datasets. The impact of land use type forest on community composition and activity is evidently to a high degree caused by the presence of wood breakdown products. Correspondingly, bacterial groups known to be involved in lignin degradation and containing ligninolytic genes such as Burkholderia, Bradyrhizobium, and Azospirillum exhibited increased transcriptional activity in forest soil. Higher solar radiation in grassland presumably induced increased transcription of photosynthesis-related genes within this land use type. This is in accordance with high abundance of photosynthetic organisms and plant-infecting viruses in grassland.

Regulation of human protein S gene (PROS1) transcription

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, Cornelia de

2006-01-01

This thesis describes the investigation of the transcriptional regulation of the gene for anticoagulant plasma Protein S, PROS1. Protein S is a cofactor for Protein C in the Protein C anticoagulant pathway. The coagulation cascade is negatively regulated by this pathway through inactivation of

Waist circumference does not predict circulating adiponectin levels in sub-Saharan women

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Gautier Jean-François

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Because of previously reported ethnic differences in determinants and markers of obesity and related metabolic disorders, we sought to investigate circulating levels of adiponectin and their correlates in a sub-Saharan African (sSA population. Subjects and Methods We studied 70 non-diabetic volunteers (33M/37F living in Yaoundé, Cameroon, aged 24–69 yr, with BMI 20–42 kg/m2. In all participants we measured waist circumference and total body fat by bioimpedance, and obtained a fasting venous blood sample for measurement of plasma glucose, serum insulin and adiponectin concentrations. We performed a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp in 1/4 subjects, and HOMAIR was used as surrogate of fasting insulin sensitivity index since it best correlates to clamp measurements. Results Males had lower adiponectin levels than females (8.8 ± 4.3 vs. 11.8 ± 5.5 μg/L. There was no significant correlation between adiponectin and total body fat (rs = -0.03; NS, whereas adiponectin was inversely correlated with waist circumference (rs = -0.39; p = 0.001. Adiponectin correlated negatively with insulin resistance (rs = -0.35; p = 0.01. In a regression analysis using fasting adiponectin concentration as the dependent variable, and age, HOMAIR, waist circumference, and fat mass as predictors, waist circumference (β = -3.30; p = 0.002, fat mass (β = -2.68; p = 0.01, and insulin resistance (β = -2.38; p = 0.02 but not age (β = 1.11; p = 0.27 were independent predictors of adiponectin. When considering gender, these relations persisted with the exception of waist circumference in females. Conclusion Adiponectin correlates in this study population are comparable to those observed in Caucasians with the exception of waist circumference in women. The metabolic significance of waist circumference is therefore questioned in sSA women.

Screening for Identification of Personalized Food to Promote Adiponectin Secretion in Patients with Cancer.

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Sakaue, Miki; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Ohno, Satoshi; Ito, Toshinori

2016-07-01

Adiponectin is secreted specifically from adipose tissue. Low serum adiponectin levels may cause metabolic syndrome, which is also a risk factor for carcinogenesis. Several studies have suggested a negative correlation between adiponectin and risk of cancers. This study examined the adiponectin secretion-promoting effect of food ingredients in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) obtained from patients with cancer. ADSCs from 7 lifestyle disease cancer patients were differentiated into adipocytes. Subsequently, the adipocytes were treated with 49 food constituents. The adiponectin levels in cell culture supernatants were measured after 48 and 96 h. Soy genistein extract, lychee low-molecular-weight polyphenol, olive extract and turmeric promoted adiponectin secretion. Food constituents that promoted adiponectin secretion were identified using ADSCs derived from patients. This study suggested the possibility of a new treatment approach to prevent cancer recurrence. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Status of serum adiponectin related to insulin resistance in prediabetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahsan, S.; Ahmed, S.D.H.; Nauman, K

2014-01-01

Obejctive: To find the status of serum adiponectin in individuals progressing towards Type 2 diabetes mellitus and compare it with normal glucose tolerant subjects to determine the stage where alteration of adiponectin occurred. Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Biochemistry, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, during January to August 2008. Subjects were invited through various diabetes screening camps. A total of 608 subjects >30 years of age without prior history of diabetes were screened through fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Forty randomly selected pre-diabetic subjects and 40 age and gender-matched subjects were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements were done. Serum insulin and adiponectin were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to calculate insulin resistance mathematically. Result: Mean fasting and two-hour plasma glucose, body mass index, waist, hip circumference and blood pressure were significantly raised in pre-diabetics compared to those with normal glucose tolerance. Adiponectin was significantly decreased, while insulin and HOMA-IR were raised significantly in the pre-diabetics. Adiponectin showed significant negative correlation with body mass index (r=-0.31, p=0.005), fasting plasma glucose (r=-0.24, p= 0.032), 2-hour plasma glucose (r=-0.42, p<0.0001)), insulin (r-0.43, p<0.0001) and HOMA-IR (r= -0.43, p<0.0001) and remained significant after adjustment of body mass index, gender and insulin level in pre-diabetics. Conclusion: Adiponectin estimation may help in earlier identification of impending diabetes. However, casual link between adiponectin and pre-diabetes remained unexplored due to the study design and small sample size that warrants longitudinal large-scale studies. (author)

Identification of transcriptional factors and key genes in primary osteoporosis by DNA microarray.

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Xie, Wengui; Ji, Lixin; Zhao, Teng; Gao, Pengfei

2015-05-09

A number of genes have been identified to be related with primary osteoporosis while less is known about the comprehensive interactions between regulating genes and proteins. We aimed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and regulatory effects of transcription factors (TFs) involved in primary osteoporosis. The gene expression profile GSE35958 was obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus database, including 5 primary osteoporosis and 4 normal bone tissues. The differentially expressed genes between primary osteoporosis and normal bone tissues were identified by the same package in R language. The TFs of these DEGs were predicted with the Essaghir A method. DAVID (The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) was applied to perform the GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs. After analyzing regulatory effects, a regulatory network was built between TFs and the related DEGs. A total of 579 DEGs was screened, including 310 up-regulated genes and 269 down-regulated genes in primary osteoporosis samples. In GO terms, more up-regulated genes were enriched in transcription regulator activity, and secondly in transcription factor activity. A total 10 significant pathways were enriched in KEGG analysis, including colorectal cancer, Wnt signaling pathway, Focal adhesion, and MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, total 7 TFs were enriched, of which CTNNB1, SP1, and TP53 regulated most up-regulated DEGs. The discovery of the enriched TFs might contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of primary osteoporosis. Further research on genes and TFs related to the WNT signaling pathway and MAPK pathway is urgent for clinical diagnosis and directing treatment of primary osteoporosis.

A Moderate Low-Carbohydrate Low-Calorie Diet Improves Lipid Profile, Insulin Sensitivity and Adiponectin Expression in Rats

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Jie-Hua Chen

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Calorie restriction (CR via manipulating dietary carbohydrates has attracted increasing interest in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. There is little consensus about the extent of carbohydrate restriction to elicit optimal results in controlling metabolic parameters. Our study will identify a better carbohydrate-restricted diet using rat models. Rats were fed with one of the following diets for 12 weeks: Control diet, 80% energy (34% carbohydrate-reduced and 60% energy (68% carbohydrate-reduced of the control diet. Changes in metabolic parameters and expressions of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator activator receptor γ (PPARγ were identified. Compared to the control diet, 68% carbohydrate-reduced diet led to a decrease in serum triglyceride and increases inlow density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C and total cholesterol; a 34% carbohydrate-reduced diet resulted in a decrease in triglycerides and an increase in HDL-cholesterol, no changes however, were shown in LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol; reductions in HOMA-IR were observed in both CR groups. Gene expressions of adiponectin and PPARγ in adipose tissues were found proportionally elevated with an increased degree of energy restriction. Our study for the first time ever identified that a moderate-carbohydrate restricted diet is not only effective in raising gene expressions of adiponectin and PPARγ which potentially lead to better metabolic conditions but is better at improving lipid profiles than a low-carbohydrate diet in rats.

Relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Wei; Yang Yuzhi; Li Xianhou; Feng Kun; Wang Dan

2007-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: The serum adiponectin concentrations were measured with RIA in 163 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 controls. Results: In the diabetic patients, serum adiponectin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with macro albuminuria (n = 54) than those inpatients with microalbuminuria (n = 57) (P 0.05). Adiponectin concentrations were higher in women than in men, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Serum adiponectin concentrations are increased in type 2 diabetic patients with advanced nephropathy. The kidney seems to be involved in the metabolism and excretion of adiponectin. Adiponectin may play important roles in the onset and development of diabetic nephropathy. (authors)

High-fat diet and glucocorticoid treatment cause hyperglycemia associated with adiponectin receptor alterations

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Oller do Nascimento Cláudia

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin is the most abundant plasma protein synthesized for the most part in adipose tissue, and it is an insulin-sensitive hormone, playing a central role in glucose and lipid metabolism. In addition, it increases fatty acid oxidation in the muscle and potentiates insulin inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis. Two adiponectin receptors have been identified: AdipoR1 is the major receptor expressed in skeletal muscle, whereas AdipoR2 is mainly expressed in liver. Consumption of high levels of dietary fat is thought to be a major factor in the promotion of obesity and insulin resistance. Excessive levels of cortisol are characterized by the symptoms of abdominal obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance or diabetes and dyslipidemia; of note, all of these features are shared by the condition of insulin resistance. Although it has been shown that glucocorticoids inhibit adiponectin expression in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the regulation of adiponectin receptors. The link between glucocorticoids and insulin resistance may involve the adiponectin receptors and adrenalectomy might play a role not only in regulate expression and secretion of adiponectin, as well regulate the respective receptors in several tissues. Results Feeding of a high-fat diet increased serum glucose levels and decreased adiponectin and adipoR2 mRNA expression in subcutaneous and retroperitoneal adipose tissues, respectively. Moreover, it increased both adipoR1 and adipoR2 mRNA levels in muscle and adipoR2 protein levels in liver. Adrenalectomy combined with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone treatment resulted in increased glucose and insulin levels, decreased serum adiponectin levels, reduced adiponectin mRNA in epididymal adipose tissue, reduction of adipoR2 mRNA by 7-fold in muscle and reduced adipoR1 and adipoR2 protein levels in muscle. Adrenalectomy alone increased adiponectin mRNA expression 3-fold in subcutaneous adipose

Analysis of the highly diverse gene borders in Ebola virus reveals a distinct mechanism of transcriptional regulation.

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Brauburger, Kristina; Boehmann, Yannik; Tsuda, Yoshimi; Hoenen, Thomas; Olejnik, Judith; Schümann, Michael; Ebihara, Hideki; Mühlberger, Elke

2014-11-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) belongs to the group of nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses. The seven EBOV genes are separated by variable gene borders, including short (4- or 5-nucleotide) intergenic regions (IRs), a single long (144-nucleotide) IR, and gene overlaps, where the neighboring gene end and start signals share five conserved nucleotides. The unique structure of the gene overlaps and the presence of a single long IR are conserved among all filoviruses. Here, we sought to determine the impact of the EBOV gene borders during viral transcription. We show that readthrough mRNA synthesis occurs in EBOV-infected cells irrespective of the structure of the gene border, indicating that the gene overlaps do not promote recognition of the gene end signal. However, two consecutive gene end signals at the VP24 gene might improve termination at the VP24-L gene border, ensuring efficient L gene expression. We further demonstrate that the long IR is not essential for but regulates transcription reinitiation in a length-dependent but sequence-independent manner. Mutational analysis of bicistronic minigenomes and recombinant EBOVs showed no direct correlation between IR length and reinitiation rates but demonstrated that specific IR lengths not found naturally in filoviruses profoundly inhibit downstream gene expression. Intriguingly, although truncation of the 144-nucleotide-long IR to 5 nucleotides did not substantially affect EBOV transcription, it led to a significant reduction of viral growth. Our current understanding of EBOV transcription regulation is limited due to the requirement for high-containment conditions to study this highly pathogenic virus. EBOV is thought to share many mechanistic features with well-analyzed prototype nonsegmented negative-sense RNA viruses. A single polymerase entry site at the 3' end of the genome determines that transcription of the genes is mainly controlled by gene order and cis-acting signals found at the gene borders. Here, we examined

Regulation of expression of two LY-6 family genes by intron retention and transcription induced chimerism

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Mallya Meera

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Regulation of the expression of particular genes can rely on mechanisms that are different from classical transcriptional and translational control. The LY6G5B and LY6G6D genes encode LY-6 domain proteins, whose expression seems to be regulated in an original fashion, consisting of an intron retention event which generates, through an early premature stop codon, a non-coding transcript, preventing expression in most cell lines and tissues. Results The MHC LY-6 non-coding transcripts have shown to be stable and very abundant in the cell, and not subject to Nonsense Mediated Decay (NMD. This retention event appears not to be solely dependent on intron features, because in the case of LY6G5B, when the intron is inserted in the artificial context of a luciferase expression plasmid, it is fully spliced but strongly stabilises the resulting luciferase transcript. In addition, by quantitative PCR we found that the retained and spliced forms are differentially expressed in tissues indicating an active regulation of the non-coding transcript. EST database analysis revealed that these genes have an alternative expression pathway with the formation of Transcription Induced Chimeras (TIC. This data was confirmed by RT-PCR, revealing the presence of different transcripts that would encode the chimeric proteins CSNKβ-LY6G5B and G6F-LY6G6D, in which the LY-6 domain would join to a kinase domain and an Ig-like domain, respectively. Conclusion In conclusion, the LY6G5B and LY6G6D intron-retained transcripts are not subjected to NMD and are more abundant than the properly spliced forms. In addition, these genes form chimeric transcripts with their neighbouring same orientation 5' genes. Of interest is the fact that the 5' genes (CSNKβ or G6F undergo differential splicing only in the context of the chimera (CSNKβ-LY6G5B or G6F-LY6G6C and not on their own.

The “Fourth Dimension” of Gene Transcription

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O'Malley, Bert W.

2009-01-01

The three dimensions of space provide our relationship to position on the earth, but the fourth dimension of time has an equally profound influence on our lives. Everything from light and sound to weather and biology operate on the principle of measurable temporal periodicity. Consequently, a wide variety of time clocks affect all aspects of our existence. The annual (and biannual) cycles of activity, metabolism, and mating, the monthly physiological clocks of women and men, and the 24-h diurnal rhythms of humans are prime examples. Should it be surprising to us that the fourth dimension also impinges upon gene expression and that the genome itself is regulated by the fastest running of all biological clocks? Recent evidence substantiates the existence of such a ubiquitin-dependent transcriptional clock that is based upon the activation and destruction of transcriptional coactivators. PMID:19221049

Gene transcripts as potential diagnostic markers for allergic contact dermatitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Malene Barré; Skov, Lone; Menné, Torkil

2005-01-01

The standard procedure for diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis is to perform a patch test. Because this has several disadvantages, the development of a new in vitro test system would be of immense value. Gene transcripts that distinguish allergics from non-allergics may have the potential...... widely available. The 26 differentially expressed genes identified in this study may potentially function as diagnostic markers for contact sensitivity....

Gene transcription profiles, global DNA methylation and potential transgenerational epigenetic effects related to Zn exposure history in Daphnia magna

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandegehuchte, Michiel B.; De Coninck, Dieter; Vandenbrouck, Tine; De Coen, Wim M.; Janssen, Colin R.

2010-01-01

A reduced level of DNA methylation has recently been described in both Zn-exposed and non-exposed offspring of Daphnia magna exposed to Zn. The hypothesis examined in this study is that DNA hypomethylation has an effect on gene transcription. A second hypothesis is that accumulative epigenetic effects can affect gene transcription in non-exposed offspring from parents with an exposure history of more than one generation. Transcriptional gene regulation was studied with a cDNA microarray. In the exposed and non-exposed hypomethylated daphnids, a large proportion of common genes were similarly up- or down-regulated, indicating a possible effect of the DNA hypomethylation. Two of these genes can be mechanistically involved in DNA methylation reduction. The similar transcriptional regulation of two and three genes in the F 0 and F 1 exposed daphnids on one hand and their non-exposed offspring on the other hand, could be the result of a one-generation temporary transgenerational epigenetic effect, which was not accumulative. - Zn-induced DNA hypomethylation is related to gene transcription in Daphnia magna and Zn exposure potentially induced limited temporary transgenerational effects on gene transcription.

Mood stabilizing drugs regulate transcription of immune, neuronal and metabolic pathway genes in Drosophila.

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Herteleer, L; Zwarts, L; Hens, K; Forero, D; Del-Favero, J; Callaerts, P

2016-05-01

Lithium and valproate (VPA) are drugs used in the management of bipolar disorder. Even though they reportedly act on various pathways, the transcriptional targets relevant for disease mechanism and therapeutic effect remain unclear. Furthermore, multiple studies used lymphoblasts of bipolar patients as a cellular proxy, but it remains unclear whether peripheral cells provide a good readout for the effects of these drugs in the brain. We used Drosophila culture cells and adult flies to analyze the transcriptional effects of lithium and VPA and define mechanistic pathways. Transcriptional profiles were determined for Drosophila S2-cells and adult fly heads following lithium or VPA treatment. Gene ontology categories were identified using the DAVID functional annotation tool with a cut-off of p neuronal development, neuronal function, and metabolism. (i) Transcriptional effects of lithium and VPA in Drosophila S2 cells and heads show significant overlap. (ii) The overlap between transcriptional alterations in peripheral versus neuronal cells at the single gene level is negligible, but at the gene ontology and pathway level considerable overlap can be found. (iii) Lithium and VPA act on evolutionarily conserved pathways in Drosophila and mammalian models.

Adiponectin changes in relation to the macronutrient composition of a weight-loss diet.

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Summer, Suzanne S; Brehm, Bonnie J; Benoit, Stephen C; D'Alessio, David A

2011-11-01

Adiponectin is an adipose-derived protein with beneficial metabolic effects. Low adiponectin is associated with obesity and related diseases. Significant weight loss increases adiponectin, reducing disease risk. This study compared the effects of two weight-loss diets with different macronutrient compositions on adiponectin. Eighty-one obese women in two cohorts were randomized to a low-fat (LF) or a low-carbohydrate (LC) diet. All subjects underwent equivalent weight-loss intervention, with weight and other measures assessed at baseline and after 6 (cohort I) or 4 (cohort II) months. Body fat was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Adiponectin was measured by radioimmunoassay. Diet intake was assessed using 24-h recalls and 3-day diet records. Data were analyzed via t-tests and repeated-measures factorial ANOVA using time, diet, and replicate (cohort I vs. cohort II) as factors. Age, weight, body fat, BMI, adiponectin, and diet were similar at baseline. Following intervention, macronutrient composition of the diet was vastly different between the groups, reflecting the assigned diet. Both groups lost weight and body fat (P vs. -4.97 kg weight, P vs. -2.62 kg fat, P < 0.001). Adiponectin increased in the LC (+1.92 mcg/ml, P < 0.01), but not the LF (+0.86 mcg/ml, P = 0.81), group. There was no correlation between weight loss and increase in adiponectin. These results confirm that diet-induced loss of weight and body fat is associated with increased adiponectin concentrations. This effect is evident with weight loss of 10% or more, and may be greater with LC diets.

Novel loci for adiponectin levels and their influence on type 2 diabetes and metabolic traits: a multi-ethnic meta-analysis of 45,891 individuals.

OpenAIRE

Dastani, Z.; Hivert, M. F.; Timpson, N.; Perry, J. R.; Yuan, X.; Scott, R. A.; Henneman, P.; Heid, I. M.; Kizer, J. R.; Lyytikäinen, L. P.; Fuchsberger, C.; Tanaka, T.; Morris, A. P.; Small, K.; Isaacs, A.

2012-01-01

Circulating levels of adiponectin, a hormone produced predominantly by adipocytes, are highly heritable and are inversely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and other metabolic traits. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in 39,883 individuals of European ancestry to identify genes associated with metabolic disease. We identified 8 novel loci associated with adiponectin levels and confirmed 2 previously reported loci (P = 4.5×10(-8)-1.2×10(-43)). Using a...

Novel loci for adiponectin levels and their influence on type 2 diabetes and metabolic traits: a multi-ethnic meta-analysis of 45,891 individuals.

OpenAIRE

Dastani, Zari; Hivert, Marie-France; Timpson, Nicholas; Perry, John Richard; Yuan, Xin; Scott, Robert; Henneman, Peter; Heid, Iris M; Kizer, Jorge R; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Fuchsberger, Christian; Tanaka, Toshiko; Morris, Andrew P; Small, Kerrin; Isaacs, Aaron

2012-01-01

Circulating levels of adiponectin, a hormone produced predominantly by adipocytes, are highly heritable and are inversely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and other metabolic traits. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in 39,883 individuals of European ancestry to identify genes associated with metabolic disease. We identified 8 novel loci associated with adiponectin levels and confirmed 2 previously reported loci (P = \\(4.5×10^{−8}–1.2×10^{−43}\\)). U...

Post-transcriptional trafficking and regulation of neuronal gene expression.

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Goldie, Belinda J; Cairns, Murray J

2012-02-01

Intracellular messenger RNA (mRNA) traffic and translation must be highly regulated, both temporally and spatially, within eukaryotic cells to support the complex functional partitioning. This capacity is essential in neurons because it provides a mechanism for rapid input-restricted activity-dependent protein synthesis in individual dendritic spines. While this feature is thought to be important for synaptic plasticity, the structures and mechanisms that support this capability are largely unknown. Certainly specialized RNA binding proteins and binding elements in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of translationally regulated mRNA are important, but the subtlety and complexity of this system suggests that an intermediate "specificity" component is also involved. Small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) are essential for CNS development and may fulfill this role by acting as the guide strand for mediating complex patterns of post-transcriptional regulation. In this review we examine post-synaptic gene regulation, mRNA trafficking and the emerging role of post-transcriptional gene silencing in synaptic plasticity.

Role of the adiponectin binding protein, T-cadherin (Cdh13, in allergic airways responses in mice.

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Alison S Williams

Full Text Available Adiponectin is an adipose derived hormone that declines in obesity. We have previously shown that exogenous administration of adiponectin reduces allergic airways responses in mice. T-cadherin (T-cad; Cdh13 is a binding protein for the high molecular weight isoforms of adiponectin. To determine whether the beneficial effects of adiponectin on allergic airways responses require T-cad, we sensitized wildtype (WT, T-cadherin deficient (T-cad(-/- and adiponectin and T-cad bideficient mice to ovalbumin (OVA and challenged the mice with aerosolized OVA or PBS. Compared to WT, T-cad(-/- mice were protected against OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, increases in BAL inflammatory cells, and induction of IL-13, IL-17, and eotaxin expression. Histological analysis of the lungs of OVA-challenged T-cad(-/- versus WT mice indicated reduced inflammation around the airways, and reduced mucous cell hyperplasia. Combined adiponectin and T-cad deficiency reversed the effects of T-cad deficiency alone, indicating that the observed effects of T-cad deficiency require adiponectin. Compared to WT, serum adiponectin was markedly increased in T-cad(-/- mice, likely because adiponectin that is normally sequestered by endothelial T-cad remains free in the circulation. In conclusion, T-cad does not mediate the protective effects of adiponectin. Instead, mice lacking T-cad have reduced allergic airways disease, likely because elevated serum adiponectin levels act on other adiponectin signaling pathways.

A novel luciferase knock-in reporter system for studying transcriptional regulation of the human Sox2 gene.

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Xiao, Dan; Zhang, Weifeng; Li, Yan; Liu, Kuan; Zhao, Junli; Sun, Xiaohong; Shan, Linlin; Mao, Qinwen; Xia, Haibin

2016-02-10

Sox2 is an important transcriptional factor that has multiple functions in stem cell maintenance and tumorigenesis. To investigate the transcriptional regulation of the Sox2 gene, a luciferase knock-in reporter system was established in HEK293 cells by placing the luciferase gene in the genome under the control of the Sox2 gene promoter using a transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN)-mediated genome editing technique. PCR and Southern blot results confirmed the site-specific integration of a single copy of the exogenous luciferase gene into the genome. To prove the reliability and sensitivity of this novel luciferase knock-in system, a CRISPR/Cas transcription activation system for the Sox2 gene was constructed and applied to the knock-in system. The results indicated that luciferase activity was directly correlated with the activity of the Sox2 endogenous promoter. This novel system will be a useful tool to study the transcriptional regulation of Sox2, and has great potential in medical and industrial applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resveratrol stimulates c-Fos gene transcription via activation of ERK1/2 involving multiple genetic elements.

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Thiel, Gerald; Rössler, Oliver G

2018-06-05

The polyphenol resveratrol is found in many plant and fruits and is a constituent of our diet. Resveratrol has been proposed to have chemopreventive and anti-inflammatory activities. On the cellular level, resveratrol activates stimulus-regulated transcription factors. To identify resveratrol-responsive elements within a natural gene promoter, the molecular pathway leading to c-Fos gene expression by resveratrol was dissected. The c-Fos gene encodes a basic region leucine zipper transcription factor and is a prototype of an immediate-early gene that is regulated by a wide range of signaling molecules. We analyzed chromatin-integrated c-Fos promoter-luciferase reporter genes where transcription factor binding sites were destroyed by point mutations or deletion mutagenesis. The results show that mutation of the binding sites for serum response factor (SRF), activator protein-1 (AP-1) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) significantly reduced reporter gene transcription following stimulation of the cells with resveratrol. Inactivation of the binding sites for signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) or ternary complex factors did not influence resveratrol-regulated c-Fos promoter activity. Thus, the c-Fos promoter contains three resveratrol-responsive elements, the cAMP response element (CRE), and the binding sites for SRF and AP-1. Moreover, we show that the transcriptional activation potential of the c-Fos protein is increased in resveratrol-stimulated cells, indicating that the biological activity of c-Fos is elevated by resveratrol stimulation. Pharmacological and genetic experiments revealed that the protein kinase ERK1/2 is the signal transducer that connects resveratrol treatment with the c-Fos gene. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional profiles of hybrid Eucalyptus genotypes with contrasting lignin content reveal that monolignol biosynthesis-related genes regulate wood composition

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Tomotaka eShinya

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Eucalyptus species constitutes the most widely planted hardwood trees in temperate and subtropical regions. In this study, we compared the transcript levels of genes involved in lignocellulose formation such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin biosynthesis in two selected three-year old hybrid Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla x E. grandis genotypes (AM063 and AM380 that have different lignin content. AM063 and AM380 had 20.2 and 35.5% of Klason lignin content and 59.0% and 48.2%, -cellulose contents, respectively. We investigated the correlation between wood properties and transcript levels of wood formation-related genes using RNA-seq with total RNAs extracted from developing xylem tissues at a breast height. Transcript levels of cell wall construction genes such as cellulose synthase (CesA and sucrose synthase (SUSY were almost the same in both genotypes. However, AM063 exhibited higher transcript levels of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP and xyloglucan endotransglucoxylase (XTH than those in AM380. Most monolignol biosynthesis- related isozyme genes showed higher transcript levels in AM380. These results indicate monolignol biosynthesis-related genes may regulate wood composition in Eucalyptus. Flavonoids contents were also observed at much higher levels in AM380 as a result of the elevated transcript levels of common phenylpropanoid pathway genes, phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL. Secondary plant cell wall formation is regulated by many transcription factors. We analyzed genes encoding NAC, WRKY, AP2/ERF and KNOX transcription factors and found higher transcript levels of these genes in AM380. We also observed increased transcription of some MYB and LIM domain transcription factors in AM380 compared to AM063. All these results show that genes related to monolignol biosynthesis may regulate the wood composition and help maintain the ratio of cellulose and lignin contents

The Varicella-Zoster Virus Immediate-Early 63 protein affects chromatin controlled gene transcription in a cell-type dependent manner

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Bontems Sébastien

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Varicella Zoster Virus Immediate Early 63 protein (IE63 has been shown to be essential for VZV replication, and critical for latency establishment. The activity of the protein as a transcriptional regulator is not fully clear yet. Using transient transfection assays, IE63 has been shown to repress viral and cellular promoters containing typical TATA boxes by interacting with general transcription factors. Results In this paper, IE63 regulation properties on endogenous gene expression were evaluated using an oligonucleotide-based micro-array approach. We found that IE63 modulates the transcription of only a few genes in HeLa cells including genes implicated in transcription or immunity. Furthermore, we showed that this effect is mediated by a modification of RNA POL II binding on the promoters tested and that IE63 phosphorylation was essential for these effects. In MeWo cells, the number of genes whose transcription was modified by IE63 was somewhat higher, including genes implicated in signal transduction, transcription, immunity, and heat-shock signalling. While IE63 did not modify the basal expression of several NF-κB dependent genes such as IL-8, ICAM-1, and IκBα, it modulates transcription of these genes upon TNFα induction. This effect was obviously correlated with the amount of p65 binding to the promoter of these genes and with histone H3 acetylation and HDAC-3 removal. Conclusion While IE63 only affected transcription of a small number of cellular genes, it interfered with the TNF-inducibility of several NF-κB dependent genes by the accelerated resynthesis of the inhibitor IκBα.

TDP2 suppresses chromosomal translocations induced by DNA topoisomerase II during gene transcription.

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Gómez-Herreros, Fernando; Zagnoli-Vieira, Guido; Ntai, Ioanna; Martínez-Macías, María Isabel; Anderson, Rhona M; Herrero-Ruíz, Andrés; Caldecott, Keith W

2017-08-10

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by abortive topoisomerase II (TOP2) activity are a potential source of genome instability and chromosome translocation. TOP2-induced DNA double-strand breaks are rejoined in part by tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 2 (TDP2)-dependent non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), but whether this process suppresses or promotes TOP2-induced translocations is unclear. Here, we show that TDP2 rejoins DSBs induced during transcription-dependent TOP2 activity in breast cancer cells and at the translocation 'hotspot', MLL. Moreover, we find that TDP2 suppresses chromosome rearrangements induced by TOP2 and reduces TOP2-induced chromosome translocations that arise during gene transcription. Interestingly, however, we implicate TDP2-dependent NHEJ in the formation of a rare subclass of translocations associated previously with therapy-related leukemia and characterized by junction sequences with 4-bp of perfect homology. Collectively, these data highlight the threat posed by TOP2-induced DSBs during transcription and demonstrate the importance of TDP2-dependent non-homologous end-joining in protecting both gene transcription and genome stability.DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by topoisomerase II (TOP2) are rejoined by TDP2-dependent non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) but whether this promotes or suppresses translocations is not clear. Here the authors show that TDP2 suppresses chromosome translocations from DSBs introduced during gene transcription.

Transcriptional regulation of the Hansenula polymorpha GSH2 gene in the response to cadmium ion treatment

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O. V. Blazhenko

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In a previous study we cloned GSH2 gene, encoding γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γGCS in the yeast Hansenula рolymorpha. In this study an analysis of molecular organisation of the H. рolymorpha GSH2 gene promoter was conducted and the potential binding sites of Yap1, Skn7, Creb/Atf1, and Cbf1 transcription factors were detected. It was established that full regulation of GSH2 gene expression in the response to cadmium and oxidative stress requires the length of GSH2 promoter to be longer than 450 bp from the start of translation initiation. To study the transcriptional regulation of H. polymorpha GSH2 gene recombinant strain, harbouring­ a reporter system, in which 1.832 kb regulatory region of GSH2 gene was fused to structural and terminatory regions of alcohol oxidase gene, was constructed. It was shown that maximum increase in H. polymorpha GSH2 gene transcription by 33% occurs in the rich medium under four-hour incubation with 1 μM concentration of cadmium ions. In the minimal medium the GSH2 gene expression does not correlate with the increased total cellular glutathione levels under cadmium ion treatment. We assume that the increased content of total cellular glutathione under cadmium stress in the yeast H. polymorpha probably is not controlled on the level of GSH2 gene transcription.

Transcriptional organization of the DNA region controlling expression of the K99 gene cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Roosendaal, B; Damoiseaux, J; Jordi, W; de Graaf, F K

1989-01-01

The transcriptional organization of the K99 gene cluster was investigated in two ways. First, the DNA region, containing the transcriptional signals was analyzed using a transcription vector system with Escherichia coli galactokinase (GalK) as assayable marker and second, an in vitro transcription system was employed. A detailed analysis of the transcription signals revealed that a strong promoter PA and a moderate promoter PB are located upstream of fanA and fanB, respectively. No promoter activity was detected in the intercistronic region between fanB and fanC. Factor-dependent terminators of transcription were detected and are probably located in the intercistronic region between fanA and fanB (T1), and between fanB and fanC (T2). A third terminator (T3) was observed between fanC and fanD and has an efficiency of 90%. Analysis of the regulatory region in an in vitro transcription system confirmed the location of the respective transcription signals. A model for the transcriptional organization of the K99 cluster is presented. Indications were obtained that the trans-acting regulatory polypeptides FanA and FanB both function as anti-terminators. A model for the regulation of expression of the K99 gene cluster is postulated.

Transcriptional profiling of immune-related genes in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during ontogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Quispe, Ruth L; Justino, Emily B; Vieira, Felipe N; Jaramillo, Michael L; Rosa, Rafael D; Perazzolo, Luciane M

2016-11-01

We have performed here a gene expression analysis to determine the developmental stage at the main genes involved in crustacean immune response begin to be expressed and their changes in mRNA abundance during shrimp development. By using a quantitative PCR-based approach, we have measured the mRNA abundance of 24 immune-related genes from different functional categories in twelve developmental stages ranging from fertilized eggs to larval and postlarval stages and also in juveniles. We showed for the first time that the main genes from the RNAi-based post-transcriptional pathway involved in shrimp antiviral immunity are transcribed in all developmental stages, but exhibit a diverse pattern of gene expression during shrimp ontogenesis. On the other hand, hemocyte-expressed genes mainly involved in antimicrobial defenses appeared to be transcribed in larval stages, indicating that hematopoiesis initiates early in development. Moreover, transcript levels of some genes were early detected in fertilized eggs at 0-4 h post-spawning, suggesting a maternal contribution of immune-related transcripts to shrimp progeny. Altogether, our results provide important clues regarding the ontogenesis of hemocytes as well the establishment of antiviral and antimicrobial defenses in shrimp. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fanconi anemia core complex gene promoters harbor conserved transcription regulatory elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Daniel; Schindler, Detlev

2011-01-01

The Fanconi anemia (FA) gene family is a recent addition to the complex network of proteins that respond to and repair certain types of DNA damage in the human genome. Since little is known about the regulation of this novel group of genes at the DNA level, we characterized the promoters of the eight genes (FANCA, B, C, E, F, G, L and M) that compose the FA core complex. The promoters of these genes show the characteristic attributes of housekeeping genes, such as a high GC content and CpG islands, a lack of TATA boxes and a low conservation. The promoters functioned in a monodirectional way and were, in their most active regions, comparable in strength to the SV40 promoter in our reporter plasmids. They were also marked by a distinctive transcriptional start site (TSS). In the 5' region of each promoter, we identified a region that was able to negatively regulate the promoter activity in HeLa and HEK 293 cells in isolation. The central and 3' regions of the promoter sequences harbor binding sites for several common and rare transcription factors, including STAT, SMAD, E2F, AP1 and YY1, which indicates that there may be cross-connections to several established regulatory pathways. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and siRNA experiments confirmed the shared regulatory responses between the prominent members of the TGF-β and JAK/STAT pathways and members of the FA core complex. Although the promoters are not well conserved, they share region and sequence specific regulatory motifs and transcription factor binding sites (TBFs), and we identified a bi-partite nature to these promoters. These results support a hypothesis based on the co-evolution of the FA core complex genes that was expanded to include their promoters.

Fanconi anemia core complex gene promoters harbor conserved transcription regulatory elements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Meier

Full Text Available The Fanconi anemia (FA gene family is a recent addition to the complex network of proteins that respond to and repair certain types of DNA damage in the human genome. Since little is known about the regulation of this novel group of genes at the DNA level, we characterized the promoters of the eight genes (FANCA, B, C, E, F, G, L and M that compose the FA core complex. The promoters of these genes show the characteristic attributes of housekeeping genes, such as a high GC content and CpG islands, a lack of TATA boxes and a low conservation. The promoters functioned in a monodirectional way and were, in their most active regions, comparable in strength to the SV40 promoter in our reporter plasmids. They were also marked by a distinctive transcriptional start site (TSS. In the 5' region of each promoter, we identified a region that was able to negatively regulate the promoter activity in HeLa and HEK 293 cells in isolation. The central and 3' regions of the promoter sequences harbor binding sites for several common and rare transcription factors, including STAT, SMAD, E2F, AP1 and YY1, which indicates that there may be cross-connections to several established regulatory pathways. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and siRNA experiments confirmed the shared regulatory responses between the prominent members of the TGF-β and JAK/STAT pathways and members of the FA core complex. Although the promoters are not well conserved, they share region and sequence specific regulatory motifs and transcription factor binding sites (TBFs, and we identified a bi-partite nature to these promoters. These results support a hypothesis based on the co-evolution of the FA core complex genes that was expanded to include their promoters.

Clinical significance of adiponectin expression in colon cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Canhoroz

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Adiponectin, which is secreted by adipose tissue, may have a role in the development and progression of cancer via its pro-apoptotic and/or anti-proliferative effects. Adiponectin expression in tumor tissues is likely to have a negative effect on disease - free survival in patients with stage II/III colon cancer; however, no statistically significant effect was demonstrated.

The regulation of adiponectin receptors in human prostate cancer cell lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mistry, T.; Digby, J.E.; Chen, J.; Desai, K.M.; Randeva, H.S.

2006-01-01

Obesity is a risk factor for prostate cancer, and plasma levels of the adipokine, adiponectin, are low in the former but high in the latter. Adiponectin has been shown to modulate cell proliferation and apoptosis, suggesting that adiponectin and its receptors (Adipo-R1, Adipo-R2) may provide a molecular association between obesity and prostate carcinogenesis. We show for First time, the protein distribution of Adipo-R1 and Adipo-R2 in LNCaP and PC3 cells, and in human prostate tissue. Using real-time RT-PCR we provide novel data demonstrating the differential regulation of Adipo-R1 and Adipo-R2 mRNA expression by testosterone, 5-α dihydrotestosterone, β-estradiol, tumour necrosis factor-α, leptin, and adiponectin in LNCaP and PC3 cells. Our findings suggest that adiponectin and its receptors may contribute to the molecular association between obesity and prostate cancer through a complex interaction with other hormones and cytokines that also play important roles in the pathophysiology of obesity and prostate cancer

Perinatal BPA Exposure Induces Hyperglycemia, Oxidative Stress and Decreased Adiponectin Production in Later Life of Male Rat Offspring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shunzhe Song

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The main object of the present study was to explore the effect of perinatal bisphenol A (BPA exposure on glucose metabolism in early and later life of male rat offspring, and to establish the potential mechanism of BPA-induced dysglycemia. Pregnant rats were treated with either vehicle or BPA by drinking water at concentrations of 1 and 10 µg/mL BPA from gestation day 6 through the end of lactation. We measured the levels of fasting serum glucose, insulin, adiponectin and parameters of oxidative stress on postnatal day (PND 50 and PND100 in male offspring, and adiponectin mRNA and protein expression in adipose tissue were also examined. Our results showed that perinatal exposure to 1 or 10 µg/mL BPA induced hyperglycemia with insulin resistance on PND100, but only 10 µg/mL BPA exposure had similar effects as early as PND50. In addition, increased oxidative stress and decreased adiponectin production were also observed in BPA exposed male offspring. Our findings indicated that perinatal exposure to BPA resulted in abnormal glucose metabolism in later life of male offspring, with an earlier and more exacerbated effect at higher doses. Down-regulated expression of adiponectin gene and increased oxidative stress induced by BPA may be associated with insulin resistance.

Activation of Adiponectin Receptor Regulates Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Expression and Inhibits Lesions in ApoE-Deficient Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Lei; Yang, Xiaoxiao; Li, Qi; Zeng, Peng; Liu, Ying; Liu, Lipei; Chen, Yuanli; Yu, Miao; Ma, Chuanrui; Li, Xiaoju; Li, Yan; Zhang, Rongxin; Zhu, Yan; Miao, Qing Robert; Han, Jihong; Duan, Yajun

2017-07-01

The reduced adiponectin levels are associated with atherosclerosis. Adiponectin exerts its functions by activating adiponectin receptor (AdipoR). Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) degrades LDLR protein (low-density lipoprotein receptor) to increase serum LDL-cholesterol levels. PCSK9 expression can be regulated by PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) or SREBP2 (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2). The effects of AdipoR agonists on PCSK9 and LDLR expression, serum lipid profiles, and atherosclerosis remain unknown. At cellular levels, AdipoR agonists (ADP355 and AdipoRon) induced PCSK9 transcription/expression that solely depended on activation of PPAR-responsive element in the PCSK9 promoter. AdipoR agonists induced PPARγ expression; thus, the AdipoR agonist-activated PCSK9 expression/production was impaired in PPARγ deficient hepatocytes. Meanwhile, AdipoR agonists transcriptionally activated LDLR expression by activating SRE in the LDLR promoter. Moreover, AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) was involved in AdipoR agonist-activated PCSK9 expression. In wild-type mice, ADP355 increased PCSK9 and LDLR expression and serum PCSK9 levels, which was associated with activation of PPARγ, AMPKα and SREBP2 and reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels. In contrast, ADP355 reduced PCSK9 expression/secretion in apoE-deficient (apoE -/- ) mice, but it still activated hepatic LDLR, PPARγ, AMPKα, and SREBP2. More importantly, ADP355 inhibited lesions in en face aortas and sinus lesions in aortic root in apoE -/- mice with amelioration of lipid profiles. Our study demonstrates that AdipoR activation by agonists regulated PCSK9 expression differently in wild-type and apoE -/- mice. However, ADP355 activated hepatic LDLR expression and ameliorated lipid metabolism in both types of mice and inhibited atherosclerosis in apoE -/- mice. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Adiponectin Concentrations: A Genome-wide Association Study

OpenAIRE

Jee, Sun Ha; Sull, Jae Woong; Lee, Jong-Eun; Shin, Chol; Park, Jongkeun; Kimm, Heejin; Cho, Eun-Young; Shin, Eun-Soon; Yun, Ji Eun; Park, Ji Wan; Kim, Sang Yeun; Lee, Sun Ju; Jee, Eun Jung; Baik, Inkyung; Kao, Linda

2010-01-01

Adiponectin is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. To date, there has been no genome-wide association study (GWAS) of adiponectin levels in Asians. Here we present a GWAS of a cohort of Korean volunteers. A total of 4,001 subjects were genotyped by using a genome-wide marker panel in a two-stage design (979 subjects initially and 3,022 in a second stage). Another 2,304 subjects were used for follow-up replication studies with selected markers. In the discovery phase, the top SNP a...

Transcriptional expression of type I interferon response genes and stability of housekeeping genes in the human endometrium and endometriosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Anna L; Knudsen, Ulla B; Munk, Torben

2011-01-01

Endometriosis is a painful chronic female disease defined by the presence of endometrial tissue implants in ectopic locations. The pathogenesis is much debated, and type I interferons could be involved. The expression of genes of the type I interferon response were profiled by a specific PCR Array...... of RNA obtained from ectopic and eutopic endometrium collected from 9 endometriosis patients and 9 healthy control women. Transcriptional expression levels of selected interferon-regulated and housekeeping genes were investigated by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). Stably...... expressed housekeeping genes for valid normalization of transcriptional studies of endometrium and endometriosis have not yet been published. Here, seven housekeeping genes were evaluated for stability using the GeNorm and NormFinder software. A normalization factor based on HMBS, TBP, and YWHAZ expression...

Biological data warehousing system for identifying transcriptional regulatory sites from gene expressions of microarray data.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsou, Ann-Ping; Sun, Yi-Ming; Liu, Chia-Lin; Huang, Hsien-Da; Horng, Jorng-Tzong; Tsai, Meng-Feng; Liu, Baw-Juine

2006-07-01

Identification of transcriptional regulatory sites plays an important role in the investigation of gene regulation. For this propose, we designed and implemented a data warehouse to integrate multiple heterogeneous biological data sources with data types such as text-file, XML, image, MySQL database model, and Oracle database model. The utility of the biological data warehouse in predicting transcriptional regulatory sites of coregulated genes was explored using a synexpression group derived from a microarray study. Both of the binding sites of known transcription factors and predicted over-represented (OR) oligonucleotides were demonstrated for the gene group. The potential biological roles of both known nucleotides and one OR nucleotide were demonstrated using bioassays. Therefore, the results from the wet-lab experiments reinforce the power and utility of the data warehouse as an approach to the genome-wide search for important transcription regulatory elements that are the key to many complex biological systems.

Pro-inflammatory delipidizing cytokines reduce adiponectin secretion from human adipocytes without affecting adiponectin oligomerization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simons, Peter J.; van den Pangaart, Petra S.; Aerts, Johannes M. F. G.; Boon, Louis

2007-01-01

Adiponectin and, especially, its oligomeric complex composition have been suggested to be critical in determining insulin sensitivity. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the development of insulin resistance in obesity and associated diseases. Therefore, we investigated the effect

A transcription factor active on the epidermal growth factor receptor gene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kageyama, R.; Merlino, G.T.; Pastan, I.

1988-01-01

The authors have developed an in vitro transcription system for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) oncogene by using nuclear extracts of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells, which overproduce EGFR. They found that a nuclear factor, termed EGFR-specific transcription factor (ETF), specifically stimulated EGFR transcription by 5- to 10-fold. In this report, ETF, purified by using sequence-specific oligonucleotide affinity chromatography, is shown by renaturing material eluted from a NaDodSO 4 /polyacrylamide gel to be a protein with a molecular mass of 120 kDa. ETF binds to the promoter region, as measured by DNase I footprinting and gel-mobility-shift assays, and specifically stimulates the transcription of the EGFR gene in a reconstituted in vitro transcription system. These results suggest that ETF could play a role in the overexpression of the cellular oncogene EGFR

Genomewide analysis of TCP transcription factor gene family in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Genetics; Volume 93; Issue 3. Genomewide ... Teosinte branched1/cycloidea/proliferating cell factor1 (TCP) proteins are a large family of transcriptional regulators in angiosperms. They are ... To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a genomewide analysis of apple TCP gene family.

Chicken globin gene transcription is cell lineage specific during the time of the switch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lois, R.; Martinson, H.G.

1989-01-01

Posttranscriptional silencing of embryonic globin gene expression occurs during hemoglobin switching in chickens. Here the authors use Percoll density gradients to fractionate the red blood cells of 5-9 day embryos in order to determine the cellular source and the timing of this posttranscriptional process. By means of nuclear run-on transcription in vitro they show that it is within mature primitive cells that production of embryonic globin mRNA is terminated posttranscriptionally. In contrast, young definitive cells produce little (or no) embryonic globin mRNA because of regulation at the transcriptional level. Thus the lineage specificity of embryonic and adult globin gene expression is determined transcriptionally, and the posttranscriptional process described by Landes et al. is a property of the senescing primitive cells, not a mechanism operative in the hemoglobin switch. This conclusion is supported by [ 3 H]leucine incorporation experiments on Percoll-fractionated cells which reveal no posttranscriptional silencing of the embryonic genes during the early stages of the switch. In the course of these studies they have noticed a strong transcriptional pause near the second exon of the globin genes which is induced by 5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) and which resembles a natural pause near that position

Maternal Docosahexaenoic Acid Increases Adiponectin and Normalizes IUGR-Induced Changes in Rat Adipose Deposition

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Heidi N. Bagley

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR predisposes to obesity and adipose dysfunction. We previously demonstrated IUGR-induced increased visceral adipose deposition and dysregulated expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2 in male adolescent rats, prior to the onset of obesity. In other studies, activation of PPARγ increases subcutaneous adiponectin expression and normalizes visceral adipose deposition. We hypothesized that maternal supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, a PPARγ agonist, would normalize IUGR adipose deposition in association with increased PPARγ, adiponectin, and adiponectin receptor expression in subcutaneous adipose. To test these hypotheses, we used a well-characterized model of uteroplacental-insufficiency-(UPI- induced IUGR in the rat with maternal DHA supplementation. Our primary findings were that maternal DHA supplementation during rat pregnancy and lactation (1 normalizes IUGR-induced changes in adipose deposition and visceral PPARγ expression in male rats and (2 increases serum adiponectin, as well as adipose expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors in former IUGR rats. Our novel findings suggest that maternal DHA supplementation may normalize adipose dysfunction and promote adiponectin-induced improvements in metabolic function in IUGR.

Maternal docosahexaenoic acid increases adiponectin and normalizes IUGR-induced changes in rat adipose deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagley, Heidi N; Wang, Yan; Campbell, Michael S; Yu, Xing; Lane, Robert H; Joss-Moore, Lisa A

2013-01-01

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) predisposes to obesity and adipose dysfunction. We previously demonstrated IUGR-induced increased visceral adipose deposition and dysregulated expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor- γ 2 (PPAR γ 2) in male adolescent rats, prior to the onset of obesity. In other studies, activation of PPAR γ increases subcutaneous adiponectin expression and normalizes visceral adipose deposition. We hypothesized that maternal supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a PPAR γ agonist, would normalize IUGR adipose deposition in association with increased PPAR γ , adiponectin, and adiponectin receptor expression in subcutaneous adipose. To test these hypotheses, we used a well-characterized model of uteroplacental-insufficiency-(UPI-) induced IUGR in the rat with maternal DHA supplementation. Our primary findings were that maternal DHA supplementation during rat pregnancy and lactation (1) normalizes IUGR-induced changes in adipose deposition and visceral PPAR γ expression in male rats and (2) increases serum adiponectin, as well as adipose expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptors in former IUGR rats. Our novel findings suggest that maternal DHA supplementation may normalize adipose dysfunction and promote adiponectin-induced improvements in metabolic function in IUGR.

Gene expression meta-analysis identifies metastatic pathways and transcription factors in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomassen, Mads; Tan, Qihua; Kruse, Torben A

2008-01-01

Metastasis is believed to progress in several steps including different pathways but the determination and understanding of these mechanisms is still fragmentary. Microarray analysis of gene expression patterns in breast tumors has been used to predict outcome in recent studies. Besides classification of outcome, these global expression patterns may reflect biological mechanisms involved in metastasis of breast cancer. Our purpose has been to investigate pathways and transcription factors involved in metastasis by use of gene expression data sets. We have analyzed 8 publicly available gene expression data sets. A global approach, 'gene set enrichment analysis' as well as an approach focusing on a subset of significantly differently regulated genes, GenMAPP, has been applied to rank pathway gene sets according to differential regulation in metastasizing tumors compared to non-metastasizing tumors. Meta-analysis has been used to determine overrepresentation of pathways and transcription factors targets, concordant deregulated in metastasizing breast tumors, in several data sets. The major findings are up-regulation of cell cycle pathways and a metabolic shift towards glucose metabolism reflected in several pathways in metastasizing tumors. Growth factor pathways seem to play dual roles; EGF and PDGF pathways are decreased, while VEGF and sex-hormone pathways are increased in tumors that metastasize. Furthermore, migration, proteasome, immune system, angiogenesis, DNA repair and several signal transduction pathways are associated to metastasis. Finally several transcription factors e.g. E2F, NFY, and YY1 are identified as being involved in metastasis. By pathway meta-analysis many biological mechanisms beyond major characteristics such as proliferation are identified. Transcription factor analysis identifies a number of key factors that support central pathways. Several previously proposed treatment targets are identified and several new pathways that may

The relationship between a Mediterranean diet and circulating adiponectin levels is influenced by cigarette smoking.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Attas, Omar Salem; Hussain, Tajamul; Al-Daghri, Nasser Mohammad; De Rosas, Edgard; Kazmi, Usamah; Vinodson, Benjamin

2013-01-01

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower the risk of developing several chronic diseases. The ability to augment circulating adiponectin levels is proposed as an underlying mechanism mediating the beneficial effects of this diet. We aimed to examine whether the positive relationship between the Mediterranean diet and adiponectin is altered by cigarette smoking, taking potential confounders into consideration. Plasma adiponectin levels were enzymatically measured in 45 never smokers, 61 smokers and 34 ex-smokers who adhered to a Mediterranean style diet and in 41 never smokers who did not adhere to the diet. Plasma adiponectin levels increased significantly in nonsmoking diet adherents compared to nonsmoking non-diet adherents. Among the diet adherents adiponectin decreased significantly in both moderate and heavy smokers compared to never smokers and significantly increased in quitters compared to smokers. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for age, obesity, Mediterranean diet and insulin resistance revealed an independent inverse association of smoking with adiponectin. Adiponectin levels remained significant and similar in subjects stratified according to age (50 years), BMI (25 kg/m(2)) and HOMA-IR (1.6). Despite its positive effects on adiponectin, the Mediterranean diet failed to negate the adiponectin-lowering effect of cigarette smoking, demonstrating the profound and independent capacity of cigarette smoke to negatively influence human health.

PKA/AMPK signaling in relation to adiponectin's antiproliferative effect on multiple myeloma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, E A; Oberheu, K; Polusani, S R; Ortega, V; Velagaleti, G V N; Oyajobi, B O

2014-10-01

Obesity increases the risk of developing multiple myeloma (MM). Adiponectin is a cytokine produced by adipocytes, but paradoxically decreased in obesity, that has been implicated in MM progression. Herein, we evaluated how prolonged exposure to adiponectin affected the survival of MM cells as well as putative signaling mechanisms. Adiponectin activates protein kinase A (PKA), which leads to decreased AKT activity and increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. AMPK, in turn, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Adiponectin-induced apoptosis may be mediated, at least in part, by the PKA/AMPK-dependent decline in the expression of the enzyme acetyl-CoA-carboxylase (ACC), which is essential to lipogenesis. Supplementation with palmitic acid, the preliminary end product of fatty acid synthesis, rescues MM cells from adiponectin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furancarboxylic acid (TOFA), an ACC inhibitor, exhibited potent antiproliferative effects on MM cells that could also be inhibited by fatty acid supplementation. Thus, adiponectin's ability to reduce survival of MM cells appears to be mediated through its ability to suppress lipogenesis. Our findings suggest that PKA/AMPK pathway activators, or inhibitors of ACC, may be useful adjuvants to treat MM. Moreover, the antimyeloma effect of adiponectin supports the concept that hypoadiponectinemia, as occurs in obesity, promotes MM tumor progression.

Relating genes to function: identifying enriched transcription factors using the ENCODE ChIP-Seq significance tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Raymond K; Chen, Bin; Butte, Atul J

2013-08-01

Biological analysis has shifted from identifying genes and transcripts to mapping these genes and transcripts to biological functions. The ENCODE Project has generated hundreds of ChIP-Seq experiments spanning multiple transcription factors and cell lines for public use, but tools for a biomedical scientist to analyze these data are either non-existent or tailored to narrow biological questions. We present the ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool, a flexible web application leveraging public ENCODE data to identify enriched transcription factors in a gene or transcript list for comparative analyses. The ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool is written in JavaScript on the client side and has been tested on Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Server-side scripts are written in PHP and leverage R and a MySQL database. The tool is available at http://encodeqt.stanford.edu. abutte@stanford.edu Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.

Cloning and expression of adiponectin and its globular domain, and measurement of the biological activity in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiao-Bo; Zhang, Yu-Jian; Zhang, Hui-Tang; Yang, Sheng-Li; Gong, Yi

2003-11-01

3T3-L1-adipocytes produce the adipocyte complement related protein of 30 kD (ACRP30), which is exclusively expressed in differentiated adipocytes. Decreased expression of ACRP30 correlates with insulin resistance in mouse models of altered insulin sensitivity. Adiponectin, the human homologue of ACRP30, circulates in human plasma at high levels. Plasma adiponectin levels have been reported to be decreased in some insulin-resistant states, such as obesity and type II diabetes mellitus. Here, full-length adiponectin and its C-terminal globular head domain (gAdiponectin) were expressed in Escherichia coli and gAdiponectin was used to immunize a rabbit to obtain polyclonal antiserum with titer of 10,000. Adiponectin was detected in human plasma with the use of gAdiponectin anti-serum by Western blot analysis, which was also detected by gACRP30 anti-serum. Injection in alloxan-treated rats with purified recombinant fusion adiponectin or gAdiponectin transiently abolished hyperglycemia. So adiponectin and gAdiponectin might have activity as a glucose lowering agent and potentially as a therapeutic for metabolic disease. All these results suggested that the recombinant protein had biological activity, and provided a useful tool in further studies.

Bayesian inference based modelling for gene transcriptional dynamics by integrating multiple source of knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Shu-Qiang

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A key challenge in the post genome era is to identify genome-wide transcriptional regulatory networks, which specify the interactions between transcription factors and their target genes. Numerous methods have been developed for reconstructing gene regulatory networks from expression data. However, most of them are based on coarse grained qualitative models, and cannot provide a quantitative view of regulatory systems. Results A binding affinity based regulatory model is proposed to quantify the transcriptional regulatory network. Multiple quantities, including binding affinity and the activity level of transcription factor (TF are incorporated into a general learning model. The sequence features of the promoter and the possible occupancy of nucleosomes are exploited to estimate the binding probability of regulators. Comparing with the previous models that only employ microarray data, the proposed model can bridge the gap between the relative background frequency of the observed nucleotide and the gene's transcription rate. Conclusions We testify the proposed approach on two real-world microarray datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed model can effectively identify the parameters and the activity level of TF. Moreover, the kinetic parameters introduced in the proposed model can reveal more biological sense than previous models can do.

Transcription factor genes essential for cell proliferation and replicative lifespan in budding yeast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamei, Yuka; Tai, Akiko; Dakeyama, Shota; Yamamoto, Kaori; Inoue, Yamato; Kishimoto, Yoshifumi; Ohara, Hiroya; Mukai, Yukio, E-mail: y_mukai@nagahama-i-bio.ac.jp

2015-07-31

Many of the lifespan-related genes have been identified in eukaryotes ranging from the yeast to human. However, there is limited information available on the longevity genes that are essential for cell proliferation. Here, we investigated whether the essential genes encoding DNA-binding transcription factors modulated the replicative lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Heterozygous diploid knockout strains for FHL1, RAP1, REB1, and MCM1 genes showed significantly short lifespan. {sup 1}H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated a characteristic metabolic profile in the Δfhl1/FHL1 mutant. These results strongly suggest that FHL1 regulates the transcription of lifespan related metabolic genes. Thus, heterozygous knockout strains could be the potential materials for discovering further novel lifespan genes. - Highlights: • Involvement of yeast TF genes essential for cell growth in lifespan was evaluated. • The essential TF genes, FHL1, RAP1, REB1, and MCM1, regulate replicative lifespan. • Heterozygous deletion of FHL1 changes cellular metabolism related to lifespan.

Transcriptional regulation of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene by glucocorticoid and cyclic AMP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, E.J.; Harrington, C.A.; Chikaraishi, D.M.

1987-01-01

Glucocorticoid and cyclic AMP increase tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity and mRNA levels in pheochromocytoma cultures. The transcriptional activity of the TH gene, as measured by nuclear run-on assay, is also increased when cultures are treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone or agents that increase intracellular cyclic AMP, such as forskolin and 8-BrcAMP. Both inducers effect transcriptional changes within 10 min after treatment and are maximal after 30 min for forskolin and after 60 min for dexamethasone. The 5' flanking sequences of the TH gene were fused to the bacterial gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), and the hybrid gene was transfected into pheochromocytoma cultures and GH 4 pituitary cells. In both cell lines, a region of the TH gene containing bases -272 to +27 conferred induction of CAT by cyclic AMP, but not by glucocorticoid. The same results were found when a region of the TH gene containing -773 to + 27 was used. Thus, the sequences required for induction of TH by cyclic AMP are contained within 272 bases of 5' flanking sequence, but sequences sufficient for glucocorticoid regulation are not contained with 773 bases

Transcriptional dynamics of a conserved gene expression network associated with craniofacial divergence in Arctic charr.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahi, Ehsan Pashay; Kapralova, Kalina Hristova; Pálsson, Arnar; Maier, Valerie Helene; Gudbrandsson, Jóhannes; Snorrason, Sigurdur S; Jónsson, Zophonías O; Franzdóttir, Sigrídur Rut

2014-01-01

Understanding the molecular basis of craniofacial variation can provide insights into key developmental mechanisms of adaptive changes and their role in trophic divergence and speciation. Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is a polymorphic fish species, and, in Lake Thingvallavatn in Iceland, four sympatric morphs have evolved distinct craniofacial structures. We conducted a gene expression study on candidates from a conserved gene coexpression network, focusing on the development of craniofacial elements in embryos of two contrasting Arctic charr morphotypes (benthic and limnetic). Four Arctic charr morphs were studied: one limnetic and two benthic morphs from Lake Thingvallavatn and a limnetic reference aquaculture morph. The presence of morphological differences at developmental stages before the onset of feeding was verified by morphometric analysis. Following up on our previous findings that Mmp2 and Sparc were differentially expressed between morphotypes, we identified a network of genes with conserved coexpression across diverse vertebrate species. A comparative expression study of candidates from this network in developing heads of the four Arctic charr morphs verified the coexpression relationship of these genes and revealed distinct transcriptional dynamics strongly correlated with contrasting craniofacial morphologies (benthic versus limnetic). A literature review and Gene Ontology analysis indicated that a significant proportion of the network genes play a role in extracellular matrix organization and skeletogenesis, and motif enrichment analysis of conserved noncoding regions of network candidates predicted a handful of transcription factors, including Ap1 and Ets2, as potential regulators of the gene network. The expression of Ets2 itself was also found to associate with network gene expression. Genes linked to glucocorticoid signalling were also studied, as both Mmp2 and Sparc are responsive to this pathway. Among those, several transcriptional

Laccase Gene Family in Cerrena sp. HYB07: Sequences, Heterologous Expression and Transcriptional Analysis

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Jie Yang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Laccases are a class of multi-copper oxidases with industrial potential. In this study, eight laccases (Lac1–8 from Cerrena sp. strain HYB07, a white-rot fungus with high laccase yields, were analyzed. The laccases showed moderate identities to each other as well as with other fungal laccases and were predicted to have high redox potentials except for Lac6. Selected laccase isozymes were heterologously expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris, and different enzymatic properties were observed. Transcription of the eight laccase genes was differentially regulated during submerged and solid state fermentation, as shown by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and validated reference genes. During 6-day submerged fermentation, Lac7 and 2 were successively the predominantly expressed laccase gene, accounting for over 95% of all laccase transcripts. Interestingly, accompanying Lac7 downregulation, Lac2 transcription was drastically upregulated on days 3 and 5 to 9958-fold of the level on day 1. Consistent with high mRNA abundance, Lac2 and 7, but not other laccases, were identified in the fermentation broth by LC-MS/MS. In solid state fermentation, less dramatic differences in transcript abundance were observed, and Lac3, 7 and 8 were more highly expressed than other laccase genes. Elucidating the properties and expression profiles of the laccase gene family will facilitate understanding, production and commercialization of the fungal strain and its laccases.

Whole genome duplications and expansion of the vertebrate GATA transcription factor gene family

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Bowerman Bruce

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background GATA transcription factors influence many developmental processes, including the specification of embryonic germ layers. The GATA gene family has significantly expanded in many animal lineages: whereas diverse cnidarians have only one GATA transcription factor, six GATA genes have been identified in many vertebrates, five in many insects, and eleven to thirteen in Caenorhabditis nematodes. All bilaterian animal genomes have at least one member each of two classes, GATA123 and GATA456. Results We have identified one GATA123 gene and one GATA456 gene from the genomic sequence of two invertebrate deuterostomes, a cephalochordate (Branchiostoma floridae and a hemichordate (Saccoglossus kowalevskii. We also have confirmed the presence of six GATA genes in all vertebrate genomes, as well as additional GATA genes in teleost fish. Analyses of conserved sequence motifs and of changes to the exon-intron structure, and molecular phylogenetic analyses of these deuterostome GATA genes support their origin from two ancestral deuterostome genes, one GATA 123 and one GATA456. Comparison of the conserved genomic organization across vertebrates identified eighteen paralogous gene families linked to multiple vertebrate GATA genes (GATA paralogons, providing the strongest evidence yet for expansion of vertebrate GATA gene families via genome duplication events. Conclusion From our analysis, we infer the evolutionary birth order and relationships among vertebrate GATA transcription factors, and define their expansion via multiple rounds of whole genome duplication events. As the genomes of four independent invertebrate deuterostome lineages contain single copy GATA123 and GATA456 genes, we infer that the 0R (pre-genome duplication invertebrate deuterostome ancestor also had two GATA genes, one of each class. Synteny analyses identify duplications of paralogous chromosomal regions (paralogons, from single ancestral vertebrate GATA123 and GATA456

Stimulation of albumin gene transcription by insulin in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

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Lloyd, C.E.; Kalinyak, J.E.; Hutson, S.M.; Jefferson, L.S.

1987-01-01

The first goal of the work reported here was to prepare single-stranded DNA sequences for use in studies on the regulation of albumin gene expression. A double-stranded rat albumin cDNA clone was subcloned into the bacteriophage vector M13mp7. Single-stranded recombinant clones were screened for albumin sequences containing either the mRNA strand or the complementary strand. Two clones were selected that contained the 1200 nucleotide long 3' end of the albumin sequence. DNA from the clone containing the mRNA strand was used as a template for DNA polymerase I to prepare a radiolabeled, single-stranded cDNA to albumin mRNA. This radiolabeled cDNA probe was used to quantitate the relative abundance of albumin mRNA in samples of total cellular RNA. DNA from the clone containing the complementary strand was used to measure relative rates of albumin gene transcription in isolated nuclei. The second goal was to use the single-stranded DNA probes to investigate the mechanism of the insulin-mediated stimulation of albumin synthesis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Addition of insulin to hepatocytes maintained in a chemically defined, serum-free medium for 40 h in the absence of any hormones resulted in a specific 1.5- to 2.5-fold stimulation of albumin gene transcription that was maximal at 3 h and was maintained above control values for at least 24 h. The rate of albumin gene transcription in nuclei isolated from livers of diabetic rats was reduced to 50% of the value recorded in control nuclei. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that insulin regulates synthesis of albumin at the level of gene transcription

Relationship Between Serum Adiponectin and Urinary Albumin Excretion Rate in Patients with Diabetes Nephropathy

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Duan Yongqiang; Yu Hui; Wang Zuobing

2010-01-01

To explore the relationship between the levels of serum adiponectin and urinary albumin excretion rate in patients with type 2 diabetes nephropathy, the serum levels of adiponectin and the levels of urinary albumin excretion rate in diabetes patients before and after treatment with pioglitazone were tested by ELISA and automatic biochemical analyzer respectively. The results showed that the serum levels of adiponectin in DM and DN group were lower than that of normal controls(P<0.01), but they gradually increased with progression (P<0.01). The serum adiponectin level was positively correlated with urinary albumin excretion rate (r= 0.284, P<0.05). The urinary albumin level decreased (P<0.01) and the serum levels of adiponectin increased after treatment with pioglitazone in DN group. The serum levels of adiponectin and urinary albumin excretion rate may play important role in the indication of treatment of diabetes. (authors)

Differential Effects of Leptin and Adiponectin in Endothelial Angiogenesis

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Raghu Adya

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Obesity is a major health burden with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Endothelial dysfunction is pivotal to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD. In relation to this, adipose tissue secreted factors termed “adipokines” have been reported to modulate endothelial dysfunction. In this review, we focus on two of the most abundant circulating adipokines, that is, leptin and adiponectin, in the development of endothelial dysfunction. Leptin has been documented to influence a multitude of organ systems, that is, central nervous system (appetite regulation, satiety factor and cardiovascular system (endothelial dysfunction leading to atherosclerosis. Adiponectin, circulating at a much higher concentration, exists in different molecular weight forms, essentially made up of the collagenous fraction and a globular domain, the latter being investigated minimally for its involvement in proinflammatory processes including activation of NF-κβ and endothelial adhesion molecules. The opposing actions of the two forms of adiponectin in endothelial cells have been recently demonstrated. Additionally, a local and systemic change to multimeric forms of adiponectin has gained importance. Thus detailed investigations on the potential interplay between these adipokines would likely result in better understanding of the missing links connecting CVD, adipokines, and obesity.

Elevated total plasma-adiponectin is stable over time in young women with bulimia nervosa.

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Syk, M; Ramklint, M; Fredriksson, R; Ekselius, L; Cunningham, J L

2017-03-01

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by dysregulated eating behaviour and present data suggest adipokines may regulate food intake. We investigated a possible association between BN and adipokine levels and hypothesized that plasma (P)-adiponectin would be elevated and P-leptin and P-leptin-adiponectin-ratio would be reduced in women with BN. The study was designed as a cross-sectional study with a longitudinal arm for patients with BN. Plasma-adiponectin and leptin was measured in 148 female patients seeking psychiatric ambulatory care and 45 female controls. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with BN and the remaining with other affective and anxiety disorders. P-adiponectin and P-leptin levels were compared between patients with BN, patients without BN and controls. At follow-up 1-2years later, adipokines were reassessed in patients with BN and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire was used to assess symptom severity. P-adiponectin was elevated in patients with BN at baseline and at follow-up when compared to patients without BN and controls (P<0.004 and <0.008 respectively). The difference remained significant after controlling for body mass index. P-adiponectin was correlated to symptom severity at follow-up in patients with BN without morbid obesity (ρ=0.72, P<0.04). P-leptin-adiponectin-ratio was significantly lower in patients with BN compared to controls (P<0.04) and P-leptin non-significantly lower. Findings indicate a stable elevation of P-adiponectin in women with BN. P-adiponectin at follow-up correlates to eating disorder symptom severity in patients without morbid obesity, indicating that P-adiponectin should be further investigated as a possible potential prognostic biomarker for BN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Similar Adiponectin Levels in Obese Normotensive and Obese Hypertensive Men and No Vasorelaxant Effect of Adiponectin on Human Arteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dreier, Rasmus; Asferg, Camilla; Berg, Jais O

2016-01-01

Obesity is a strong risk factor for hypertension, but the mechanism linking obesity to hypertension is not fully elucidated. In obesity, circulating concentrations of adiponectin are decreased and hypoadiponectinaemia has in some but not all studies been associated with increased risk of hyperten......Obesity is a strong risk factor for hypertension, but the mechanism linking obesity to hypertension is not fully elucidated. In obesity, circulating concentrations of adiponectin are decreased and hypoadiponectinaemia has in some but not all studies been associated with increased risk...... of hypertension. Due to this inconsistency, we decided to study adiponectin from two aspects in a cross-sectional in vivo study and in an experimental in vitro study. In the cross-sectional study, 103 men with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2) were studied; 63 had 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) ≥ 130....../80 mmHg (ObeseHT) and 40 had 24-hr ABP men with BMI between 20.0 and 24.9 kg/m(2) and 24-hr ABP

Induced tubulin synthesis is caused by induced gene transcription in Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyfert, H.M.; Kohle, D.; Jenovai, S.

1987-01-01

Tubulin synthesis and tubulin mRNA concentrations increase to variable extents during ciliary regeneration in the ciliate Tetrahymena. Experiments described here were carried out to determine whether the increased tubulin mRNa concentrations are due to induced transcription of tubulin genes or to stabilization of tubulin mRNA. In vivo labeling experiments with [ 3 H]uridine and in vitro transcription assays suggest that under conditions of increased protein and tubulin synthesis the rate of transcription is enhanced. Hybridization assays of in vitro transcribed RNA also demonstrate qualitatively that the tubulin genes are transcribed at higher rates when tubulin synthesis is stimulated during ciliary regeneration. This observation is supported by measurements of the half-life of tubulin mRNA molecules in nondeciliated cells: This is approximately 2 h. Since the concentration of tubulin mRNA in cells engaged in cilia regeneration increases from 5 to 19-fold during the first hour of the regeneration period, even a complete stabilization of the tubulin mRNA molecules could not account for an increase in tubulin mRNA concentration of this magnitude

Genetic Variations of Circulating Adiponectin Levels Modulate Changes in Appetite in Response to Weight-Loss Diets.

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Ma, Wenjie; Huang, Tao; Heianza, Yoriko; Wang, Tiange; Sun, Dianjianyi; Tong, Jenny; Williamson, Donald A; Bray, George A; Sacks, Frank M; Qi, Lu

2017-01-01

Adiponectin plays key roles in regulating appetite and food intake. To investigate interactions between the genetic risk score (GRS) for adiponectin levels and weight-loss diets varying in macronutrient intake on long-term changes in appetite and adiponectin levels. A GRS was calculated based on 5 adiponectin-associated variants in 692 overweight adults from the 2-year Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies trial. Repeated measurements of plasma adiponectin levels and appetite-related traits, including cravings, fullness, prospective consumption, and hunger. Dietary fat showed nominally significant interactions with the adiponectin GRS on changes in appetite score and prospective consumption from baseline to 6 months (P for interaction = 0.014 and 0.017, respectively) after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, baseline body mass index, and baseline respective outcome values. The GRS for lower adiponectin levels was associated with a greater decrease in appetite (P appetite and adiponectin levels to weight-loss diets varying in fat intake. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society

The Relationship between Maternal Plasma Leptin and Adiponectin Concentrations and Newborn Adiposity

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Natália P. Castro

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Increased maternal blood concentrations of leptin and decreased adiponectin levels, which are common disturbances in obesity, may be involved in offspring adiposity by programming fetal adipose tissue development. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between maternal leptin and adiponectin concentrations and newborn adiposity. This was a cross-sectional study involving 210 healthy mother-newborn pairs from a public maternity hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Maternal blood samples were collected after delivery and leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Newborn body composition was estimated by air displacement plethysmography. The association between maternal leptin and adiponectin concentrations and newborn adiposity (fat mass percentage, FM% was evaluated by multiple linear regression, controlling for maternal age, socioeconomic status, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI, weight gain, gestational age, and newborn age at the time of measurement. No relationship was found between maternal leptin and FM% of male or female newborn infants. Maternal adiponectin (p = 0.001 and pre-pregnancy BMI (p < 0.001; adj. R2 = 0.19 were positively associated with FM% of newborn males, indicating that maternal adiponectin is involved in fetal fat deposition in a sex-specific manner. Large-scale epidemiological, longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm our results.

The Relationship between Maternal Plasma Leptin and Adiponectin Concentrations and Newborn Adiposity.

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Castro, Natália P; Euclydes, Verônica V; Simões, Fernanda A; Vaz-de-Lima, Lourdes R A; De Brito, Cyro A; Luzia, Liania A; Devakumar, Delan; Rondó, Patrícia H C

2017-02-23

Increased maternal blood concentrations of leptin and decreased adiponectin levels, which are common disturbances in obesity, may be involved in offspring adiposity by programming fetal adipose tissue development. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between maternal leptin and adiponectin concentrations and newborn adiposity. This was a cross-sectional study involving 210 healthy mother-newborn pairs from a public maternity hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Maternal blood samples were collected after delivery and leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Newborn body composition was estimated by air displacement plethysmography. The association between maternal leptin and adiponectin concentrations and newborn adiposity (fat mass percentage, FM%) was evaluated by multiple linear regression, controlling for maternal age, socioeconomic status, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain, gestational age, and newborn age at the time of measurement. No relationship was found between maternal leptin and FM% of male or female newborn infants. Maternal adiponectin ( p = 0.001) and pre-pregnancy BMI ( p < 0.001; adj. R ² = 0.19) were positively associated with FM% of newborn males, indicating that maternal adiponectin is involved in fetal fat deposition in a sex-specific manner. Large-scale epidemiological, longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm our results.

Regulation of a transcription factor network by Cdk1 coordinates late cell cycle gene expression.

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Landry, Benjamin D; Mapa, Claudine E; Arsenault, Heather E; Poti, Kristin E; Benanti, Jennifer A

2014-05-02

To maintain genome stability, regulators of chromosome segregation must be expressed in coordination with mitotic events. Expression of these late cell cycle genes is regulated by cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk1), which phosphorylates a network of conserved transcription factors (TFs). However, the effects of Cdk1 phosphorylation on many key TFs are not known. We find that elimination of Cdk1-mediated phosphorylation of four S-phase TFs decreases expression of many late cell cycle genes, delays mitotic progression, and reduces fitness in budding yeast. Blocking phosphorylation impairs degradation of all four TFs. Consequently, phosphorylation-deficient mutants of the repressors Yox1 and Yhp1 exhibit increased promoter occupancy and decreased expression of their target genes. Interestingly, although phosphorylation of the transcriptional activator Hcm1 on its N-terminus promotes its degradation, phosphorylation on its C-terminus is required for its activity, indicating that Cdk1 both activates and inhibits a single TF. We conclude that Cdk1 promotes gene expression by both activating transcriptional activators and inactivating transcriptional repressors. Furthermore, our data suggest that coordinated regulation of the TF network by Cdk1 is necessary for faithful cell division.

Deciphering the transcriptional circuitry of microRNA genes expressed during human monocytic differentiation

KAUST Repository

Schmeier, Sebastian; MacPherson, Cameron R; Essack, Magbubah; Kaur, Mandeep; Schaefer, Ulf; Suzuki, Harukazu; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2009-01-01

Background: Macrophages are immune cells involved in various biological processes including host defence, homeostasis, differentiation, and organogenesis. Disruption of macrophage biology has been linked to increased pathogen infection, inflammation and malignant diseases. Differential gene expression observed in monocytic differentiation is primarily regulated by interacting transcription factors (TFs). Current research suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) degrade and repress translation of mRNA, but also may target genes involved in differentiation. We focus on getting insights into the transcriptional circuitry regulating miRNA genes expressed during monocytic differentiation. Results: We computationally analysed the transcriptional circuitry of miRNA genes during monocytic differentiation using in vitro time-course expression data for TFs and miRNAs. A set of TF?miRNA associations was derived from predicted TF binding sites in promoter regions of miRNA genes. Time-lagged expression correlation analysis was utilised to evaluate the TF?miRNA associations. Our analysis identified 12 TFs that potentially play a central role in regulating miRNAs throughout the differentiation process. Six of these 12 TFs (ATF2, E2F3, HOXA4, NFE2L1, SP3, and YY1) have not previously been described to be important for monocytic differentiation. The remaining six TFs are CEBPB, CREB1, ELK1, NFE2L2, RUNX1, and USF2. For several miRNAs (miR-21, miR-155, miR-424, and miR-17-92), we show how their inferred transcriptional regulation impacts monocytic differentiation. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that miRNAs and their transcriptional regulatory control are integral molecular mechanisms during differentiation. Furthermore, it is the first study to decipher on a large-scale, how miRNAs are controlled by TFs during human monocytic differentiation. Subsequently, we have identified 12 candidate key controllers of miRNAs during this differentiation process. 2009 Schmeier et al; licensee Bio

Deciphering the transcriptional circuitry of microRNA genes expressed during human monocytic differentiation

KAUST Repository

Schmeier, Sebastian

2009-12-10

Background: Macrophages are immune cells involved in various biological processes including host defence, homeostasis, differentiation, and organogenesis. Disruption of macrophage biology has been linked to increased pathogen infection, inflammation and malignant diseases. Differential gene expression observed in monocytic differentiation is primarily regulated by interacting transcription factors (TFs). Current research suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) degrade and repress translation of mRNA, but also may target genes involved in differentiation. We focus on getting insights into the transcriptional circuitry regulating miRNA genes expressed during monocytic differentiation. Results: We computationally analysed the transcriptional circuitry of miRNA genes during monocytic differentiation using in vitro time-course expression data for TFs and miRNAs. A set of TF?miRNA associations was derived from predicted TF binding sites in promoter regions of miRNA genes. Time-lagged expression correlation analysis was utilised to evaluate the TF?miRNA associations. Our analysis identified 12 TFs that potentially play a central role in regulating miRNAs throughout the differentiation process. Six of these 12 TFs (ATF2, E2F3, HOXA4, NFE2L1, SP3, and YY1) have not previously been described to be important for monocytic differentiation. The remaining six TFs are CEBPB, CREB1, ELK1, NFE2L2, RUNX1, and USF2. For several miRNAs (miR-21, miR-155, miR-424, and miR-17-92), we show how their inferred transcriptional regulation impacts monocytic differentiation. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that miRNAs and their transcriptional regulatory control are integral molecular mechanisms during differentiation. Furthermore, it is the first study to decipher on a large-scale, how miRNAs are controlled by TFs during human monocytic differentiation. Subsequently, we have identified 12 candidate key controllers of miRNAs during this differentiation process. 2009 Schmeier et al; licensee Bio

Sp1 and CREB regulate basal transcription of the human SNF2L gene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Yu; Jiang Baichun; Zou Yongxin; Gao Guimin; Shang Linshan; Chen Bingxi; Liu Qiji; Gong Yaoqin

2008-01-01

Imitation Switch (ISWI) is a member of the SWI2/SNF2 superfamily of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, which are involved in multiple nuclear functions, including transcriptional regulation, replication, and chromatin assembly. Mammalian genomes encode two ISWI orthologs, SNF2H and SNF2L. In order to clarify the molecular mechanisms governing the expression of human SNF2L gene, we functionally examined the transcriptional regulation of human SNF2L promoter. Reporter gene assays demonstrated that the minimal SNF2L promoter was located between positions -152 to -86 relative to the transcription start site. In this region we have identified a cAMP-response element (CRE) located at -99 to -92 and a Sp1-binding site at -145 to -135 that play a critical role in regulating basal activity of human SNF2L gene, which were proven by deletion and mutation of specific binding sites, EMSA, and down-regulating Sp1 and CREB via RNAi. This study provides the first insight into the mechanisms that control basal expression of human SNF2L gene

The Csr system regulates genome-wide mRNA stability and transcription and thus gene expression in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Esquerré, Thomas; Bouvier, Marie; Turlan, Catherine; Carpousis, Agamemnon J; Girbal, Laurence; Cocaign-Bousquet, Muriel

2016-04-26

Bacterial adaptation requires large-scale regulation of gene expression. We have performed a genome-wide analysis of the Csr system, which regulates many important cellular functions. The Csr system is involved in post-transcriptional regulation, but a role in transcriptional regulation has also been suggested. Two proteins, an RNA-binding protein CsrA and an atypical signaling protein CsrD, participate in the Csr system. Genome-wide transcript stabilities and levels were compared in wildtype E. coli (MG1655) and isogenic mutant strains deficient in CsrA or CsrD activity demonstrating for the first time that CsrA and CsrD are global negative and positive regulators of transcription, respectively. The role of CsrA in transcription regulation may be indirect due to the 4.6-fold increase in csrD mRNA concentration in the CsrA deficient strain. Transcriptional action of CsrA and CsrD on a few genes was validated by transcriptional fusions. In addition to an effect on transcription, CsrA stabilizes thousands of mRNAs. This is the first demonstration that CsrA is a global positive regulator of mRNA stability. For one hundred genes, we predict that direct control of mRNA stability by CsrA might contribute to metabolic adaptation by regulating expression of genes involved in carbon metabolism and transport independently of transcriptional regulation.

The rgg0182 gene encodes a transcriptional regulator required for the full Streptococcus thermophilus LMG18311 thermal adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Romain; Bruneau, Emmanuelle; Gardan, Rozenn; Bertin, Stéphane; Fleuchot, Betty; Decaris, Bernard; Leblond-Bourget, Nathalie

2011-10-07

Streptococcus thermophilus is an important starter strain for the production of yogurt and cheeses. The analysis of sequenced genomes of four strains of S. thermophilus indicates that they contain several genes of the rgg familly potentially encoding transcriptional regulators. Some of the Rgg proteins are known to be involved in bacterial stress adaptation. In this study, we demonstrated that Streptococcus thermophilus thermal stress adaptation required the rgg0182 gene which transcription depends on the culture medium and the growth temperature. This gene encoded a protein showing similarity with members of the Rgg family transcriptional regulator. Our data confirmed that Rgg0182 is a transcriptional regulator controlling the expression of its neighboring genes as well as chaperones and proteases encoding genes. Therefore, analysis of a Δrgg0182 mutant revealed that this protein played a role in the heat shock adaptation of Streptococcus thermophilus LMG18311. These data showed the importance of the Rgg0182 transcriptional regulator on the survival of S. thermophilus during dairy processes and more specifically during changes in temperature.

The rgg0182 gene encodes a transcriptional regulator required for the full Streptococcus thermophilus LMG18311 thermal adaptation

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Bertin Stéphane