| 1. |
- Bandaru, Sashidar, et al.
(författare)
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Lack of RAC1 in macrophages protects against atherosclerosis.
- 2020
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Ingår i: PLoS One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 15:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Rho GTPase RAC1 is an important regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics, but the role of macrophage-specific RAC1 has not been explored during atherogenesis. We analyzed RAC1 expression in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques using immunofluorescence and found higher macrophage RAC1 expression in advanced plaques compared with intermediate human atherosclerotic plaques. We then produced mice with Rac1-deficient macrophages by breeding conditional floxed Rac1 mice (Rac1fl/fl) with mice expressing Cre from the macrophage-specific lysosome M promoter (LC). Atherosclerosis was studied in vivo by infecting Rac1fl/fl and Rac1fl/fl/LC mice with AdPCSK9 (adenoviral vector overexpressing proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9). Rac1fl/fl/LC macrophages secreted lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and exhibited reduced foam cell formation and lipid uptake. The deficiency of Rac1 in macrophages reduced the size of aortic atherosclerotic plaques in AdPCSK9-infected Rac1fl/fl/LC mice. Compare with controls, intima/media ratios, the size of necrotic cores, and numbers of CD68-positive macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques were reduced in Rac1-deficient mice. Moreover, we found that RAC1 interacts with actin-binding filamin A. Macrophages expressed increased RAC1 levels in advanced human atherosclerosis. Genetic inactivation of RAC1 impaired macrophage function and reduced atherosclerosis in mice, suggesting that drugs targeting RAC1 may be useful in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
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| 2. |
- Battisti, Umberto Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Exploration of Novel Urolithin C Derivatives as Non-Competitive Inhibitors of Liver Pyruvate Kinase
- 2023
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Ingår i: Pharmaceuticals. - : MDPI AG. - 1424-8247. ; 16:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The inhibition of liver pyruvate kinase could be beneficial to halt or reverse non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a progressive accumulation of fat in the liver that can lead eventually to cirrhosis. Recently, urolithin C has been reported as a new scaffold for the development of allosteric inhibitors of liver pyruvate kinase (PKL). In this work, a comprehensive structure-activity analysis of urolithin C was carried out. More than 50 analogues were synthesized and tested regarding the chemical features responsible for the desired activity. These data could pave the way to the development of more potent and selective PKL allosteric inhibitors.
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| 3. |
- Battisti, U. M., et al.
(författare)
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Serendipitous Identification of a Covalent Activator of Liver Pyruvate Kinase
- 2023
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Ingår i: ChemBioChem (Print). - : Wiley. - 1439-4227 .- 1439-7633. ; 24:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Enzymes are effective biological catalysts that accelerate almost all metabolic reactions in living organisms. Synthetic modulators of enzymes are useful tools for the study of enzymatic reactions and can provide starting points for the design of new drugs. Here, we report on the discovery of a class of biologically active compounds that covalently modifies lysine residues in human liver pyruvate kinase (PKL), leading to allosteric activation of the enzyme (EC50=0.29 μM). Surprisingly, the allosteric activation control point resides on the lysine residue K282 present in the catalytic site of PKL. These findings were confirmed by structural data, MS/MS experiments, and molecular modelling studies. Altogether, our study provides a molecular basis for the activation mechanism and establishes a framework for further development of human liver pyruvate kinase covalent activators.
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| 4. |
- Blomqvist, Maria K., 1975, et al.
(författare)
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High-throughput analysis of sulfatides in cerebrospinal fluid using automated extraction and UPLC-MS/MS
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Lipid Research. - 0022-2275. ; 58:7, s. 1482-1489
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sulfatides (STs) are a group of glycosphingolipids that are highly expressed in brain. Due to their importance for normal brain function and their potential involvement in neurological diseases, development of accurate and sensitive methods for their determination is needed. Here we describe a high-throughput oriented and quantitative method for the determination of STs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The STs were extracted using a fully automated liquid/liquid extraction method and quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. With the high sensitivity of the developed method, quantification of 20 ST species from only 100 mu l of CSF was performed. Validation of the method showed that the STs were extracted with high recovery (90%) and could be determined with low inter-and intra-day variation. Our method was applied to a patient cohort of subjects with an Alzheimer's disease biomarker profile. Although the total ST levels were unaltered compared with an age-matched control group, we show that the ratio of hydroxylated/nonhydroxylated STs was increased in the patient cohort. In conclusion, we believe that the fast, sensitive, and accurate method described in this study is a powerful new tool for the determination of STs in clinical as well as preclinical settings.-Blomqvist, M., J. Boren, H. Zetterberg, K. Blennow, J-E. Mansson, and M. Stahlman. High-throughput analysis of sulfatides in cerebrospinal fluid using automated extraction and UPLC-MS/MS.
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| 5. |
- Boström, Pontus, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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The SNARE protein SNAP23 and the SNARE-interacting protein Munc18c in human skeletal muscle are implicated in insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 1939-327X .- 0012-1797. ; 59:8, s. 1870-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Our previous studies suggest that the SNARE protein synaptosomal-associated protein of 23 kDa (SNAP23) is involved in the link between increased lipid levels and insulin resistance in cardiomyocytes. The objective was to determine whether SNAP23 may also be involved in the known association between lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle and insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes in humans, as well as to identify a potential regulator of SNAP23. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed skeletal muscle biopsies from patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy, insulin-sensitive control subjects for expression (mRNA and protein) and intracellular localization (subcellular fractionation and immunohistochemistry) of SNAP23, and for expression of proteins known to interact with SNARE proteins. Insulin resistance was determined by a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Potential mechanisms for regulation of SNAP23 were also investigated in the skeletal muscle cell line L6. RESULTS: We showed increased SNAP23 levels in skeletal muscle from patients with type 2 diabetes compared with that from lean control subjects. Moreover, SNAP23 was redistributed from the plasma membrane to the microsomal/cytosolic compartment in the patients with the type 2 diabetes. Expression of the SNARE-interacting protein Munc18c was higher in skeletal muscle from patients with type 2 diabetes. Studies in L6 cells showed that Munc18c promoted the expression of SNAP23. CONCLUSIONS: We have translated our previous in vitro results into humans by showing that there is a change in the distribution of SNAP23 to the interior of the cell in skeletal muscle from patients with type 2 diabetes. We also showed that Munc18c is a potential regulator of SNAP23.
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| 6. |
- Cansby, Emmelie, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Targeted Delivery of Stk25 Antisense Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes Protects Mice Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: CMGH Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-345X. ; 7:3, s. 597-618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are emerging as leading causes of liver disease worldwide. Currently, no specific pharmacologic therapy is available for NAFLD/NASH, which has been recognized as one of the major unmet medical needs of the 21st century. Our recent studies in genetic mouse models, human cell lines, and well-characterized patient cohorts have identified serine/threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of hepatic lipid partitioning and NAFLD/NASH. Here, we studied the metabolic benefit of liver-specific STK25 inhibitors on NAFLD development and progression in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Methods: We developed a hepatocyte-specific triantennary N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting Stk25 and evaluated its effect on NAFLD features in mice after chronic exposure to dietary lipids. Results: We found that systemic administration of hepatocyte-targeting GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in obese mice effectively ameliorated steatosis, inflammatory infiltration, hepatic stellate cell activation, nutritional fibrosis, and hepatocellular damage in the liver compared with mice treated with GalNAc-conjugated nontargeting ASO, without any systemic toxicity or local tolerability concerns. We also observed protection against high-fat-diet–induced hepatic oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial function with Stk25 ASO treatment in mice. Moreover, GalNAc-Stk25 ASO suppressed lipogenic gene expression and acetyl-CoA carboxylase protein abundance in the liver, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying repression of hepatic steatosis. Conclusions: This study provides in vivo nonclinical proof-of-principle for the metabolic benefit of liver-specific inhibition of STK25 in the context of obesity and warrants future investigations to address the therapeutic potential of GalNAc-Stk25 ASO in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
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| 7. |
- Chaudhari, Aditi, et al.
(författare)
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ARAP2 promotes GLUT1-mediated basal glucose uptake through regulation of sphingolipid metabolism
- 2016
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids. - : Elsevier BV. - 1388-1981. ; 1861:11, s. 1643-1651
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lipid droplet formation, which is driven by triglyceride synthesis, requires several droplet-associated proteins. We identified ARAP2 (an ADP-ribosylation factor 6 GTPase-activating protein) in the lipid droplet proteome of NIH-3T3 cells and showed that knockdown of ARAP2 resulted in decreased lipid droplet formation and triglyceride synthesis. We also showed that ARAP2 knockdown did not affect fatty acid uptake but reduced basal glucose uptake, total levels of the glucose transporter GLUT1, and GLUT1 levels in the plasma membrane and the lipid micro-domain fraction (a specialized plasma membrane domain enriched in sphingolipids). Microarray analysis showed that ARAP2 knockdown altered expression of genes involved in sphingolipid metabolism. Because sphingolipids are known to play a key role in cell signaling, we performed lipidomics to further investigate the relationship between ARAP2 and sphingolipids and potentially identify a link with glucose uptake. We found that ARAP2 knockdown increased glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide levels without affecting ceramide levels, and thus speculated that the rate-limiting enzyme in glycosphingolipid synthesis, namely glucosylceramide synthase (GCS), could be modified by ARAP2. In agreement with our hypothesis, we showed that the activity of GCS was increased by ARAP2 knockdown and reduced by ARAP2 overexpression. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of GCS resulted in increases in basal glucose uptake, total GLUT1 levels, triglyceride biosynthesis from glucose, and lipid droplet formation, indicating that the effects of GCS inhibition are the opposite to those resulting from ARAP2 knockdown. Taken together, our data suggest that ARAP2 promotes lipid droplet formation by modifying sphingolipid metabolism through GCS.
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| 8. |
- Dunér, Pontus, et al.
(författare)
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Antibodies against apoB100 peptide 210 inhibit atherosclerosis in apoE(-/-) mice
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Atherosclerotic plaques are characterized by an accumulation and subsequent oxidation of LDL, resulting in adaptive immune responses against formed or exposed neoepitopes of the LDL particle. Autoantibodies against native p210, the 3136-3155 amino acid sequence of the LDL protein apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB100) are common in humans and have been associated with less severe atherosclerosis and decreased risk for cardiovascular events in clinical studies. However, whether apoB100 native p210 autoantibodies play a functional role in atherosclerosis is not known. In the present study we immunized apoE(-/-) mice with p210-PADRE peptide to induce an antibody response against native p210. We also injected mice with murine monoclonal IgG against native p210. Control groups were immunized with PADRE peptide alone or with control murine monoclonal IgG. Immunization with p210-PADRE induced an IgG1 antibody response against p210 that was associated with reduced atherosclerotic plaque formation in the aorta and reduced MDA-LDL content in the lesions. Treatment with monoclonal p210 IgG produced a similar reduction in atherosclerosis as immunization with p210-PADRE. Our findings support an atheroprotective role of antibodies against the apoB100 native p210 and suggest that vaccines that induce the expression of native p210 IgG represent a potential therapeutic strategy for lowering cardiovascular risk.
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| 9. |
- Fryk, Emanuel, et al.
(författare)
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Microdialysis and proteomics of subcutaneous interstitial fluid reveals increased galectin-1 in type 2 diabetes patients
- 2016
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Ingår i: Metabolism-Clinical and Experimental. - : Elsevier BV. - 0026-0495 .- 1532-8600. ; 65:7, s. 998-1006
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To identify a potential therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes by comparing the subcutaneous interstitial fluid from type 2 diabetes patients and healthy men. Methods. Proteomics was performed on the interstitial fluid of subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained by microdialysis from 7 type 2 diabetes patients and 8 healthy participants. 851 proteins were detected, of which 36 (including galectin-1) showed significantly altered expression in type 2 diabetes. We also measured galectin-1 expression in: (1) adipocytes isolated from adipose tissue biopsies from these participants; (2) subcutaneous adipose tissue of 24 obese participants before, during and after 16 weeks on a very low calorie diet (VLCD); and (3) adipocytes isolated from 6 healthy young participants after 4 weeks on a diet and lifestyle intervention to promote weight gain. We also determined the effect of galectin-1 on glucose uptake in human adipose tissue. Results. Galectin-1 protein levels were elevated in subcutaneous dialysates from type 2 diabetes compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05). In agreement, galectin-1 mRNA expression was increased in adipocytes from the type 2 diabetes patients (p < 0.05). Furthermore, galectin-1 mRNA expression was decreased in adipose tissue after VLCD (p < 0.05) and increased by overfeeding (p < 0.05). Co-incubation of isolated human adipocytes with galectin-1 reduced glucose uptake (p < 0.05) but this was independent of the insulin signal. Conclusion. Proteomics of the interstitial fluid in subcutaneous adipose tissue in vivo identified a novel adipokine, galectin-1, with a potential role in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 10. |
- Glise, Lars, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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pH-Dependent Protonation of Histidine Residues Is Critical for Electrostatic Binding of Low-Density Lipoproteins to Human Coronary Arteries
- 2022
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Ingår i: Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1079-5642 .- 1524-4636. ; 42:8, s. 1037-1047
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The initiating step in atherogenesis is the electrostatic binding of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) to proteoglycan glycosaminoglycans in the arterial intima. However, although proteoglycans are widespread throughout the intima of most coronary artery segments, LDL is not evenly distributed, indicating that LDL retention is not merely dependent on the presence of proteoglycans. We aim to identify factors that promote the interaction between LDL and the vessel wall of human coronary arteries. Methods: We developed an ex vivo model to investigate binding of labeled human LDL to human coronary artery sections without the interference of cellular processes. Results: By staining consecutive sections of human coronary arteries, we found strong staining of sulfated glycosaminoglycans throughout the arterial intima, whereas endogenous LDL deposits were focally distributed. Ex vivo binding of LDL was uniform at all intimal areas with sulfated glycosaminoglycans. However, lowering the pH from 7.4 to 6.5 triggered a 35-fold increase in LDL binding. The pH-dependent binding was abolished by pretreating LDL with diethyl-pyrocarbonate, which blocks the protonation of histidine residues, or cyclohexanedione, which inhibits the positive charge of site B on LDL. Thus, both histidine protonation and site B are required for strong electrostatic LDL binding to the intima. Conclusions: This study identifies histidine protonation as an important component for electrostatic LDL binding to human coronary arteries. Our findings show that the local pH will have a profound impact on LDL's affinity for sulfated glycosaminoglycans, which may influence the retention and accumulation pattern of LDL in the arterial vasculature.
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