| 1. |
- Schriever, Sonja C., et al.
(författare)
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Type 2 diabetes risk gene Dusp8 regulates hypothalamic Jnk signaling and insulin sensitivity
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - 0021-9738. ; 130:11, s. 6093-6108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified DUSP8, encoding a dual-specificity phosphatase targeting mitogen-activated protein kinases, as a type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk gene. Here, we reveal that Dusp8 is a gatekeeper in the hypothalamic control of glucose homeostasis in mice and humans. Male, but not female, Dusp8 loss-of-function mice, either with global or corticotropin-releasing hormone neuron–specific deletion, had impaired systemic glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity when exposed to high-fat diet (HFD). Mechanistically, we found impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis feedback, blunted sympathetic responsiveness, and chronically elevated corticosterone levels driven by hypothalamic hyperactivation of Jnk signaling. Accordingly, global Jnk1 ablation, AAV-mediated Dusp8 overexpression in the mediobasal hypothalamus, or metyrapone-induced chemical adrenalectomy rescued the impaired glucose homeostasis of obese male Dusp8-KO mice, respectively. The sex-specific role of murine Dusp8 in governing hypothalamic Jnk signaling, insulin sensitivity, and systemic glucose tolerance was consistent with functional MRI data in human volunteers that revealed an association of the DUSP8 rs2334499 risk variant with hypothalamic insulin resistance in men. Further, expression of DUSP8 was increased in the infundibular nucleus of T2D humans. In summary, our findings suggest the GWAS-identified gene Dusp8 as a novel hypothalamic factor that plays a functional role in the etiology of T2D.
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| 2. |
- Berglund, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Novel blocker of NFAT activation inhibits IL-6 production in human myometrial arteries and reduces vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation
- 2007
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Ingår i: American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 1522-1563 .- 0363-6143. ; 292:3, s. 1167-1178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells ( NFAT) signaling pathway has been found to play a role in regulating growth and differentiation in several cell types. However, the functional significance of NFAT in the vasculature is largely unclear. Here we show that NFATc1, NFATc3, and NFATc4 are expressed in human myometrial arteries. Confocal immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis revealed that endothelin-1 efficiently increases NFATc3 nuclear accumulation in native arteries. Endothelin-1 also stimulates NFAT-dependent transcriptional activity, as shown by a luciferase reporter assay. Both the agonist-induced NFAT nuclear accumulation and transcriptional activity were prevented by the calcineurin inhibitor CsA and by the novel NFAT blocker A-285222. Chronic inhibition of NFAT significantly reduced IL-6 production in intact myometrial arteries and inhibited cell proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells cultured from explants from the same arteries. Furthermore, by using small interfering RNA-mediated reduction of NFATc3, we show that this isoform is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation. Protein synthesis in intact arteries was investigated using autoradiography of [S-35] methionine incorporation in serum-free culture. Inhibition of NFAT signaling did not affect overall protein synthesis or specifically the synthesis rates of major proteins associated with the contractile/cytoskeletal system. An intact contractile phenotype under these conditions was also shown by unchanged force response to depolarization or agonist stimulation. Our results demonstrate NFAT expression and activation in native human vessels and point out A-285222 as a powerful pharmacological blocker of NFAT signaling in the vasculature.
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| 3. |
- Cunha, Daniel A., et al.
(författare)
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Thrombospondin 1 protects pancreatic beta-cells from lipotoxicity via the PERK-NRF2 pathway
- 2016
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Ingår i: Cell Death and Differentiation. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1350-9047 .- 1476-5403. ; 23:12, s. 1995-2006
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The failure of beta-cells has a central role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, and the identification of novel approaches to improve functional beta-cell mass is essential to prevent/revert the disease. Here we show a critical novel role for thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) in beta-cell survival during lipotoxic stress in rat, mouse and human models. THBS1 acts from within the endoplasmic reticulum to activate PERK and NRF2 and induce a protective antioxidant defense response against palmitate. Prolonged palmitate exposure causes THBS1 degradation, oxidative stress, activation of JNK and upregulation of PUMA, culminating in beta-cell death. These findings shed light on the mechanisms leading to beta-cell failure during metabolic stress and point to THBS1 as an interesting therapeutic target to prevent oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes.
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