Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0028754 (obesity)
 124,988 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Insulin sensitizers like metformin generally act through pathways triggered by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) controls mitochondrial beta-oxidation and is inhibited by malonyl-CoA, the product of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-ACC-CPT1 axis tightly regulates mitochondrial long-chain fatty acid oxidation. Evidence indicates that ACC2, the isoform located in close proximity to CPT1, is the major regulator of CPT1 activity. ACC2 as well as CPT1 are therefore potential targets to treat components of the metabolic syndrome such as obesity and insulin resistance. Reversible inhibitors of the liver isoform of CPT1, developed to prevent ketoacidosis and hyperglycemia, have been found to be associated with side effects like hepatic steatosis. However, stimulation of systemic CPT1 activity may be an attractive means to accelerate peripheral fatty acid oxidation and hence improve insulin sensitivity. Stimulation of CPT1 can be achieved by elimination or inhibition of ACC2 activity and through activating transcription factors like peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and their protein partners. The latter leads to enhanced CPT1 gene expression. Recent developments are discussed, including a recently identified CPT1 isoform, i.e. CPT1C. This protein is highly expressed in the brain and may provide a target for new tools to prevent obesity.
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PMID:Regulatory enzymes of mitochondrial beta-oxidation as targets for treatment of the metabolic syndrome. 1969 67

Recent data suggest that ghrelin exerts its orexigenic action through regulation of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase pathway, leading to a decline in malonyl-CoA levels and desinhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), which increases mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and ultimately enhances the expression of the orexigenic neuropeptides agouti-related protein (AgRP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). However, it is unclear whether the brain-specific isoform CPT1C, which is located in the endoplasmic reticulum of neurons, may play a role in this action. Here, we demonstrate that the orexigenic action of ghrelin is totally blunted in CPT1C knockout (KO) mice, despite having the canonical ghrelin signaling pathway activated. We also demonstrate that ghrelin elicits a marked upregulation of hypothalamic C18:0 ceramide levels mediated by CPT1C. Notably, central inhibition of ceramide synthesis with myriocin negated the orexigenic action of ghrelin and normalized the levels of AgRP and NPY, as well as their key transcription factors phosphorylated cAMP-response element-binding protein and forkhead box O1. Finally, central treatment with ceramide induced food intake and orexigenic neuropeptides expression in CPT1C KO mice. Overall, these data indicate that, in addition to formerly reported mechanisms, ghrelin also induces food intake through regulation of hypothalamic CPT1C and ceramide metabolism, a finding of potential importance for the understanding and treatment of obesity.
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PMID:Hypothalamic ceramide levels regulated by CPT1C mediate the orexigenic effect of ghrelin. 2349 72

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) 1C, a brain-specific protein localized in the endoplasmic reticulum of neurons, is expressed in almost all brain regions. Based on global knockout (KO) models, CPT1C has demonstrated relevance in hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and in hypothalamic regulation of energy balance. Specifically, it has been shown that CPT1C is protective against high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO), and that CPT1C KO mice show reduced peripheral fatty acid oxidation (FAO) during both fasting and DIO. However, the mechanisms mediating CPT1C-dependent regulation of energy homeostasis remain unclear. Here, we focus on the mechanistic understanding of hypothalamic CPT1C on the regulation of fuel selection in liver and muscle of male mice during energy deprivation situations, such as fasting. In CPT1C-deficient mice, modulation of the main hypothalamic energy sensors (5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, Sirtuin 1, and mammalian target of rapamycin) was impaired and plasma catecholamine levels were decreased. Consequently, CPT1C-deficient mice presented defective fasting-induced FAO in liver, leading to higher triacylglycerol accumulation and lower glycogen levels. Moreover, muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was increased, which was indicative of glycolysis enhancement. The respiratory quotient did not decrease in CPT1C KO mice after 48 hours of fasting, confirming a defective switch on fuel substrate selection under hypoglycemia. Phenotype reversion studies identified the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) as the main area mediating CPT1C effects on fuel selection. Overall, our data demonstrate that CPT1C in the MBH is necessary for proper hypothalamic sensing of a negative energy balance and fuel partitioning in liver and muscle.
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PMID:Hypothalamic Regulation of Liver and Muscle Nutrient Partitioning by Brain-Specific Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1C in Male Mice. 2847 67