Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The UCP2-UCP3 gene cluster maps to chromosome 11q13 in humans, and polymorphisms in these genes may contribute to obesity through effects on energy metabolism. DNA sequencing of UCP2 and UCP3 revealed three polymorphisms informative for association studies: an Ala-->Val substitution in exon 4 of UCP2, a 45 bp insertion/deletion in the 3'-untranslated region of exon 8 of UCP2 and a C-->T silent polymorphism in exon 3 of UCP3. Initially, 82 young (mean age = 30 +/- 7 years), unrelated, full-blooded, non-diabetic Pima Indians were typed for these polymorphisms by direct sequencing. The three sites were in linkage disequilibrium ( P < 0.00001). The UCP2 variants were associated with metabolic rate during sleep (exon 4, P = 0.007; exon 8, P = 0.016) and over 24 h (exon 8, P = 0.038). Heterozygotes for UCP2 variants had higher metabolic rates than homozygotes. The UCP3 variant was not significantly associated with metabolic rate or obesity. In a further 790 full-blooded Pima Indians, there was no significant association between the insertion/deletion polymorphism and body mass index (BMI). However, when only individuals >45 years of age were considered, heterozygotes (subjects with the highest sleeping metabolic rate) had the lowest BMI (P = 0.04). The location of the insertion/deletion polymorphism suggested a role in mRNA stability; however, it appeared to have no effect on skeletal muscle UCP2 mRNA levels in a subset of 23 randomly chosen Pima Indians. In conclusion, these results suggest a contribution from UCP2 (or UCP3) to variation in metabolic rate in young Pima Indians which may contribute to overall body fat content later in life.
Hum Mol Genet 1998 Sep
PMID:Association between uncoupling protein polymorphisms (UCP2-UCP3) and energy metabolism/obesity in Pima indians. 970 Jan 98

The tubby strain of mice exhibits maturity-onset obesity and sensory deficits in vision and hearing. The mutated gene, tub , responsible for this phenotype was identified recently, but the function of the TUB protein has not been deduced from its amino acid sequence. This prompted us to undertake expression mapping studies with the hope that they might help to elucidate the biological role of the TUB protein. We report the tub gene expression pattern in embryonic, fetal and adult mice tissues as determined by northern blots and in situ hybridization, using antisense oligonucleotidic probes. In mouse embryos, tub is expressed selectively in differentiating neurons of the ensemble of central and peripheral nervous systems, starting at 9.5 days after conception. In adult mice, tub is transcribed in several major brain areas, including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, several nuclei of the hypothalamus controlling feeding behavior, in the spiral ganglion of the inner ear and in the photoreceptor cells of the retina. These structures contain potential cellular targets of the tubby mutation-induced pathogenesis. The neuronal-specific tub gene distribution allows the establishment of a genotype-phenotype correlation in the tubby mice. This correlation is reminiscent of that observed in fat/fat mice, whose phenotype, also characterized by obesity, is caused by a null mutation in the carboxypeptidase E (CPE) gene. Our observations highlight similarities between CPE, prohormone convertases, several neuropeptides and tub gene expression patterns during embryogenesis, and may narrow down the avenues to explore in order to determine ultimately the function of the TUB protein.
Hum Mol Genet 1998 Sep
PMID:Prominent neuronal-specific tub gene expression in cellular targets of tubby mice mutation. 970 Jan 99

Fluoxetine is used in the treatment of a variety of clinical disorders including depression and obesity, and of cocaine detoxification or alcoholism. It is generally believed that fluoxetine exerts its clinical effects because it selectively blocks 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) reuptake into nerve terminals. In here we describe that fluoxetine antagonized the neuronal homomeric alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) expressed in Xenopus oocytes, with an IC50 of 43 microM, when fluoxetine was coapplied with ACh, and of 1.6 microM when the oocytes were pretreated briefly with fluoxetine. A similar block occurred in oocytes expressing L247T alpha 7 mutant nAChR. Furthermore, blockage of mutant alpha 7 receptors appeared non-competitive and was stronger with cell membrane hyperpolarization. Cell-attached single channel recordings in oocytes expressing L247T alpha 7 mutant nAChR showed that the voltage-dependence of the blockage by fluoxetine could be due to a drastic decrease in channel opening frequency accompanied by marked channel flickering and reduced channel conductance. We conclude that fluoxetine behaves as a reversible blocker of both wild and mutant alpha 7 receptors; and that the Leu-247T mutation in the channel domain renders the blockage of alpha 7 nAChR by fluoxetine voltage-dependent. These effects of fluoxetine on alpha 7 receptors may be clinically important.
Mol Psychiatry 1998 Jul
PMID:Effects of fluoxetine on wild and mutant neuronal alpha 7 nicotinic receptors. 970 46

Expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNFalpha) in adipocytes has been reported to correlate with insulin resistance associated with obesity. The thiazolidinediones such as BRL 49653 have been reported to improve insulin sensitivity in obese animals and humans. Although its exact mechanism of action is not known, BRL 49653 has been shown to antagonize some of the inhibitory actions of TNFalpha. BRL 49653 binds and activates the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARgamma2), an important nuclear transcription factor in adipocyte differentiation; however, its regulation of PPARgamma2 in differentiated adipocytes is unknown. In this paper, we find that BRL 49653 blocked the ability of TNFalpha to down-regulate the expression and transcription of several adipocyte genes, but BRL 49653 did not prevent TNFalpha from down-regulating PPARgamma2. Moreover, BRL 49653 alone initially decreased the expression of PPARgamma2 mRNA and protein greatly. After 24 h of treatment in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, BRL 49653 down-regulated PPARgamma2 by greater than 90% and potentiated the decrease of PPARgamma2 mRNA by TNFalpha at this time. These unexpected results prompted us to repeat the experiments for a longer time to determine whether BRL 49653 would continue to down-regulate PPARgamma2. With prolonged BRL 49653 treatment, PPARgamma2 mRNA expression was not decreased as greatly, and the protein levels were decreased 20-30% below control at 72 h compared to 90% at 24 h. Although BRL 49653 continued to prevent the inhibitory effects of TNFgamma on perilipin and aP2 mRNA, by 72 h, BRL 49653 was not as potent an inhibitor of TNFalpha's down-regulation of perilipin protein. Since PPARgamma2 protein was more abundant at this time, these results suggest that the level of PPARgamma2 protein is not the sole factor that regulates the transcriptional control by BRL 49653.
Mol Endocrinol 1998 Aug
PMID:The short- and long-term effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and BRL 49653 on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma2 gene expression and other adipocyte genes. 971 41

The discovery of leptin has generated an extraordinary interest in the field of obesity but also in the understanding of the relationship between metabolic status and the neuroendocrine system. Following the initial demonstration that leptin administration to fasting mice can 'protect' neuroendocrine secretions and prevent the changes that are associated with fasting, the concept has emerged that a normal leptin secretion is a prerequisite for normal neuroendocrine secretions. Several unfavorable metabolic situations are associated with low plasma leptin, increased secretion of hypothalmic neuropeptide Y (NPY), and hypogonadism, and a causal relationship has been evoked. Severe dietary restriction in juvenile female rats is associated with low plasma leptin and sexual immaturity. Cessation of food restriction leads to immediate increase in plasma leptin followed 4 days later by vaginal opening. If food restriction is maintained, central leptin infusion can induce sexual maturation, thus demonstrating that leptin can act as a signal for the onset of puberty. In untreated type-I diabetic rats, hypogonadism is associated with very low plasma leptin and increased hypothalmic NYP synthesis and oestrous cyclicity. Fasting rapidly inhibits growth hormone (GH) secretion in association with low plasma leptin and elevated hypothalmic NPY. Central infusion of leptin to fasting rats was able to completely prevent the collapse of GH secretion and to maintain a normal low NPY synthesis. In summary, normally elevated plasma levels appear to be a prerequisite for normal GH and gonadotropin secretion in the rat. Degradation of metabolic conditions results in a rapid reduction of circulating leptin that could represent the signal for several alterations of neuroendocrine secretions. At the level of the hypothalamus, leptin could act on NPY neurons to transduce part or all of this 'metabolic' message. The possibility that changing plasma levels for leptin also affect peripheral endocrine targets, such as pituitary, ovary, adrenal or pancreas, is likely since these endocrine organs express functional long-term leptin receptors.
Mol Cell Endocrinol 1998 May 25
PMID:Metabolic control of sexual function and growth: role of neuropeptide Y and leptin. 972 77

The tubby mouse is characterized by an autosomal recessive mutation which results in the development of maturity-onset obesity and sensorineural hearing loss and retinal degeneration. Although the tubby mutation which leads to a splicing defect of the tub gene has been identified recently, the mechanism by which it causes the obesity syndrome has not been established. In this study, the potential dysfunction of several hypothalamic neuroendocrine pathways involved in the central regulation of energy metabolism was investigated in tubby mice. In comparison with the wild-type controls, a significant reduction (20%) of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression was observed in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the mature, obese but not in the juvenile, non-obese tubby mice. Similarly, an age and body mass-dependent induction (about 30-fold) of neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA was observed in the dorsomedial (DMH) and ventromedial (VMH) hypothalamic nuclei of the tubby mice. However, NPY mRNA in the ARC was decreased by approximately 30 to 40% in both juvenile and mature tubby mice. The hypothalamic expression patterns of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and the long form leptin receptor (OB-Rb) were not significantly altered in the mutant mice. These results suggest that the altered hypothalamic POMC and/or NPY functions may be important contributing factors for the development of obesity in this animal model.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1998 Aug 31
PMID:Evidence of altered hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin/ neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in tubby mice. 972 27

Fatty acid transport protein (FATP) was identified by expression cloning strategies (Schaffer, J. E., and Lodish, H. F. (1994) Cell 79, 427-436) and shown by transfection analysis to catalyze the transfer of long-chain fatty acids across the plasma membrane of cells. It is expressed highly in tissues exhibiting rapid fatty acid metabolism such as skeletal muscle, heart, and adipose. FATP mRNA levels are down-regulated by insulin in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes and up-regulated by nutrient depletion in murine adipose tissue (Man, M. Z., Hui, T. Y., Schaffer, J. E., Lodish, H. F., and Bernlohr, D. A. (1996) Mol. Endocrinol. 10, 1021-1028). To determine the molecular mechanism of insulin regulation of FATP transcription, we have isolated the murine FATP gene and its 5'-flanking sequences. The FATP gene spans approximately 16 kilobases and contains 13 exons, of which exon 2 is alternatively spliced. S1 nuclease and RNase protection assays revealed the presence of multiple transcription start sites; the DNA sequence upstream of the predominant transcription start sites lacks a typical TATA box. By transient transfection assays in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the inhibitory action of insulin on FATP transcription was localized to a cis-acting element with the sequence 5'-TGTTTTC-3' from -1347 to -1353. This sequence is very similar to the insulin response sequence found in the regulatory region of other genes negatively regulated by insulin such as those encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, tyrosine aminotransferase, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed that the murine FATP gene is localized to chromosome 8, band 8B3.3. Interestingly, this region of chromosome 8 contains a cluster of three other genes important for fatty acid homeostasis, lipoprotein lipase, the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1. These results characterize the murine FATP gene and its insulin responsiveness as well as present a framework for future studies of its role in lipid metabolism, obesity, and type II diabetes mellitus.
 ...
PMID:Characterization of the murine fatty acid transport protein gene and its insulin response sequence. 976 71

In obesity several mechanisms contribute to produce insulin resistance. Elevation of plasma FFA increases the concentration of cytoplasmic long-chain-CoA (LC-CoA) and mitochondrial acetyl-CoA. The latter inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and, therefore, glucose oxidation. LC-CoA exerts an array of effects, some mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, including modulation of gene expression of enzymes of glycolipid metabolism, thus inhibiting glucose utilization and potentiating FFA oxidation. Enhanced availability of glucose plus insulin forces glucose utilization (activation of PDH and glycogen synthase) and leads to increased production of malonyl-CoA (via citrate), which inhibits carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 and therefore FFA beta-oxidation. In obesity there is often enhanced availability of both FFA and glucose plus insulin. The latter, by increasing malonyl-CoA, may limit FFA beta-oxidation. This, however, leads to further increases in LC-CoA, which worsens insulin resistance. All these mechanisms occur through both short-term and long-term effects. Therefore, when insulin sensitivity is measured with the hyperinsulinemic clamp, which artificially suppresses FFA levels, the FFA short-term effects are lost. More physiological methods are those utilizing OGTT data, allowing calculation of an Insulin Sensitivity Index for glycemia, or ISI(gly), through the formula: 2/((INSp x GLYp)+1), where INSp and GLYp are the measured insulin and glycemic areas expressed by taking mean normal value as 1. The corresponding Insulin Resistance Index, or IRI(gly), can be obtained through the formula: 2/((1/(INSp x GLYp))+1). Substitution of glycemic (GLYp) with FFA (FFAp) values allows the calculation of indices of insulin sensitivity and resistance for FFA, i.e., ISI(ffa) and IRI(ffa).
Mol Genet Metab 1998 Oct
PMID:Insulin resistance in obesity: metabolic mechanisms and measurement methods. 978 4

Oxidative metabolism of glucose is regulated by pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) that can be inhibited by isoforms of PDH kinase (PDK). Recently, increased PDK activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in obese subjects. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we measured mRNA of PDK2 and PDK4 isoforms in skeletal muscle biopsies from nondiabetic Pima Indians, a population with a high prevalence of NIDDM associated with obesity. PDK2 and PDK4 mRNAs were positively correlated with fasting plasma insulin concentration, 2-h plasma insulin concentration in response to oral glucose, and percentage body fat, whereas both isoforms were negatively correlated with insulin-mediated glucose uptake rates. Measurements of PDK2 and PDK4 mRNA during the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and of PDK2 in cell culture indicated that both transcripts decrease in response to insulin. Increased fatty acid (FA) oxidation has been traditionally viewed as the cause for increased PDK activity contributing to insulin resistance in obese subjects. In contrast, our data indicate that insufficient downregulation of PDK mRNA in insulin-resistant individuals could be a cause of increased PDK expression leading to impaired glucose oxidation followed by increased FA oxidation.
Mol Genet Metab 1998 Oct
PMID:Insulin downregulates pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) mRNA: potential mechanism contributing to increased lipid oxidation in insulin-resistant subjects. 978 10

Genetically separate lines of Coopworth sheep have been bred by selecting for (fat genotype) or against (lean genotype) backfat depth. Typically, the total fat content, adjusted for carcass weight, is 21.2 and 29.3% for the lean and fat lines, respectively. As a homologue of the obese gene, which shows altered expression in several forms of obesity, is also expressed in sheep, it was decided to determine whether the obese gene was differentially expressed in each line of sheep. The relative level of expression of obese mRNA was approximately twofold higher in the fat line compared with the lean line in back, omental and perirenal fat depots of ram lambs fed ad libitum or fasted for 48 h. This elevation in the fat line is most likely a secondary consequence of obesity rather than a cause. Fasting for 48 h decreased obese mRNA levels by 8.9-, 8.5-, and 4.2-fold in back, omental and perirenal fat, respectively, in the lean line, and by 8.3-, 5.7-, and 3.5-fold in back, omental and perirenal fat, respectively, in the fat line. The lean and fat lines of sheep, therefore, responded in a similar way to fasting.
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 1998 Jul
PMID:Expression of obese mRNA in genetically lean and fat selection lines of sheep. 978 14


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>