Publications by authors named "Ana M Velazquez"

We previously demonstrated that treatment with BemA (bempedoic acid), an inhibitor of ATP citrate lyase, significantly reduces fatty liver in a model of liver steatosis (HFHFr-female Sprague-Dawley rat fed a high-fat high-fructose diet). Since the hepatic production of the gasotransmitter HS is impaired in liver disorders, we were interested in determining if the production of HS was altered in our HFHFr model and whether the administration of BemA reversed these changes. We used stored liver samples from a previous study to determine the total and enzymatic HS production, as well as the expression of CBS (cystathionine β-synthase), CSE (cystathionine γ-lyase), and 3MST (3-mercaptopiruvate sulfurtransferase), and the expression/activity of FXR (farnesoid X receptor), a transcription factor involved in regulating CSE expression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bempedoic acid (BemA) is an ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitor used to treat hypercholesterolemia. We studied the anti-steatotic effect of BemA, and the mechanisms involved, in a model of fatty liver in female rats obtained through the administration of a high-fat diet supplemented with liquid fructose (HFHFr) for three months. In the third month, a group of rats was treated with BemA (30 mg/kg/day) by gavage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Scope: The aim of this study is to delineate the contribution of dietary saturated fatty acids (FA) versus liquid fructose to fatty liver and hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods And Results: Three groups of female rats are maintained for 3 months in standard chow (CT); High-fat diet (46.9% of fat-derived calories, rich in palmitic and stearic FA, HFD); and HFD with 10% w/v fructose in drinking water (HFHFr).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: In its initial stages, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease presents hypertriglyceridemia and accumulation of lipids in the liver (hepatic steatosis). Bempedoic acid is an ATP:citrate lyase inhibitor that promotes a dual inhibition of the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids. However, its effect in the prevention / treatment of hepatic steatosis and hypertriglyceridemia has not been investigated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased over the last decades and may evolve into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As HCC is challenging to treat, knowledge on the modifiable risk factors for NAFLD/HCC (e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a highly prevalent condition without specific pharmacological treatment, characterized in the initial stages by hepatic steatosis. It was suggested that lipid infiltration in the liver might be reduced by caffeine through anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and fatty acid metabolism-related mechanisms. We investigated the effects of caffeine (CAF) and green coffee extract (GCE) on hepatic lipids in lean female rats with steatosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) has been proposed as a good model to study the pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases and glucose intolerance. Our research group developed the SLA16 (SHR.LEW-Anxrr16) congenic strain, which is genetically identical to the SHR strain, except for a locus on chromosome 4 (DGR).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One of the most important threats to global human health is the increasing incidences of metabolic pathologies (including obesity, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), which is paralleled by increasing consumptions of hypercaloric diets enriched in simple sugars. The challenge is to identify the metabolic pathways affected by the excessive consumption of these dietary components when they are consumed in excess, to unravel the molecular mechanisms leading to metabolic pathologies and identify novel therapeutic targets to manage them. Mechanistic (mammalian) target of rapamycin (mTOR) has emerged as one of the key molecular nodes that integrate extracellular signals, such as energy status and nutrient availability, to trigger cell responses that could lead to the above-mentioned diseases through the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Scope: The effect of chronic supplementation with simple-sugar solutions on leptin signaling in liver, hypothalamus, and visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) is studied, which is designed to mimic the temporal pattern of consumption by humans.

Methods And Results: Solutions of fructose or glucose are isocalorically supplemented (7 months) in female Sprague-Dawley rats consuming ad libitum rodent chow. After sacrifice, plasma and tissue samples (liver, hypothalamus, and vWAT) are collected.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A main target in the treatment of hypertension is the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). This enzyme is responsible for producing angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor. Therefore, one of the targets in the treatment of hypertension is to inhibit ACE activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF