Publications by authors named "Brian S Finlin"

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as important mediators of intertissue signaling and exercise adaptations. In this human study, we provide evidence that muscle-specific microRNA-1 (miR-1) was transferred to adipose tissue via EVs following an acute bout of resistance exercise. Using a multimodel machine learning automation tool, we discovered muscle primary miR-1 transcript and CD63+ EV count in circulation as top explanatory features for changes in adipose miR-1 levels in response to resistance exercise.

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Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) hydrolyzes the triglyceride core of lipoproteins and also functions as a bridge, allowing for lipoprotein and cholesterol uptake. Transgenic mice expressing LPL in adipose tissue under the control of the adiponectin promoter (AdipoQ-LPL) have improved glucose metabolism when challenged with a high fat diet. Here, we studied the transcriptional response of the adipose tissue of these mice to acute high fat diet exposure.

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Objective: Aldose reductase (AKR1B1 in humans; Akr1b3 in mice), a key enzyme of the polyol pathway, mediates lipid accumulation in the murine heart and liver. The study objective was to explore potential roles for AKR1B1/Akr1b3 in the pathogenesis of obesity and its complications.

Methods: The study employed mice treated with an inhibitor of aldose reductase or mice devoid of Akr1b3 were used to determine their response to a high-fat diet.

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Acute cold induces beige adipocyte protein marker expression in human subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SC WAT) from both the cold treated and contralateral leg, and the immune system regulates SC WAT beiging in mice. Cold treatment significantly increased the gene expression of the macrophage markers CD68 and 86 in SC WAT. Therefore, we comprehensively investigated the involvement of macrophages in SC WAT beiging in lean and obese humans by immunohistochemistry.

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BACKGROUNDBeige and brown adipose tissue (BAT) are associated with improved metabolic homeostasis. We recently reported that the β3-adrenergic receptor agonist mirabegron induced beige adipose tissue in obese insulin-resistant subjects, and this was accompanied by improved glucose metabolism. Here we evaluated pioglitazone treatment with a combination pioglitazone and mirabegron treatment and compared these with previously published data evaluating mirabegron treatment alone.

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BACKGROUNDBeige adipose tissue is associated with improved glucose homeostasis in mice. Adipose tissue contains β3-adrenergic receptors (β3-ARs), and this study was intended to determine whether the treatment of obese, insulin-resistant humans with the β3-AR agonist mirabegron, which stimulates beige adipose formation in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SC WAT), would induce other beneficial changes in fat and muscle and improve metabolic homeostasis.METHODSBefore and after β3-AR agonist treatment, oral glucose tolerance tests and euglycemic clamps were performed, and histochemical analysis and gene expression profiling were performed on fat and muscle biopsies.

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Context: The gut microbiome is a source of inflammatory factors such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS; endotoxin) that influence metabolic homeostasis. Rifaximin is a well-tolerated antibiotic that may reduce LPS.

Objective: We sought to develop a method to accurately assess postprandial endotoxemia and to determine whether rifaximin treatment improves metabolic homeostasis in obese humans with metabolic syndrome.

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In a recent study, repeated cold application induced beiging in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SC WAT) of humans independent of body mass index. To identify factors that promote or inhibit beiging, we performed multiplex analysis of gene expression with the Nanostring nCounter system (the probe set contained genes for specific immune cell markers, cytokines, and chemokines) on the SC WAT from lean subjects. Multiple correlations analysis identified mast cell tryptase and CCL26, a chemokine for mast cells, as genes whose change correlated positively with the change in UCP1 in SC WAT, leading to the hypothesis that mast cells promote SC WAT beiging in response to cold.

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Skeletal muscle macrophages participate in repair and regeneration following injury. However, their role in physiological adaptations to exercise is unexplored. We determined whether endurance exercise training (EET) alters macrophage content and characteristics in response to resistance exercise (RE), and whether macrophages are associated with other exercise adaptations.

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Sphingosine kinases phosphorylate sphingosine to sphingosine 1‑phosphate (S1P), which functions as a signaling molecule. We have previously shown that sphingosine kinase 2 (Sphk2) is important for insulin secretion. To obtain a better understanding of the role of Sphk2 in glucose and lipid metabolism, we have characterized 20- and 52-week old Sphk2 mice using glucose and insulin tolerance tests and by analyzing metabolic gene expression in adipose tissue.

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Background: The induction of beige adipocytes in s.c. white adipose tissue (WAT) depots of humans is postulated to improve glucose and lipid metabolism in obesity.

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Context: KDT501 is an isohumulone drug that has demonstrated beneficial effects on metabolic parameters in mice.

Objective: This study was intended to examine potential improvements in metabolism in humans.

Design And Setting: Changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, along with inflammatory markers, were evaluated in prediabetic humans in a clinical research center.

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Objective: In a phase II clinical trial in nine obese, insulin-resistant humans, we observed that treatment with KDT501, a novel isohumulone drug, increased total and high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin in plasma. The objective was to determine whether KDT501 increased adiponectin secretion from subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SC WAT) and the underlying mechanism(s).

Methods: Nine obese participants with either prediabetes or with normal glucose tolerance plus three features of metabolic syndrome were part of the study.

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Human subcutaneous (SC) white adipose tissue (WAT) increases the expression of beige adipocyte genes in the winter. Studies in rodents suggest that a number of immune mediators are important in the beiging response. We studied the seasonal beiging response in SC WAT from lean humans.

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This investigation evaluated whether moderate-intensity cycle ergometer training affects satellite cell and molecular responses to acute maximal concentric/eccentric resistance exercise in middle-aged women. Baseline and 72 h postresistance exercise vastus lateralis biopsies were obtained from seven healthy middle-aged women (56 ± 5 years, BMI 26 ± 1, VO2max 27 ± 4) before and after 12 weeks of cycle training. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) I- and II-associated satellite cell density and cross-sectional area was determined via immunohistochemistry.

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Reduced vessel density in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle is associated with obesity and may result in decreased perfusion, decreased oxygen consumption, and insulin resistance. In the presence of VEGFA, Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2) and Angiopoietin-1 (Angpt1) are central determinants of angiogenesis, with greater Angpt2:Angpt1 ratios promoting angiogenesis. In skeletal muscle, exercise training stimulates angiogenesis and modulates transcription of VEGFA, Angpt1, and Angpt2.

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Lipid accumulation in liver and skeletal muscle contributes to co-morbidities associated with diabetes and obesity. We made a transgenic mouse in which the adiponectin (Adipoq) promoter drives expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in adipocytes to potentially increase adipose tissue lipid storage. These mice (Adipoq-LPL) have improved glucose and insulin tolerance as well as increased energy expenditure when challenged with a high fat diet (HFD).

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Context: Although brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is increased by a cold environment, little is known of the response of human white adipose tissue (WAT) to the cold.

Design: We examined both abdominal and thigh subcutaneous (SC) WAT from 71 subjects who were biopsied in the summer or winter, and adipose expression was assessed after an acute cold stimulus applied to the thigh of physically active young subjects.

Results: In winter, UCP1 and PGC1α mRNA were increased 4 to 10-fold (p < 0.

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Context And Objective: Adipose tissue in insulin resistant subjects contains inflammatory cells and extracellular matrix components. This study examined adipose pathology of insulin resistant subjects who were treated with pioglitazone or fish oil.

Design, Setting And Participants: Adipose biopsies were examined from nine insulin resistant subjects before/after treatment with pioglitazone 45 mg/day for 12 weeks and also from 19 subjects who were treated with fish oil (1,860 mg EPA, 1,500 mg DHA daily).

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Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) expression in human adipose positively correlates with body mass index and may contribute to adipose dysfunction by activating transforming growth factor-β and/or inhibiting angiogenesis. Our objective was to determine how TSP-1 is regulated in adipocytes and polarized macrophages using a coculture system and to determine whether fatty acids, including the ω-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), regulate TSP-1 expression. Coculture of M1, M2a or M2c macrophages with adipocytes induced TSP-1 gene expression in adipocytes (from 2.

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Fish oils (FOs) have anti-inflammatory effects and lower serum triglycerides. This study examined adipose and muscle inflammatory markers after treatment of humans with FOs and measured the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on adipocytes and macrophages in vitro. Insulin-resistant, nondiabetic subjects were treated with Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters (4 g/day) or placebo for 12 weeks.

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Background: This study investigated the regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), the histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3)-nuclear receptor coreceptor (NCoR) complex (a corepressor of transcription used by PPARγ), and small ubiquitin-like modifier-1 (SUMO-1) (a posttranslational modifier of PPARγ) in human adipose tissue and both adipocyte and macrophage cell lines. The objective was to determine whether there were alterations in the human adipose tissue gene expression levels of PPARγ, HDAC3, NCoR, and SUMO-1 associated either with obesity or with treatment of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) subjects with insulin-sensitizing medications.

Methods: We obtained subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies from 86 subjects with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) and insulin sensitivity (S(I)).

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Macrophages are an important component of muscle where they are involved in complex processes such as repair, regeneration and hypertrophy. We recently reported that macrophage numbers increase in the muscle of obese patients, suggesting that muscle-resident macrophages could be involved in the development of muscle insulin resistance that is associated with obesity. Coculture of activated macrophages with human muscle cells impairs insulin signaling and induces atrophy signaling pathways in the human muscle cells; this is exacerbated by the addition of palmitic acid.

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The Rem, Rem2, Rad, and Gem/Kir (RGK) GTPases, comprise a subfamily of small Ras-related GTP-binding proteins, and have been shown to potently inhibit high voltage-activated Ca(2+) channel current following overexpression. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying RGK-mediated Ca(2+) channel regulation remains controversial, recent studies suggest that RGK proteins inhibit Ca(2+) channel currents at the plasma membrane in part by interactions with accessory channel β subunits. In this paper, we extend our understanding of the molecular determinants required for RGK-mediated channel regulation by demonstrating a direct interaction between Rem and the proximal C-terminus of Ca(V)1.

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Voltage dependant calcium channels (VDCC) play a critical role in coupling electrical excitability to important physiological events such as secretion by neuronal and endocrine cells. Rem2, a GTPase restricted to neuroendocrine cell types, regulates VDCC activity by a mechanism that involves interaction with the VDCC beta subunit (Ca(V)beta). Mapping studies reveal that Rem2 binds to the guanylate kinase domain (GK) of the Ca(V)beta subunit that also contains the high affinity binding site for the pore forming and voltage sensing VDCC alpha subunit (Ca(V)alpha) interaction domain (AID).

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