High fat-fed GPR55 null mice display impaired glucose tolerance without concomitant changes in energy balance or insulin sensitivity but are less responsive to the effects of the cannabinoids rimonabant or Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabivarin on weight gain.

Background: The insulin-sensitizing phytocannabinoid, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) can signal partly via G-protein coupled receptor-55 (GPR55 behaving as either an agonist or an antagonist depending on the assay). The cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) inverse agonist rimonabant is also a GPR55 agonist under some conditions. Previous studies have shown varied effects of deletion of GPR55 on energy balance and glucose homeostasis in mice.

Preventive effects of leaf extract on insulin resistance and inflammation in a model of high fat diet-induced obesity in mice that responds to rosiglitazone.

Background: (sage) is a native plant to the Mediterranean region and has been used for a long time in traditional medicine for various diseases. We investigated possible anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity effects of sage methanol (MetOH) extract in a nutritional mouse model of obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance, as well as its effects on lipolysis and lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells.

Methods: Diet-induced obese (DIO) mice were treated for five weeks with sage methanol extract (100 and 400 mg kg/day bid), or rosiglitazone (3 mg kg/day bid), as a positive control.

Comparison of potential preventive effects of pomegranate flower, peel and seed oil on insulin resistance and inflammation in high-fat and high-sucrose diet-induced obesity mice model.

Objective: The potentially beneficial effects of pomegranate peel (PPE), flower (PFE) and seed oil (PSO) extracts, in comparison with rosiglitazone, on adiposity, lipid profile, glucose homoeostasis, as well as on the underlying inflammatory mechanisms, were examined in high-fat and high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet-induced obese (DIO) mice.

Measurements: Body weight, body fat, energy expenditure, food and liquid intake, blood glucose, and plasma levels of insulin, lipids and cytokines were measured.

Results: After two weeks, PSO (2 ml/kg/day) and rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg/day) had not improved glucose intolerance.

The effects of sarcolipin over-expression in mouse skeletal muscle on metabolic activity.

Studies in sarcolipin knockout mice have led to the suggestion that skeletal muscle sarcolipin plays a role in thermogenesis. The mechanism proposed is uncoupling of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump. However, in other work sarcolipin was not detected in mouse skeletal tissue.