Publications by authors named "Demetriadou C"

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) synthesizes acetyl-CoA for de novo lipogenesis (DNL), which is elevated in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Hepatic ACLY is inhibited by the LDL-cholesterol-lowering drug bempedoic acid (BPA), which also improves steatosis in mice. While BPA potently suppresses hepatic DNL and increases fat catabolism, it is unclear if ACLY is its primary molecular target in reducing liver triglyceride.

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  • The relationship between propionyl-CoA metabolism and gene expression regulation in the heart is not well understood.
  • Recent research has uncovered how abnormal propionyl-CoA oxidation affects chromatin acylation and gene transcription.
  • These findings are particularly observed in mouse models with heart dysfunction caused by propionic acidemia.
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N-terminal acetyltransferases (NAT) are the protein complexes that deposit the abundant N-terminal acetylation (Nt-Ac) on eukaryotic proteins, with seven human complexes currently identified. Despite the increasing recognition of their biological and clinical importance, NAT regulation remains elusive. In this study, we performed a bioinformatic investigation to identify transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes that could be involved in the regulation of human NAT complexes.

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  • Cardiac metabolism not only powers the heart but also influences gene expression through signaling metabolites, which become dysfunctional in heart failure.
  • Yang et al. report that a low-branched chain amino acid (BCAA) diet has protective benefits in a mouse model of heart failure.
  • Their research highlights the role of a specific histone modification, influenced by the BCAA isoleucine, in managing the heart's stress response and suggests that dietary or pharmacological changes could help slow down heart enlargement.
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Sustained responses to transient environmental stimuli are important for survival. The mechanisms underlying long-term adaptations to temporary shifts in abiotic factors remain incompletely understood. Here, we find that transient cold exposure leads to sustained transcriptional and metabolic adaptations in brown adipose tissue, which improve thermogenic responses to secondary cold encounter.

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The metabolite acetyl-CoA is necessary for both lipid synthesis in the cytosol and histone acetylation in the nucleus. The two canonical precursors to acetyl-CoA in the nuclear-cytoplasmic compartment are citrate and acetate, which are processed to acetyl-CoA by ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) and acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain 2 (ACSS2), respectively. It is unclear whether other substantial routes to nuclear-cytosolic acetyl-CoA exist.

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Aberrant function of epigenetic modifiers plays an important role not only in the progression of cancer but also the development of drug resistance. N-alpha-acetyltransferase 40 (NAA40) is a highly specific epigenetic enzyme catalyzing the transfer of an acetyl moiety at the N-terminal end of histones H4 and H2A. Recent studies have illustrated the essential oncogenic role of NAA40 in various cancer types but its role in chemoresistance remains unclear.

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  • Histone proteins undergo various post- and co-translational modifications, particularly on their unstructured tails and globular domains, but N-terminal modifications have been largely overlooked despite their abundance and evolutionary conservation.
  • Recent studies highlight the significance of N-alpha terminal modifications in critical biological processes, such as aging and cancer, challenging the prior belief that these modifications had no regulatory function.
  • The review aims to clarify the distinction between N-terminal and internal histone modifications, overview known N-terminal marks and their associated transferases, and discuss their roles in gene expression, chromatin structure, and cellular behaviors.
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N-alpha-acetyltransferase 40 (NAA40) catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl moiety to the alpha-amino group of serine 1 (S1) on histones H4 and H2A. Our previous studies linked NAA40 and its corresponding N-terminal acetylation of histone H4 (N-acH4) to colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of NAA40 in CRC development was not investigated.

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  • HATs are enzymes that play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and chromatin structure through acetylation, which is an important process for epigenetic control.
  • Deregulation of HATs is linked to cancer development, making them potential targets for new cancer therapies.
  • Recent findings indicate that HATs can act as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors, suggesting that cancer therapies targeting these enzymes need to consider their dual roles in different types of cancer.
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a significant global pathogen, causing extensive morbidity and mortality worldwide. This bacterium persists within granulomatous lesions in a poorly characterized, nonreplicating state. The two-component signal transduction systems MprAB and DosRS-DosT (DevRS-Rv2027c) are responsive to conditions likely to be present within granulomatous lesions and mediate aspects of M.

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Pathogenic microorganisms encounter a variety of environmental stresses following infection of their respective hosts. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis, is an unusual bacterial pathogen in that it is able to establish lifelong infections in individuals within granulomatous lesions that are formed following a productive immune response. Adaptation to this highly dynamic environment is thought to be mediated primarily through transcriptional reprogramming initiated in response to recognition of stimuli, including low-oxygen tension, nutrient depletion, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, altered pH, toxic lipid moieties, cell wall/cell membrane-perturbing agents, and other environmental cues.

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