Publications by authors named "Fabienne Rajas"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGN) in regulating energy balance and the development of feeding circuits in the hypothalamus, particularly during the neonatal period.
  • Researchers induced IGN in newborn mice by overexpressing the enzyme G6pc1 and studied the impact on hypothalamic feeding circuit development and sympathetic innervation of adipose tissues.
  • Results showed that inducing IGN at birth led to changes in key hypothalamic circuits and better protection against metabolic issues from a high-fat diet, while later induction had no effect on these parameters.
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  • GSDIa leads to metabolic changes in kidney cells, resembling Warburg-like metabolism, which promotes cell growth and the development of kidney cysts.
  • The loss of glucose-6 phosphatase (G6PC1) causes harmful accumulation of glycogen and lipids, leading to kidney inflammation, fibrosis, and dysfunction.
  • Treatment with rapamycin showed potential in reducing kidney damage, and lipocalin 2 was identified as an important factor in kidney inflammation and early CKD progression.
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Objective: Intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGN), via the initiation of a gut-brain nervous circuit, accounts for the metabolic benefits linked to dietary proteins or fermentable fiber in rodents and has been positively correlated with the rapid amelioration of body weight after gastric bypass surgery in humans with obesity. In particular, the activation of IGN moderates the development of hepatic steatosis accompanying obesity. In this study, we investigated the specific effects of IGN on adipose tissue metabolism, independent of its induction by nutritional manipulation.

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At the interface between the outside world and the self, the intestine is the first organ receiving nutritional information. One intestinal function, gluconeogenesis, is activated by various nutrients, particularly diets enriched in fiber or protein, and thus results in glucose production in the portal vein in the post-absorptive period. The detection of portal glucose induces a nervous signal controlling the activity of the central nuclei involved in the regulation of metabolism and emotional behavior.

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Background: Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD Ia) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by a defect in glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC1) activity, which induces severe hepatomegaly and increases the risk for liver cancer. Hepatic GSD Ia is characterized by constitutive activation of Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein (ChREBP), a glucose-sensitive transcription factor. Previously, we showed that ChREBP activation limits non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in hepatic GSD Ia.

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Objective: Deregulation of hepatic glucose production is a key driver in the pathogenesis of diabetes, but its short-term regulation is incompletely deciphered. According to textbooks, glucose is produced in the endoplasmic reticulum by glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and then exported in the blood by the glucose transporter GLUT2. However, in the absence of GLUT2, glucose can be produced by a cholesterol-dependent vesicular pathway, which remains to be deciphered.

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Hypoglycemia is a clinical hallmark of severe malaria, the often-lethal outcome of Plasmodium falciparum infection. Here, we report that malaria-associated hypoglycemia emerges from a non-canonical resistance mechanism, whereby the infected host reduces glycemia to starve Plasmodium. This hypometabolic response is elicited by labile heme, a byproduct of hemolysis that induces illness-induced anorexia and represses hepatic glucose production.

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  • * Despite these high lipid levels, patients with GSD Ia usually experience fewer issues with artery hardening (atherogenesis) than others of similar age and gender.
  • * A study using a mouse model resembling GSD Ia patients found that these mice actually had increased atherogenesis, suggesting that further research in larger groups of GSD Ia patients is needed.
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Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are a well-established gene transfer approach for rare genetic diseases. Nonetheless, some tissues, such as bone, remain refractory to AAV. X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare skeletal disorder associated with increased levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), resulting in skeletal deformities and short stature.

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Glycogen Storage Disease Type I (GSDI) is an inherited disease caused by glucose-6 phosphatase (G6Pase) deficiency, leading to a loss of endogenous glucose production and severe hypoglycemia. Moreover, most GSDI patients develop a chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to lipid accumulation in the kidney. Similar to diabetic CKD, activation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) promotes renal fibrosis in GSDI.

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Article Synopsis
  • Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD Ia) results from mutations in the G6PC1 gene and causes severe hypoglycemia, leading to complications such as hypertriglyceridemia, liver tumors, and increased bleeding risk despite intensive dietary management.
  • In a study using mice with a specific G6PC1 deficiency, it was found that fasting led to decreased blood leukocytes (particularly proinflammatory monocytes) and prolonged bleeding time, but these effects were reversed with refeeding.
  • The findings suggest that fasting-induced hypoglycemia is linked to lower levels of monocytes and impaired platelet function, pointing to a potential mechanism for the increased bleeding tendency in GSD Ia patients.
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  • Glycogen Storage Disease 1a (GSD1a) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase-α), leading to severe low blood sugar and liver complications like tumors.
  • Current treatments focus on managing hypoglycemia but do not prevent serious liver issues, and options like enzyme replacement or gene therapy face significant hurdles.
  • Researchers have explored a new treatment using lipid nanoparticles to deliver engineered mRNAs for G6Pase-α, showing promise in a mouse model that mimics the disease, suggesting a potential breakthrough for GSD1a patients.
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Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to activate the CREERT2 recombinase, allowing tissue-specific and temporal control of the somatic mutagenesis to generate transgenic mice. Studies integrating development and metabolism require a genetic modification induced by a neonatal tamoxifen administration. Here, we investigate the effects of a neonatal tamoxifen administration on energy homeostasis in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice.

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Prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is one of the biomedical targets in Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia (GSD Ia) patients, yet it is unclear how hypoglycemia links to plasma triglyceride (TG) levels. We analyzed whole-body TG metabolism in normoglycemic (fed) and hypoglycemic (fasted) hepatocyte-specific glucose-6-phosphatase deficient (L-G6pc ) mice. De novo fatty acid synthesis contributed substantially to hepatic TG accumulation in normoglycemic L-G6pc mice.

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Article Synopsis
  • High-protein meals are believed to aid in weight loss and improve blood sugar control, but the exact mechanisms and long-term effects are still being studied.
  • Recent research highlights the role of intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGN) in how protein diets promote feelings of fullness and affect energy balance through signals to the brain.
  • Understanding IGN's role may lead to new nutritional strategies that tackle obesity and diabetes by revealing how protein-rich diets impact overall metabolic health.
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Objective: Glucose production in the blood requires the expression of glucose-6 phosphatase (G6Pase), a key enzyme that allows glucose-6 phosphate (G6P) hydrolysis into free glucose and inorganic phosphate. We previously reported that the hepatic suppression of G6Pase leads to G6P accumulation and to metabolic reprogramming in hepatocytes from liver G6Pase-deficient mice (L.G6pc).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on how intestinal gluconeogenesis (IGN) is linked to liver health, particularly regarding hepatic steatosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can lead to serious health issues like cirrhosis and cancer.
  • Researchers used transgenic mice to explore the effects of IGN on liver metabolism, distinguishing between mice that overexpress and those that suppress glucose-6-phosphatase, an enzyme involved in glucose production.
  • The findings indicate that overexpressing IGN protects mice from fat storage in the liver on a high-calorie diet, while suppressing it leads to increased fat accumulation, hinting that IGN can help prevent liver-related diseases.
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Background And Aims: Glycogen storage disease (GSD) type 1a is an inborn error of metabolism caused by defective glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6PC) activity. Patients with GSD 1a exhibit severe hepatomegaly due to glycogen and triglyceride (TG) accumulation in the liver. We have shown that the activity of carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP), a key regulator of glycolysis and de novo lipogenesis, is increased in GSD 1a.

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Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD Ia) is caused by mutations in the glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) catalytic subunit gene (). GSD Ia complications include hepatocellular adenomas (HCA) with a risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) formation. Genome editing with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors containing a zinc-finger nuclease (ZFN) and a donor transgene was evaluated in adult mice with GSD Ia.

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Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD Ia) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by mutations in the G6PC gene, encoding the catalytic subunit of glucose-6-phosphatase. Early symptoms include severe fasting intolerance, failure to thrive and hepatomegaly, biochemically associated with nonketotic hypoglycemia, fasting hyperlactidemia, hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia. Dietary management is the cornerstone of treatment aiming at maintaining euglycemia, prevention of secondary metabolic perturbations and long-term complications, including liver (hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas), kidney and bone disease (hypovitaminosis D and osteoporosis).

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Cells efficiently adjust their metabolism according to the abundance of nutrients and energy. The ability to switch cellular metabolism between anabolic and catabolic processes is critical for cell growth. Glucose-6 phosphate is the first intermediate of glucose metabolism and plays a central role in the energy metabolism of the liver.

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Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) type I (GSDI) and type III (GSDIII), the most frequent hepatic GSDs, are due to defects in glycogen metabolism, mainly in the liver. In addition to hypoglycemia and liver pathology, renal, myeloid, or muscle complications affect GSDI and GSDIII patients. Currently, patient management is based on dietary treatment preventing severe hypoglycemia and increasing the lifespan of patients.

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The liver is an organ with many facets, including a role in energy production and metabolic balance, detoxification and extraordinary capacity of regeneration. Hepatic glucose production plays a crucial role in the maintenance of normal glucose levels in the organism i.e.

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It is well established that, besides facilitating lipid absorption, bile acids act as signaling molecules that modulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Bile acid metabolism, in turn, is controlled by several nutrient-sensitive transcription factors. Altered intrahepatic glucose signaling in type 2 diabetes associates with perturbed bile acid synthesis.

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Background & Aims: Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) is a rare genetic disease associated with glycogen accumulation in hepatocytes and steatosis. With age, most adult patients with GSDIa develop hepatocellular adenomas (HCA), which can progress to hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). In this study, we characterized metabolic reprogramming and cellular defense alterations during tumorigenesis in the liver of hepatocyte-specific G6pc deficient (L.

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