Publications by authors named "Kevin J Williams"

Complex genetic and dietary cues contribute to the development of obesity, but how these are integrated on a molecular level is incompletely understood. Here, we show that PPARγ supports hypertrophic expansion of adipose tissue via transcriptional control of LPCAT3, a membrane-bound O-acyltransferase that enriches diet-derived omega-6 ( -6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the phospholipidome. In high-fat diet-fed mice, lowering membrane -6 PUFA levels by adipocyte-specific knockout ( ) or by dietary lipid manipulation leads to dysfunctional triglyceride (TG) storage, ectopic fat deposition and insulin resistance.

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Shotgun Lipidomics is a robust methodology for the characterization of the lipidome of complex biological samples. This assay is among the most quantitative lipidomics methods and is capable of surveying a wide breadth of lipid subclasses, both neutral and polar. The shortfalls of the technique include limitations in lipid species characterization and computationally demanding data analysis requiring isotopic and isobaric overlap correction.

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The luminal surface of the endothelium is exposed to dynamic blood flow patterns that are known to affect endothelial cell phenotype. While many studies have documented the phenotypic changes by gene or protein expression, less is known about the role of blood flow pattern on the endothelial cell (EC) lipidome. In this study, shotgun lipidomics was conducted on human aortic ECs (HAECs) exposed to unidirectional laminar flow (UF), disturbed flow (DF), or static conditions for 48 h.

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The luminal surface of the endothelium is exposed to dynamic blood flow patterns that are known to affect endothelial cell phenotype. While many studies have documented the phenotypic changes by gene or protein expression, less is known about the role of blood flow pattern on the endothelial cell (EC) lipidome. In this study, shotgun lipidomics was conducted on human aortic ECs (HAECs) exposed to unidirectional laminar flow (UF), disturbed flow (DF), or static conditions for 48 hrs.

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Lymphocyte activation involves a transition from quiescence and associated catabolic metabolism to a metabolic state with noted similarities to cancer cells such as heavy reliance on aerobic glycolysis for energy demands and increased nutrient requirements for biomass accumulation and cell division . Following antigen receptor ligation, lymphocytes require spatiotemporally distinct "second signals". These include costimulatory receptor or cytokine signaling, which engage discrete programs that often involve remodeling of organelles and increased nutrient uptake or synthesis to meet changing biochemical demands .

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Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) are a significant cause of mortality and are incurable. Thus, identifying BCBM targets that reduce morbidity and mortality is critical. BCBM upregulate Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase (SCD), an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids, suggesting a potential metabolic vulnerability of BCBM.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on how the lipid profiles (lipidome) in sepsis patients change and their connection to poor health outcomes, potentially guiding future treatments.
  • Blood samples were taken from sepsis patients within 24 hours of diagnosis, with their clinical outcomes tracked as either rapid recovery, chronic critical illness (CCI), or early death.
  • Results showed that certain fatty acids and pro-inflammatory signaling lipids were linked to poor outcomes, indicating that these lipid changes could be targeted for future therapeutic strategies.
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Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a key anti-inflammatory cytokine that can limit immune cell activation and cytokine production in innate immune cell types. Loss of IL-10 signalling results in life-threatening inflammatory bowel disease in humans and mice-however, the exact mechanism by which IL-10 signalling subdues inflammation remains unclear. Here we find that increased saturated very long chain (VLC) ceramides are critical for the heightened inflammatory gene expression that is a hallmark of IL-10 deficiency.

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Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a common soft tissue sarcoma of the elderly that typically shows low tumor mutational burden, with mutations in TP53 and in genes associated with cell cycle checkpoints ( RB1 , CDKN2A ). Unfortunately, no alterations or markers specific to MFS have been identified and, as a consequence, there are no effective targeted therapies. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, which drives cellular proliferation, is targetable by new antibody-based therapeutics.

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Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a life-threatening, rare lung syndrome for which there is no cure and no approved therapies. PAP is a disease of lipid accumulation characterized by alveolar macrophage foam cell formation. While much is known about the clinical presentation, there is a paucity of information regarding temporal changes in lipids throughout the course of disease.

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Recent decades have seen spectacular advances in understanding and managing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but paradoxically, clinical progress has stalled. Residual risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events is particularly vexing, given recognized lifestyle interventions and powerful modern medications. Why? Atherosclerosis begins early in life, yet clinical trials and mechanistic studies often emphasize terminal, end-stage plaques, meaning on the verge of causing heart attacks and strokes.

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Intestinal absorption is an important contributor to systemic cholesterol homeostasis. Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) assists in the initial step of dietary cholesterol uptake, but how cholesterol moves downstream of NPC1L1 is unknown. We show that Aster-B and Aster-C are critical for nonvesicular cholesterol movement in enterocytes.

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Introduction And Hypothesis: Most of the literature on pelvic organ prolapse (POP) has been generated from postmenopausal patients in high-income countries. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a significant proportion of patients who present for surgical management of POP are premenopausal. Little is known about the impact of POP on pelvic floor symptoms in this population.

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Lipids can be of endogenous or exogenous origin and affect diverse biological functions, including cell membrane maintenance, energy management and cellular signalling. Here, we report >800 lipid species, many of which are associated with health-to-disease transitions in diabetes, ageing and inflammation, as well as cytokine-lipidome networks. We performed comprehensive longitudinal lipidomic profiling and analysed >1,500 plasma samples from 112 participants followed for up to 9 years (average 3.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A study provided an in-depth look at the lipids released from adipocytes, revealing how lipolysis affects lipid levels in both the blood and liver over time.
  • * The research showed that specific deletion of triglyceride lipase in fat cells blocked the expected rises in free fatty acids and liver triglycerides, emphasizing the importance of adipocyte lipolysis in communication between fat tissue and the liver.
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Objective: Patients with lupus erythematosus (LE) are at heightened risk for clinical events, chiefly heart attacks and strokes, from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We recently proposed new guidelines to assess and manage ASCVD event risk specifically in LE. Here, we examined current cardiovascular management in light of these new recommendations.

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Lipid synthesis is necessary for formation of epithelial barriers and homeostasis with external microbes. An analysis of the response of human keratinocytes to several different commensal bacteria on the skin revealed that induced a large increase in essential lipids including triglycerides, ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. A similar response occurred in mouse epidermis and in human skin affected with acne.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cholesterol absorption in the intestine is influenced by Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1), the target of the drug ezetimibe, but how cholesterol moves after NPC1L1 is not well understood.
  • Aster-B and Aster-C proteins are essential for cholesterol transport in enterocytes, connecting NPC1L1 at the cell membrane and ACAT2 in the endoplasmic reticulum.
  • Mice missing Aster proteins have reduced cholesterol absorption and are less likely to develop high cholesterol from their diet, indicating that the Aster pathway is a potential target for treating cholesterol-related issues.
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Objectives: Many bacterial species naturally take up DNA from their surroundings and recombine it into their chromosome through homologous gene transfer (HGT) to aid in survival and gain advantageous functions. Herein we present the first characterization of Type IV pili facilitated natural competence in Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is a Gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium that participates in a range of infections and diseases including periodontitis, preterm birth, and cancer.

Methods: Here we used bioinformatics on multiple Fusobacterium species, as well as molecular genetics to characterize natural competence in strain F.

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Background: Schwannomas are common peripheral nerve sheath tumors that can cause severe morbidity given their stereotypic intracranial and paraspinal locations. Similar to many solid tumors, schwannomas and other nerve sheath tumors are primarily thought to arise due to aberrant hyperactivation of the RAS growth factor signaling pathway. Here, we sought to further define the molecular pathogenesis of schwannomas.

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Malignant tumors exhibit heterogeneous metabolic reprogramming, hindering the identification of translatable vulnerabilities for metabolism-targeted therapy. How molecular alterations in tumors promote metabolic diversity and distinct targetable dependencies remains poorly defined. Here we create a resource consisting of lipidomic, transcriptomic, and genomic data from 156 molecularly diverse glioblastoma (GBM) tumors and derivative models.

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Unchecked chronic inflammation is the underlying cause of many diseases, ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to obesity and neurodegeneration. Given the deleterious nature of unregulated inflammation, it is not surprising that cells have acquired a diverse arsenal of tactics to limit inflammation. IL-10 is a key anti-inflammatory cytokine that can limit immune cell activation and cytokine production in innate immune cell types; however, the exact mechanism by which IL-10 signaling subdues inflammation remains unclear.

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