Role of cytochrome P450-derived, polyunsaturated fatty acid mediators in diabetes and the metabolic syndrome.

Over the last decade, cases of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes have increased exponentially. Exercise and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-enriched diets are usually prescribed but no therapy is effectively able to restore the impaired glucose metabolism, hypertension, and atherogenic dyslipidemia encountered by diabetic patients. PUFAs are metabolized by different enzymes into bioactive metabolites with anti- or pro-inflammatory activity.

Glucolipotoxic conditions induce β-cell iron import, cytosolic ROS formation and apoptosis.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) arises when the pancreatic beta-cell fails to compensate for increased insulin needs due to insulin resistance. Glucolipotoxicity (GLT) has been proposed to induce beta-cell dysfunction in T2D by formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we examined if modeling glucolipotoxic conditions by high glucose-high free fatty acid (FFA) exposure (GLT) regulates beta-cell iron transport, by increasing the cytosolic labile iron pool (LIP).

The soluble epoxide hydrolase determines cholesterol homeostasis by regulating AMPK and SREBP activity.

Inhibition or deletion of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been linked to reduced cholesterol and protection against atherosclerosis. This study set out to identify sEH substrate(s) or product(s), altered in livers from sEH(-/-) mice that contribute to these beneficial effects. In livers and isolated hepatocytes, deletion of sEH decreased expression of HMG CoA reductase, fatty acid synthase and low density lipoprotein receptor.

Antioxidant defenses and biochemical changes in the neotropical fish pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus: responses to single and combined copper and hypercarbia exposure.

This study investigated the potentially detrimental effects of copper and elevated aquatic CO(2) (hypercarbia), alone or in combination, on pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus. Fish were exposed for 48 h to control (no copper addition in normocarbia), to 400 μg Cu(2+)L(-1), to hypercarbic (1% CO(2); PCO(2) = 6.9 mm Hg) water and to 400 μg Cu(2+)L(-1) + hypercarbia.

Potential contribution of translational factors to triiodo-L-thyronine-induced insulin synthesis by pancreatic beta cells.

Background: Thyroid hormones (THs) are known to regulate protein synthesis by acting at the transcriptional level and inducing the expression of many genes. However, little is known about their role in protein expression at the post-transcriptional level, even though studies have shown enhancement of protein synthesis associated with mTOR/p70S6K activation after triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) administration. On the other hand, the effects of TH on translation initiation and polypeptidic chain elongation factors, being essential for activating protein synthesis, have been poorly explored.

The combined effect of copper and low pH on antioxidant defenses and biochemical parameters in neotropical fish pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887).

Copper sulfate is widely used in aquaculture. Exposure to this compound can be harmful to fish, resulting in oxidative metabolism alterations and gill tissue damage. Pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, (wt = 43.