VEPTP inhibition with an extracellular domain targeting antibody did not restore albuminuria in a mouse model of diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease. DKD is a heterogeneous disease with complex pathophysiology where early endothelial dysfunction is associated with disease progression. The Tie2 receptor and Angiopoietin 1 and 2 ligands are critical for maintaining endothelial cell permeability and integrity.

Conditional deletion of melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 from GABAergic neurons increases locomotor activity.

Objective: Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) plays a key role in regulating energy balance. MCH acts via its receptor MCHR1, and MCHR1 deletion increases energy expenditure and locomotor activity, which is associated with a hyperdopaminergic state. Since MCHR1 expression is widespread, the neurons supporting the effects of MCH on energy expenditure are not clearly defined.

Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase Interacts with Enzymes of the Methionine Cycle and Regulates Methyl Donor Metabolism.

Methyl donor balance is critical for epigenetic regulation in cells and is maintained by the so-called methionine cycle proteins that regenerate S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the universal methyl donor, from homocysteine formed by the activity of methyltransferases. Nnmt is a liver enzyme that methylates nicotinamide, but its role in regulating methyl donor balance in the liver is unclear. In this study, we assessed the effect of altered Nnmt expression on various aspects of methyl donor metabolism in the liver.

An Epigenetic Signature in Adipose Tissue Is Linked to Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase Gene Expression.

Scope: The enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is a major methyltransferase in adipose tissue. We hypothesized an epigenetic signature in association with NNMT gene expression in adipose tissue.

Methods And Results: The global human methylome was analyzed in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) from morbidly obese patients using the Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip array (discovery cohort: n = 11).

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase expression decreases in iron overload, exacerbating toxicity in mouse hepatocytes.

Iron overload causes the generation of reactive oxygen species that can lead to lasting damage to the liver and other organs. The goal of this study was to identify genes that modify the toxicity of iron overload. We studied the effect of iron overload on the hepatic transcriptional and metabolomic profile in mouse models using a dietary model of iron overload and a genetic model, the hemojuvelin knockout mouse.