PON1 has palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT) activity, and can affect the presence of SR-B1 on the endothelial cell membrane.

The high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is expressed almost exclusively in the liver and is then transported by HDL to the peripheral tissues. The lipophilic nature of PON1 enables its easy exchange between the lipoprotein and cell membranes in a process that is dependent on the HDL receptor scavenger receptor class B, type 1 (SR-B1). In endothelial cells, PON1 binding to the cell membrane leads to its internalization by endocytosis and subsequent lysosomal degradation.

Novel bioactive lipids enhanced HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux from macrophages through the ABCA1 receptor pathway.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has traditionally been acknowledged as "good cholesterol" owing to its significant association with a decreased risk of atherosclerosis. This association is primarily attributed to HDL's direct involvement in cholesterol efflux capacity, which plays a pivotal role in reverse cholesterol transport. A novel active compound from Nannochloropsis microalgae termed lyso-DGTS, a lipid that contains EPA fatty acids, was previously isolated and found to increase paraoxonase 1 activity and enhance HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux and HDL-induced endothelial nitric oxide release.

APOL1 risk variants cause podocytes injury through enhancing endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) of Apolipoprotein L1 () gene have been implicated as a higher risk factor for chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in African Americans when compared with European Americans. Previous studies have suggested that the APOL1 G1 and G2 variant proteins are more toxic to kidney cells than the wild-type APOL1 G0, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to podocyte toxicity, we generated human podocytes (HPs) that stably overexpressed APOL1 G0, G1, or G2 (Vec/HPs, G0/HPs, G1/HPs, and G2/HPs).

Effect of disease risk variants on gene product.

Gene sequence mutations may alter mRNA transcription, transcript stability, protein translation, protein stability and protein folding. Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) has two sets of sequence variants that are risk factors for kidney disease development, APOL1G1 (substitution mutation) and APOL1G2 (deletion mutation). Our present study focuses on the impact of these variants on mRNA transcription and translation.

Impact of APOL1 polymorphism and IL-1β priming in the entry and persistence of HIV-1 in human podocytes.

Background: Patients of African ancestry with untreated HIV-1 infection and carrying the G1 or G2 kidney disease risk variants (Vs) at the APOL1 gene have a tenfold higher risk of developing HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) compared to those with the non-risk wild type (WT) G0 variant. However, the mechanistic contribution of the APOL1 allelic state to kidney injury in HIV-1 infection remains to be elucidated.

Results: Non-risk WT APOL1 is associated with lower intracellular levels of HIV-1 in conditionally immortalized human podocytes, while the over expression of G1 or G2 risk Vs significantly increases viral accumulation.

On the Apportionment of Population Structure.

Measures of population differentiation, such as FST, are traditionally derived from the partition of diversity within and between populations. However, the emergence of population clusters from multilocus analysis is a function of genetic structure (departures from panmixia) rather than of diversity. If the populations are close to panmixia, slight differences between the mean pairwise distance within and between populations (low FST) can manifest as strong separation between the populations, thus population clusters are often evident even when the vast majority of diversity is partitioned within populations rather than between them.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and pomegranate influence circadian gene expression and period length.

The circadian timing system regulates key aspects of mammalian physiology. Here, we analyzed the effect of the endogenous antioxidant paraoxonase 1 (PON1), a high-density lipoprotein-associated lipolactonase that hydrolyses lipid peroxides and attenuates atherogenesis, on circadian gene expression in C57BL/6J and PON1KO mice fed a normal chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD). Expression levels of core-clock transcripts Nr1d1, Per2, Cry2 and Bmal1 were altered in skeletal muscle in PON1-deficient mice in response to HFD.

Human carotid atherosclerotic plaque protein(s) change HDL protein(s) composition and impair HDL anti-oxidant activity.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) anti-atherogenic functions are closely associated with cardiovascular disease risk factor, and are dictated by its composition, which is often affected by environmental factors. The present study investigates the effects of the human carotid plaque constituents on HDL composition and biological functions. To this end, human carotid plaques were homogenized and incubated with HDL.

A founder effect for p47(phox)Trp193Ter chronic granulomatous disease in Kavkazi Jews.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare congenital immune deficiency caused by mutations in any of the five genes encoding NADPH oxidase subunits. One of these genes is NCF1, encoding the p47(phox) protein. A group of 39 patients, 14 of whom are of Kavkazi Jewish descent, was investigated for a founder effect for the mutation c.

Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) Variants (Vs) a possible link between Heroin-associated Nephropathy (HAN) and HIV-associated Nephropathy (HIVAN).

In 1970s, Heroin-associated Nephropathy (HAN), one form of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), was a predominant cause of End-stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) in African-Americans (AAs). In 1980s, with the surge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in AAs, HAN more or less disappeared, and the incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus associated Nephropathy (HIVAN) markedly increased. Recent studies in AAs have identified APOL1 variants (Vs) as a major risk factor for the development and progression of non-diabetic kidney diseases including idiopathic FSGS and hypertension-attributed nephrosclerosis.

Protein domains of APOL1 and its risk variants.

Increasing lines of evidence have demonstrated that the development of higher rates of non-diabetic glomerulosclerosis (GS) in African Americans can be attributed to two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) in the Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL) gene. Recent studies indicate that the gene products of these APOL1 risk variants have augmented toxicity to kidney cells. However, the biological characteristics of APOL1 and its risk variants are not well elucidated.

Pomegranate juice polyphenols induce a phenotypic switch in macrophage polarization favoring a M2 anti-inflammatory state.

It was documented that pomegranate has anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated a direct effect of pomegranate juice (PJ) and its polyphenols on macrophage inflammatory phenotype. In vitro, PJ and its major polyphenols dose-dependently attenuated macrophage response to M1 proinflammatory activation in J774.

APOL1 risk variants enhance podocyte necrosis through compromising lysosomal membrane permeability.

Development of higher rates of nondiabetic glomerulosclerosis (GS) in African Americans has been attributed to two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) in the APOL1 gene. To date, the cellular function and the role of APOL1 variants (Vs) in GS are still unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of overexpressing wild-type (G0) and kidney disease risk variants (G1 and G2) of APOL1 in human podocytes using a lentivirus expression system.

Revisiting poor insight into illness in anorexia nervosa: true unawareness or conscious disagreement?

Background: To investigate and validate a novel approach to distinguishing between two possible sources of poor insight in anorexia nervosa: true unawareness, in which a patient is not aware that other people think there is a problem, and disagreement, in which a patient does recognize that others think there is a problem.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with anorexia nervosa or eating disorder not otherwise specified-anorexia nervosa were given two versions of the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD), one in which they were asked about their own opinion and one in which they were asked about their clinicians' opinion. Clinicians also completed the SUMD with their opinion about the patient's illness.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) decreases hepatic SR-BI expression and impairs HDL-mediated reverse cholesterol transport.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) on the expression of the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in hepatocytes, and its impact on the removal of HDL-cholesteryl ester (CE) in the liver.

Methods And Results: Huh7 hepatoma cell lines were incubated with increasing concentrations of uPA. uPA dose-dependently decreased SR-BI protein expression, as determined by flow cytometry (FACS) and by Western blot assays, and down-regulated SR-BI gene expression.

[Addition of pomegranate juice to statin inhibits cholesterol accumulation in macrophages: protective role for the phytosterol beta-sitosterol and for the polyphenolic antioxidant punicalagin].

Macrophage cholesterol and oxidized lipids accumulation and foam cell formation occur in the early stages of atherosclerosis development. In the current study we used the J774A.1 murine macrophage cell line in order to analyze two atherogenic functions: a.

Pomegranate for your cardiovascular health.

Pomegranate is a source of some very potent antioxidants (tannins, anthocyanins) which are considered to be also potent anti-atherogenic agents. The combination of the above unique various types of pomegranate polyphenols provides a much wider spectrum of action against several types of free radicals. Indeed, pomegranate is superior in comparison to other antioxidants in protecting low-density lipoprotein (LDL, "the bad cholesterol") and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, "the good cholesterol") from oxidation, and as a result it attenuates atherosclerosis development and its consequent cardiovascular events.

Viewpoint: personalizing statin therapy.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), associated with vascular atherosclerosis, is the major cause of death in Western societies. Current risk estimation tools, such as Framingham Risk Score (FRS), based on evaluation of multiple standard risk factors, are limited in assessment of individual risk. The majority (about 70%) of the general population is classified as low FRS where the individual risk for CVD is often underestimated but, on the other hand, cholesterol lowering with statin is often excessively administered.

Paraoxonase1 (PON1) reduces insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet, and promotes GLUT4 overexpression in myocytes, via the IRS-1/Akt pathway.

Objective: To analyze Paraoxonase1 (PON1) impact on GLUT4 expression, glucose metabolism, and the insulin signaling pathway in skeletal muscle cells.

Methods And Results: We analyzed the effect of PON1 in high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance in C57BL/6J and in PON1KO mice. Mice were fed normal diet (ND) or high Fat Diet (HFD) for 8 weeks.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) reduces macrophage inflammatory responses.

Objectives: Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) was suggested to play an anti-inflammatory role. In the present study we questioned whether PON1 has a direct impact on macrophage inflammatory responses, and the possible functional implications of such effects.

Methods And Results: Ex-vivo studies were performed with bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) harvested from C57BL/6 and human-PON1 transgenic (PON1-Tg) mice, and for the in vitro studies the J774.

The effects of aldosterone on diet-induced fatty liver formation in male C57BL/6 mice: comparison of adrenalectomy and mineralocorticoid receptor blocker.

Objective: Obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and hypertension are major determinants of the metabolic syndrome. The effects of aldosterone and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers on fatty liver are largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationships between aldosterone and the development of fatty liver.

Paraoxonase 1 activities, regulation, and interactions with atherosclerotic lesion.

Purpose Of Review: Improving serum levels of HDL and its subfractions, as well as, oxidative/inflammatory properties has become a fundamental aim in today's atherosclerosis research. Efforts to reach this goal are paralleled by achievements in drug development toward decreasing serum LDL levels and oxidative status.

Recent Findings: Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is an HDL-associated enzyme that is deemed responsible for many of the HDL's antiatherogenic and cardioprotective characteristics.

Pomegranate Protection against Cardiovascular Diseases.

The current paper summarizes the antioxidative and antiatherogenic effects of pomegranate polyphenols on serum lipoproteins and on arterial macrophages (two major components of the atherosclerotic lesion), using both in vitro and in vivo humans and mice models. Pomegranate juice and its by-products substantially reduced macrophage cholesterol and oxidized lipids accumulation, and foam cell formation (the hallmark of early atherogenesis), leading to attenuation of atherosclerosis development, and its consequent cardiovascular events.

Pomegranate phytosterol (β-sitosterol) and polyphenolic antioxidant (punicalagin) addition to statin, significantly protected against macrophage foam cells formation.

Objective: To assess the anti-atherogenic effects on macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis rate, and on cellular oxidative stress by the combination of simvastatin with a potent polyphenolic antioxidant (punicalagin), or with a phytosterol (β-sitosterol), or with pomegranate juice (POM, that contains both of them).

Methods And Results: Simvastatin (15 μg/ml) decreased J774A.1 macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis rate by 42% as compared to control cells.