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Summary Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is an antiatherogenic process in which excessive cholesterol from peripheral tissues is transported to the liver and finally excreted from the body via the bile. The nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1) drives expression of genes regulating RCT, and its activity can be modified by different posttranslational modifications. Here, we show that atherosclerosis-prone mice carrying a mutation that abolishes SUMOylation of LRH-1 on K289R develop less aortic plaques than control littermates when exposed to a high-cholesterol diet. The mechanism underlying this atheroprotection involves an increase in RCT and its associated hepatic genes and is secondary to a compromised interaction of LRH-1 K289R with the corepressor prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX1). Our study reveals that the SUMOylation status of a single nuclear receptor lysine residue can impact the development of a complex metabolic disease such as atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Altered adipose tissue formation is a well-known effectors of obesity and T2D. Here, we describe the role of Lrh1 and its co-repressor Shp in the control of adipocyte formation. Expression of Lrh1 in the pre-adipocyte containing SVF is induced in obese mice models and humans while Shp expression is reduced. We demonstrate, that Lrh1 is an inhibitor of adipogenesis while Shp acts functions as an activator through repression of Lrh1 activity. This regulation is at least in part modulated by estradiol conversion through the regulation of Cyp19a1 gene expression. In vivo, loss of Lrh1 leads to induced adipogenesis, while loss of Shp causes uncontrolled activation of Lrh1 and reduced adipogenesis. As Shp expression has been linked to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders, it is possible that alterations of the Shp/Lrh1 network lead to changes in adipocyte formation, which might contribute to the development of obesity associated T2D. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Mitochondrial Ca2+ signals have been proposed to accelerate oxidative metabolism and ATP production to match Ca2+-activated energy-consuming processes. Efforts to understand the signaling role of mitochondrial Ca2+ have been hampered by the inability to manipulate matrix Ca2+ without directly altering cytosolic Ca2+. We were able to selectively buffer mitochondrial Ca2+ rises by targeting the Ca2+-binding protein S100G to the matrix. We find that matrix Ca2+ controls signal-dependent NAD(P)H formation, respiration, and ATP changes in intact cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that matrix Ca2+ increases are necessary for the amplification of sustained glucose-dependent insulin secretion in β cells. Through the regulation of NAD(P)H in adrenal glomerulosa cells, matrix Ca2+ also acts as a positive signal in reductive biosynthesis, which stimulates aldosterone secretion. Our dissection of cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ signals reveals the physiological importance of matrix Ca2+ in energy metabolism required for signal-dependent hormone secretion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: During fasting and after exercise, skeletal muscle efficiently switches from carbohydrate to lipid as the main energy source to preserve glycogen stores and blood glucose levels for glucose-dependent tissues. Skeletal muscle cells sense this limitation in glucose availability and transform this information into transcriptional and metabolic adaptations. Here we demonstrate that AMPK acts as the prime initial sensor that translates this information into SIRT1-dependent deacetylation of the transcriptional regulators PGC-1α and FOXO1, culminating in the transcriptional modulation of mitochondrial and lipid utilization genes. Deficient AMPK activity compromises SIRT1-dependent responses to exercise and fasting, resulting in impaired PGC-1α deacetylation and blunted induction of mitochondrial gene expression. Thus, we conclude that AMPK acts as the primordial trigger for fasting- and exercise-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle and that activation of SIRT1 and its downstream signaling pathways are improperly triggered in AMPK-deficient states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: TGR5 is a G protein-coupled receptor expressed in brown adipose tissue and muscle, where its activation by bile acids triggers an increase in energy expenditure and attenuates diet-induced obesity. Using a combination of pharmacological and genetic gain- and loss-of-function studies in vivo, we show here that TGR5 signaling induces intestinal glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) release, leading to improved liver and pancreatic function and enhanced glucose tolerance in obese mice. In addition, we show that the induction of GLP-1 release in enteroendocrine cells by 6α-ethyl-23(S)-methyl-cholic acid (EMCA, INT-777), a specific TGR5 agonist, is linked to an increase of the intracellular ATP/ADP ratio and a subsequent rise in intracellular calcium mobilization. Altogether, these data show that the TGR5 signaling pathway is critical in regulating intestinal GLP-1 secretion in vivo, and suggest that pharmacological targeting of TGR5 may constitute a promising incretin-based strategy for the treatment of diabesity and associated metabolic disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: We show here high levels of expression and secretion of the chemokine CXC ligand 5 (CXCL5) in the macrophage fraction of white adipose tissue (WAT). Moreover, we find that CXCL5 is dramatically increased in serum of human obese compared to lean subjects. Conversely, CXCL5 concentration is decreased in obese subjects after a weight reduction program, or in obese non-insulin-resistant, compared to insulin-resistant, subjects. Most importantly we demonstrate that treatment with recombinant CXCL5 blocks insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in muscle in mice. CXCL5 blocks insulin signaling by activating the Jak2/STAT5/SOCS2 pathway. Finally, by treating obese, insulin-resistant mice with either anti-CXCL5 neutralizing antibodies or antagonists of CXCR2, which is the CXCL5 receptor, we demonstrate that CXCL5 mediates insulin resistance. Furthermore CXCR2−/− mice are protected against obesity-induced insulin resistance. Taken together, these results show that secretion of CXCL5 by WAT resident macrophages represents a link between obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 controls metabolic processes in response to low nutrient availability. We report the metabolic phenotype of mice treated with SRT1720, a specific and potent synthetic activator of SIRT1 that is devoid of direct action on AMPK. SRT1720 administration robustly enhances endurance running performance and strongly protects from diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance by enhancing oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle, liver, and brown adipose tissue. These metabolic effects of SRT1720 are mediated by the induction of a genetic network controlling fatty acid oxidation through a multifaceted mechanism that involves the direct deacetylation of PGC-1α, FOXO1, and p53 and the indirect stimulation of AMPK signaling through a global metabolic adaptation mimicking low energy levels. Combined with our previous work on resveratrol, the current study further validates SIRT1 as a target for the treatment of metabolic disorders and characterizes the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of SIRT1 activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]