Adaptation of metabolism to multicellular aggregation, hypoxia and obese stromal cell incorporation as potential measure of survival of ovarian metastases.

Ovarian metastases exfoliate from the primary tumor and it is thought that aggregation supports their survival in the peritoneal cavity during dissemination but the underlying mechanisms are not clearly identified. We have previously shown that ovarian cancer cells acquire an increasingly glycolytic and metabolic flexible phenotype during progression. In the present study, we investigated how hypoxia, aggregation, and the incorporation of the obese stromal vascular fraction (SVF) affect cellular metabolism and the response to common anti-cancer and anti-diabetic drugs. Our results show a reduction of glucose uptake, lactate secretion, cellular respiration and ATP synthesis in response to hypoxia and aggregation, suggesting that the observed reduced proliferation of cells aggregated into spheroids is the result of a down-regulation of respiration. Recruitment of SVF to spheroids increased the spheroids invasive capacity but reduced respiration only in the most aggressive cells. Further, aggregation and hypoxia reduced the response to the metabolic drugs AICAR and metformin, and the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin and paclitaxel. Our results suggest that the adaptation of cellular metabolism may contribute to enhanced survival under non-permissive conditions, and that these metabolic alterations may provide targets for future interventions that aim to enhance the survival of women with metastatic ovarian cancer.

Effects of Seasonal Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Strength, Power, and Body Composition in College Swimmers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of fall season vitamin D3 supplementation on strength/power, body composition, and anabolic hormones in swimmers with optimal vitamin D status at summer's end. Male and female National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I swimmers (N = 19) with optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] randomly received 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 (VITD) or placebo (PLA) daily for 12 weeks while participating in swimming and strength and conditioning training (August-November). Before and after the intervention, the participants underwent blood sampling for analysis of serum 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, total testosterone, free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and insulin-like growth factor 1, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and strength/power testing (bench press, squat, dead lift, standing broad jump, vertical jump, and dips and pull-ups). Sex was used as a covariate for analyses. The 25(OH)D was decreased by 44% in PLA (p < .05) and increased by 8% in VITD over the 12 weeks. Fat-free mass increased in VITD (56.4-59.1 kg; p < .05), but not PLA (59.4-59.7 kg; p < .01). Significant Group × Time interaction effects were observed for dead lift (F = 21.577, p < .01) and vertical jump (F = 11.219, p < .01), but no other strength/power tests. Total testosterone decreased similarly in both groups, but free testosterone decreased and sex hormone-binding globulin increased only in PLA (p < .01). There were no group differences or changes in insulin-like growth factor 1 with the intervention. The findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation is an efficacious strategy to maintain 25(OH)D during the fall season training and to enhance some aspects of strength/power and fat-free mass in swimmers. Further research on the relationship between vitamin D and anabolic hormones is needed.

Exercise and Nutrition Science Students' Perceptions of Blogging as a Required Course Component.

The growth of social media and websites for transmission of health-related information has increased in recent years, and development of online communication skills should be included in exercise science education. Incorporation of blogging into the higher education classroom may serve this professional development purpose, while also increasing student engagement and enhancing learning outcomes. PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate exercise and nutrition science students' perceptions of blogging on perceived learning, sense of community, and technical knowledge at the beginning and end of the semester, and to compare the perceptions of undergraduate (UG) and graduate (GRAD) students. METHODS: UG (pre, n = 78; post, n = 50) and GRAD (pre, n = 20; post, n = 17) students were enrolled in semester long seminar courses that required blogging. Perceptions of blogging were assessed using an anonymous Likert-scale survey at the beginning and end of the semester. T-tests were used to determine differences in perception on the survey subscales pre to post and between UG and GRAD students. RESULTS: Agreement that blogging could enhance learning or promote a sense of community was lower at the end of the semester compared with the beginning, but remained relatively high. Agreement with items related to technical knowledge increased from presemester to postsemester. The change in perception in the whole sample was driven by the UG students, as GRAD students' perceptions of blogging, although initially less positive than UG, were mainly unchanged from the start of the semester to the end. CONCLUSIONS: Blogging as a required course component is viewed favorably by exercise and nutrition science students. Future research evaluating course characteristics and structure of blogging requirements that may enhance student' perceptions are warranted.

Angiotensin II suppresses autophagy and disrupts ultrastructural morphology and function of mitochondria in mouse skeletal muscle.

Angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced skeletal muscle wasting is characterized by activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. However, the potential involvement of proteolytic system macroautophagy/autophagy in this wasting process remains elusive. Autophagy is precisely regulated to maintain cell survival and homeostasis; thus its dysregulation (i.e., overactivation or persistent suppression) could lead to detrimental outcomes in skeletal muscle. Here we show that infusion of ANG II for 7 days in male FVB mice suppressed autophagy in skeletal muscle. ANG II blunted microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B)-I-to-LC3B-II conversion (an autophagosome marker), increased p62/SQSTM1 (an autophagy cargo receptor) protein expression, and decreased the number of autophagic vacuoles. ANG II inhibited UNC-51-like kinase 1 via inhibition of 5'-AMP-activated kinase and activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1, leading to reduced phosphorylation of beclin-1Ser14 and Autophagy-related protein 14Ser29, suggesting that ANG II impairs autophagosome formation in skeletal muscle. In line with ANG II-mediated suppression of autophagy, ANG II promoted accumulation of abnormal/damaged mitochondria, characterized by swelling and disorganized cristae and matrix dissolution, with associated increase in PTEN-induced kinase 1 protein expression. ANG II also reduced mitochondrial respiration, indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction. Together, these results demonstrate that ANG II reduces autophagic activity and disrupts mitochondrial ultrastructure and function, likely contributing to skeletal muscle wasting. Therefore, strategies that activate autophagy in skeletal muscle have the potential to prevent or blunt ANG II-induced skeletal muscle wasting in chronic diseases. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study identified a novel mechanism whereby angiotensin II (ANG II) impairs mitochondrial energy metabolism in skeletal muscle. ANG II suppressed autophagosome formation by inhibiting the UNC-51-like kinase 1(ULK1)-beclin-1 axis, resulting in accumulation of abnormal/damaged and dysfunctional mitochondria and reduced mitochondrial respiratory capacity. Therapeutic strategies that activate the ULK1-beclin-1 axis have the potential to delay or reverse skeletal muscle wasting in chronic diseases characterized by increased systemic ANG II levels.

The δ13C Value of Fingerstick Blood Is a Valid, Reliable, and Sensitive Biomarker of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in Children and Adolescents.

Background: Reliance on self-reported dietary intake methods is a commonly cited research limitation, and dietary misreporting is a particular problem in children and adolescents. Objective indicators of dietary intake, such as dietary biomarkers, are needed to overcome this research limitation. The added sugar (AS) biomarker δ13C, which measures the relative abundance of 13C to 12C, has demonstrated preliminary validity in adults. Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the comparative validity, test-retest reliability, and sensitivity of the δ13C biomarker to detect AS and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake using fingerstick blood samples in children and adolescents. Methods: Children (aged 6-11 y, n = 126, 56% male, mean ± SD age: 9 ± 2 y) and adolescents (aged 12-18 y, n = 200, 44% male, mean ± SD age: 15 ± 2 y) completed 4 testing sessions within a 3-wk period. Participants' height, weight, demographic characteristics, and health history were determined at the first session; 24-h recalls were obtained at each visit and fingerstick blood samples were collected at visits 1 and 3. Samples were analyzed for δ13C value using natural abundance stable isotope mass spectrometry. δ13C value was compared with dietary outcomes in the full sample, and in child and adolescent subgroups. t Tests and correlational analyses were used to assess biomarker validity and reliability, whereas logistic regression and area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC) were used to evaluate sensitivity. Results: Reported mean ± SD AS consumption was 82.2 ± 35.8 g/d and 329 ± 143 kcal/d, and SSB consumption was 222 ± 243 mL/d and 98 ± 103 kcal/d. Mean δ13C value was -19.65 ± 0.69‰, and was lower in children than in adolescents (-19.80 ± 0.67‰ compared with -19.56 ± 0.67‰, P = 0.002). δ13C values were similar across sessions (visit 1: -19.66 ± 0.68‰; visit 3: -19.64 ± 0.68‰; r = 0.99, P < 0.001) and were associated (P < 0.001) with intake of total AS (grams, kilocalories: r = 0.29) and SSB (milliliters, kilocalories: r = 0.35). The biomarker was able to better discriminate between high and low SSB consumers than high and low AS consumers, as demonstrated by the AUC (0.75 and 0.62, respectively). Conclusions: The δ13C biomarker is a promising, minimally invasive, objective biomarker of SSB intake in children and adolescents. Further evaluation using controlled feeding designs is warranted. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02455388.

Skeletal muscle autophagy and mitophagy in endurance-trained runners before and after a high-fat meal.

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that skeletal muscle of endurance-trained male runners would exhibit elevated autophagy and mitophagy markers, which would be associated with greater metabolic flexibility following a high-fat meal (HFM). METHODS: Muscle biopsies were collected to determine differences in autophagy and mitophagy protein markers and metabolic flexibility under fasting conditions and 4 h following a HFM between endurance-trained male runners (n = 10) and sedentary, non-obese controls (n = 9). RESULTS: Maximal oxygen consumption (ml·kg·min-1) was approximately 50% higher (p < 0.05) in endurance-trained runners compared with sedentary controls (65.8 ± 2.3 and 43.1 ± 3.4, respectively). Autophagy markers were similar between groups. Mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics protein markers were significantly higher in skeletal muscle of endurance-trained runners compared with sedentary controls in the fasted state, although unaffected by the HFM. Skeletal muscle metabolic flexibility was similar between groups when fasted (p > 0.05), but increased in response to the HFM in endurance-trained athletes only (p < 0.005). Key mitophagy markers, phospho-Pink1Thr257 and phospho-ParkinS65 (r = 0.64, p < 0.005), and phospo-ParkinSer65 and phospho-Drp1Ser616 (r = 0.70, p < 0.05) were correlated only within the endurance-trained group. Autophagy and mitophagy markers were not correlated with metabolic flexibility. CONCLUSION: In summary, mitophagy may be enhanced in endurance-trained runners based on elevated markers of mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics. The HFM did not alter autophagy or mitophagy in either group. The absence of a relationship between mitophagy markers and metabolic flexibility suggests that mitophagy is not a key determinant of metabolic flexibility in a healthy population, but further investigation is warranted.

Acute low-dose endotoxin treatment results in improved whole-body glucose homeostasis in mice.

BACKGROUND: Obese individuals present with an increased inflammatory tone as compared to healthy, normal-weight individuals, which is associated with insulin resistance. One factor hypothesized to contribute to increased inflammation in obese and diabetic states is elevated blood endotoxin levels, a condition known as metabolic endotoxemia. In non-obese and insulin sensitive individuals, circulating endotoxin concentrations fluctuate over the course of the day with elevations in the post-prandial state that return to baseline levels in the post-absorptive state. Evidence suggests that high-fat feeding alters these fluctuations causing endotoxin levels to remain high throughout the day. The effects of alterations in endotoxin levels on glucose metabolism are not clearly understood. PURPOSE/PROCEDURES: The goal of this study was to determine the effects of both short-term and long-term increases in endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) of a low magnitude on the glucose tolerance and insulin signaling in a human primary cell line as well as the effects of short-term endotoxin treatments on glucose homeostasis in a C57/Bl6 mouse model. First, we tested the hypothesis that short-term low-dose endotoxin treatments would augment insulin signaling and glycogen synthesis while long-term treatments would be disruptive in the cell culture model. Second, we examined if these short-term low dose treatments of endotoxin would contribute to similar improvements in whole-body glucose homeostasis in a mouse model. MAIN FINDINGS: Contrary to our initial hypothesis, short-term endotoxin treatment had no effect on insulin signaling or glycogen synthesis, however long-term treatment indeed decreased glycogen synthesis (P<.05). Interestingly, short-term endotoxin treatment resulted in significant improvements in glucose homeostasis in the mouse model (P<.01); which is believed to be at least partly attributed to an inhibitory action of LPS on liver glucose production. CONCLUSIONS: This research shows that low-magnitude, short-term changes in LPS can have significant effects on whole body glucose metabolism and this likely occurs through its direct actions on the liver. Additional studies are necessary to understand the mechanisms responsible for altered glucose metabolism in response to low magnitude changes in LPS levels.

Resistance exercise training and in vitro skeletal muscle oxidative capacity in older adults.

Whether resistance exercise training (RET) improves skeletal muscle substrate oxidative capacity and reduces mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species in older adults remains unclear. To address this, 19 older males (≥60 years) were randomized to a RET (n = 11) or to a waitlist control group (n = 8) that remained sedentary for 12 weeks. RET was comprised of three upper body and four lower body movements on resistance machines. One set of 8-12 repetitions to failure of each movement was performed on three nonconsecutive days/week. Improvements in chest press and leg press strength were assessed using a three-repetition maximum (3 RM). Body composition was assessed via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle at baseline and at both 3 weeks and 12 weeks. Palmitate and pyruvate oxidation rates were measured from the (14)CO2 produced from [1-(14)C] palmitic acid and [U-(14)C] pyruvate, respectively, during incubation of muscle homogenates. PGC-1α, TFAM, and PPARδ levels were quantified using qRT-PCR Citrate synthase (CS) and ß-HAD activities were determined spectrophotometrically. Mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed using the Amplex Red Hydrogen Peroxide/Peroxidase assay. There were no significant changes in body weight or body composition following the intervention. Chest press and leg press strength (3RM) increased ~34% (both P < 0.01) with RET There were no significant changes in pyruvate or fatty acid oxidation or in the expression of target genes with the intervention. There was a modest increase (P < 0.05) in ßHAD activity with RET at 12 weeks but the change in CS enzyme activity was not significant. In addition, there were no significant changes in ROS production in either group following RET Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that 12 weeks of low volume RET does not increase skeletal muscle oxidative capacity or reduce ROS production in older adults.

Beverage Choices of Adolescents and Their Parents Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Added sugar intake in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been considered a contributor to weight gain and cardiometabolic dysfunction in adults and youth. Adolescents are some of the highest consumers of added sugars, taking in ∼16% of their total calories from added sugars with ∼40% of these calories coming from SSBs. Food preferences and self-regulation of dietary intake by youth can be influenced by parents. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in understanding and predicting adolescents' SSB consumption, identify which constructs are the most important when evaluating SSB consumption in adolescents, and determine whether and how adolescents' beverage choices are influenced by parents' reactions to their beverage choices. DESIGN: Measurements for this cross-sectional study included four record-assisted 24-hour dietary recalls and responses to an SSB-specific TPB questionnaire from 100 adolescents. Consenting parents completed a beverage intake questionnaire, a TPB questionnaire, and the Parent Response to Beverage Choice Questionnaire. RESULTS: The TPB explained 34% of the variance in adolescents' and parents' intention to limit SSBs to <1cup/day. Parents' perceived behavioral control (b=1.35; P=0.002) and adolescents' subjective norms (b=0.57; P=0.001) were the strongest predictors of intention, and intention was the strongest predictor of SSB consumption in both adolescents and parents (b=-37 [P=0.026] and b=-49 [P=0.003], respectively). The TPB explained more variance in parent SSB consumption (R(2)=0.38) than adolescents (R(2)=0.22). Parents did more discouraging of SSBs and encouraging of non-SSBs. Adolescents' intention to limit SSB consumption moderated the relationship between parents' reactions encouraging SSBs and adolescents' predicted SSB consumption (P=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The TPB explained a small but significant amount of variance in adolescents' SSB consumption. When addressing adolescent SSB intake, people in addition to parents may influence their intentions and SSB consumption.

Metabolic endotoxemia with obesity: Is it real and is it relevant?

Obesity is associated with metabolic derangements in multiple tissues, which contribute to the progression of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. The underlying stimulus for these metabolic derangements in obesity are not fully elucidated, however recent evidence in rodents and humans suggests that systemic, low level elevations of gut derived endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) may play an important role in obesity related, whole-body and tissue specific metabolic perturbations. LPS initiates a well-characterized signaling cascade that elicits many pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways when bound to its receptor, Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4). Low-grade elevation in plasma LPS has been termed "metabolic endotoxemia" and this state is associated with a heightened pro-inflammatory and oxidant environment often observed in obesity. Given the role of inflammatory and oxidative stress in the etiology of obesity related cardio-metabolic disease risk, it has been suggested that metabolic endotoxemia may serve a key mediator of metabolic derangements observed in obesity. This review provides supporting evidence of mechanistic associations with cell and animal models, and provides complimentary evidence of the clinical relevance of metabolic endotoxemia in obesity as it relates to inflammation and metabolic derangements in humans. Discrepancies with endotoxin detection are considered, and an alternate method of reporting metabolic endotoxemia is recommended until a standardized measurement protocol is set forth.

Isolation of Mitochondria from Minimal Quantities of Mouse Skeletal Muscle for High Throughput Microplate Respiratory Measurements.

Dysfunctional skeletal muscle mitochondria play a role in altered metabolism observed with aging, obesity and Type II diabetes. Mitochondrial respirometric assays from isolated mitochondrial preparations allow for the assessment of mitochondrial function, as well as determination of the mechanism(s) of action of drugs and proteins that modulate metabolism. Current isolation procedures often require large quantities of tissue to yield high quality mitochondria necessary for respirometric assays. The methods presented herein describe how high quality purified mitochondria (~ 450 µg) can be isolated from minimal quantities (~75-100 mg) of mouse skeletal muscle for use in high throughput respiratory measurements. We determined that our isolation method yields 92.5± 2.0% intact mitochondria by measuring citrate synthase activity spectrophotometrically. In addition, Western blot analysis in isolated mitochondria resulted in the faint expression of the cytosolic protein, GAPDH, and the robust expression of the mitochondrial protein, COXIV. The absence of a prominent GAPDH band in the isolated mitochondria is indicative of little contamination from non-mitochondrial sources during the isolation procedure. Most importantly, the measurement of O2 consumption rate with micro-plate based technology and determining the respiratory control ratio (RCR) for coupled respirometric assays shows highly coupled (RCR; >6 for all assays) and functional mitochondria. In conclusion, the addition of a separate mincing step and significantly reducing motor driven homogenization speed of a previously reported method has allowed the isolation of high quality and purified mitochondria from smaller quantities of mouse skeletal muscle that results in highly coupled mitochondria that respire with high function during microplate based respirometirc assays.

Using Isolated Mitochondria from Minimal Quantities of Mouse Skeletal Muscle for High throughput Microplate Respiratory Measurements.

Skeletal muscle mitochondria play a specific role in many disease pathologies. As such, the measurement of oxygen consumption as an indicator of mitochondrial function in this tissue has become more prevalent. Although many technologies and assays exist that measure mitochondrial respiratory pathways in a variety of cells, tissue and species, there is currently a void in the literature in regards to the compilation of these assays using isolated mitochondria from mouse skeletal muscle for use in microplate based technologies. Importantly, the use of microplate based respirometric assays is growing among mitochondrial biologists as it allows for high throughput measurements using minimal quantities of isolated mitochondria. Therefore, a collection of microplate based respirometric assays were developed that are able to assess mechanistic changes/adaptations in oxygen consumption in a commonly used animal model. The methods presented herein provide step-by-step instructions to perform these assays with an optimal amount of mitochondrial protein and reagents, and high precision as evidenced by the minimal variance across the dynamic range of each assay.

Probiotic supplementation attenuates increases in body mass and fat mass during high-fat diet in healthy young adults.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the effects of the probiotic, VSL#3, on body and fat mass, insulin sensitivity, and skeletal muscle substrate oxidation following 4 weeks of a high-fat diet. METHODS: Twenty non-obese males (18-30 years) participated in the study. Following a 2-week eucaloric control diet, participants underwent dual X-ray absorptiometry to determine body composition, an intravenous glucose tolerance test to determine insulin sensitivity, and a skeletal muscle biopsy for measurement of in vitro substrate oxidation. Subsequently, participants were randomized to receive either VSL#3 or placebo daily during 4 weeks of consuming a High-fat (55% fat), hypercaloric diet (+1,000 kcal day(-1) ). Participants repeated all measurements following the intervention. RESULTS: Body mass (1.42 ± 0.42 kg vs. 2.30 ± 0.28 kg) and fat mass (0.63 ± 0.09 kg vs. 1.29 ± 0.27 kg) increased less following the High-fat diet in the VSL#3 group compared with placebo. However, there were no significant changes in insulin sensitivity or in vitro skeletal muscle pyruvate and fat oxidation with the High-fat diet or VSL#3. CONCLUSIONS: VSL#3 supplementation appears to have provided some protection from body mass gain and fat accumulation in healthy young men consuming a High-fat and high-energy diet.

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis: The Theory of Planned Behavior's application to understand and predict nutrition-related behaviors in youth.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to reduce unhealthy dietary intake behaviors in youth are urgently needed. Theory-based interventions can be effective in promoting behavior change; one promising model is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine, using a systematic literature review, how the TPB has been applied to investigate dietary behaviors, and to evaluate which constructs are associated with dietary behavioral intentions and behaviors in youth. METHODS: Publications were identified by searching electronic databases, contacting experts in the field, and examining an evolving Internet-based TPB-specific bibliography. Studies including participants aged 2-18years, all TPB constructs discernible and measured with a description of how the variables were assessed and analyzed, were published in English and peer-reviewed journals, and focused on nutrition-related behaviors in youth were identified. Accompanying a descriptive statistical analysis was the calculation of effect sizes where possible, a two-stage meta-analysis, and a quality assessment using tenants from the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statements. RESULTS: Thirty-four articles, including three intervention studies, were reviewed. The TPB was most often used to evaluate healthy eating and sugary snack and beverage consumption. Attitude had the strongest relationship with dietary behavioral intention (mean r=0.52), while intention was the most common predictor of behavior performance (mean r=0.38; both p<0.001). All three interventions revealed beneficial outcomes when using the TPB (e.g. η(2)=0.51 and ds=0.91, 0.89, and 0.79); extending the Theory with implementation intentions may enhance its effectiveness (e.g. η(2)=0.76). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the TPB may be an effective framework to identify and understand child and adolescent nutrition-related behaviors, allowing for the development of tailored initiatives targeting poor dietary practices in youth. However, support from the literature is primarily from observational studies and a greater effort towards examining these relationships within intervention studies is needed.

Selective overexpression of Toll-like receptor-4 in skeletal muscle impairs metabolic adaptation to high-fat feeding.

Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) is elevated in skeletal muscle of obese humans, and data from our laboratory have shown that activation of TLR-4 in skeletal muscle via LPS results in decreased fatty acid oxidation (FAO). The purpose of this study was to determine whether overexpression of TLR-4 in skeletal muscle alters mitochondrial function and whole body metabolism in the context of a chow and high-fat diet. C57BL/6J mice (males, 6-8 mo of age) with skeletal muscle-specific overexpression of the TLR-4 (mTLR-4) gene were created and used for this study. Isolated mitochondria and whole muscle homogenates from rodent skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius and quadriceps) were investigated. TLR-4 overexpression resulted in a significant reduction in FAO in muscle homogenates; however, mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production did not appear to be affected on a standard chow diet. To determine the role of TLR-4 overexpression in skeletal muscle in response to high-fat feeding, mTLR-4 mice and WT control mice were fed low- and high-fat diets for 16 wk. The high-fat diet significantly decreased FAO in mTLR-4 mice, which was observed in concert with elevated body weight and fat, greater glucose intolerance, and increase in production of ROS and cellular oxidative damage compared with WT littermates. These findings suggest that TLR-4 plays an important role in the metabolic response in skeletal muscle to high-fat feeding.

Early skeletal muscle adaptations to short-term high-fat diet in humans before changes in insulin sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to understand the metabolic adaptations to a short-term (5 days), isocaloric, high-fat diet (HFD) in healthy, young males. METHODS: Two studies were undertaken with 12 subjects. Study 1 investigated the effect of the HFD on skeletal muscle substrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Study 2 assessed the metabolic and transcriptional responses in skeletal muscle to the transition from a fasted to fed state using a high-fat meal challenge before and after 5 days of the HFD. RESULTS: Study 1 showed no effect of a HFD on skeletal muscle metabolism or insulin sensitivity in fasting samples. Study 2 showed that a HFD elicits significant increases in fasting serum endotoxin and disrupts the normal postprandial excursions of serum endotoxin, as well as metabolic and transcriptional responses in skeletal muscle. These effects after 5 days of the HFD were accompanied by an altered fasting and postprandial response in the ratio of phosphorylated- to total-p38 protein. These changes all occurred in the absence of alterations in insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence for early biological adaptations to high-fat feeding that proceed and possibly lead to insulin resistance.

Angiotensin II receptor blockade and skeletal muscle metabolism in overweight and obese adults with elevated blood pressure.

OBJECTIVES: Whether angiotensin II receptor blockade improves skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation in overweight and obese humans is unknown. The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that the angiotensin II receptor blocker, olmesartan, would increase fatty acid oxidation and the activity of enzymes associated with oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle of overweight and obese humans. METHODS: A total of 12 individuals (6 men and 6 women) aged 18-75 and with a body mass index ⩾25 kg/m2 were assigned to olmesartan or placebo for 8 weeks in a crossover fashion. Fatty acid oxidation was measured before and after each intervention by counting the (14)CO2 produced from [1-(14)C] palmitic acid in skeletal muscle homogenates. RESULTS: Fatty acid oxidation was not significantly different between treatment periods at baseline and post intervention. In addition, the enzyme activities of citrate synthase and ß-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase in skeletal muscle homogenates did not differ between treatment periods at baseline or post intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with olmesartan for 8 weeks does not improve fatty acid oxidation or the activity of enzymes associated with oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle from overweight and obese individuals. Taken together, our results indicate that improvements in skeletal muscle metabolism are not among the additional benefits of olmesartan that extend beyond blood pressure reduction.

Low levels of lipopolysaccharide modulate mitochondrial oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVE: We have previously demonstrated that activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in skeletal muscle results in an increased reliance on glucose as an energy source and a concomitant decrease in fatty acid oxidation under basal conditions. Herein, we examined the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the primary ligand for TLR4, on mitochondrial oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle cell culture and mitochondria isolated from rodent skeletal muscle. MATERIALS/METHODS: Skeletal muscle cell cultures were exposed to LPS and oxygen consumption was assessed using a Seahorse Bioscience extracellular flux analyzer. Mice were also exposed to LPS and oxygen consumption was assessed in mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscle. RESULTS: Acute LPS exposure resulted in significant reductions in Carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP)-stimulated maximal respiration (state 3u) and increased oligomycin induced state 4 (state 4O) respiration in C2C12 and human primary myotubes. These findings were observed in conjunction with increased mRNA of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. The LPS-mediated changes in substrate oxidation and maximal mitochondrial respiration were prevented in the presence of the antioxidants N-acetylcysteine and catalase, suggesting a potential role of reactive oxygen species in mediating these effects. Mitochondria isolated from red gastrocnemius and quadriceps femoris muscle from mice injected with LPS also demonstrated reduced respiratory control ratio (RCR), and ADP- and FCCP-stimulated respiration. CONCLUSION: LPS exposure in skeletal muscle alters mitochondrial oxygen consumption and substrate preference, which is absent when antioxidants are present.

Ovarian tumor-initiating cells display a flexible metabolism.

An altered metabolism during ovarian cancer progression allows for increased macromolecular synthesis and unrestrained growth. However, the metabolic phenotype of cancer stem or tumor-initiating cells, small tumor cell populations that are able to recapitulate the original tumor, has not been well characterized. In the present study, we compared the metabolic phenotype of the stem cell enriched cell variant, MOSE-LFFLv (TIC), derived from mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells, to their parental (MOSE-L) and benign precursor (MOSE-E) cells. TICs exhibit a decrease in glucose and fatty acid oxidation with a concomitant increase in lactate secretion. In contrast to MOSE-L cells, TICs can increase their rate of glycolysis to overcome the inhibition of ATP synthase by oligomycin and can increase their oxygen consumption rate to maintain proton motive force when uncoupled, similar to the benign MOSE-E cells. TICs have an increased survival rate under limiting conditions as well as an increased survival rate when treated with AICAR, but exhibit a higher sensitivity to metformin than MOSE-E and MOSE-L cells. Together, our data show that TICs have a distinct metabolic profile that may render them flexible to adapt to the specific conditions of their microenvironment. By better understanding their metabolic phenotype and external environmental conditions that support their survival, treatment interventions can be designed to extend current therapy regimens to eradicate TICs.

Social engagement and health in younger, older, and oldest-old adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study.

Social support has been shown to influence health outcomes in later life. In this study, we focus on social engagement as an umbrella construct that covers select social behaviors in a life span sample that included oldest-old adults, a segment of the adult population for whom very little data currently exist. We examined relationships among social engagement, positive health behaviors, and physical health to provide new evidence that addresses gaps in the extant literature concerning social engagement and healthy aging in very old adults. Participants were younger (21-59 years), older (60-89 years), and oldest-old (90-97 years) adults (N = 364) in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Linear regression analyses indicated that age, gender, and hours spent outside of the house were significantly associated with self-reported health. The number of clubs and hours outside of home were more important factors in the analyses of objective health status than positive health behaviors, after considering age group and education level. These data strongly suggest that social engagement remains an important determinant of physical health into very late adulthood. The discussion focuses on practical applications of these results including social support interventions to maintain or improve late-life health.