Glabridin attenuates antiadipogenic activity induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has various toxicological effects in adipose tissue. Evidence is accumulating that glabridin, a flavonoid extracted from licorice, has beneficial effects on the regulation of glucose homeostasis. In this study, we investigated whether glabridin suppresses TCDD-induced loss of adipogenic action using 3T3-L1 adipocytes as a cell culture model of wasting syndrome. Glabridin effectively suppressed TCDD-induced loss of lipid accumulation in this model. Pretreating cells with glabridin increased the gene expression of not only the adipogenesis-associated key transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha, but also lipoprotein lipase in the presence of TCDD. TCDD decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, which was effectively restored by pretreatment with glabridin. Glabridin also inhibited the TCDD-driven decreased production of insulin receptor substrate 1 and glucose transporter 4. TCDD increased the production of mitochondrial superoxides, prostaglandin E2 , phospholipase A2 , cyclooxygenase-1 and intracellular calcium concentrations, while reducing the production of PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha and glycolysis. However, glabridin treatment reduced these TCDD-induced effects. We conclude that glabridin suppresses the TCDD-induced loss of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by regulating the levels of PPARγ, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha, lipoprotein lipase, glucose uptake, prostaglandin E2 and energy metabolism. These results also provide in vitro evidence of the effects of glabridin on adipocyte metabolism, which suggests a protective effect against dioxin exposure in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes.

Clinical Value of Serum Mitochondria-Inhibiting Substances in Assessing Renal Hazards: A Community-Based Prospective Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial dysfunction is strongly associated with several kidney diseases. However, no studies have evaluated the potential renal hazards of serum mitochondria-inhibiting substance (MIS) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand (AhRL) levels. METHODS: We used serum level of MIS and AhRL and clinical renal outcomes from 1,511 participants of a prospective community-based cohort in Ansung. MIS was evaluated based on intracellular adenosine triphosphate (MIS-ATP) or reactive oxygen species (MIS-ROS) generation measured using cell-based assays. RESULTS: During a mean 6.9-year follow-up, 84 participants (5.6%) developed a rapid decline in kidney function. In the lowest quartile group of MIS-ATP, patients were older and had metabolically deleterious parameters. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, higher MIS-ATP was associated with decreased odds for rapid decline: the odds ratio (OR) of 1% increase was 0.977 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.957 to 0.998; P=0.031), while higher MIS-ROS was marginally associated with increased odds for rapid decline (OR, 1.014; 95% CI, 0.999 to 1.028; P=0.055). However, serum AhRL was not associated with the rapid decline in kidney function. In subgroup analysis, the renal hazard of MIS was particularly evident in people with hypertension and low baseline kidney function. CONCLUSION: Serum MIS was independently associated with a rapid decline in kidney function, while serum AhRL was not. The clinical implication of renal hazard on serum MIS requires further evaluation in future studies.

Protective effects of DA-9805 on dopaminergic neurons against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity in the models of Parkinson's disease.

With the elderly population rapidly growing, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) is quickly increasing because neurodegenerative disorders are usually late-onset. Herbal medicines and formula are adjuvant therapies of conventional PD agents, which result in serious side effects with long-term use. This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of DA-9805, a standardized herbal formula that consists of an ethanolic extract of Moutan Cortex Radix, Angelica Dahuricae Radix, and Bupleuri Radix against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. In PC12 cells, DA-9805 at concentrations of 1 and 10 µg/mL ameliorated cell viability, which was reduced by 6-OHDA. In addition, DA-9805 activated the extracellular-regulated kinase-nuclear transcription factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway, subsequently stimulating antioxidative enzymes such as NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and catalase and suppressing apoptosis. Furthermore, DA-9805 prevented 6-OHDA-induced movement impairment, as well as a decrease of dopaminergic neurons and dopamine transmission in rodents. Taken together, these results suggest that the mixed herbal formula DA-9805 may be a pharmaceutical agent for preventing or improving PD.

Shot-gun proteomic analysis of mitochondrial D-loop DNA binding proteins: identification of mitochondrial histones.

Transcription and replication of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are regulated by nuclear DNA-encoded proteins that are targeted into mitochondria. A decrease in mtDNA copy number results in mitochondrial dysfunction, which may lead to insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes. We analyzed mitochondrial proteins that physically bind to human mitochondrial D-loop DNA using a shot-gun proteomics approach following protein enrichment by D-loop DNA-linked affinity chromatography. A total of 152 D-loop DNA binding proteins were identified by peptide sequencing using ultra high pressure capillary reverse-phase liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Bioinformatic analysis showed that 68 were mitochondrial proteins, 96 were DNA/RNA/protein binding proteins and 114 proteins might form a complex via protein-protein interactions. Histone family members of H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4, were detected in abundance among them. In particular, histones H2A and H2B were present in the mitochondrial membrane as integral membrane proteins and not bound directly to mtDNA inside the organelle. Histones H1.2, H3 and H4 were associated with the outer mitochondrial membrane. Silencing of H2AX expression inhibited mitochondrial protein transport. Our data suggests that many mitochondrial proteins may reside in multiple subcellular compartments like H2AX and exert multiple functions.

Reduced mitochondrial properties in putative progenitor/stem cells of human keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: The characterization of progenitor/keratinocyte stem cells (KSC) remains an unachieved goal. A previous study showed that rapid adhering cells to collagen IV had the characteristics of putative progenitor/KSCs. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic expression of rapid adhering cells compared to non adhering cells to determine the characteristic of KSCs. METHODS: We isolated rapid adhering cells representative of KSCs from non adhering cells representative of transient amplifying cells. In addition, we differentiated cells from human tonsilar keratinocytes utilizing the adhering capability of the KSCs to collagen IV. Annealing control primer based differentially displayed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed as well as Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The levels of mitochondria-related gene expression were low in the rapid adhering cells compared to the non adhering cells. Mitochondrial complex I, COX IV, peroxiredoxins (I, II and IV) and mitochondrial membrane potential were all low in the rapid adhering cells compared to the non adhering cells. CONCLUSION: Using an adhesion method on human collagen IV-coated plates, our results suggest that reduced mitochondrial function may be an important characteristic of KSCs.

Synthesis and PPAR-gamma ligand-binding activity of the new series of 2'-hydroxychalcone and thiazolidinedione derivatives.

Fifteen chalcones and three thiazolidinedione (TZD) chalcones were prepared to evaluate their peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) ligand-binding activities. Among the three TZDs, one compound possessed PPAR-gamma transactivation potential, while the others showed antagonistic activity against PPAR-gamma transactivation. Among the chalcones, compound 5 was the most potent, and structure-activity relationship studies indicated that a methoxyl group in position C-4 and hydroxyl group in position C-4' or 5' in chalcone plays a key role in determining the potency of PPAR-gamma activation.