The phytochemical hyperforin triggers thermogenesis in adipose tissue via a Dlat-AMPK signaling axis to curb obesity.

Stimulation of adipose tissue thermogenesis is regarded as a promising avenue in the treatment of obesity. However, pharmacologic engagement of this process has proven difficult. Using the Connectivity Map (CMap) approach, we identified the phytochemical hyperforin (HPF) as an anti-obesity agent. We found that HPF efficiently promoted thermogenesis by stimulating AMPK and PGC-1α via a Ucp1-dependent pathway. Using LiP-SMap (limited proteolysis-mass spectrometry) combined with a microscale thermophoresis assay and molecular docking analysis, we confirmed dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase (Dlat) as a direct molecular target of HPF. Ablation of Dlat significantly attenuated HPF-mediated adipose tissue browning both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, genome-wide association study analysis indicated that a variation in DLAT is significantly associated with obesity in humans. These findings suggest that HPF is a promising lead compound in the pursuit of a pharmacological approach to promote energy expenditure in the treatment of obesity.

Mapping the lipoylation site of Arabidopsis thaliana plastidial dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase using mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis.

Catalytic enhancement achieved by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) results from a combination of substrate channeling plus active-site coupling. The mechanism for active-site coupling involves lipoic acid prosthetic groups covalently attached to Lys in the primary sequence of the dihydrolipoyl S-acetyltransferase (E2) component. Arabidopsis thaliana plastidial E2 (AtplE2-1A-His(6)) was expressed in Escherichia coli. Analysis of recombinant protein by SDS-PAGE revealed a Mr 59,000 band. Supplementation of bacterial culture medium with l-lipoic acid (LA) shifted the band to Mr 57,000. Intact mass determinations using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) revealed the faster migrating E2 species was 189 Da larger than the slower migrating form, exactly the difference that would result from addition of a single lipoamide group. Results from systematic MALDI-TOF analysis of Lys-containing tryptic peptides derived from purified recombinant AtplE2-1A indicate that Lys96 is the site of lipoyl-addition. Analysis of Lys96 site-directed mutant proteins showed that they migrated as single species during SDS-PAGE when expressed in either the absence or presence of supplemental LA. Results from both intact and tryptic peptide mass determinations by MALDI-TOF MS confirmed that the mutant proteins were not lipoylated. The A. thaliana plastidial E2 subunit includes a single lipoyl-prosthetic group covalently attached to Lys96. Despite low primary sequence identity with bacterial E2, the plant E2 protein was recognized and modified by E. coli E2 lipoyl-addition system. Results from meta-genomic analysis suggest a ß-turn is more important in defining the site for LA addition than a conserved sequence motif.

Expression changes of hippocampal energy metabolism enzymes contribute to behavioural abnormalities during chronic morphine treatment.

Dependence and impairment of learning and memory are two well-established features caused by abused drugs such as opioids. The hippocampus is an important region associated with both drug dependence and learning and memory. However, the molecular events in hippocampus following exposure to abused drugs such as opioids are not well understood. Here we examined the effect of chronic morphine treatment on hippocampal protein expression by proteomic analyses. We found that chronic exposure of mice to morphine for 10 days produced robust morphine withdrawal jumping and memory impairment, and also resulted in a significant downregulation of hippocampal protein levels of three metabolic enzymes, including Fe-S protein 1 of NADH dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase or E2 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and lactate dehydrogenase 2. Further real-time quantitative PCR analyses confirmed that the levels of the corresponding mRNAs were also remarkably reduced. Consistent with these findings, lower ATP levels and an impaired ability to convert glucose into ATP were also observed in the hippocampus of chronically treated mice. Opioid antagonist naltrexone administrated concomitantly with morphine significantly suppressed morphine withdrawal jumping and reversed the downregulation of these proteins. Acute exposure to morphine also produced robust morphine withdrawal jumping and significant memory impairment, but failed to decrease the expression of these three proteins. Intrahippocampal injection of D-glucose before morphine administration significantly enhanced ATP levels and suppressed morphine withdrawal jumping and memory impairment in acute morphine-treated but not in chronic morphine-treated mice. Intraperitoneal injection of high dose of D-glucose shows a similar effect on morphine-induced withdrawal jumping as the central treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that reduced expression of the three metabolic enzymes in the hippocampus as a result of chronic morphine treatment contributes to the development of drug-induced symptoms such as morphine withdrawal jumping and memory impairment.