Adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles increase insulin secretion through transport of insulinotropic protein cargo.

Adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (AdEVs) are membranous nanoparticles that convey communication from adipose tissue to other organs. Here, to delineate their role as messengers with glucoregulatory nature, we paired fluorescence AdEV-tracing and SILAC-labeling with (phospho)proteomics, and revealed that AdEVs transfer functional insulinotropic protein cargo into pancreatic ß-cells. Upon transfer, AdEV proteins were subjects for phosphorylation, augmented insulinotropic GPCR/cAMP/PKA signaling by increasing total protein abundances and phosphosite dynamics, and ultimately enhanced 1st-phase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in murine islets. Notably, insulinotropic effects were restricted to AdEVs isolated from obese and insulin resistant, but not lean mice, which was consistent with differential protein loads and AdEV luminal morphologies. Likewise, in vivo pre-treatment with AdEVs from obese but not lean mice amplified insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in mice. This data suggests that secreted AdEVs can inform pancreatic ß-cells about insulin resistance in adipose tissue in order to amplify GSIS in times of increased insulin demand.

Internal Peptide Late-Stage Diversification: Peptide-Isosteric Triazoles for Primary and Secondary C(sp3 )-H Activation.

Secondary C(sp3 )-H arylations were accomplished by palladium catalysis with triazoles as peptide bond isosteres. The unique power of this approach is highlighted by the possibility of achieving secondary C(sp3 )-H functionalizations on terminal peptides as well as the unprecedented positional-selective C(sp3 )-H functionalization of internal peptide positions, setting the stage for modular peptide late-stage diversification.

C-H arylations of 1,2,3-triazoles by reusable heterogeneous palladium catalysts in biomass-derived γ-valerolactone.

C-H arylations were accomplished with a user-friendly heterogeneous palladium catalyst in the biomass-derived γ-valerolactone (GVL) as an environmentally-benign reaction medium. The user-friendly protocol was characterized by ample substrate scope and high functional group tolerance in the C-H arylation of 1,2,3-triazoles, and the palladium catalyst could be recycled and reused in the C-H activation process.

Late-Stage Peptide Diversification by Bioorthogonal Catalytic C-H Arylation at 23 °C in H2 O.

The step-economical late-stage diversification of tryptophan-containing peptides was accomplished through chemo- and site-selective palladium-catalyzed C-H arylation under exceedingly mild reaction conditions. Thus, the C-H functionalization occurred efficiently at 23 °C with a catalyst loading as low as 0.5 mol %, and/or in H2 O.

FGF21 is not required for glucose homeostasis, ketosis or tumour suppression associated with ketogenic diets in mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Ketogenic diets (KDs) have increasingly gained attention as effective means for weight loss and potential adjunctive treatment of cancer. The metabolic benefits of KDs are regularly ascribed to enhanced hepatic secretion of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and its systemic effects on fatty-acid oxidation, energy expenditure (EE) and body weight. Ambiguous data from Fgf21-knockout animal strains and low FGF21 concentrations reported in humans with ketosis have nevertheless cast doubt regarding the endogenous function of FGF21. We here aimed to elucidate the causal role of FGF21 in mediating the therapeutic benefits of KDs on metabolism and cancer. METHODS: We established a dietary model of increased vs decreased FGF21 by feeding C57BL/6J mice with KDs, either depleted of protein or enriched with protein. We furthermore used wild-type and Fgf21-knockout mice that were subjected to the respective diets, and monitored energy and glucose homeostasis as well as tumour growth after transplantation of Lewis lung carcinoma cells. RESULTS: Hepatic and circulating, but not adipose tissue, FGF21 levels were profoundly increased by protein starvation, independent of the state of ketosis. We demonstrate that endogenous FGF21 is not essential for the maintenance of normoglycaemia upon protein and carbohydrate starvation and is therefore not needed for the effects of KDs on EE. Furthermore, the tumour-suppressing effects of KDs were independent of FGF21 and, rather, driven by concomitant protein and carbohydrate starvation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our data indicate that the multiple systemic effects of KD exposure in mice, previously ascribed to increased FGF21 secretion, are rather a consequence of protein malnutrition.

Late-stage diversification of peptides by metal-free C-H arylation.

The bioorthogonal late-stage diversification of functionalized oligopeptides was accomplished through a metal-free, site-selective C-H arylation of engineered indole derivatives under mild reaction conditions.