Studying sex differences in responses to fibroblast growth factor 21 administration in obese mice consuming a sweet-fat diet.

In animals, obesity caused by consumption of a sweet-fat diet (SFD) is the most adequate mouse model of human diet-induced obesity. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) reduces body weight, beneficially affects taste preferences, and corrects glucose metabolism in obese mice. Sex is known to influence FGF21 effects in different models of diet-induced and hereditary obesity. In mice with SFD-induced obesity, the effects of FGF21 have been studied only in males. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of FGF21 on body weight, food preferences and glucose and lipid metabolism in C57Bl/6J male and female mice with SFD-induced obesity. Mice were fed with a diet consisting of standard chow, lard and cookies for 10 weeks, then they were injected with FGF21 (1 mg per 1 kg) or vehicle for 7 days. Body weight, weights of different types of food, blood parameters, glucose tolerance, gene and protein expression in the liver, gene expression in the white, brown adipose tissues, and the hypothalamus were assessed. FGF21 administration reduced body weight, did not alter total energy consumption, and activated orexigenic pathways of hypothalamus in mice of both sexes. However, sex dimorphism was found in the realization of the orexigenic FGF21 action at the transcriptional level in the hypothalamus. Metabolic effects of FGF21 were also sex-specific. Only in males, FGF21 exerted beneficial antidiabetic action: it reduced fatty acid and leptin plasma levels, improved glucose-tolerance, and upregulated hepatic expression of Ppargc1, Fasn, Accα, involved in lipid turnover, gene Insr and protein glucokinase, involved in insulin action. Only in obese females, FGF21 induced preference of standard diet to sweet food. Thus, in mouse model of obesity induced by consumption of a sweet-fat diet, the catabolic effect of FGF21 was not sex-specific and hormonal, transcriptional and behavioral effects of FGF21 were sex-specific. These data suggest elaboration of different approaches to use FGF21 analogs for correction of metabolic consequences of obesity in different sexes.

[Genotype-Specific Features of Cold-Induced Sweetening Process Regulation in Potato Varieties Nikulinsky, Symfonia, and Nevsky].

In this study, we performed expression analysis of genes associated with cold-induced sweetening in potato tubers: vacuolar invertase (Pain-1), sucrose synthase (SUS4), and invertase inhibitor (InvInh2). Potato varieties Nikulinsky, Symfonia, and Nevsky were used. All three varieties were found to accumulate sugars at low temperatures; the maximum accumulation of reducing sugars was observed at 4°C. It was found that the expression pattern of genes associated with cold-induced sweetening differs depending on the variety and storage duration. The increased expression of vacuolar invertase and its inhibitor is more pronounced at the beginning of storage period, whereas the increased expression of sucrose synthase is more pronounced after 3 months of storage. At early storage periods, high expression of invertase and low expression of inhibitor is observed in the Dutch variety Symfonia, and vice versa in the Russian varieties Nikulinsky and Nevsky. The involvement of the studied genes in the process of cold-induced sweetening is discussed.

Effect of gonadectomy and estradiol on the expression of insulin signaling cascade genes in female and male mice.

A positive effect of estradiol on insulin sensitivity has been shown for females and males. Insulin sensitivity is higher in females than in males, and males show a greater tendency to develop metabolic disorders. It is believed that these sex differences are due to a protective effect of estradiol in females, but not in males. Estradiol is a steroid hormone, and its effect is due to the modulation of target gene expression, but the effect of estradiol on the expression of genes encoding insulin signal transduction and glucose transport has not been sufficiently studied. The aim of the study was to compare the molecular mechanisms of the estradiol influence on insulin sensitivity in mice of both sexes. The effect of gonadectomy and estradiol (1 µg/animal, three days) on the expression of insulin signaling cascade genes in muscle, adipose tissue, and liver, as well as on the expression of Fgf21, estradiol receptors (Esr1/2), and transcription factor Stat3 in the liver in female and male mice was investigated. Estradiol levels were lower and glucose blood levels and insulin resistance were higher in Sham operated (Sham) males compared to Sham females. Irs2, Pik3cd, and Esr1/2 mRNA levels were lower in the liver of Sham males than in Sham females. In females, gonadectomy reduced the level of estradiol in the blood, increased insulin resistance and blood glucose levels compared to Sham females. Administration of estradiol to gonadectomized females decreased blood insulin levels and insulin resistance. In males, gonadectomy, on the contrary, increased the blood estradiol level, decreased blood insulin level and insulin resistance. Estradiol did not affect the parameters studied in males. The development of insulin resistance in gonadectomized females was associated with a decreased expression of the Irs2 gene in the liver. Increased insulin sensitivity in gonadectomized males was associated with increased levels of Irs2 and Pik3cd mRNA in the liver. It can be assumed that increasing the level of estradiol in the blood activates the expression of the Irs2 gene in the liver regardless of animal sex. Also, estradiol seems to regulate the transport of glucose in adipose tissue regardless of animal sex: in females and males, an increase in the blood estradiol level was associated with a decrease in the expression of the Slc2a4 gene in adipose tissue. Thus, the effects of estradiol on the expression of insulin cascade genes do not seem to depend on animal sex, but have tissue specificity. Since the molecular mechanism of estradiol influence on the expression of insulin cascade genes in females and males is the same, the cause of sexual differences in insulin sensitivity and the rate of development of metabolic disorders may be a decrease in the level of estradiol in the blood, as well as a decrease in the expression of estradiol receptors in the liver in males compared to females.

Toxicity and Antiviral Activity of the Extracts of Submerged Mycelium of Nematophagous Duddingtonia flagrans Fungus in Vero Cell Culture.

We studied toxicity and antiviral activity of aqueous and ethanol extracts of bioactive substances from the biomass of nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans prepared by submerged culturing of the mycelium. It is found that both extracts were characterized by low toxicity for cultured Vero cells and inhibited reproduction of DNA-viruses in this cell line. Ethanol extract of the fungus exhibited higher in vitro antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 2, ectromelia virus, and vaccinia virus than water extract, which can be due to higher content of proteins, polysaccharides, flavonols, catechins, or carotenes or more effective their combination. The extracts of cultured mycelium of Duddingtonia flagrans fungus containing a complex of bioactive substances can be used for creation of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs against DNA-viruses.

[ROLE OF CAPSAICIN-SENSITIVE NERVES IN THE REGULATION OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE BLOOD CONTENT UNDER NORMAL AND FRUCTOSE-INDUCED METABOLIC SYNDROME].

The effects of the stimulation of capsaicin-sensitive nerves (capsaicin, 1 mg/kg, s/c) and their eafferentation (capsaicin, 150 mg/kg, s/c) on the blood content of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) was investigated in normal rats and rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome (12.5% fructose solution, 10 weeks). An increase in blood of tryglyceride, lipid peroxidation, glucose (fasting and after loading glucose, 2 mg/kg, i/p) was considered as symptoms of metabolic syndrome. It was shown that in normal rats drinking tap water the stimulation of capsaicin-sensitive nerves resulted in the increase of DHEAS content while their deafferentation reduced the concentration of this hormone in the blood. The fructose diet caused the decrease in content of DHEAS, triglyceridemia, lipid peroxidation, impaired tolerance glucose. In rats with the metabolic syndrome the stimulation capsaicin-sensitive nerves prevented the fructose-induced decrease of DHEAS content as well as decreased the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. In fructose fed rats the stimulation-induced effects were prevented by the deafferentation of capsaicin-sensitive nerves. It is suggested that capsaicin-sensitive nerves contribute both to the regulation of blood content of DHEAS under normal and fructose-induced metabolic syndrome.

[The effect of destruction of rat capsaicin-sensitive nerves on blood pressure in rats with metabolic syndrome].

The effect of destruction of capsaicin-sensitive nerve (capsaicin 150 mg/kg, s/c) on blood pre- ssure was investigated in rats with metabolic syndrome induced by fructose (12.5% in drinking water for 10 weeks). The blood plasma concentrations of glucose, triglyceride (TG) and products of lipid perioxidation were defined in these rats. The systolic blood pressure was measured by non-invasive method using the Coda system (Coda, Kent Scientific, USA). The fructose diet caused impaired tolerance glucose, arterial hypertension, increased the contents of TG and products of lipid peroxidation. In capsaicin--pretreated rats (deafferentiation of capsaicin-sensitive nerve) the fructose intake did not evoke impairment tolerance glucose, the increase of systolic blood pressure and the plasma content of triglyceride. The increase of lipid perioxidation in fructose fed rats was not prevented by capsaicin pretreatment. The authors suggest that capsaicin-sensitive nerves contribute to the development of insulin resistance and arterial hypertension in the metabolic syndrome.

Blood protein reactions to ablation of capsaicin-sensitive neurons.

The effects of ablation of afferent neurons with neurotoxic doses of capsaicin (150 mg/kg) on protein levels in plasma fractions were studied by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in Wistar rats at different times points after administration of capsaicin and in inflammatory reactions induced by zymosan (10 mg/100 g). Administration of neurotoxic doses of capsaicin induced biphasic changes in protein levels in plasma fractions. During the initial period (up to seven days), "acute-type" changes in protein content were seen; at 11-30 days, there were chronic increases in the albumin level with decreases in alpha(1), alpha(2), and gamma globulins. Defunctionalization of capsaicin-sensitive nerves 14-30 days before induction of inflammation prevented the "acute-phase" changes in protein contents in the albumin, alpha(1), alpha(2), and beta globulin fractions in response to induction of inflammation with zymosan.

[The response of the blood proteins to ablation of the capsaicin-sensitive nerves].

Effects of neurotoxic doses of capsaicin (150 mg/kg) on the protein content in electrophoretic fractions (PAAG) in the Wistar rat plasma were studied. In early period (7 days) after administration of capsaicin, an increase of the alpha1-, alpha2-globulins and a decrease of the albumin, gamma-globulins, were observed. After 14-30 days, increase of the albumin and decrease of the alpha1-, gammay-globulins were detected. The ablation of the capsaicin-sensitive nerves abrogated the changes of positive and negative acute phase reactants induced by zymosan and diminished the content of gamma-globulins.

[Interaction of human apolipoprotein AI and HIV-1 envelope proteins with the native and recombinant CD4 receptors]. / Vzaimodeistvie apolipoproteina AI cheloveka i obolochechnykh belkov VICH-1 s nativnym i rekombinantnym retseptorom CD4.

The method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to show an interaction of soluble recombinant CD4-receptor (rsCD4) with human apolipoprotein A-1. Competitive interactions between envelope proteins VIH-1 (gp120 and gp41), on the one hand, and human apolipoprotein A-1 with CD4 receptor, present in the cellular membranes of line MT4 human lymphocytes, were demonstrated by the method of flow cytofluorimetry. It was suggested that the competitive interactions between the above proteins could manifest in respect to the apolipoprotein A-1 receptor, which affects the involvement of the latter in the regulation of protein biosynthesis and which leads to a decrease in the body weight of HIV-infected patients.

Interaction of human apolipoprotein A-I with rsCD4 receptor.

The interaction between recombinant soluble CD4 receptor (rsCD4) with human apolipoprotein A-I was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our findings suggest that HIV-1 and human apolipoprotein A-I compete for the CD4 receptor and receptor for apoA-I.

[Immunochemical homology of HIV-1 envelope proteins and human apolipoprotein AI]. / Immunokhimicheskoe sootvetstvie obolochechnykh belkov VICh-1 i apolipoproteina AI cheloveka.

Immunochemical homology of envelope HIV proteins and human apolipoprotein A-I was for the first time detected by ELISA. Immunochemical reactions between antibodies to apoA-I and HIV envelope proteins and between apoA-I and anti-HIV antibodies present in the blood of AIDS patients were shown. These data suggest that the homology of surface HIV proteins and human apoA-I can lead to competitive relationships impeding the involvement of human apoA-I in gene expression regulation.

[Experimental study of hemostimulating properties of the tablet form of recombinant human erythropoetin]. / Gemostimuliruiushchie svoistva tabletirovannoi formy rekombinantnogo éritropoétina cheloveka v éksperimente.

Specific biological activity of the domestic preparation of recombinant human erythropoietin (RHEPO) in an original pill form was experimentally studied in vitro and in vivo. Administration of the RHEPO parent substance at a concentration of 0.5 10 U/ml significantly accelerated the growth of erythroid colony-forming cells (CFU-E) in the culture of intact nonadherent myelokaryocytes. The erythropoiesis-stimulating properties of the new RHEPO preparation are comparable with those of the well-known injection preparations. The drug action is related to increasing the erythroid cell content in the bone marrow and the reticulocyte and erythrocyte counts in the peripheral blood.