Efecto de la dieta CAF sobre la capacidad de EX4 de modular la expresión de marcadores proteicos de oxidación de ácidos grasos y termogénesis en músculo de ratones / Effect of the CAF diet on the ability of EX4 to modulate the expression of protein markers of fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis in mouse muscle

El ambiente obesogénico promueve la obesidad al facilitar el acceso y consumo de una amplia variedad de alimentos palatables altos en calorías. La activación del receptor de GLP1 (GLP1R) reduce la ingesta de alimentos, enlentece el vaciamiento gástrico y promueve un balance energético negativo a través de su acción en distintos órganos como el músculo esquelético, disminuyendo así el peso corporal. La obesidad inducida por dieta alta en grasa disminuye el efecto anorexigénico de la administración sistémica vía intra-peritoneal de EX4 (agonista de GLP1R). Sin embargo, se desconoce si la exposición a un ambiente obesogénico previo a la manifestación de obesidad disminuye los efectos anorexigénicos de EX4 o un posible efecto de EX4 sobre marcadores de oxidación de ácidos grasos y termogénesis en músculo esquelético. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el efecto a corto plazo de la dieta CAF, un modelo del ambiente obesogénico humano, sobre la capacidad de EX4 de reducir la ingesta y modular la expresión de marcadores proteicos de oxidación de ácidos grasos y termogénesis (CPT1 y UCP2) en músculo de ratones. Nuestros datos muestran que una inyección intraperitoneal de EX4 a ratones C57BL/6J alimentados con dieta CAF o dieta control durante 10 días no altera la ingesta calórica total, peso corporal, o la expresión de proteínas marcadoras de los procesos de beta-oxidación y de termogénesis (CPT1 y UCP2). Estos datos sugieren que protocolos alternativos de administración de EX4 son necesarios para observar los efectos fisiológicos de la activación de GLP1R.

The obesogenic environment promotes obesity by facilitating access to and consumption of a wide variety of palatable, high-calorie foods. Activation of the GLP1 receptor (GLP1R) reduces food intake, slows gastric emptying, and promotes a negative energy balance by acting on organs such as skeletal muscle, thus decreasing body weight. Obesity induced by a high-fat diet decreased the anorexigenic effect of intraperitoneal systemic administration of EX4 (GLP1R agonist). However, it is unknown whether exposure to an obesogenic environment before the manifestation of obesity diminishes the anorexigenic effects of EX4 or a possible effect of EX4 on markers of fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis in skeletal muscle. This investigation aimed to determine the short-term effect of the CAF diet, a model of the human obesogenic environment, on the ability of EX4 to reduce intake and modulate the expression of protein markers of fatty acid oxidation and thermogenesis (CPT1 and UCP2) in mouse muscle. Our data show that intraperitoneal injection of EX4 to C57BL/6J mice fed CAF diet or control diet for ten days does not alter total caloric intake, body weight, or expression of proteins markers of beta-oxidation and thermogenesis processes (CPT1 and UCP2). These data suggest that alternative EX4 administration protocols are necessary to observe the physiological effects of GLP1R activation.

Exome Sequencing Identifies Genetic Variants Associated with Extreme Manifestations of the Cardiovascular Phenotype in Marfan Syndrome.

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant condition caused by variants in the fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene. Cardinal features of MFS include ectopia lentis (EL), musculoskeletal features and aortic root aneurysm and dissection. Although dissection of the ascending aorta is the main cause of mortality in MFS, the clinical course differs considerably in age of onset and severity, even among individuals who share the same causative variant, suggesting the existence of additional genetic variants that modify the severity of the cardiovascular phenotype in MFS. We recruited MFS patients and classified them into severe (n = 8) or mild aortic phenotype (n = 14) according to age of presentation of the first aorta-related incident. We used Exome Sequencing to identify the genetic variants associated with the severity of aortic manifestations and we performed linkage analysis where suitable. We found five genes associated with severe aortic phenotype and three genes that could be protective for this phenotype in MFS. These genes regulate components of the extracellular matrix, TGFß pathway and other signaling pathways that are involved in the maintenance of the ECM or angiogenesis. Further studies will be required to understand the functional effect of these variants and explore novel, personalized risk management and, potentially, therapies for these patients.

Eating contexts determine the efficacy of nutrient warning labels to promote healthy food choices.

Introduction: Unhealthy food choices increase the risk of obesity and its co-morbidities. Nutrition labels are a public health policy that aims to drive individuals toward healthier food choices. Chile has been an example of this policy, where mandatory nutrient warning labels (NWL) identify processed foods high in calories and critical nutrients. Eating contexts influence individual food choices, but whether eating contexts also influence how NWL alter the decision process and selection during food choice is unknown. Methods: In an online mouse-tracking study, participants prompted to health, typical, or unrestricted eating contexts were instructed to choose between pairs of foods in the presence or absence of NWL. Conflict during choices was analyzed using mouse paths and reaction times. Results: NWL increased conflict during unhealthy food choices and reduced conflict during healthy choices in all contexts. However, the probability that NWL reversed an unhealthy choice was 80% in a healthy, 37% in a typical, and 19% in an unrestricted context. A drift-diffusion model analysis showed the effects of NWL on choice were associated with an increased bias toward healthier foods in the healthy and typical but not in the unrestricted context. Discussion: These data suggest that the efficacy of NWL to drive healthy food choices increases in a healthy eating context, whereas NWL are less effective in typical or unrestricted eating contexts.