Is the Carotid Body a Metabolic Monitor?

The carotid body is a multi-modal sensor and it has been debated if it senses low glucose. We have hypothesized that the carotid body is modified by some metabolic factors other than glucose and contributes to whole body glucose metabolism. This study examined the roles of insulin, leptin and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels on carotid sinus nerve (CSN) chemoreceptor discharge. In agreement with other studies, CSN activity was not modified by low glucose. Insulin did not affect the CSN hypoxic response. Leptin significantly augmented the CSN response to hypoxia and nonspecific Trp channel blockers (SKF96365, 2-APB) reversed the effect of leptin. Gene expression analysis showed high expression of Trpm3, 6, and 7 channels in the carotid body and petrosal ganglion. The results suggest that the adult mouse carotid body does not sense glucose levels directly. The carotid body may contribute to neural control of glucose metabolism via leptin receptor-mediated TRP channel activation.

The effect of leptin replacement on sleep-disordered breathing in the leptin-deficient ob/ob mouse.

Obese leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice demonstrate defects in upper airway structural and neuromuscular control. We hypothesized that these defects predispose to upper airway obstruction during sleep, and improve with leptin administration. High-fidelity polysomnographic recordings were conducted to characterize sleep and breathing patterns in conscious, unrestrained ob/ob mice (23 wk, 67.2 ± 4.1 g, n = 13). In a parallel-arm crossover study, we compared responses to subcutaneous leptin (1 µg/h) vs. vehicle on respiratory parameters during NREM and REM sleep. Upper airway obstruction was defined by the presence of inspiratory airflow limitation (IFL), as characterized by an early inspiratory plateau in airflow at a maximum level (V̇Imax) with increasing effort. The severity of upper airway obstruction (V̇Imax) was assessed along with minute ventilation (V̇E), tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (RR), inspiratory duty cycle, and mean inspiratory flow at each time point. IFL occurred more frequently in REM sleep (37.6 ± 0.2% vs. 1.1 ± 0.0% in NREM sleep, P < 0.001), and leptin did not alter its frequency. V̇Imax (3.7 ± 1.1 vs. 2.7 ± 0.8 ml/s, P < 0.001) and V̇E increased (55.4 ± 22.0 vs. 39.8 ± 16.4 ml/min, P < 0.001) with leptin vs. vehicle administration. The increase in V̇E was due to a significant increase in VT (0.20 ± 0.06 vs. 0.16 ± 0.05 ml, P < 0.01) rather than RR. Increases in V̇E were attributable to increases in mean inspiratory flow (2.5 ± 0.8 vs. 1.8 ± 0.6 ml/s, P < 0.001) rather than inspiratory duty cycle. Similar increases in V̇E and its components were observed in non-flow-limited breaths during NREM and REM sleep. These responses suggest that leptin stabilized pharyngeal patency and increased drive to both the upper airway and diaphragm during sleep.

A model of sleep-disordered breathing in the C57BL/6J mouse.

To investigate the pathophysiological sequelae of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), we have developed a mouse model in which hypoxia was induced during periods of sleep and was removed in response to arousal or wakefulness. An on-line sleep-wake detection system, based on the frequency and amplitude of electroencephalograph and electromyograph recordings, served to trigger intermittent hypoxia during periods of sleep. In adult male C57BL/6J mice (n = 5), the sleep-wake detection system accurately assessed wakefulness (97.2 +/- 1.1%), non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (96.0 +/- 0.9%) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (85.6 +/- 5.0%). After 5 consecutive days of SDB, 554 +/- 29 (SE) hypoxic events were recorded over a 24-h period at a rate of 63.6 +/- 2.6 events/h of sleep and with a duration of 28.2 +/- 0.7 s. The mean nadir of fraction of inspired O(2) (FI(O(2))) on day 5 was 13.2 +/- 0.1%, and 137.1 +/- 13.2 of the events had a nadir FI(O(2)) <10% O(2). Arterial blood gases confirmed that hypoxia of this magnitude lead to a significant degree of hypoxemia. Furthermore, 5 days of SDB were associated with decreases in both NREM and REM sleep during the light phase compared with the 24-h postintervention period. We conclude that our murine model of SDB mimics the rate and magnitude of sleep-induced hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and reduction in total sleep time found in patients with moderate to severe SDB in the clinical setting.

Interactions of human mannose-binding protein with lipoteichoic acids.

We explored the interaction of human recombinant mannose-binding protein and lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The best ligand was Micrococcus luteus lipomannan, followed by Enterococcus spp. LTA containing mono-, di-, and oligoglucosyl substituents. LTAs lacking terminal sugars (those of Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) or containing galactosyl substituents (those of Listeria spp. and Lactococcus spp.) were poor ligands. These results are consistent with known structural requirements for binding through the mannose-binding protein carbohydrate recognition domain.

Comparison of conjugates composed of lipopolysaccharide from Shigella flexneri type 2a detoxified by two methods and bound to tetanus toxoid.

Shigella flexneri type 2a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was detoxified with acetic acid (O-SP) or with hydrazine (DeALPS). DeALPS, but not O-SP, retained part of its lipid A. Both gave an identical line of precipitation with typing antiserum by double immunodiffusion, and both had low levels of LPS activity by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay. O-SP had an M(r) of approximately 17,000. DeALPS had two components of M(r)s approximately 30,00 (major and approximately 10,000 (minor). Adipic acid hydrazide derivatives of O-SP and DeALPS were conjugated to tetanus toxoid (TT), purified by gel filtration through CL-6B Sepharose, and designated O-SP-TT and DeALPS-TT, respectively. Saccharide (2.5 micrograms) as O-SP, DeALPS, or their conjugates was injected subcutaneously into 5-week-old mice three times 2 weeks apart. The mice were bled before the second injection and 7 days after the second and third. O-SP alone did not elicit immunoglobulin M (IgM) or IgG LPS antibodies. DeALPS elicited low levels of IgM LPS antibodies after the third injection only. Two of three lots of O-SP-TT induced significant levels of IgM LPS antibodies after the third injection. One O-SP-TT lot elicited IgG LPS antibodies after the second injection, and all three lots elicited significant levels of IgG after the third. DeALPS-TT induced low levels of anti-LPS IgM and IgG only after the third injection. The geometric mean antibody titers of both immunoglobulin classes induced by O-SP-TT were higher than those induced by DeALPS-TT. By these criteria, O-SP provided a more immunogenic saccharide than DeALPS for S. flexneri type 2a conjugates.

Interaction of human mannose-binding protein with Mycobacterium avium.

The interaction between human mannose-binding protein (MBP) and Mycobacterium avium was explored. By ELISA, calcium-dependent and mannan-inhibitable binding of human recombinant MBP (rMBP) to live M. avium was observed. Preincubation of M. avium with rMBP resulted in a 2-fold increase in uptake by human neutrophils. Mycobacterial cell wall components were assessed by ELISA for their ability to bind the carbohydrate recognition domain of rMBP. The best ligand was mannosyl-lipoarabinomannan, followed by lipomannan, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, arabinosyl-lipoarabinomannan, and dimycolated trehalose (cord factor). rMBP did not bind to partially purified lipid fractions containing glycopeptidolipids. These results are consistent with the known structural basis for rMBP ligand recognition. They suggest that MBP may play a role in host defense against M. avium by opsonizing both whole organisms and free cell wall components for internalization.

Female gender exacerbates respiratory depression in leptin-deficient obesity.

Obese females are less predisposed to sleep-disordered breathing and have higher serum leptin levels than males of comparable body weight. Because leptin is a powerful respiratory stimulant, especially during sleep, we hypothesized that the elevated leptin level is necessary to maintain normal ventilatory control in obese females. We examined ventilatory control during sleep and wakefulness in male and female leptin-deficient obese C57BL/6J-Lep(ob) mice, wild-type C57BL/6J mice with dietary-induced obesity and high serum leptin levels, and normal weight wild-type C57BL/6J mice. Both male and female C57BL/6J-Lep(ob) mice had depressed hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) in comparison with wild-type animals. In comparison with male C57BL/6J-Lep(ob) mice, female C57BL/6J-Lep(ob) mice had reduced HCVR and respiratory drive (a ratio of tidal volume to inspiratory time) both during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and wakefulness. In contrast, the HCVR did not differ between sexes in wild-type mice during NREM sleep and wakefulness, but was lower in females during REM sleep. Thus, leptin deficiency in female obesity is even more detrimental to hypercapnic ventilatory control during wakefulness and NREM sleep than in obese, leptin-deficient males.

The impact of insulin-dependent diabetes on ventilatory control in the mouse.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) can lead to ventilatory depression and decreased sensitivity to hypercapnia. We examined relationships between ventilation, plasma insulin, leptin, ketones, and blood glucose levels in two mouse models of IDDM: (1) streptozotocin-induced diabetes in C57BL/6J mice on a regular diet or with induced obesity from a high fat diet; and (2) spontaneous diabetes mellitus in NOD-Ltj mice. In both mouse models, IDDM resulted in depression of the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR). This ventilatory depression was not associated with decreases in plasma insulin or leptin levels. There was, however, a strong association between the duration of hyperglycemia, the decline in HCVR, and increased glycosylation of the diaphragm. Hyperventilation was observed in only six of 14 C57BL/6J obese wild-type mice, despite a significant degree of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in all 14 animals. In mice with DKA, there was a significant correlation between the increase in baseline minute ventilation (V E) and hyperleptinemia (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). In leptin-deficient C57BL/6J-Lep(ob) mice, low levels of both V E and ketones were observed. These results suggest that: (1) depression of the HCVR in IDDM is associated with hyperglycemia and glycosylation of the diaphragm; and (2) the hyperventilation of DKA is leptin dependent.