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ABSTRACT: Inflammation contributes to the tubulointerstitial lesions of diabetic nephropathy. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) modulate immune responses and inflammatory diseases, but their role in diabetic nephropathy is not well understood. In this study, we found increased expression of TLR4 but not of TLR2 in the renal tubules of human kidneys with diabetic nephropathy compared with expression of TLR4 and TLR2 in normal kidney and in kidney disease from other causes. The intensity of tubular TLR4 expression correlated directly with interstitial macrophage infiltration and hemoglobin A1c level and inversely with estimated glomerular filtration rate. The tubules also upregulated the endogenous TLR4 ligand high-mobility group box 1 in diabetic nephropathy. In vitro, high glucose induced TLR4 expression via protein kinase C activation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, resulting in upregulation of IL-6 and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2) expression via IκB/NF-κB activation in human proximal tubular epithelial cells. Silencing of TLR4 with small interfering RNA attenuated high glucose-induced IκB/NF-κB activation, inhibited the downstream synthesis of IL-6 and CCL-2, and impaired the ability of conditioned media from high glucose-treated proximal tubule cells to induce transmigration of mononuclear cells. We observed similar effects using a TLR4-neutralizing antibody. Finally, streptozotocin-induced diabetic and uninephrectomized TLR4-deficient mice had significantly less albuminuria, renal dysfunction, renal cortical NF-κB activation, tubular CCL-2 expression, and interstitial macrophage infiltration than wild-type animals. Taken together, these data suggest that a TLR4-mediated pathway may promote tubulointerstitial inflammation in diabetic nephropathy.
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 01/2012; 23(1):86-102. · 9.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Aliskiren is a relatively new oral direct renin inhibitor (DRI) that has been increasingly used for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy and hypertension. Its potential efficacy in nondiabetic chronic kidney diseases that are driven by renin-angiotensin system activation remains to be explored.
From a teaching and regional hospital in Hong Kong between July 2009 and March 2010, patients with biopsy-proven immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) in whom the ratio of protein to creatinine, as measured in early morning urine samples, remained >113 mg/mmol (1000 mg/g), despite receiving the maximum recommended dose of losartan (100 mg daily) were recruited to receive additional DRI treatment. They were followed prospectively for 12 months with changes in proteinuria as the main outcome measure.
Twenty-five consecutive patients were enrolled. Treatment with aliskiren for 12 months reduced the mean urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio by 26.3% (95% confidence interval, 20.1-43.6; P = 0.001 versus baseline), with a reduction of ≥ 50% in 24% of patients. There were significant reductions in plasma renin activity (P < 0.0001) and serum interleukin-6 (P < 0.05) and transforming growth factor-β (P = 0.01) levels, compared with baseline. Two patients (8%) developed mild allergic reactions and six (24%) had transient hyperkalemia (K >5.5 mmol/L) during the study.
Aliskiren confers an antiproteinuric effect in IgAN patients with significant residual proteinuria, despite receiving the recommended renoprotective treatment. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted to examine its long-term renoprotective potential. This trial is registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00922311.
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 06/2011; 27(2):613-8. · 3.40 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The transcription factor SREBP1c (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1c) is highly expressed in adipose tissue and plays a central role in several aspects of adipocyte development including the induction of PPARgamma (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma), the generation of an endogenous PPARgamma ligand and the expression of several genes critical for lipid biosynthesis. Despite its significance, the regulation of SREBP1c expression during adipogenesis is not well characterized. We have noted that in several models of adipogenesis, SREBP1c expression closely mimics that of known C/EBPbeta (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta) targets. Inhibition of C/EBP activity during adipogenesis by expressing either the dominant-negative C/EBPbeta LIP (liver-enriched inhibitory protein) isoform, the co-repressor ETO (eight-twenty one/MTG8) or using siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) targeting either C/EBPbeta or C/EBPdelta significantly impaired early SREBP1c induction. Furthermore, ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assays identified specific sequences in the SREBP1c promoter to which C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta bind in intact cells, demonstrating that these factors may directly regulate SREBP1c expression. Using cells in which C/EBPalpha expression is inhibited using shRNA (short hairpin RNA) and ChIP assays we show that C/EBPalpha replaces C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta as a regulator of SREBP1c expression in maturing adipocytes. These results provide novel insight into the induction of SREBP1c expression during adipogenesis. Moreover, the findings of the present study identify an important additional mechanism via which the C/EBP transcription factors may control a network of gene expression regulating adipogenesis, lipogenesis and insulin sensitivity.
Biochemical Journal 10/2009; 425(1):215-23. · 4.90 Impact Factor
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Wo-Shing Au,
Li-Wei Lu,
Sidney Tam,
Otis King Hung Ko,
Billy K C Chow,
Ming-Liang He,
Samuel S Ng,
Chung-Man Yeung,
Ching-Chiu Liu,
Hsiang-Fu Kung,
Marie C Lin
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ABSTRACT: To test whether oral L-81 treatment could improve the condition of mice with diabetes and to investigate how L-81 regulates microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activity in the liver.
Genetically diabetic (db/db) mice were fed on chow supplemented with or without L-81 for 4 wk. The body weight, plasma glucose level, plasma lipid profile, and adipocyte volume of the db/db mice were assessed after treatment. Toxicity of L-81 was also evaluated. To understand the molecular mechanism, HepG2 cells were treated with L-81 and the effects on apolipoprotein B (apoB) secretion and mRNA level of the MTP gene were assessed.
Treatment of db/db mice with L-81 significantly reduced and nearly normalized their body weight, hyperphagia and polydipsia. L-81 also markedly decreased the fasting plasma glucose level, improved glucose tolerance, and attenuated the elevated levels of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride. At the effective dosage, little toxicity was observed. Treatment of HepG2 cells with L-81 not only inhibited apoB secretion, but also significantly decreased the mRNA level of the MTP gene. Similar to the action of insulin, L-81 exerted its effect on the MTP promoter.
L-81 represents a promising candidate in the development of a selective insulin-mimetic molecule and an anti-diabetic agent.
World Journal of Gastroenterology 07/2009; 15(24):2987-94. · 2.47 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Insulin inhibits the transcription of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP), which plays a pivotal role in lipoprotein assembly and secretion. Here, we provide evidence that a hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 binding element (HNF1A element) within the MTTP promoter serves as a novel negative insulin-responsive element. Deletion/mutation mapping of the MTTP gene promoter identified a modified HNF1A element that is crucial to the negative insulin effect. Chimeric promoter containing this HNF1A element and minimal TEAD1 promoter also responded negatively toward insulin treatment. Gel shift assay demonstrated that HNF1A but not HNF1B binds to this element. Enforced expression of HNF1A was sufficient to reconstitute the negative insulin responsiveness of MTTP promoter in TM4SF1 myocytes that are HNF1A negative. Furthermore, replacing this element with consensus HNF1A element preserved the negative insulin response, suggesting that negative insulin responsiveness is a generic characteristic of HNF1A element. Given that many genes implicated in diabetes contain HNF1A element, the potential regulation of these genes by insulin via HNF1A element may provide important clues for the manifestation and treatment of diabetic metabolic syndromes.
Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 09/2008; 41(4):229-38. · 3.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) catalyzes the final step of triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis. Despite the existence of an alternative acyltransferase (DGAT1), mice lacking DGAT2 have a severe deficiency of TG in adipose tissue, indicating a nonredundant role for this enzyme in adipocyte TG synthesis. We have studied the regulation of DGAT2 expression during adipogenesis. In both isolated murine preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells the temporal pattern of DGAT2 expression closely mimicked that of genes whose expression is regulated by CAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta). Inhibition of C/EBPbeta expression in differentiating preadipocytes reduced DGAT2 expression, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments identified a promoter element in the DGAT2 gene that is likely to mediate this effect. The importance of C/EBPbeta in adipocyte expression of DGAT2 was confirmed by the finding of reduced DGAT2 expression in the adipose tissue of C/EBPbeta-null animals. However, DGAT2 expression is maintained at high levels during the later stages of adipogenesis, when C/EBPbeta levels decline. We show that, at these later stages of differentiation, C/EBPalpha is capable of substituting for C/EBPbeta at the same promoter element. These observations provide novel insight into the transcriptional regulation of DGAT2 expression. Moreover, they further refine the complex and serial roles of the C/EBP family of transcription factors in inducing and maintaining the metabolic properties of mature adipocytes.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 08/2007; 282(29):21005-14. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) catalyzes the final step of triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis. Despite the existence
of an alternative acyltransferase (DGAT1), mice lacking DGAT2 have a severe deficiency of TG in adipose tissue, indicating
a nonredundant role for this enzyme in adipocyte TG synthesis. We have studied the regulation of DGAT2 expression during adipogenesis.
In both isolated murine preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells the temporal pattern of DGAT2 expression closely mimicked that of genes
whose expression is regulated by CAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ). Inhibition of C/EBPβ expression in differentiating
preadipocytes reduced DGAT2 expression, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments
identified a promoter element in the DGAT2 gene that is likely to mediate this effect. The importance of C/EBPβ in adipocyte
expression of DGAT2 was confirmed by the finding of reduced DGAT2 expression in the adipose tissue of C/EBPβ-null animals.
However, DGAT2 expression is maintained at high levels during the later stages of adipogenesis, when C/EBPβ levels decline.
We show that, at these later stages of differentiation, C/EBPα is capable of substituting for C/EBPβ at the same promoter
element. These observations provide novel insight into the transcriptional regulation of DGAT2 expression. Moreover, they
further refine the complex and serial roles of the C/EBP family of transcription factors in inducing and maintaining the metabolic
properties of mature adipocytes.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 07/2007; 282(29):21005-21014. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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Yanchun Deng,
Libo Yao,
Ling Chau,
Samuel Sai-ming Ng,
Ying Peng,
Xinping Liu, Wo-shing Au,
Jicun Wang,
Fuyang Li,
Shaoping Ji,
Hua Han,
Xiaoyan Nie,
Qing Li,
Hsiang-fu Kung,
Suet-yi Leung,
Marie Chia-mi Lin
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ABSTRACT: The most severe form of brain glioma, glioblastoma (GBM), is highly malignant and usually resistant to chemotherapy. Therefore, discovery of new targets for gene therapy is important. Using subtraction cloning, we identified the human N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (hNDRG2), located at chromosome 14q11.2, as a gene that is significantly suppressed in GBM tissues. Semiquantitative RT-PCR showed that the hNDRG2 gene transcript is expressed in normal brain tissue and low-grade gliomas but is present at low levels in 15 of 27 (56%) human GBM tissues and all of the 6 human glioblastoma cell lines examined. Furthermore, transfection of human glioblastoma U373 and U138 cells with a cDNA encoding hNDRG2 markedly reduced the cell proliferation. Our findings provide the first evidence to suggest that hNDRG2 may play a role in glioblastoma carcinogenesis.
International Journal of Cancer 10/2003; 106(3):342-7. · 5.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is rate limiting for the assembly and secretion of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins. Elevated hepatic MTP mRNA level, presumably as a result of impaired insulin signaling, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of dyslipidemia associated with insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes. In this study, we showed that insulin decreases MTP mRNA level mainly through transcriptional regulation in HepG2 cells. We further characterized the corresponding signal transduction pathway, using chemical inhibitors and constitutively active and dominant negative forms of regulatory enzymes. We demonstrated that insulin inhibits MTP gene transcription through MAPK(erk) cascade but not through the PI 3-kinase pathway. Activation of ras through farnesylation is not a prerequisite for the inhibition. In addition, cellular MAPK(erk) and MAPK(p38) activities play a counterbalancing role in regulating the MTP gene transcription. These complex regulations may represent a means to fine-tuning MTP gene transcription in response to a diverse set of environmental stimuli and may have important implications for the onset and development of diabetes-associated dyslipidemia.
Diabetes 06/2003; 52(5):1073-80. · 8.29 Impact Factor
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http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31225615.
