Modulation of hepatic inflammation and energy-sensing pathways in the rat liver by high-fructose diet and chronic stress

Purpose High-fructose consumption and chronic stress are both associated with metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Recently, disturbed activity of energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was recognized as mediator between nutrient-induced stress and inflammation. Thus, we analyzed the effects of high-fructose diet, alone or in combination with chronic stress, on glucose homeostasis, inflammation and expression of energy sensing proteins in the rat liver. Methods In male Wistar rats exposed to 9-week 20% fructose diet and/or 4-week chronic unpredictable stress we measured plasma and hepatic corticosterone level, indicators of glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism, hepatic inflammation (pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, Toll-like receptor 4, NLRP3, activation of NF kappa B, JNK and ERK pathways) and levels of energy-sensing proteins AMPK, SIRT1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha). Results High-fructose diet led to glucose intolerance, activation of NF kappa B and JNK pathways and increased intrahepatic IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and inhibitory phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 on Ser(307). It also decreased phospho-AMPK/AMPK ratio and increased SIRT1 expression. Stress alone increased plasma and hepatic corticosterone but did not influence glucose tolerance, nor hepatic inflammatory or energy-sensing proteins. After the combined treatment, hepatic corticosterone was increased, glucose tolerance remained preserved, while hepatic inflammation was partially prevented despite decreased AMPK activity. Conclusion High-fructose diet resulted in glucose intolerance, hepatic inflammation, decreased AMPK activity and reduced insulin sensitivity. Chronic stress alone did not exert such effects, but when applied together with high-fructose diet it could partially prevent fructose-induced inflammation, presumably due to increased hepatic glucocorticoids

Liquid-liquid equilibrium constant for acetic acid in an olive oil-epoxidized olive oil-acetic acid-hydrogen peroxide-water system

The liquid-liquid equilibrium constant for acetic acid in a quinary system olive oil-epoxidized olive oil-acetic acid-hydrogen peroxide-water was experimentally determined for temperatures and component ratios relevant for in situ epoxidation of plant oils. The values has the constant range from 1.52 to 2.73. To predict the equilibrium constant for acetic acid, the experimental data were correlated with UNIQUAC (universal quasi chemical) and NRTL (non-random two liquid) activity coefficient models. For simplified calculation of the phase equilibrium the insolubility of olive oil and epoxidized olive oil in the water, as well as insolubility of water and hydrogen peroxide in the olive oil and epoxidized olive oil, was assumed. The root mean square deviation (RMSD) of the experimental and calculated values of the liquid-liquid equilibrium constant for acetic acid is 0.1910 for the UNIQUAC model and 0.1815 for the NRTL model. For rigorous flash calculation, when the partitioning of all components between the phases was assumed, the RMSD for the NRTL model is 0.1749. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 45022

Involvement of glucocorticoid prereceptor metabolism and signaling in rat visceral adipose tissue lipid metabolism after chronic stress combined with high-fructose diet

Both fructose overconsumption and increased glucocorticoids secondary to chronic stress may contribute to overall dyslipidemia. In this study we specifically assessed the effects and interactions of dietary fructose and chronic stress on lipid metabolism in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) of male Wistar rats. We analyzed the effects of 9-week 20% high fructose diet and 4-week chronic unpredictable stress, separately and in combination, on VAT histology, glucocorticoid prereceptor metabolism, glucocorticoid receptor subcellular redistribution and expression of major metabolic genes. Blood triglycerides and fatty acid composition were also measured to assess hepatic Delta 9 desaturase activity. The results showed that fructose diet increased blood triglycerides and Delta 9 desaturase activity. On the other hand, stress led to corticosterone elevation, glucocorticoid receptor activation and decrease in adipocyte size, while phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, adipose tissue triglyceride lipase, FAT/CD36 and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) were increased, pointing to VAT lipolysis and glyceroneogenesis. The combination of stress and fructose diet was associated with marked stimulation of fatty acid synthase and acetylCoA carboxylase mRNA level and with increased 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase protein levels, suggesting a coordinated increase in hexose monophosphate shunt and de novo lipogenesis. It however did not influence the level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, SREBP-1c and carbohydrate responsive element-binding protein. In conclusion, our results showed that only combination of dietary fructose and stress increase glucocorticoid prereceptor metabolism and stimulates lipogenic enzyme expression suggesting that interaction between stress and fructose may be instrumental in promoting VAT expansion and dysfunction

Chronic Stress Potentiates High Fructose-Induced Lipogenesis in Rat Liver and Kidney.

Intake of fructose-sweetened beverages and chronic stress (CS) both increase risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The aim is to investigate whether these factors synergistically perturb lipid metabolism in rat liver and kidney. Fractional de novo lipogenesis (fDNL), intrahepatic- and intrarenal-triglycerides (IHTG and IRTG), de novo palmitate (DNPalm) content, FA composition, VLDL-TGs kinetics, and key metabolic gene expression at the end of the feeding and non-feeding phases in rats exposed to standard chow diet, chow diet + CS, 20% liquid high-fructose supplementation (HFr), or HFr+CS are measured. HFr induces hypertriglyceridemia, up-regulates fructose-metabolism and gluconeogenic enzymes, increases IHTG and DNPalm content in IHTG and IRTG, and augments fDNL at the end of the feeding phase. These changes are diminished after the non-feeding phase. CS does not exert such effects, but when combined with HFr, it reduces IHTG and visceral adiposity, enhances lipogenic gene expression and fDNL, and increases VLDL-DNPalm secretion. Liquid high-fructose supplementation increases IHTG and VLDL-TG secretion after the feeding phase, the latter being the result of stimulated hepatic and renal DNL. Chronic stress potentiates the effects of high fructose on fDNL and export of newly synthesized VLDL-TGs, and decreases fructose-induced intrahepatic TG accumulation after the feeding phase

The Rectifying Contact of Hydrated Different Size YSZ Nanoparticles for Advanced Electronics

The paper considers the new effects of the nanoscale state of matter, which open up prospects for the development of electronic devices using new physical principles. The contacts of chemically homogeneous nanoparticles of yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (ZrO2—x mol% Y2O3, x = 0, 3, 4, 8; YSZ) with different sizes of 7.5 nm and 9 nm; 7.5 nm and 11 nm; and 7.5 nm and 14 nm, respectively, was studied on direct current using nanostructured objects in the form of compacts obtained by high-hydrostatic pressure (HP-compacts of 300MPa). A unique size effect of the nonlinear (rectifying-type contact) dependence of the electrical properties (in the region U < 2.5 V, I ≤ 2.7 mA) of the contact of different-sized YSZ nanoparticles of the same chemical composition is revealed, which indicates the possibility of creating semiconductor structures of a new type (homogeneous electronics). The electronic structure of the near-surface regions of nanoparticles of studied oxide materials and the possibility of obtaining specifically rectifying properties of the contacts were studied theoretically. Models of surface states of the Tamm-type are constructed considering the Coulomb long-range action. The discovered energy variance and its dependence on the curvature of the surface of nanoparticles made it possible to study the conditions for the formation of a contact potential difference in cases of nanoparticles of the same radius (synergistic effect), different radii (doped and undoped variants), as well as to discover the possibility of describing a group of powder particles within the Anderson model. The determined effect makes it possible to solve the problem of diffusion instability of semiconductor heterojunctions and opens up prospects for creating electronic devices with a fundamentally new level of properties for use in various fields of the economy and breakthrough critical technologies