Expression of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ gene is repressed by DNA methylation in visceral adipose tissue of mouse models of diabetes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adipose tissues serve not only as a store for energy in the form of lipid, but also as endocrine tissues that regulates metabolic activities of the organism by secreting various kinds of hormones. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation that induces the expression of adipocyte-specific genes in preadipocytes and mediates their differentiation into adipocytes. Furthermore, PPARγ has an important role to maintain the physiological function of mature adipocyte by controlling expressions of various genes properly. Therefore, any reduction in amount and activity of PPARγ is linked to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we investigated the contribution of epigenetic transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, to the expression of the PPARγ gene, and further evaluated the contribution of such epigenetic regulatory mechanisms to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, the promoter of the PPARγ2 gene was hypermethylated, but was progressively demethylated upon induction of differentiation, which was accompanied by an increase of mRNA expression. Moreover, treatment of cells with 5'-aza-cytideine, an inhibitor of DNA methylation, increased expression of the PPARγ gene in a dose-dependent manner. Methylation <it>in vitro </it>of a PPARγ promoter-driven reporter construct also repressed the transcription of a downstream reporter gene. These results suggest that the expression of the PPARγ gene is inhibited by methylation of its promoter. We next compared the methylation status of the PPARγ promoters in adipocytes from wild-type (WT) mice with those from two diabetic mouse models: <it>+Lepr</it>^<it>db</it><it>/+Lepr</it>^{<it>db </it>}and diet-induced obesity mice. Interestingly, we found increased methylation of the PPARγ promoter in visceral adipose tissues (VAT) of the mouse models of diabetes, compared to that observed in wild-type mice. We observed a concomitant decrease in the level of PPARγ mRNA in the diabetic mice compared to the WT mice.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that the expression of PPARγ gene is regulated by DNA methylation of its promoter region and propose that reduced expression of PPARγ owing to DNA methylation in adipocytes of the VAT may contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.</p

Identification of Elg1 interaction partners and effects on post-replication chromatin re-formation

We thank members of the Donaldson, Kubota, and Lorenz labs for helpful discussion, Sophie Shaw at the University of Aberdeen for data upload to Array Express and Shin-ichiro Hiraga for help with Bioinformatic analysis. This work was supported by BBSRC Grant BB/K006304/1 and Cancer Research UK Programme Award A19059 to ADD, and Wellcome Trust Grant 095062 to TOH. KS was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas (15H05970 and 15K21761) from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan All raw-data files for MNase-Seq and ChIP-Seq data are uploaded to Array Express under accession number: E-MTAB-6985.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Carbon Dioxide Adsorption onto Polyethylenimine-Functionalized Porous Chitosan Beads

Polyethylenimine-functionalized porous chitosan (PEI–CS) beads were prepared and their CO₂ adsorption performance was evaluated. The CO₂ adsorption capacity of PEI–CS was dependent upon both the amine content and surface area of the functionalized beads. PEI–CS showed a CO₂ adsorption capacity of 2.3 mmol/g at 313 K and 15 kPa of CO₂ in the absence of water vapor that considerably increased to 3.6 mmol/g in the presence of water vapor. To rationalize this phenomenon, the CO₂ adsorption mechanisms in the absence and presence of water vapor were investigated by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. The results indicated that the mechanism of CO₂ adsorption onto PEI–CS, in both the absence and presence of water vapor, involved the formation of carbamate. Therefore, the higher CO₂ adsorption capacity in the presence of water vapor was attributed to the increased accessibility to amino groups of PEI–CS, owing to swelling of the polyethylenimine chain and/or chitosan framework upon adsorption of water. The herein reported chitosan-based material displays high CO₂ adsorption capacity as well as excellent regenerability and, thereby, shows potential as an adsorbent for CO₂ capture

Research Survey on the Therapeutic Use of Horticulture in Welfare Institutions and Psychiatric Hospitals in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

A survey was conducted using a mailed questionnaire to investigate the use of horticulture in welfare institutions and psychiatric hospitals in Fukuoka Prefecture. Approximately 70% of the 230 surveyed institutions and hospitals responded. Sixty-two% of the responding institutions had the clients engaged in horticulture. All of them reported having sites for horticultural activities, including container gardening. It was found that farms and flower gardens were the most commonly used sites. Horticultural activities were found to be both fewer in frequency and shorter in duration at the psychiatric hospitals than at the institutions for the intellectually disabled. In general, group sessions of 6-20 clients were conducted by one supervisor at each institution. The five major activities involved were weeding, harvesting, watering, seeding, and planting. Crops grown were exclusively vegetables and flowers with very few herbs. Horticultural activities were supervised by regular staff members (neither horticulturists nor occupational therapists) at the institutions for the intellectually disabled and by occupational therapists and general staffs at the psychiatric hospitals. Over 80% of these institutions reported that their primary objective was to have the clients enjoy growing plants and gain personal satisfaction from harvesting vegetables and flowers. In addition over 70% of the respondents indicated that goals included being refreshed, enhancing their vitality and developing good human relations (in the psychiatric hospitals) and social skills (in the institutions for the intellectually disabled). Over 80% of both institutions reported that clients enjoy harvesting, while over 70% of the institutions for the intellectually disabled reported enhancing of vitality and the same percentage of psychiatric hospitals confirmed that the clients gained pleasure in looking at the plants grow. Over 80% of both types of institutions referred to the horticultural activities as one of their therapies or training. Three main problems pointed out by these institutions were: 1) lack of a greenhouse where clients could work on rainy days, 2) difficulty in evaluating the effects and benefits of this activity, and 3) few supervisors in horticulture in these institutions.本調査研究では,福祉施設や精神病院における園芸活動の実情を把握し,園芸分野からどのようなかかわりができるかを探ることを目的とするものである.福岡県下の福祉施設や精神病院にアンケート用紙を送り,約72%の回答を得た.そのなかで,園芸を行っているのは約62%.それらはすべて何らかの園芸の場を持っていた.精神薄弱者施設(以下施設)や精神病院(以下病院)における園芸の場としては,農場と花壇がもっとも多かった.園芸活動の回数と時間は施設では週当たり4回以上で1回当たり2時間超,病院では週当たり1回以下で1回当たり1時間未満が多かった.活動グループの人数は6～20人という施設,病院が多かった.園芸活動の種類としては,78%以上の施設･病院が除草,収穫,水かけ,たねまき,植え付け･移植を取り上げていた.取り扱う植物としては,野菜と花が圧倒的に多く,ハーブはごくわずかであった.園芸の指導を行っているのは,施設では一般職員,病院では作業療法士と一般職員が多かった.園芸活動を取り上げた目的としては,80%の施設･病院が栽培の楽しみ,収穫の楽しみをあげ,これに次いで,施設では社会生活適応訓練,病院では人間関係の和,気分転換,体力増進が70%を超えた.園芸活動の成果として,いずれの施設･病院も,収穫を楽しんでいたという回答が80%を超え,植物の生長を楽しみにしている,表情が明るくなったという回答が60%を上回った.そのほかに,施設では,情緒の安定,体力強化,を認める回答が60%を超えた.園芸活動を治療･訓練と位置付けるという施設･病院は80%以上を占めた.園芸活動を行う場合の問題点として,もっとも多くの施設･病院が指摘したのは,雨天対応の温室がないこと,次いで,園芸活動の効果の評価が難しいこと,園芸活動の指導者不在などであった

福岡県内の福祉施設,精神病院における園芸の療法的活用に関する調査研究 : とくに精神薄弱者施設と精神病院について

A survey was conducted using a mailed questionnaire to investigate the use of horticulture in welfare institutions and psychiatric hospitals in Fukuoka Prefecture. Approximately 70% of the 230 surveyed institutions and hospitals responded. Sixty-two% of the responding institutions had the clients engaged in horticulture. All of them reported having sites for horticultural activities, including container gardening. It was found that farms and flower gardens were the most commonly used sites. Horticultural activities were found to be both fewer in frequency and shorter in duration at the psychiatric hospitals than at the institutions for the intellectually disabled. In general, group sessions of 6-20 clients were conducted by one supervisor at each institution. The five major activities involved were weeding, harvesting, watering, seeding, and planting. Crops grown were exclusively vegetables and flowers with very few herbs. Horticultural activities were supervised by regular staff members (neither horticulturists nor occupational therapists) at the institutions for the intellectually disabled and by occupational therapists and general staffs at the psychiatric hospitals. Over 80% of these institutions reported that their primary objective was to have the clients enjoy growing plants and gain personal satisfaction from harvesting vegetables and flowers. In addition over 70% of the respondents indicated that goals included being refreshed, enhancing their vitality and developing good human relations (in the psychiatric hospitals) and social skills (in the institutions for the intellectually disabled). Over 80% of both institutions reported that clients enjoy harvesting, while over 70% of the institutions for the intellectually disabled reported enhancing of vitality and the same percentage of psychiatric hospitals confirmed that the clients gained pleasure in looking at the plants grow. Over 80% of both types of institutions referred to the horticultural activities as one of their therapies or training. Three main problems pointed out by these institutions were: 1) lack of a greenhouse where clients could work on rainy days, 2) difficulty in evaluating the effects and benefits of this activity, and 3) few supervisors in horticulture in these institutions.本調査研究では,福祉施設や精神病院における園芸活動の実情を把握し,園芸分野からどのようなかかわりができるかを探ることを目的とするものである.福岡県下の福祉施設や精神病院にアンケート用紙を送り,約72%の回答を得た.そのなかで,園芸を行っているのは約62%.それらはすべて何らかの園芸の場を持っていた.精神薄弱者施設(以下施設)や精神病院(以下病院)における園芸の場としては,農場と花壇がもっとも多かった.園芸活動の回数と時間は施設では週当たり4回以上で1回当たり2時間超,病院では週当たり1回以下で1回当たり1時間未満が多かった.活動グループの人数は6～20人という施設,病院が多かった.園芸活動の種類としては,78%以上の施設･病院が除草,収穫,水かけ,たねまき,植え付け･移植を取り上げていた.取り扱う植物としては,野菜と花が圧倒的に多く,ハーブはごくわずかであった.園芸の指導を行っているのは,施設では一般職員,病院では作業療法士と一般職員が多かった.園芸活動を取り上げた目的としては,80%の施設･病院が栽培の楽しみ,収穫の楽しみをあげ,これに次いで,施設では社会生活適応訓練,病院では人間関係の和,気分転換,体力増進が70%を超えた.園芸活動の成果として,いずれの施設･病院も,収穫を楽しんでいたという回答が80%を超え,植物の生長を楽しみにしている,表情が明るくなったという回答が60%を上回った.そのほかに,施設では,情緒の安定,体力強化,を認める回答が60%を超えた.園芸活動を治療･訓練と位置付けるという施設･病院は80%以上を占めた.園芸活動を行う場合の問題点として,もっとも多くの施設･病院が指摘したのは,雨天対応の温室がないこと,次いで,園芸活動の効果の評価が難しいこと,園芸活動の指導者不在などであった