Regulation of Fgf15 expression in the intestine by glucocorticoid receptor

Fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) was previously identified to be highly expressed in the ileum and functions as an endocrine factor to regulate bile acid synthesis in the liver. FGF15 targets its receptor fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 in the liver and serves important roles in energy metabolism, including bile acid homeostasis, glucose metabolism and protein synthesis. The expression of FGF15 is known to be regulated by the transcription factor farnesoid X receptor (FXR). In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for measuring Fgf15 expression from the animal and tissue culture experiments, and it was identified that dexamethasone, a drug widely used in anti-inflammation therapy, and a classical inducer of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)- and pregnane X receptor (PXR)-target genes, may downregulate Fgf15 expression in the ileum. GR was identified to be highly expressed in the ileum by western blot analysis. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the downregulation of Fgf15 by dexamethasone is due to the repression of ileal FXR activity via GR; however, not PXR, in the ileum. The present results provide insight for a better understanding of the adverse effects associated with dexamethasone therapy.National Institute of General Medical Sciences [GM082978]; Chinese National Nature Sciences Foundation [31501232]; Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry; Fujian Provincial Nature Science Foundation [2015J05052]; Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars [xjq201629]; (Fuzhou, China)6 month embargo; published online: 30 January 2019This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Ab initio study of the giant ferroelectric distortion and pressure induced spin-state transition in BiCoO3

Using configuration-state-constrained electronic structure calculations based on the generalized gradient approximation plus Hubbard U method, we sought the origin of the giant tetragonal ferroelectric distortion in the ambient phase of the potentially multiferroic material BiCoO3 and identified the nature of the pressure induced spin-state transition. Our results show that a strong Bi-O covalency drives the giant ferroelectric distortion, which is further stabilized by an xy-type orbital ordering of the high-spin (HS) Co3+ ions. For the orthorhombic phase under 5.8 GPa, we find that a mixed HS and low-spin (LS) state is more stable than both LS and intermediate-spin (IS) states, and that the former well accounts for the available experimental results. Thus, we identify that the pressure induced spin-state transition is via a mixed HS+LS state, and we predict that the HS-to-LS transition would be complete upon a large volume decrease of about 20%.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

DIFFERENCE OF HYDROSTATIC WEIGHTING AND SKINFOLD METHODS IN DETERMINATON OF BODY FAT IN CHINESE ADULTS

INTRODUCTION: Body fat content can be determined by Hydrostatic weighing method and skin fold measurement. The former is the most accurate and is thought as “golden Standard”, while the later is an easy and simple way. Measurement of body fat content using skin fold method is by calculation based on the measured skin fold. But the formulas used to calculate body fat content were developed based on the studies in foreigners. We hypothesized that there was significant difference in the body fat content of Chinese determined by hydrostatic weighing and skin fold methods in which the formula was from the studies in foreigners. The formula developed based on the study in foreigners might not be suitable in the determination of body fat content in Chinese