High Energy Intake Induced Overexpression of Transcription Factors and Its Regulatory Genes Involved in Acceleration of Hepatic Lipogenesis: A Rat Model for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by impaired insulin action and its secretion. The objectives of the present study were to establish an economical and efficient animal model, mimicking pathophysiology of human T2DM to understand probable molecular mechanisms in context with lipid metabolism. In the present study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Animals were fed with high fat diet (HFD) except healthy control (HC) for 12 weeks. After eight weeks, intra peritoneal glucose tolerance test was performed. After confirmation of glucose intolerance, diabetic control (DC) group was injected with streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg b.w., i.p.). HFD fed rats showed increase (p ≤ 0.001) in glucose tolerance and HOMA-IR as compared to HC. Diabetes rats showed abnormal (p ≤ 0.001) lipid profile as compared to HC. The hepatocyte expression of transcription factors SREBP-1c and NFκβ, and their target genes were found to be upregulated, while PPAR-γ, CPT1A and FABP expressions were downregulated as compared to the HC. A number of animal models have been raised for studying T2DM, but the study has been restricted to only the biochemical level. The model is validated at biochemical, molecular and histopathological levels, which can be used for screening new therapeutics for the effective management of T2DM

Correlation of serum adiponectin and leptin levels in obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Indian phenotype includes higher waist circumference despite lower body mass index, thereby making Indians more prone to diabetes and its complications. Aim: The present study aimed to analyze the serum levels of adiponectin and leptin in the participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity and their correlation with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Materials and Methods: In the study, 50 diabetics and 50 controls aged between 40 and 60 years were included in the study. Results: Adiponectin levels were significantly higher in diabetics than in nondiabetic participants irrespective of gender (P ≤ 0.04 in males, P ≤ 0.02 in females). Leptin levels were significantly higher in diabetics compared to nondiabetics (P ≤ 0.001) in both males and females. Conclusion: Adiponectin and leptin levels may be used as important clinical markers for T2DM and obesity

Exceptional anoxia resistance in larval tiger beetle, Phaeoxantha klugii (Coleoptera : Cicindelidae)

The tiger beetle Phaeoxantha klugii inhabits Central Amazonian floodplains, where it survives the annual inundation period in the third-instar larval stage submerged in the soil at approximately 29 degreesC for up to 3.5 months. Because flooded soils quickly become anoxic, these larvae should be highly resistant to anoxia. The survival of adult and larval P. klugii was therefore tested during exposure to a pure nitrogen atmosphere in the laboratory at 29 degreesC. Adult beetles were not resistant (< 6 h). Survival of larvae decreased over time, maximum survival was 15 days, whereas time to 50% mortality was 5.7 days (95% confidence interval 3.8-7.9). Anoxia resistance was additionally tested in third-instar larvae submerged within sediment for 40 days before anoxia exposure in the laboratory. Anoxia resistance was greatly enhanced in these larvae, showing a survival rate of 50% after 26 days of anoxia exposure. It appears that the gradual flooding process and/or the submersion phase induced a physiological alteration, most probably a strong depression in metabolic rate, which requires some days for induction. The degree of anoxia resistance in larval P. klugii is remarkable among terrestrial arthropods worldwide, even more so considering the high ambient temperatures. The species is well-suited to serve as a model organism for studying the physiological mechanisms of anoxia and submersion resistance in terrestrial arthropods inhabiting tropical floodplains