Altered behavioral and metabolic circadian rhythms in mice with disrupted NAD+ oscillation

The Intracellular levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) are rhythmic and controlled by the circadian clock. However, whether NAD+ oscillation in turn contributes to circadian physiology is not fully understood. To address this question we analyzed mice mutated for the NAD+ hydrolase CD38. We found that rhythmicity of NAD+ was altered in the CD38-deficient mice. The high, chronic levels of NAD+ results in several anomalies in circadian behavior and metabolism. CD38-null mice display a shortened period length of locomotor activity and alteration in the rest-activity rhythm. Several clock genes and, interestingly, genes involved in amino acid metabolism were deregulated in CD38-null livers. Metabolomic analysis identified alterations in the circadian levels of several amino acids, specifically tryptophan levels were reduced in the CD38-null mice at a circadian time paralleling with elevated NAD+ levels. Thus, CD38 contributes to behavioral and metabolic circadian rhythms and altered NAD+ levels influence the circadian clock

Flavonoid Apigenin Is an Inhibitor of the NAD+ase CD38: Implications for Cellular NAD+ Metabolism, Protein Acetylation, and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a growing health problem worldwide. It is therefore imperative to develop new strategies to treat this pathology. In the past years, the manipulation of NAD+ metabolism has emerged as a plausible strategy to ameliorate metabolic syndrome. In particular, an increase in cellular NAD+ levels has beneficial effects, likely because of the activation of sirtuins. Previously, we reported that CD38 is the primary NAD+ase in mammals. Moreover, CD38 knockout mice have higher NAD+ levels and are protected against obesity and metabolic syndrome. Here, we show that CD38 regulates global protein acetylation through changes in NAD+ levels and sirtuin activity. In addition, we characterize two CD38 inhibitors: quercetin and apigenin. We show that pharmacological inhibition of CD38 results in higher intracellular NAD+ levels and that treatment of cell cultures with apigenin decreases global acetylation as well as the acetylation of p53 and RelA-p65. Finally, apigenin administration to obese mice increases NAD+ levels, decreases global protein acetylation, and improves several aspects of glucose and lipid homeostasis. Our results show that CD38 is a novel pharmacological target to treat metabolic diseases via NAD+-dependent pathways

Emergence and spread of a B.1.1.28-derived P.6 lineage with Q675H and Q677H spike mutations in Uruguay

Uruguay controlled the viral dissemination during the first nine months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Unfortunately, towards the end of 2020, the number of daily new cases exponentially increased. Herein, we analyzed the country-wide genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 between November 2020 and April 2021. We identified that the most prevalent viral variant during the first epidemic wave in Uruguay (December 2020–February 2021) was a B.1.1.28 sublineage carrying Spike mutations Q675H + Q677H, now designated as P.6, followed by lineages P.2 and P.7. P.6 probably arose around November 2020, in Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital department, and rapidly spread to other departments, with evidence of further local transmission clusters; it also spread sporadically to the USA and Spain. The more efficient dissemination of lineage P.6 with respect to P.2 and P.7 and the presence of mutations (Q675H and Q677H) in the proximity of the key cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary suggest that P.6 may be more transmissible than other lineages co-circulating in Uruguay. Although P.6 was replaced by the variant of concern (VOC) P.1 as the predominant lineage in Uruguay since April 2021, the monitoring of the concurrent emergence of Q675H + Q677H in VOCs should be of worldwide interest

Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use in early acute respiratory distress syndrome : Insights from the LUNG SAFE study

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Concerns exist regarding the prevalence and impact of unnecessary oxygen use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined this issue in patients with ARDS enrolled in the Large observational study to UNderstand the Global impact of Severe Acute respiratory FailurE (LUNG SAFE) study. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE study, we wished to determine the prevalence and the outcomes associated with hyperoxemia on day 1, sustained hyperoxemia, and excessive oxygen use in patients with early ARDS. Patients who fulfilled criteria of ARDS on day 1 and day 2 of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were categorized based on the presence of hyperoxemia (PaO2 > 100 mmHg) on day 1, sustained (i.e., present on day 1 and day 2) hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen use (FIO2 ≥ 0.60 during hyperoxemia). Results: Of 2005 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (6.5%) were hypoxemic (PaO2 < 55 mmHg), 607 (30%) had hyperoxemia on day 1, and 250 (12%) had sustained hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use occurred in 400 (66%) out of 607 patients with hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use decreased from day 1 to day 2 of ARDS, with most hyperoxemic patients on day 2 receiving relatively low FIO2. Multivariate analyses found no independent relationship between day 1 hyperoxemia, sustained hyperoxemia, or excess FIO2 use and adverse clinical outcomes. Mortality was 42% in patients with excess FIO2 use, compared to 39% in a propensity-matched sample of normoxemic (PaO2 55-100 mmHg) patients (P = 0.47). Conclusions: Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use are both prevalent in early ARDS but are most often non-sustained. No relationship was found between hyperoxemia or excessive oxygen use and patient outcome in this cohort. Trial registration: LUNG-SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073publishersversionPeer reviewe

Deleted in breast cancer-1 (DBC-1) in the interface between metabolism, aging and cancer

DBC1 (deleted in breast cancer-1) is a nuclear protein that regulates cellular metabolism. Since alteration in cellular metabolism have been proposed to be the emerging &#x2018;hallmark&#x2019; of cancer, it is possible that DBC1 may be implicated in the regulation of cancer cell energy metabolism. However, at this point any role of DBC1&#x00A0;in cancer is only speculative. In this review, we will discuss the new developments in DBC1 research, its molecular structure, regulatory roles and implication in metabolism, aging and cancer

A simple reorganization of childcare centre with positive effects on self-regulation and play behaviour

In the present study, we used a cuasi-experimental design to evaluate the impact of changing the organization of preschool centres in children’s self regulation and socio-emotional development. The changes included giving the children the opportunity to choose activities, the conformation of multi-aged groups during part of the day, and promoting a higher commitment of educators to specific aspects of the curriculum. Our results show that children in the intervention group display improved self-regulation, particularly in a decrease in negative affectivity, conduct problems and emotional symptoms. Additionally, they showed increase complexity in their play behaviours and more peer-interactions in social play. The intervention proved to be a low-cost, easy to implement alternative with promising results in a country with restricted financial resources in education

Altered behavioral and metabolic circadian rhythms in mice with disrupted NAD+ oscillation.

The Intracellular levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) are rhythmic and controlled by the circadian clock. However, whether NAD(+) oscillation in turn contributes to circadian physiology is not fully understood. To address this question we analyzed mice mutated for the NAD(+) hydrolase CD38. We found that rhythmicity of NAD(+) was altered in the CD38-deficient mice. The high, chronic levels of NAD(+) results in several anomalies in circadian behavior and metabolism. CD38-null mice display a shortened period length of locomotor activity and alteration in the rest-activity rhythm. Several clock genes and, interestingly, genes involved in amino acid metabolism were deregulated in CD38-null livers. Metabolomic analysis identified alterations in the circadian levels of several amino acids, specifically tryptophan levels were reduced in the CD38-null mice at a circadian time paralleling with elevated NAD(+) levels. Thus, CD38 contributes to behavioral and metabolic circadian rhythms and altered NAD(+) levels influence the circadian clock

Deleted in Breast Cancer 1 Limits Adipose Tissue Fat Accumulation and Plays a Key Role in the Development of Metabolic Syndrome Phenotype

Obesity is often regarded as the primary cause of metabolic syndrome. However, many lines of evidence suggest that obesity may develop as a protective mechanism against tissue damage during caloric surplus and that it is only when the maximum fat accumulation capacity is reached and fatty acid spillover occurs into to peripheral tissues that metabolic diseases develop. In this regard, identifying the molecular mechanisms that modulate adipocyte fat accumulation and fatty acid spillover is imperative. Here we identify the deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) protein as a key regulator of fat storage capacity of adipocytes. We found that knockout (KO) of DBC1 facilitated fat cell differentiation and lipid accumulation and increased fat storage capacity of adipocytes in vitro and in vivo. This effect resulted in a "healthy obesity" phenotype. DBC1 KO mice fed a high-fat diet, although obese, remained insulin sensitive, had lower free fatty acid in plasma, were protected against atherosclerosis and liver steatosis, and lived longer. We propose that DBC1 is part of the molecular machinery that regulates fat storage capacity in adipocytes and participates in the "turn-off" switch that limits adipocyte fat accumulation and leads to fat spillover into peripheral tissues, leading to the deleterious effects of caloric surplus