1,111 research outputs found

    Role of adipocyte-derived lipoprotein lipase in adipocyte hypertrophy

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major portion of available fatty acids for adipocyte uptake is derived from lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-mediated hydrolysis of circulating lipoprotein particles. In vivo studies aimed at identifying the precise role of adipocyte-derived LPL in fat storage function of adipose tissue have been unable to provide conclusive evidence due to compensatory mechanisms that activate endogenous fatty acid synthesis. To address this gap in knowledge, we have measured the effect of reducing adipocyte LPL expression on intracellular lipid accumulation using a well-established cultured model of adipocyte differentiation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>siRNA specific for mouse LPL was transfected into 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Expression of LPL was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and cell surface-associated LPL enzymatic activity was measured by colorimetric detection following substrate (p-nitrophenyl butyrate) hydrolysis. Apolipoprotein CII and CIII expression ratios were also measured by qRT-PCR. Intracellular lipid accumulation was quantified by Nile Red staining.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes, LPL mRNA expression increases 6-fold resulting in a 2-fold increase in cell surface-associated LPL enzymatic activity. Parallel to this increase in LPL expression, we found that intracellular lipids increased ~10-fold demonstrating a direct correlation between adipocyte-derived LPL expression and lipid storage. We next reduced LPL expression in adipocytes using siRNA transfections to directly quantify the contributions of adipocyte-derived LPL to lipid storage, This treatment reduced LPL mRNA expression and cell surface-associated LPL enzymatic activity to ~50% of non-treated controls while intracellular lipid levels were reduced by 80%. Exogenous addition of purified LPL (to restore extracellular lipolytic activity) or palmitate (as a source of free fatty acids) to siRNA-treated cells restored intracellular lipid levels to those measured for non-treated controls. We also found that adipocytes express apolipoprotein CII and CIII and, in addition, the apoCII/apoCIII ratio remains largely unchanged in cells with reduced LPL expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We provide evidence that adipocyte-derived LPL is required for efficient fatty acid uptake and storage, and that adipocytes express their own source of apoCII and apoCIII for regulating extracellular LPL activity. These findings demonstrate that adipocytes are capable of producing the necessary enzymatic components and co-factors for efficient lipid storage independent of vascular sources.</p

    Syndecan-1 mediates internalization of apoE-VLDL through a low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)-independent, non-clathrin-mediated pathway

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    BACKGROUND: Triacylglyerol-rich very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles are the primary carriers of fatty acids in the circulation and as such serve as a rich energy source for peripheral tissues. Receptor-mediated uptake of these particles is dependent upon prior association with apolipoprotein E (apoE-VLDL) and is brought about by cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) in some cell types and by the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) in others. Although LRP's role in apoE-VLDL uptake has been well studied, the identity of the HSPG family member that mediates apoE-VLDL uptake has not been established. We investigated if syndecan-1 (Syn-1), a transmembrane cell surface HSPG, is able to mediate the internalization of apoE-VLDL and examined the relationship between Syn-1 and LRP toward apoE-VLDL uptake. For this study, we used a human fibroblast cell line (GM00701) that expresses large amounts of LRP, but possesses no LDL receptor activity to eliminate its contributions toward apoE-VLDL uptake. RESULTS: Although LRP in these cells is fully active as established by substantial α(2)macroglobulin binding and internalization, uptake of apoE-VLDL is absent. Expression of human Syn-1 cDNA restored apoE-VLDL binding and uptake by these cells. Competition for this uptake with an LRP ligand-binding antagonist had little or no effect, whereas co-incubation with heparin abolished apoE-VLDL internalization. Depleting Syn-1 expressing cells of K(+), to block clathrin-mediated endocytosis, showed no inhibition of Syn-1 internalization of apoE-VLDL. By contrast, treatment of cells with nystatin to inhibit lipid raft function, prevented the uptake of apoE-VLDL by Syn-1. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that Syn-1 is able to mediate apoE-VLDL uptake in human fibroblasts with little or no contribution from LRP and that the endocytic path taken by Syn-1 is clathrin-independent and relies upon lipid raft function. These data are consistent with previous studies demonstrating Syn-1 association with lipid raft domains

    The Niemann-Pick C1 and caveolin-1 proteins interact to modulate efflux of low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol from late endocytic compartments

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    The Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) protein has a central role in regulating the efflux of lipoprotein-derived cholesterol from late endosomes/lysosomes and transport to other cellular compartments. Since the NPC1 protein has been shown to regulate the transport of cholesterol to cellular compartments enriched with the ubiquitous cholesterol-binding and transport protein caveolin-1, the present study was performed to determine whether the NPC1 and caveolin-1 proteins interact and function to modulate efflux of low density lipoprotein (LDL)-derived cholesterol from endocytic compartments. To perform these studies, normal human fibroblasts were grown in media with lipoprotein-deficient serum (LPDS) or media with LPDS supplemented with purified human LDL. The results indicated reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation and partial co-localization of the NPC1 and caveolin-1 proteins that was decreased when fibroblasts were grown in media with LDL. Consistent with interaction of the NPC1 and caveolin-1 proteins, a highly conserved caveolin-binding motif was identified within a cytoplasmic loop located adjacent to the sterol-sensing domain (SSD) of the NPC1 protein. To examine the functional relevance of this interaction, fibroblasts were transfected with caveolin-1 siRNA and found to accumulate increased amounts of LDL-derived cholesterol within late endosomes/lysosomes. Together, this report presents novel results demonstrating that the NPC1 and caveolin-1 proteins interact to modulate efflux of LDL-derived cholesterol from late endocytic compartments

    Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans contribute to intracellular lipid accumulation in adipocytes

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    BACKGROUND: Transport of fatty acids within the cytosol of adipocytes and their subsequent assimilation into lipid droplets has been thoroughly investigated; however, the mechanism by which fatty acids are transported across the plasma membrane from the extracellular environment remains unclear. Since triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins represent an abundant source of fatty acids for adipocyte utilization, we have investigated the expression levels of cell surface lipoprotein receptors and their functional contributions toward intracellular lipid accumulation; these include very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDL-R), low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP), and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). RESULTS: We found that expression of these three lipoprotein receptors increased 5-fold, 2-fold, and 2.5-fold, respectively, during adipocyte differentiation. The major proteoglycans expressed by mature adipocytes are of high molecular weight (>500 kD) and contain both heparan and chondroitin sulfate moieties. Using ligand binding antagonists, we observed that HSPG, rather than VLDL-R or LRP, play a primary role in the uptake of DiI-lableled apoE-VLDL by mature adipocytes. In addition, inhibitors of HSPG maturation resulted in a significant reduction (>85%) in intracellular lipid accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that cell surface HSPG is required for fatty acid transport across the plasma membrane of adipocytes

    Modelling Aboveground Biomass of Miombo Woodlands in Niassa Special Reserve, Northern Mozambique

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    Aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation plays a crucial role in forest management and carbon emission reporting, especially for developing countries wishing to address REDD+ projects. Both passive and active remote-sensing technologies can provide spatially explicit information of AGB by using a limited number of field samples, thus reducing the substantial budgetary cost of field inventories. The aim of the current study was to estimate AGB in the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR) using fusion of optical (Landsat 8/OLI and Sentinel 2A/MSI) and radar (Sentinel 1B and ALOS/PALSAR-2) data. The performance of multiple linear regression models to relate ground biomass with different combinations of sensor data was assessed using root-mean-square error (RMSE), and the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria (AIC and BIC). The mean AGB and carbon stock (CS) estimated from field data were estimated at 56 Mg ha−1 (ranging from 11 to 95 Mg ha−1) and 28 MgC ha−1, respectively. The best model estimated AGB at 63 ± 20.3 Mg ha−1 for NSR, ranging from 0.6 to 200 Mg ha−1 (r2 = 87.5%, AIC = 123, and BIC = 51.93). We obtained an RMSE % of 20.46 of the mean field estimate of 56 Mg ha−1. The estimation of AGB in this study was within the range that was reported in the existing literature for the miombo woodlands. The fusion of vegetation indices derived from Landsat/OLI and Sentinel 2A/MSI, and backscatter from ALOS/PALSAR-2 is a good predictor of AGB.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing minimally invasive valve surgery

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    BackgroundWe hypothesize that minimally invasive valve surgery in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is superior to a conventional median sternotomy.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 1945 consecutive patients who underwent isolated valve surgery. Included were patients with CKD stages 2 to 5. In-hospital mortality, composite complication rates, and intensive care unit and total hospital lengths of stay of those who underwent a minimally invasive approach were compared with those who underwent a standard median sternotomy. Resource use was approximated based on intensive care unit and total hospital lengths of stay.ResultsThere were 688 patients identified; 510 (74%) underwent minimally invasive surgery, and 178 (26%) underwent a median sternotomy. There was no significant difference in mortality. Minimally invasive surgery was associated with fewer composite complications (33.1% vs 49.4%; odds ratio, 0.5; P ≤ .001), shorter intensive care unit (48 [interquartile range {IQR}, 33-74] hours vs 71 [IQR, 42-96] hours; P < .01), and hospital (8 [IQR, 6-9] days vs 10 [IQR, 8-15] days; P < .001) lengths of stay, and a lower incidence of acute kidney injury (8% vs 14.7%; odds ratio, 0.5; P = .01), compared with median sternotomy. In a multivariable analysis, minimally invasive surgery was associated with a 60% reduction in the risk of development of postoperative acute kidney injury.ConclusionsIn patients with CKD undergoing isolated valve surgery, minimally invasive valve surgery is associated with reduced postoperative complications and lower resource use

    The Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN): A High Resolution Global Model to Estimate the Emissions from Open Burning

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    The Fire INventory from NCAR version 1.0 (FINNv1) provides daily, 1 km resolution, global estimates of the trace gas and particle emissions from open burning of biomass, which includes wildfire, agricultural fires, and prescribed burning and does not include biofuel use and trash burning. Emission factors used in the calculations have been updated with recent data, particularly for the non-methane organic compounds (NMOC). The resulting global annual NMOC emission estimates are as much as a factor of 5 greater than some prior estimates. Chemical speciation profiles, necessary to allocate the total NMOC emission estimates to lumped species for use by chemical transport models, are provided for three widely used chemical mechanisms: SAPRC99, GEOS-CHEM, and MOZART-4. Using these profiles, FINNv1 also provides global estimates of key organic compounds, including formaldehyde and methanol. Uncertainties in the emissions estimates arise from several of the method steps. The use of fire hot spots, assumed area burned, land cover maps, biomass consumption estimates, and emission factors all introduce error into the model estimates. The uncertainty in the FINNv1 emission estimates are about a factor of two; but, the global estimates agree reasonably well with other global inventories of biomass burning emissions for CO, CO2, and other species with less variable emission factors. FINNv1 emission estimates have been developed specifically for modeling atmospheric chemistry and air quality in a consistent framework at scales from local to global. The product is unique because of the high temporal and spatial resolution, global coverage, and the number of species estimated. FINNv1 can be used for both hindcast and forecast or near-real time model applications and the results are being critically evaluated with models and observations whenever possible

    Proteomic Analysis of the Acidocalcisome, an Organelle Conserved from Bacteria to Human Cells

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    Acidocalcisomes are acidic organelles present in a diverse range of organisms from bacteria to human cells. In this study acidocalcisomes were purified from the model organism Trypanosoma brucei, and their protein composition was determined by mass spectrometry. The results, along with those that we previously reported, show that acidocalcisomes are rich in pumps and transporters, involved in phosphate and cation homeostasis, and calcium signaling. We validated the acidocalcisome localization of seven new, putative, acidocalcisome proteins (phosphate transporter, vacuolar H+-ATPase subunits a and d, vacuolar iron transporter, zinc transporter, polyamine transporter, and acid phosphatase), confirmed the presence of six previously characterized acidocalcisome proteins, and validated the localization of five novel proteins to different subcellular compartments by expressing them fused to epitope tags in their endogenous loci or by immunofluorescence microscopy with specific antibodies. Knockdown of several newly identified acidocalcisome proteins by RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that they are essential for the survival of the parasites. These results provide a comprehensive insight into the unique composition of acidocalcisomes of T. brucei, an important eukaryotic pathogen, and direct evidence that acidocalcisomes are especially adapted for the accumulation of polyphosphate
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