Apolipoprotein J is a hepatokine regulating muscle glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity

Crosstalk between liver and skeletal muscle is vital for glucose homeostasis. Hepatokines, liver-derived proteins that play an important role in regulating muscle metabolism, are important to this communication. Here we identify apolipoprotein J (ApoJ) as a novel hepatokine targeting muscle glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity through a low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-2 (LRP2)-dependent mechanism, coupled with the insulin receptor (IR) signaling cascade. In muscle, LRP2 is necessary for insulin-dependent IR internalization, an initial trigger for insulin signaling, that is crucial in regulating downstream signaling and glucose uptake. Of physiologic significance, deletion of hepatic ApoJ or muscle LRP2 causes insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. In patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance, pioglitazone-induced improvement of insulin action is associated with an increase in muscle ApoJ and LRP2 expression. Thus, the ApoJ-LRP2 axis is a novel endocrine circuit that is central to the maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity

High pressure X-ray diffraction study of CdAl<SUB>2</SUB>Se<SUB>4</SUB> and raman study of AAl<SUB>2</SUB>Se<SUB>4</SUB> (A=Hg, Zn) and CdA<SUB>l2</SUB>X<SUB>4</SUB> (X=Se, S)

We report the results of an X-ray diffraction study of CdAl2Se4 and of Raman studies of HgAl2Se4 and ZnAl2Se4 at room temperature, and of CdAl2S4 and CdAl2Se4 at 80 K at high pressure. The ambient pressure phase of CdAl2Se4 is stable up to a pressure of 9.1 GPa above which a phase transition to a disordered rock salt phase is observed. A fit of the volume pressure data to a Birch-Murnaghan type equation of state yields a bulk modulus of 52.1 GPa. The relative volume change at the phase transition at 9 GPa is about 10%. The analysis of the Raman data of HgAl2Se4 and ZnAl2Se4 reveals a general trend observed for different defect chalcopyrite materials. The line widths of the Raman peaks change at intermediate pressures between 4 and 6 GPa as an indication of the pressure induced two stage order-disorder transition observed in these materials. In addition, we include results of a low temperature Raman study of CdAl2S4 and CdAl2Se4, which shows a very weak temperature dependence of the Raman-active phonon modes