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Daily Treatment of Mice with Type 2 Diabetes with Adropin for Four Weeks Improves Glucolipid Profile, Reduces Hepatic Lipid Content and Restores Elevated Hepatic Enzymes in Serum
Adropin is a peptide hormone encoded by Energy Homeostasis Associated gene. Adropin modulates energy homeostasis and metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. There is growing evidence demonstrating that adropin enhances insulin sensitivity and lowers hyperlipidemia in obese mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of daily administration of adropin for four weeks in mice with experimentally induced type 2 diabetes (T2D). Adropin improved glucose control without modulating insulin sensitivity. Adropin reduced body weight, size of adipocytes, blood levels of triacylglycerol and cholesterol in T2D mice. T2D mice treated with adropin had lower liver mass, reduced hepatic content of triacylglycerol and cholesterol. Furthermore, adropin attenuated elevated blood levels of hepatic enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT and ALP) in T2D mice. In T2D mice, adropin increased the circulating adiponectin level. Adropin had no effects on circulating insulin and glucagon levels and did not alter pancreatic islets morphology. These results suggest that adropin improves glucose control, lipid metabolism and liver functions in T2D. In conjunction with reduced lipid content in hepatocytes, these results render adropin as an interesting candidate in therapy of T2D.
Non-mosaic X monosomy (77,X) in a female dog with signs of virilization
AbstractA 14-month-old female Miniature Poodle dog with an enlarged clitoris and asymmetry in the placement of the teats was subjected to clinical, histopathological, and genetic studies. Macroscopically, the uterus and fallopian tubes appeared normal, while both ovaries were diffusely altered. At histology, the ovarian parenchyma was almost completely effaced by a diffuse hyperplasia of theca cells with atretic primary follicles. Chromosome analysis showed pure (non-mosaic) X monosomy (77,X). This finding was confirmed by the highly sensitive droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) approach. Despite the observed virilization, molecular analysis did not show the presence of Y-linked genes (SRY,ZFY, andTSPY1) in the blood cells or ovary tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of X monosomy in a dog associated with virilization.
Ostarine-Induced Myogenic Differentiation in C2C12, L6, and Rat Muscles
Ostarine (also known as enobosarm or Gtx-024) belongs to the selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). It is a substance with an aryl-propionamide structure, classified as a non-steroidal compound that is not subjected to the typical steroid transformations of aromatization and reduction by α5 reductase. Despite ongoing research on ostarine, knowledge about it is still limited. Earlier studies indicated that ostarine may affect the metabolism of muscle tissue, but this mechanism has not been yet described. We aimed to investigate the effect of ostarine on the differentiation and metabolism of muscle. Using C2C12 and L6 cells, as well as muscles obtained from rats administered ostarine, we showed that ostarine stimulates C2C12 and L6 proliferation and cell viability and that this effect is mediated by androgen receptor (AR) and ERK1/2 kinase activation (p < 0.01). We also found that ostarine stimulates muscle cell differentiation by increasing myogenin, MyoD, and MyH expression in both types of cells (p < 0.01). Moreover, pharmacological blocking of AR inhibits the stimulatory effect of ostarine. We further demonstrated that 30 days of ostarine administration increases myogenin, MyoD, and MyH expression, as well as muscle mass, in rats (p < 0.01). Based on our research, we conclude that ostarine stimulates muscle tissue proliferation and differentiation via the androgen receptor.