• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.437-450
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• 2024

Objective: Vanin-1 (VNN1) is a pantetheinase that catalyses the hydrolysis of pantetheine to produce pantothenic acid and cysteamine. Our previous studies have shown that the VNN1 is specifically expressed in chicken liver which negatively regulated by microRNA-122. However, the functions of the VNN1 in lipid metabolism in chicken liver haven't been elucidated. Methods: First, we detected the VNN1 mRNA expression in 4-week chickens which were fasted 24 hours. Next, knocked out VNN1 via CRISPR/Cas9 system in the chicken Leghorn Male Hepatoma cell line. Detected the lipid deposition via oil red staining and analysis the content of triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) after VNN1 knockout in Leghorn Male Hepatoma cell line. Then we captured various differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between VNN1-modified LMH cells and original LMH cells by RNA-seq. Results: Firstly, fasting-induced expression of VNN1. Meanwhile, we successfully used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to achieve targeted mutations of the VNN1 in the chicken LMH cell line. Moreover, the expression level of VNN1 mRNA in LMH-KO-VNN1 cells decreased compared with that in the wild-type LMH cells (p<0.0001). Compared with control, lipid deposition was decreased after knockout VNN1 via oil red staining, meanwhile, the contents of TG and LDL-C were significantly reduced, and the content of HDL-C was increased in LMH-KO-VNN1 cells. Transcriptome sequencing showed that there were 1,335 DEGs between LMH-KO-VNN1 cells and original LMH cells. Of these DEGs, 431 were upregulated, and 904 were downregulated. Gene ontology analyses of all DEGs showed that the lipid metabolism-related pathways, such as fatty acid biosynthesis and long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis, were enriched. KEGG pathway analyses showed that "lipid metabolism pathway", "energy metabolism", and "carbohydrate metabolism" were enriched. A total of 76 DEGs were involved in these pathways, of which 29 genes were upregulated (such as cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1, ELOVL fatty acid elongase 2, and apolipoprotein A4) and 47 genes were downregulated (such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1) by VNN1 knockout in the LMH cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that VNN1 plays an important role in coordinating lipid metabolism in the chicken liver.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Consumption of pine nut oil (PNO) was shown to reduce weight gain and attenuate hepatic steatosis in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of PNO on both intestinal and hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed control or HFD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets containing 10% energy fat from either Soybean Oil (SBO) or PNO, or HFD containing 15% energy fat from lard and 30% energy fat from SBO or PNO for 12 weeks. Expression of genes related to intestinal fatty acid (FA) uptake and channeling (Cd36, Fatp4, Acsl5, Acbp), intestinal chylomicron synthesis (Mtp, ApoB48, ApoA4), hepatic lipid uptake and channeling (Lrp1, Fatp5, Acsl1, Acbp), hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) lipolysis and FA oxidation (Atgl, Cpt1a, Acadl, Ehhadh, Acaa1), as well as very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly (ApoB100) were determined by real-time PCR. RESULTS: In intestine, significantly lower Cd36 mRNA expression (P<0.05) and a tendency of lower ApoA4 mRNA levels (P = 0.07) was observed in PNO-fed mice, indicating that PNO consumption may decrease intestinal FA uptake and chylomicron assembly. PNO consumption tended to result in higher hepatic mRNA levels of Atgl (P = 0.08) and Cpt1a (P = 0.05). Significantly higher hepatic mRNA levels of Acadl and ApoB100 were detected in mice fed PNO diet (P<0.05). These results suggest that PNO could increase hepatic TAG metabolism; mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and VLDL assembly. CONCLUSIONS: PNO replacement in the diet might function in prevention of excessive lipid uptake by intestine and improve hepatic lipid metabolism in both control diet and HFD fed mice.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.304-311
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• 2020

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MRS) is essential for translation. MRS mutants reduce global translation, which usually increases lifespan in various genetic models. However, we found that MRS inhibited Drosophila reduced lifespan despite of the reduced protein synthesis. Microarray analysis with MRS inhibited Drosophila revealed significant changes in inflammatory and immune response genes. Especially, the expression of anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) genes was reduced. When we measured the expression levels of AMP genes during aging, those were getting increased in the control flies but reduced in MRS inhibition flies age-dependently. Interestingly, in the germ-free condition, the maximum lifespan was increased in MRS inhibition flies compared with that of the conventional condition. These findings suggest that the lifespan of MRS inhibition flies is reduced due to the down-regulated AMPs expression in Drosophila.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.676-685
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• 2021

RNA-binding proteins are involved in RNA metabolism and posttranscriptional regulation of various fundamental biological processes. The PUF family of RNA-binding proteins is highly conserved in eukaryotes, and its members regulate gene expression, mitochondrial biogenesis, and RNA processing. However, their biological functions in Aspergillus species remain mostly unknown in filamentous fungi. Here we have characterized the puf genes in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans. We generated deletion mutant strains for the five putative puf genes present in the A. nidulans genome and investigated their developmental phenotypes. Deletion of pufA or pufE affected fungal growth and asexual development. pufA mutants exhibited decreased production of asexual spores and reduced mRNA expression of genes regulating asexual development. The pufE deletion reduced colony growth, increased formation of asexual spores, and delayed production of sexual fruiting bodies. In addition, the absence of pufE reduced both sterigmatocystin production and the mRNA levels of genes in the sterigmatocystin cluster. Finally, pufE deletion mutants showed reduced trehalose production and lower resistance to thermal stress. Overall, these results demonstrate that PufA and PufE play roles in the development and sterigmatocystin metabolism in A. nidulans.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.62-65
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• 1999

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) 1 and 2 bind with equally high affinity to specific RNA stem-loop sequences known as iron-responsive elements (IRE) which mediate the post-transcriptional regulation of many genes of iron metabolism. To study putative IRE-like sequences in RNA transcripts using the IRP-IRE interaction, Eight known genes from database were selected and the RNA binding activity of IRE-like sequences were compared to IRP-2. Among them, the IRE-like sequence in 3'-untranslational region (UTR) of divalent ration transporter-1 (DCT-1) shows a significant RNA binding affinity. This finding predicts that IRE consensus sequence present within 3'-UTR of DCT-1 might confer the regulation by IRP-2.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.211-214
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• 2001

Utilizing the foreign gene expression system of Drosophila melanogaster Schneider line 2(S2) cell, the degree of transient protein and mRNA expression was examined with different terminators. In the case of transient expression, the expression level of green fluorescent protein(GFP) was the highest when the transfection agent was eliminated and then cultivated for 36 to 48 hr. The terminators(SV40 p(A), SV40 small T-antigen and human gastrin 3'UTR) of the expression vector system were each cloned with endostatin; thereafter, the expression levels of the endostatin and its mRNA were compared. When the expression levels of endostatin were compared 36 hr after transfection, the SV40 p(A) terminator showed the highest expression level of endostatin and its mRNA.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.108-120
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• 1999

In this study, body weight levels of glucose, insulin and triglyceride in blood and glucosidase activity of the small intestine were investigated to determine the effect of Sangbaegpitang and Supungsungiwhan on the glucose metabolism of db/db mice. The GLUT4 mRNA of muscle tissue and the Acetyl CoA Carboxylase and the activation rate of GLUT2 mRNA of liver tissue were measured by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method and by the vitro transcription. The results were obtained as follows: 1. In the Sangbaegpitang administration group, (1) The level of triglyceride was decreased significantly and the glucosidase activity of the small intestine was inhibited remarkably, (2) The amounts of the GLUT4 mRNA in muscle tissue and Acetyl CoA Carboxylase mRNA in liver tissue were increased significantly. (3) Though glucose level in both fasting and non-fasting, were decreased and the insulin level in blood was increased, the results showed no statistical significance. 2. In the Supungsungiwhan administration group, (1) The levels of glucose and triglyceride were decreased significantly in the blood of non-fasting animals. (2) The glucosidase activity of small intestine was inhibited markedly and the amounts of GLUT4 mRNA of muscle tissue and GLUT2 mRNA of liver tissue were increased significantly. (3) The glucose levels in the fasting group were reduced, while insulin level was increased but showed no statistical significance, Based on the above results, our conclusions are as follows: Sangbaegpitang & Supungsungiwhan are thought to be capable of inhibiting the activity glucosidase, the enzyme which influences carbohydrate metabolism in the small intestine of db/db mice(the experimental diabetic model) and delaying the absorption of carbohydrate, thus proving effective on inhibiting the increase of non-fasting glucose level effectively. Futhermore Sangbaegpitang and Supungsungiwhan are though: to be capable of preventing the composition of free fatty acids by restoring the production of GLUT4 mRNA of muscle tissues and GLUT2 mRNA of liver tissues. Those results suggests that above prescriptions can be applied to non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in order to improve insulin resistance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2015

Castration induces the accumulation of body fat and deposition of intramuscular fat in Korean cattle, resulting in improved beef quality. However, little is known about the metabolic adaptations in the liver following castration. To understand changes in lipid metabolism following castration, hepatic expression levels of lipid metabolism genes were compared between Korean bulls and steers. Steers had higher (p<0.001) hepatic lipids contents and higher (p<0.01) mRNA levels of lipogenic acetyl-CoA carboxylase. This differential gene expression may, in part, contribute to increased hepatic lipid content following the castration of bulls. However, we found no differences in the hepatic expression levels of genes related to triglyceride synthesis (mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 and 2) and fatty acid (FA) oxidation (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, C-4 to C-12 straight chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase) between bulls and steers. No differences in gene expression for very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, including apolipoprotein B mRNA and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) protein, were observed in the liver although MTTP mRNA levels were higher in steers compared to bulls. In conclusion, FA synthesis may contribute to increased hepatic lipid deposition in steers following castration. However, hepatic lipid metabolism, including triglyceride synthesis, FA oxidation, and VLDL secretion, was not significantly altered by castration. Our results suggest that hepatic lipid metabolism does not significantly contribute to increased body fat deposition in steers following castration.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.584-589
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• 2007

The effect of water extract of adzuki beans on acetaminophen-altered lipid metabolism was examined in rats. Control group of rats was fed a basal diet, another group of rats was fed 0.5% acetaminophen (APAP group), and a third group of rats was fed 0.5% acetaminophen plus 5% adzuki bean extract (ABE group) for 4 weeks. Serum total and HDL cholesterol levels in the APAP group were significantly lower than those in the control and ABE groups. Hepatic cholesterol $7{\alpha}-hydroxylase$ and fatty acid synthase mRNA levels in the APAP and ABE groups were significantly higher and lower than in the control group, respectively. Hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase mRNA level in the APAP group was significantly lower than in the control group, whereas that in the ABE group was significantly higher than in the APAP group. These results indicate that adzuki bean extract may improve the acetaminophen-altered serum lipid metabolism in rats.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 1995

A whole body extract (WBE), a crude nuclear fraction, of aphids was prepared and used to identify the proteins which bound specifically to 5'-upstream regions of the transcription initiation site of the aphid ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA). While DNA fragment (-263/-195) was bound by only one specific 53 kDa protein, two DNA fragments, A(-194/23) and B(-393/-264), were commonly bound by three proteins (52 kDa, 50 kDa and 40 kDa). It was also revealed that the formation of he DNA-protein complex requires a cation.