Sensing, uptake and response to c4-dicarboxylic acids in pseudomonas aeruginosa pao1

C4-dicarboxylates are one of the preferred carbon and energy sources for the growth of P. aeruginosa, a ubiquitous and metabolically versatile bacterium. However, despite their importance, C4-dicarboxylates sensing and uptake systems were poorly understood in P. aeruginosa and only little information was available in the literature. In our work, the C4-dicarboxylate transport (Dct) system in P. aeruginosa was found to be composed of a novel two-component system, called DctB/DctD, regulating together with the sigma factor RpoN the expression of two newly identified C4-dicarboxylate transporters: DctA and DctPQM. Inactivation of the dct A, dctB or dctD gene caused a growth defect of the strain in minimal media supplemented with succinate, fumarate or malate, indicating their major role in Dct. However, residual growth of the dctA mutant in these media suggested the presence of redundant C4-dicarboxylate transporter(s). Tn5 insertion mutagenesis of the kdctA mutant, combined with a screening for growth on succinate, led to the identification of a second Dct system, the DctPQM transporter, belonging to the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) family of carriers. AdctAAdctPQM double mutant showed no growth on malate and fumarate albeit residual growth on succinate suggested that additional transporters for succinate are present. Competition experiments demonstrated that the DctPQM carrier was more efficient than the DctA carrier for the utilization of succinate at μΜ concentrations, whereas DctA was the major transporter at mM concentrations. For the first time, high- and low-affinity uptake systems for succinate (DctA and DctPQM) are reported to function co-ordinately to transport C4- dicarboxylates. Most probably, the presence of redundant uptake systems contributes to the versatility of this bacterium. Next, the regulation of the Dct system was investigated. While performing a parallel study about the carbon catabolite repression (CCR) phenomenon in P. aeruginosa, a link between the CCR cascade (CbrAB/CrcZ/Crc) and the Dct system was observed. Crc is a translational repressor acting when preferred carbon sources (like C4-dicarboxylates) are present. CrcZ is a small RNA acting as a functional antagonist of Crc and induced by the CbrA/CbrB two-component system when non preferred carbon sources (like mannitol) are utilized. Novel targets of the CbrAB/CrcZ/Crc system in P. aeruginosa were identified using transcriptome analysis; among them dctA and dctPQM were detected. CCR is regulating the dct transporter genes expression depending on the succinate concentrations in the medium of growth; this modulation of CCR is possible because, at the same time, succinate concentrations tune CCR. In a medium containing high succinate concentrations, CrcZ levels were low and therefore Crc inhibited the translation of mRNA targets. Whereas in a medium containing low succinate concentrations, the subsequent increase of CrcZ levels sequestered Crc, inhibiting its activity. This model shows for the first time that CCR possesses a feedback-based circuitry, a very important type of regulatory loop that confers the best adaptive response under changing environmental conditions. The expression of the dct transporter genes is also found to be regulated by the RNA chaperone protein Hfq. Hfq has the same post-transcriptional effect than Crc at high concentration of succinate, i.e. inhibiting dctP and dctR and indirectly favouring dctA expression. Moreover, an additional indirect positive regulation of dctP expression by Hfq was found. Finally, a metabolome approach was performed to investigate the internal signals modulating CCR via induction of CbrA activity in P. aeruginosa PAOl and P. putida KT2442. The results of the analysis are currently under study in the laboratory. - Les acides C4-dicarboxyliques font partie des sources de carbone et d'énergie préférés de P. aeruginosa, une bactérie versatile et ubiquitaire. Néanmoins, malgré leur importance, comment la présence des acides C4-dicarboxyliques dans le milieu est sentie par la bactérie et comment ils sont transportés dans la cellule chez P. aeruginosa n'étaient pas connus. De plus, peu d'informations sur ces procédés ont été répertoriées dans la littérature. Grace à notre travail, le système de transport des acides C4-dicarboxyliques (Dct) chez P. aeruginosa a pu être caractérisé. En effet, il est composé d'un nouveau système à deux composants, nommé DctB/DctD, qui régule, en combinaison avec le facteur sigma alternatif RpoN, l'expression des deux nouveaux transporteurs des acides C4-dicarboxyliques: DctA et DctPQM. L'inactivation des gènes dctA, dctB or dctD cause un défaut de croissance des souches mutantes dans un milieu minimum contenant du succinate, fumarate ou malate; confirmation de leur rôle dans le Dct. Cependant, une croissance résiduelle du mutant dctA dans ces milieux suggérerait une redondance des transporteurs d'acides Grdicarboxyliques. Une expérience de mutagenèse dans la souche AdctA, utilisant le transposon Tn5, combiné avec un criblage génétique sur la croissance dans le succinate, nous a permis d'identifier le deuxième transporteur DctPQM. DctPQM appartient à la famille des transporteurs TRAP (tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic). Un double mutant AdctAAdctPQM ne pousse pas dans du malate ou fumarate mais par contre présente une croissance résiduelle dans le succinate suggérant l'existence de transporteurs supplémentaires pour le succinate. En réalisant des expériences de compétitions nous avons démontré que le transporteur DctPQM est plus efficace que le transporteur DctA pour l'utilisation de succinate à une concentration de l'ordre du μΜ. Par contre, DctA est le transporteur le plus important pour une concentration de succinate de l'ordre du raM. Pour la première fois, deux systèmes de transport, un avec une forte- et un avec une faible-affinité (DctA et DctPQM) pour le succinate, sont coordonnés dans leur activité de transport des acides C4- dicarboxyliques, probablement contribuant à la versatilité de la bactérie. Ensuite, nous avons étudié la régulation du system Dct. En effectuant, en parallèle, une étude sur le phénomène de la répression catabolique (RC) chez P. aeruginosa, un lien entre la RC et le système Dct a été observé. La cascade des régulateurs formant la RC est composée de CbrA/CbrB, CrcZ et Crc. Crc est un répresseur traductionnel qui agit quand des sources de carbone préférées (comme les acides C4-dicarboxyliques) sont présentes dans le milieu. CrcZ est un petit ARN non-codant qui agit comme antagoniste de Crc. L'expression de CrcZ est induite par le système à deux composants CbrA/CbrB lorsque une source de carbone non-préférée est utilisée (comme le mannitol). Des nouvelles cibles du système CbrAB/CrcZ/Crc chez P. aeruginosa ont été identifiées grâce à une analyse du transcriptome des souches mutantes des régulateurs de la cascade. Parmi les cibles identifiées, les gènes dctA et dctPQM étaient présents. La RC régule l'expression des transporteurs dct en fonction de la concentration de succinate dans le milieu de croissance. Cette régulation est possible parce que, en même temps, les acides C4- dicarboxyliques régulent la RC. Dans un milieu contenant une grande concentration du succinate, le niveau d'expression de CrcZ est faible, donc Crc peut inhiber l'expression de ces ARN messagers cibles. Par contre, dans un milieu avec une faible concentration de succinate, l'augmentation de l'expression de CrcZ titre Crc et inhibe son activité. Ce modèle de régulation rétroactive est très important pour le phénomène de la RC, parce qu'il permet à la bactérie d'accorder une meilleure réponse à un changement environnemental. L'expression des gènes codant pour les transporteurs dct sont aussi régulés par la protéine chaperonne d'ARN Hfq. Hfq semble avoir le même effet traductionnelle que Crc, lorsqu'il y a une forte concentration de succinate. Nous avons ainsi observé une régulation négative de l'expression du gène dct Ρ et dctR, qui code pour un répresseur de la transcription de dctA. Nous avons aussi observé une régulation positive de la transcription de dctP par Hfq, probablement de façon indirecte. Enfin, une analyse du metabolome a était utilisée pour chercher les signaux internes modulant la RC et, en particulier, l'activité de la protéine senseur CbrA chez P. aeruginosa PAOl et P. putida KT2442. Les résultats de l'analyse sont en cours d'étude dans le laboratoire.

Beta(1)-selective agonist (-)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenetylamino)-3-(3,4-dihydroxy)-2-propanol [(-)-RO363] differentially interacts with key amino acids responsible for beta(1)-selective binding in resting and active states.

(-)-1-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenetylamino)-3-(3,4-dihydroxy)-2-propanol [(-)-RO363] is a highly selective beta(1)-adrenergic receptor (beta(1)AR) agonist. To study the binding site of beta(1)-selective agonist, chimeric beta(1)/beta(2)ARs and Ala-substituted beta(1)ARs were constructed. Several key residues of beta(1)AR [Leu(110) and Thr(117) in transmembrane domain (TMD) 2], and Phe(359) in TMD 7] were found to be responsible for beta(1)-selective binding of (-)-RO363, as determined by competitive binding. Based on these results, we built a three-dimensional model of the binding domain for (-)-RO363. The model indicated that TMD 2 and TMD 7 of beta(1)AR form a binding pocket; the methoxyphenyl group of N-substituent of (-)-RO363 seems to locate within the cavity surrounded by Leu(110), Thr(117), and Phe(359). The amino acids Leu(110) and Phe(359) interact with the phenyl ring of (-)-RO363, whereas Thr(117) forms hydrogen bond with the methoxy group of (-)-RO363. To examine the interaction of these residues with beta(1)AR in an active state, each of the amino acids was changed to Ala in a constitutively active (CA)-beta(1)AR mutant. The degree of decrease in the affinity of CA-beta(1)AR for (-)-RO363 was essentially the same as that of wild-type beta(1)AR when mutated at Leu(110) and Thr(117). However, the affinity was decreased in Ala-substituted mutant of Phe(359) compared with that of wild-type beta(1)AR. These results indicated that Leu(110) and Thr(117) are necessary for the initial binding of (-)-RO363 with beta(1)-selectivity, and interaction of Phe(359) with the N-substituent of (-)-RO363 in an active state is stronger than in the resting state.

Catalytic and anticancer activities of sawhorse-type diruthenium tetracarbonyl complexes derived from fluorinated fatty acids

The reaction of fluorinated fatty acids, perfluorobutyric acid (C3F7CO2H), and perfluorododecanoic acid (C11F23CO2H), with dodecacarbonyltriruthenium (Ru-3(CO)(12)) under reflux in tetrahydrofuran, followed by addition of two-electron donors (L) such as pyridine, 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphatricyclo[3.3.1.1]decane, or triphenylphosphine, gives stable diruthenium complexes Ru-2(CO)(4)((2)-(2)-O2CC3F7)(2)(L)(2) (1a, L=C5H5N; 1b, L=PTA; 1c, L=PPh3) and Ru-2(CO)(4)((2)-(2)-O2CC11F23)(2)(L)(2) (2a, L=C5H5N; 2b, L=PTA; 2c, L=PPh3). The catalytic activity of the complexes for hydrogenation of styrene under supercritical carbon dioxide has been assessed and compared to the analogous triphenylphosphine complexes with non-fluorinated carboxylato groups Ru-2(CO)(4)((2)-(2)-O2CC3H7)(2)(PPh3)(2) (3) and Ru-2(CO)(4)((2)-(2)-O2CC11H23)(2)(PPh3)(2) (4). In addition, the cytotoxicities of the fluorinated complexes 1 were also evaluated on several human cancer cell lines (A2780, A549, Me300, HeLa). The complexes appear to be moderately cytotoxic, showing greater activity on the Me300 melanoma cells. Single-crystal X-ray structure analyses of 1a and 3 show the typical sawhorse-type arrangement of the diruthenium tetracarbonyl backbone with two bridging carboxylates and two terminal ligands occupying the axial positions.

Characterization of olive oil by carbon isotope analysis of individual fatty acids: Implications for authentication

The fatty acids of olive oils of distinct quality grade from the most important European Union (EU) producer countries were chemically and isotopically characterized. The analytical approach utilized combined capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and the novel technique of compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) through gas chromatography coupled to a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) via a combustion (C) interface (GC/C/IRMS). This approach provides further insights into the control of the purity and geographical origin of oils sold as cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil with certified origin appellation. The results indicate that substantial enrichment in heavy carbon isotope (C-13) of the bulk oil and of individual fatty acids are related to (1) a thermally induced degradation due to deodorization or steam washing of the olive oils and (2) the potential blend with refined olive oil or other vegetable oils. The interpretation of the data is based on principal component analysis of the fatty acids concentrations and isotopic data (delta(13)C(oil), delta(13)C(16:0), delta(13)C(18:1)) and on the delta(13)C(16:0) vs delta(13)C(18:1) covariations. The differences in the delta(13)C values of palmitic and oleic acids are discussed in terms of biosynthesis of these acids in the plant tissue and admixture of distinct oils.

Teichoic acids are not required for Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus cell walls to trigger the release of tumor necrosis factor by peripheral blood monocytes.

In gram-negative bacteria, the outer membrane lipopolysaccharide is the main component triggering cytokine release from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In gram-positive bacteria, purified walls also induce cytokine release, but stimulation requires 100 times more material. Gram-positive walls are complex megamolecules reassembling distinct structures. Only some of them might be inflammatory, whereas others are not. Teichoic acids (TA) are an important portion (> or =50%) of gram-positive walls. TA directly interact with C3b of complement and the cellular receptor for platelet-activating factor. However, their contribution to wall-induced cytokine-release by PBMCs has not been studied in much detail. In contrast, their membrane-bound lipoteichoic acids (LTA) counterparts were shown to trigger inflammation and synergize with peptidoglycan (PGN) for releasing nitric oxide (NO). This raised the question as to whether TA are also inflammatory. We determined the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by PBMCs exposed to a variety of TA-rich and TA-free wall fragments from Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. TA-rich walls from both organisms induced measurable TNF release at concentrations of 1 microg/ml. Removal of wall-attached TA did not alter this activity. Moreover, purified pneumococcal and staphylococcal TA did not trigger TNF release at concentrations as high as > or =100 microg/ml. In contrast, purified LTA triggered TNF release at 1 microg/ml. PGN-stem peptide oligomers lacking TA or amino-sugars were highly active and triggered TNF release at concentrations as low as 0.01 microg/ml (P. A. Majcherczyk, H. Langen, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 274:12537-12543,1999). Thus, although TA is an important part of gram-positive walls, it did not participate to the TNF-releasing activity of PGN.

Constitutively active mutants of the alpha 1B-adrenergic receptor: role of highly conserved polar amino acids in receptor activation.

Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulations of the alpha 1B-adrenergic receptor (AR) were combined to explore the potential molecular changes correlated with the transition from R (inactive state) to R (active state). Using molecular dynamics analysis we compared the structural/dynamic features of constitutively active mutants with those of the wild type and of an inactive alpha 1B-AR to build a theoretical model which defines the essential features of R and R. The results of site-directed mutagenesis were in striking agreement with the predictions of the model supporting the following hypothesis. (i) The equilibrium between R and R depends on the equilibrium between the deprotonated and protonated forms, respectively, of D142 of the DRY motif. In fact, replacement of D142 with alanine confers high constitutive activity to the alpha 1B-AR. (ii) The shift of R143 of the DRY sequence out of a conserved 'polar pocket' formed by N63, D91, N344 and Y348 is a feature common to all the active structures, suggesting that the role of R143 is fundamental for mediating receptor activation. Disruption of these intramolecular interactions by replacing N63 with alanine constitutively activates the alpha 1B-AR. Our findings might provide interesting generalities about the activation process of G protein-coupled receptors.

Positive regulation of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway by fatty acids through activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR).

Peroxisome proliferators regulate the transcription of genes by activating ligand-dependent transcription factors, which, due to their structure and function, can be assigned to the superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors. Three such peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR alpha, beta, and gamma) have been cloned in Xenopus laevis. Their mRNAs are expressed differentially; xPPAR alpha and beta but not xPPAR gamma are expressed in oocytes and embryos. In the adult, expression of xPPAR alpha and beta appears to be ubiquitous, and xPPAR gamma is mainly observed in adipose tissue and kidney. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that PPARs are nuclear proteins, and that their cytoplasmic-nuclear translocation is independent of exogenous activators. A target gene of PPARs is the gene encoding acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the peroxisomal beta-oxidation of fatty acids. A peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE), to which PPARs bind, has been identified within the promoter of the ACO gene. Besides the known xenobiotic activators of PPARs, such as hypolipidemic drugs, natural activators have been identified. Polyunsaturated fatty acids at physiological concentrations are efficient activators of PPARs, and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), which is the alkyne homolog of arachidonic acid, is the most potent activator of xPPAR alpha described to date. Taken together, our data suggest that PPARs have an important role in lipid metabolism.

Dexamethasone induces posttranslational degradation of GLUT2 and inhibition of insulin secretion in isolated pancreatic beta cells. Comparison with the effects of fatty acids.

GLUT2 expression is strongly decreased in glucose-unresponsive pancreatic beta cells of diabetic rodents. This decreased expression is due to circulating factors distinct from insulin or glucose. Here we evaluated the effect of palmitic acid and the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone on GLUT2 expression by in vitro cultured rat pancreatic islets. Palmitic acid induced a 40% decrease in GLUT2 mRNA levels with, however, no consistent effect on protein expression. Dexamethasone, in contrast, had no effect on GLUT2 mRNA, but decreased GLUT2 protein by about 65%. The effect of dexamethasone was more pronounced at high glucose concentrations and was inhibited by the glucocorticoid antagonist RU-486. Biosynthetic labeling experiments revealed that GLUT2 translation rate was only minimally affected by dexamethasone, but that its half-life was decreased by 50%, indicating that glucocorticoids activated a posttranslational degradation mechanism. This degradation mechanism was not affecting all membrane proteins, since the alpha subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase was unaffected. Glucose-induced insulin secretion was strongly decreased by treatment with palmitic acid and/or dexamethasone. The insulin content was decreased ( approximately 55 percent) in the presence of palmitic acid, but increased ( approximately 180%) in the presence of dexamethasone. We conclude that a combination of elevated fatty acids and glucocorticoids can induce two common features observed in diabetic beta cells, decreased GLUT2 expression, and loss of glucose-induced insulin secretion.

Fatty acids regulate Thy-1 antigen mRNA stability in T lymphocyte precursors.

In this study, we report the effect of fatty acids on the Thy-1 antigen mRNA decay. Low serum and synthetic medium culture conditions were used to demonstrate that fatty acids, which are important metabolites involved as second messengers in signal transduction, also influence the steady-state mRNA level. Detailed analysis demonstrated that polyunsaturated lipids attached to bovine serum albumin, such as linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids, modulate gene expression specifically in the S1A T lymphoma cell line by inducing a 3-5-fold increase in the steady-state Thy-1 mRNA level, concomitant with a twofold increase in cell surface expression. A similar modulation was observed in the immature CD4-CD8- T cell precursors but not in mature thymocytes. Nuclear run-on and transfection experiments indicated that the observed Thy-1 mRNA level is post-transcriptionally regulated and that the presence of the coding region is sufficient for this adaptive response. A mechanism without a requirement for protein kinase C activation, but involving Ca2+ entry, could account for this difference in Thy-1 mRNA stability.

Dicarboxylic amino acids and glycine-betaine regulate chaperone-mediated protein-disaggregation under stress.

Active protein-disaggregation by a chaperone network composed of ClpB and DnaK + DnaJ + GrpE is essential for the recovery of stress-induced protein aggregates in vitro and in Escherichia coli cells. K-glutamate and glycine-betaine (betaine) naturally accumulate in salt-stressed cells. In addition to providing thermo-protection to native proteins, we found that these osmolytes can strongly and specifically activate ClpB, resulting in an increased efficiency of chaperone-mediated protein disaggregation. Moreover, factors that inhibited the chaperone network by impairing the stability of the ClpB oligomer, such as natural polyamines, dilution, or high salt, were efficiently counteracted by K-glutamate or betaine. The combined protective, counter-negative and net activatory effects of K-glutamate and betaine, allowed protein disaggregation and refolding under heat-shock temperatures that otherwise cause protein aggregation in vitro and in the cell. Mesophilic organisms may thus benefit from a thermotolerant osmolyte-activated chaperone mechanism that can actively rescue protein aggregates, correctly refold and maintain them in a native state under heat-shock conditions.

n-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with dysglycemia.

BACKGROUND: The use of n-3 fatty acids may prevent cardiovascular events in patients with recent myocardial infarction or heart failure. Their effects in patients with (or at risk for) type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown. METHODS: In this double-blind study with a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned 12,536 patients who were at high risk for cardiovascular events and had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes to receive a 1-g capsule containing at least 900 mg (90% or more) of ethyl esters of n-3 fatty acids or placebo daily and to receive either insulin glargine or standard care. The primary outcome was death from cardiovascular causes. The results of the comparison between n-3 fatty acids and placebo are reported here. RESULTS: During a median follow up of 6.2 years, the incidence of the primary outcome was not significantly decreased among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids, as compared with those receiving placebo (574 patients [9.1%] vs. 581 patients [9.3%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87 to 1.10; P=0.72). The use of n-3 fatty acids also had no significant effect on the rates of major vascular events (1034 patients [16.5%] vs. 1017 patients [16.3%]; hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.10; P=0.81), death from any cause (951 [15.1%] vs. 964 [15.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.07; P=0.63), or death from arrhythmia (288 [4.6%] vs. 259 [4.1%]; hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.30; P=0.26). Triglyceride levels were reduced by 14.5 mg per deciliter (0.16 mmol per liter) more among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids than among those receiving placebo (P<0.001), without a significant effect on other lipids. Adverse effects were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Daily supplementation with 1 g of n-3 fatty acids did not reduce the rate of cardiovascular events in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. (Funded by Sanofi; ORIGIN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00069784.).

Multicentre validation study of nucleic acids extraction from FFPE tissues.

In most pathology laboratories worldwide, formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples are the only tissue specimens available for routine diagnostics. Although commercial kits for diagnostic molecular pathology testing are becoming available, most of the current diagnostic tests are laboratory-based assays. Thus, there is a need for standardized procedures in molecular pathology, starting from the extraction of nucleic acids. To evaluate the current methods for extracting nucleic acids from FFPE tissues, 13 European laboratories, participating to the European FP6 program IMPACTS (www.impactsnetwork.eu), isolated nucleic acids from four diagnostic FFPE tissues using their routine methods, followed by quality assessment. The DNA-extraction protocols ranged from homemade protocols to commercial kits. Except for one homemade protocol, the majority gave comparable results in terms of the quality of the extracted DNA measured by the ability to amplify differently sized control gene fragments by PCR. For array-applications or tests that require an accurately determined DNA-input, we recommend using silica based adsorption columns for DNA recovery. For RNA extractions, the best results were obtained using chromatography column based commercial kits, which resulted in the highest quantity and best assayable RNA. Quality testing using RT-PCR gave successful amplification of 200 bp-250 bp PCR products from most tested tissues. Modifications of the proteinase-K digestion time led to better results, even when commercial kits were applied. The results of the study emphasize the need for quality control of the nucleic acid extracts with standardised methods to prevent false negative results and to allow data comparison among different diagnostic laboratories.

Fatty acids, eicosanoids, and hypolipidemic agents identified as ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors by coactivator-dependent receptor ligand assay.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear hormone receptors controlling the expression of genes involved in lipid homeostasis. PPARs activate gene transcription in response to a variety of compounds including hypolipidemic drugs as well as natural fatty acids. From the plethora of PPAR activators, Scatchard analysis of receptor-ligand interactions has thus far identified only four ligands. These are the chemotactic agent leukotriene B4 and the hypolipidemic drug Wy 14,643 for the alpha-subtype and a prostaglandin J2 metabolite and synthetic antidiabetic thiazolidinediones for the gamma-subtype. Based on the hypothesis that ligand binding to PPAR would induce interactions of the receptor with transcriptional coactivators, we have developed a novel ligand sensor assay, termed coactivator-dependent receptor ligand assay (CARLA). With CARLA we have screened several natural and synthetic candidate ligands and have identified naturally occurring fatty acids and metabolites as well as hypolipidemic drugs as bona fide ligands of the three PPAR subtypes from Xenopus laevis. Our results suggest that PPARs, by their ability to interact with a number of structurally diverse compounds, have acquired unique ligand-binding properties among the superfamily of nuclear receptors that are compatible with their biological activity.

L'effet protecteur des protéines alimentaires et l'effet délétère des acides animés alimentaires sur la stéatose hépatique chez la souris [The protective effect of dietary protein and the deleterious effect of dietary amino acids in fatty liver in mice]

Introduction La maladie « Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; NAFLD » et l'obésité provoque la résistance à l'insuline, un symptôme caractéristique du syndrome métabolique. La fréquence de ces maladies a augmenté de manière importante durant ces dernières décennies. Cette augmentation est étroitement liée à la surcharge énergétique dans notre culture modernisée. Pour combattre cette situation, des régimes riches en protéines semblent être bénéfiques, en particulier parce que l'acide aminé leucine stimule la satiété. Cependant l'effet des protéines alimentaires sur la stéatose hépatique reste peu connu. Résultats : Pour étudier cette question, nous avons nourri des souris C57B6/J (âgées de 5 semaines) avec un régime standard (10% kcal graisse, 20% kcal protéine), un régime riche en graisse (45% kcal graisse, 20% kcal protéine) ou un régime riche en graisse et enrichi en protéines (45% kcal graisse, 40% kcal protéine) pendant 10 semaines. Nous avons ainsi montré que l'addition de protéines au régime gras permet de prévenir la stéatose hépatique. Dans un deuxième temps nous avons testé si cet effet bénéfique des protéines alimentaires provient des acides aminés ramifiés (Branched-chain amino acids= BCAA : leucine, isoleucine, valine), composants majeurs de protéines alimentaires. Pour ce faire, nous avons ajouté un groupe de souris nourries au régime riche en graisses + BCAA (45% kcal graisse, 23% kcal protéine). Nos résultats montrent que l'addition des BCAA ne protège pas contre la stéatose hépatique, mais, au contraire, aggrave l'obésité et l'hyperinsulinémie. De manière intéressante, nous avons observé que la supplémentation en protéines ou en BCAA induit des effets différents sur la prise alimentaire et la dépense énergétique. Conclusion : Notre étude suggère clairement que les protéines alimentaires protègent contre l'obésité et la stéatose hépatique. Elle confirme également que les composants majeurs des protéines alimentaires (BCAA) n'exercent pas cet effet protecteur, mais qu'il aggrave le syndrome métabolique. Etant donné que l'ingestion importante et chronique de protéines alimentaires est délétère pour le rein, il serait très intéressant d'identifier les acides aminés spécifiques qui induiraient le même effet protecteur que les protéines alimentaires, mais sans perturber le fonctionnement rénal.