Subject collection: Metabolic Disorders
- A nonalcoholic fatty liver disease model in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes, created by endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced steatosis
Summary: Our study demonstrates expanded use of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes for molecular studies and drug screening, to evaluate new therapeutics with an antisteatotic mechanism of action for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Independent effects of dietary fat and sucrose content on chondrocyte metabolism and osteoarthritis pathology in mice
Summary: The contribution of metabolic factors to obesity-associated knee osteoarthritis is uncertain. Here, we show how dietary fat and sucrose independently alter cartilage metabolic enzymes and osteoarthritis pathophysiology in mice.
- Idebenone and coenzyme Q10 are novel PPARα/γ ligands, with potential for treatment of fatty liver diseases
Summary: A zebrafish screen identifies a novel PPARα/γ ligand, idebenone, with potential for treatment of fatty liver diseases, as seen by testing it in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes.
- Pgc-1α repression and high-fat diet induce age-related macular degeneration-like phenotypes in mice
Summary: A new mouse model has been established that exhibits characteristics of human age-related macular degeneration; the model will facilitate further studies of AMD disease mechanisms.
- Inhibition of galectin-3 ameliorates the consequences of cardiac lipotoxicity in a rat model of diet-induced obesity
Summary: Inhibition of Gal-3 activity reduced the excessive cardiac accumulation of lipids in rats fed a high fat diet. This was accompanied by the amelioration of mitochondria damage observed in obese rats.
- Lyplal1 is dispensable for normal fat deposition in mice
Summary: We demonstrate that the Lyplal1 gene is dispensable in mice, with important implications for interpretation of GWAS results linking Lyplal1 to metabolism and fat distribution. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper as part of the supplementary information.
- A Drosophila model of insulin resistance associated with the human TRIB3 Q/R polymorphism
Summary: The insulin signaling inhibitor tribbles 3 (TRIB3) variant associated with Type II diabetes has parallel effects in a fly model system on Tribbles-regulated insulin signaling, growth and Akt activation.
- Evaluation of human dermal fibroblasts directly reprogrammed to adipocyte-like cells as a metabolic disease model
Summary: Human dermal fibroblasts can be reprogrammed efficiently to adipocyte-like cells that have utility for modelling some aspects of human monogenic metabolic disease.
- Activation of the Nkx2.5–Calr–p53 signaling pathway by hyperglycemia induces cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in adult zebrafish
Summary: Induction of hyperglycemia gives rise to cardiac apoptosis and dysfunction in adult zebrafish via the Nkx2.5–Calr–p53 signaling pathway, resulting in adult cardiomyopathy.
- Dietary reversal of neuropathy in a murine model of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome
Summary: A mouse model of metabolic syndrome can be used to investigate peripheral nerve damage, enabling the development of mechanism-based therapies for neuropathy.