Project description:Genome-wide studies have uncovered multiple independent signals at the RREB1 locus associated with altered type 2 diabetes risk and related glycemic traits. However, little is known about the function of the zinc finger transcription factor RREB1 in glucose homeostasis or how changes in its expression and/or function influences diabetes risk.
Project description:Zfp92, a repressive KRAB domain-containing zinc-finger protein, was identified by Gene Co-expression Network analysis to be an interesting candidate gene involved in endocrine specification and maturation. We examined the role of Zfp92, a KRAB-ZFP that is highly expressed in pancreatic islets of adult mice, by analyzing global Zfp92 knockout (KO) mice. Adult Zfp92 KO animals exhibited only mild changes in glucose homeostasis and no change in islet structure, although, male KO mice exhibited decreased growth, and female KO mice exhibited increased body fat accumulation on a high fat diet. We found that Zfp92 regulates a subset of transposable elements as well as Mafb, a transcription factor involved in islet development.
Project description:Zfp92, a repressive KRAB domain-containing zinc-finger protein, was identified by Gene Co-expression Network analysis to be an interesting candidate gene involved in endocrine specification and maturation. We examined the role of Zfp92, a KRAB-ZFP that is highly expressed in pancreatic islets of adult mice, by analyzing global Zfp92 knockout (KO) mice. Adult Zfp92 KO animals exhibited only mild changes in glucose homeostasis and no change in islet structure, although, male KO mice exhibited decreased growth, and female KO mice exhibited increased body fat accumulation on a high fat diet. We found that Zfp92 regulates a subset of transposable elements as well as Mafb, a transcription factor involved in islet development.
Project description:The ketogenic diet has been successful in promoting weight loss among patients that have struggled with weight gain. This is due to the cellular switch in metabolism that utilizes liver-derived ketone bodies for the primary energy source rather than glucose. Fatty acid transport protein 2 (FATP2) is highly expressed in liver, small intestine, and kidney where it functions in both the transport of exogenous long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and in the activation to CoA thioesters of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA). We have completed a multi-omic study of FATP2-null (Fatp2-/-) mice maintained on a ketogenic diet (KD) or paired control diet (CD), with and without a 24-hour fast (KD-fasted and CD-fasted) to address the impact of deleting FATP2 under high-stress conditions. Control (wt/wt) and Fatp2-/- mice were maintained on their respective diets for 4-weeks. Afterwards, half the population was sacrificed while the remaining were fasted for 24-hours prior to sacrifice. We then performed paired-end RNA-sequencing on the whole liver tissue to investigate differential gene expression. The differentially expressed genes mapped to ontologies such as the metabolism of amino acids and derivatives, fatty acid metabolism, protein localization, and components of the immune system’s complement cascade, and were supported by the proteome and histological staining.
Project description:The physiological role of the spliced form of X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1s), a key transcription factor of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, in adipose tissue remains largely unknown. Here we show that overexpression of XBP1s promotes adiponectin multimerization in adipocytes, thereby regulating systemic glucose homeostasis. Ectopic expression of XBP1s in adipocytes improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in both lean and obese (ob/ob) mice. The beneficial effect of adipocyte XBP1s on glucose homeostasis is associated with elevated serum levels of HMW adiponectin and indeed, is adiponectin dependent. Mechanistically, XBP1s promotes adiponectin multimerization rather than activating its transcription likely through a direct regulation of the expression of several ER-chaperones involved in adiponectin maturation, including Grp78, Pdia6, ERp44 and DsbA-L. Thus, we conclude that XBP1s is an important regulator of adiponectin multimerization, which may lead to a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and hypoadiponectinemia. Epididymal adipose tissue from wild type and XBP1-overexpressing mice was subjected to gene expression profiling.