Endurance exercise (EE) leads to beneficial alterations in skeletal muscle lipid metabolism in overweight and obese individuals; however, the mechanisms of these improvements are poorly understood. The primary goal of the current investigation was to test the hypothesis that long-term EE training (6 mo) leads to alterations in the mRNA abundance of key lipid metabolism enzymes in skeletal muscl...

Oligofructose (OFS), a mixture of nondigestible/fermentable fructooligosaccharides, decreases serum triacylglycerol (TAG) when it is included in the standard, fiber-free or high fat diet of rats. This paper summarizes in vivo and in vitro data to establish a biochemical mechanism underlying the hypolipidemic effect of OFS. When OFS is added to the standard (carbohydrate-rich) diet of rats at th...

Effects of dietary carbohydrates on triglyceride production and hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities were examined in Wistar fatty rats, an animal model of noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus, fed fructose or glucose and were compared with those of Wistar lean rats. Carbohydrates were supplied in 10% drinking solutions for 21 days. As compared with lean rats, Wistar fatty rats were characteri...

Maf1 was initially identified as a transcriptional repressor of RNA pol III-transcribed genes, yet little is known about its other potential target genes or its biological function. Here, we show that Maf1 is a key downstream target of PTEN that drives both its tumor suppressor and metabolic functions. Maf1 expression is diminished with loss of PTEN in both mouse models and human cancers. Consi...

Background Hummingbirds oxidize ingested nectar sugars directly to fuel foraging but cannot sustain this fuel use during fasting periods, such as during the night or during long-distance migratory flights. Instead, fasting hummingbirds switch to oxidizing stored lipids that are derived from ingested sugars. The hummingbird liver plays a key role in moderating energy homeostasis and this remarka...

BACKGROUND Steatosis is a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome often associated with release of liver enzymes and inflammatory adipocytokines linked to cardiovascular risk. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is one sensitive liver marker recently identified as an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Mechanisms involved in enhanced hepatic lipogenesis causing steatosis are not yet identified ...

Elevated lipid metabolism is implicated in poor survival in ovarian cancer (OC) and other cancers; however, current lipogenesis-targeting strategies lack cancer cell specificity. Here, we identify a novel role of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS), a sulphur amino acid metabolizing enzyme highly expressed in several ovarian cancer cell lines, in driving deregulated lipid metabolism in OC. We exa...

Enzymes required for de novo lipogenesis are induced in mammalian liver after a meal high in carbohydrates. In addition to insulin, increased glucose metabolism initiates an intracellular signaling pathway that transcriptionally regulates genes encoding lipogenic enzymes. A cis-acting sequence, the carbohydrate response element (ChoRE), has been found in the promoter region of several of these ...

A reduced protein diet (RPD) is known to increase the level of intramuscular lipid in pig meat with a smaller effect on the amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue. This might be due to tissue-specific activation of the expression of lipogenic enzymes by the RPD. The present study investigated the effect of a RPD, containing palm kernel oil, soyabean oil or palm oil on the activity and expression...

A normal mash diet or a single glucose injection stimulates fatty acid synthesis and increases the total activities of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, fatty acid synthetase, and malic enzyme in the livers of neonatal chicks. Feeding and glucose injection caused a decrease in the concentration of free fatty acids and fatty acyl-CoA and an increase in CYglycerophosphate and free CoA. These concent...