Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common form of chronic liver disease, manifests as an over-accumulation of hepatic fat. We have recently shown that mice with genetic knockout of a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) steroid receptor RNA activator (SRA) (SRAKO) are resistant to high fat diet-induced obesity with a phenotype that includes improved glucose tolerance and attenuated hepa...

Modification of cellular proteins with O-GlcNAc (O-linked N-acetylglucosamine) competes with protein phosphorylation and regulates a plethora of cellular processes. O-GlcNAcylation is orchestrated by two opposing enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase and OGA (O-GlcNAcase or β-N-acetylglucosaminidase), which recognize their target proteins via as yet unidentified mechanisms. In the present study, we unc...

Understanding the role of hypothalamic neuropeptides and hormones in energy balance is paramount in the search for approaches to mitigate the obese state. Increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity leads to increased levels of glucocorticoids (GC) that are known to regulate body weight. The axis initiates the production and release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the p...

Although the gluconeogenesis pathway is already a target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in gluconeogenesis remains unclear. Here, we investigated the physiological functions of miR-214 in gluconeogenesis. The expression of miR-214 was suppressed by glucagon via protein kinase A signaling in primary hepatocytes, and miR-214 was down-regulated in th...

Forkhead box-containing protein o (Foxo) 1 is a key transcription factor in insulin and glucose metabolism. We identified a Foxo1-CoRepressor (FCoR) protein in mouse adipose tissue that inhibits Foxo1's activity by enhancing acetylation via impairment of the interaction between Foxo1 and the deacetylase Sirt1 and via direct acetylation. FCoR is phosphorylated at Threonine 93 by catalytic subuni...

Re-epithelialization is a complex process that involves migration and proliferation of keratinocytes, in addition to the production of cytokines and growth factors that affect other cells. The induction of transcription factors during these processes is crucial for successful wound healing. The transcription factor forkhead boxO-1 (FOXO1) has recently been found to be an important regulator of ...

Oxidative stress has been shown to suppress endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression through activation of the transcription factor forkhead box O 1 (FOXO1) in cultured endothelial cells. We previously reported that circulating kallistatin levels are markedly reduced in rats with chronic oxidative organ damage. In this study, we investigated the potential role of oxidative stress in suppres...