scholarly journals Chemical biology probes of mammalian GLUT structure and function

2018 ◽  
Vol 475 (22) ◽  
pp. 3511-3534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey D. Holman

The structure and function of glucose transporters of the mammalian GLUT family of proteins has been studied over many decades, and the proteins have fascinated numerous research groups over this time. This interest is related to the importance of the GLUTs as archetypical membrane transport facilitators, as key limiters of the supply of glucose to cell metabolism, as targets of cell insulin and exercise signalling and of regulated membrane traffic, and as potential drug targets to combat cancer and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. This review focusses on the use of chemical biology approaches and sugar analogue probes to study these important proteins.

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Squillaro ◽  
Gianfranco Peluso ◽  
Umberto Galderisi ◽  
Giovanni Di Bernardo

Complex interaction between genetics, epigenetics, environment, and nutrition affect the physiological activities of adipose tissues and their dysfunctions, which lead to several metabolic diseases including obesity or type 2 diabetes. Here, adipogenesis appears to be a process characterized by an intricate network that involves many transcription factors and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate gene expression. LncRNAs are being investigated to determine their contribution to adipose tissue development and function. LncRNAs possess multiple cellular functions, and they regulate chromatin remodeling, along with transcriptional and post-transcriptional events; in this way, they affect gene expression. New investigations have demonstrated the pivotal role of these molecules in modulating white and brown/beige adipogenic tissue development and activity. This review aims to provide an update on the role of lncRNAs in adipogenesis and adipose tissue function to promote identification of new drug targets for treating obesity and related metabolic diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana F. Sacramento ◽  
Kryspin Andrzejewski ◽  
Bernardete F. Melo ◽  
Maria J. Ribeiro ◽  
Ana Obeso ◽  
...  

Carotid bodies (CBs) are peripheral chemoreceptors that sense changes in blood O2, CO2, and pH levels. Apart from ventilatory control, these organs are deeply involved in the homeostatic regulation of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism and inflammation. It has been described that CB dysfunction is involved in the genesis of metabolic diseases and that CB overactivation is present in animal models of metabolic disease and in prediabetes patients. Additionally, resection of the CB-sensitive nerve, the carotid sinus nerve (CSN), or CB ablation in animals prevents and reverses diet-induced insulin resistance and glucose intolerance as well as sympathoadrenal overactivity, meaning that the beneficial effects of decreasing CB activity on glucose homeostasis are modulated by target-related efferent sympathetic nerves, through a reflex initiated in the CBs. In agreement with our pre-clinical data, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which reduces CB activity, improves glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes patients. Insulin, leptin, and pro-inflammatory cytokines activate the CB. In this manuscript, we review in a concise manner the putative pathways linking CB chemoreceptor deregulation with the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases and discuss and present new data that highlight the roles of hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and chronic inflammation as major factors contributing to CB dysfunction in metabolic disorders.


Diabetologia ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1064-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Østerby ◽  
M. -A. Gall ◽  
A. Schmitz ◽  
F. S. Nielsen ◽  
G. Nyberg ◽  
...  

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2220
Author(s):  
Ramachandran Chelliah ◽  
Shuai Wei ◽  
Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri ◽  
Fazle Elahi ◽  
Su-Jung Yeon ◽  
...  

Bioactive peptides are present in most soy products and eggs and have essential protective functions. Infection is a core feature of innate immunity that affects blood pressure and the glucose level, and ageing can be delayed by killing senescent cells. Food also encrypts bioactive peptides and protein sequences produced through proteolysis or food processing. Unique food protein fragments can improve human health and avoid metabolic diseases, inflammation, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. This review focuses on drug targets and fundamental mechanisms of bioactive peptides on metabolic syndromes, namely obesity and type 2 diabetes, to provide new ideas and knowledge on the ability of bioactive peptide to control metabolic syndromes.


Author(s):  
Thomas Lanyon-Hogg

Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing threat to global health, with multidrug-resistant pathogens becoming increasingly prevalent. The bacterial SOS pathway functions in response to DNA damage that occurs during infection, initiating several pro-survival and resistance mechanisms, such as DNA repair and hypermutation. This makes SOS pathway components potential targets that may combat drug-resistant pathogens and decrease resistance emergence. This review discusses the mechanism of the SOS pathway; the structure and function of potential targets AddAB, RecBCD, RecA and LexA; and efforts to develop selective small-molecule inhibitors of these proteins. These inhibitors may serve as valuable tools for target validation and provide the foundations for desperately needed novel antibacterial therapeutics.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document