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New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases
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New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 17832

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Chao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Interests: pathogenesis of metabolic disorders (obesity & diabetes) and endocrine homeostasis in mammals; molecular evolution and translational studies of neuroendocrine system in vertebrates
Prof. Dr. Ya-Xiong Tao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
Interests: structure-function relationship of G protein-coupled receptors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the face of severe global obesity and diabetes epidemic, it is urgent to continuously explore the endocrine homeostasis and physiological challenges of metabolic diseases that occur throughout the whole body.

With the development of multiple single-cell technologies and progress of “-omics” platform, we now obtain the unprecedented capabilities for the systematic investigation of cell-to-cell variation and communication in large populations. Rapid and multi-parametric analysis of intercellular biomolecules at single-cell resolution is imperative for the integrated analysis of endocrine control and improvement of early disease diagnosis and personalized medicine.

The aim of this topic is to assemble a series of original research or review articles that benefit from novel techniques on the exploration of central neuroendocrine system and peripheral physiological pathways on the regulation of appetite equilibrium, hormone metabolism and glucose homeostasis from multiple model systems that will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human metabolic disorders.

Prof. Dr. Chao Zhang
Prof. Dr. Ya-Xiong Tao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • obesity
  • diabetes
  • pancreas
  • hypothalamus
  • pituitary
  • metabolism
  • insulin
  • islet
  • hormone
  • vertebrates

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3710 KiB  
Article
Protein Extract of a Probiotic Strain of Hafnia alvei and Bacterial ClpB Protein Improve Glucose Tolerance in Mice
by Vasiliy A. Zolotarev, Vladimir O. Murovets, Anastasiya L. Sepp, Egor A. Sozontov, Ekaterina A. Lukina, Raisa P. Khropycheva, Nina S. Pestereva, Irina S. Ivleva, Mouna El Mehdi, Emilie Lahaye, Nicolas Chartrel and Sergueï O. Fetissov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10590; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310590 - 24 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1417
Abstract
A commercial strain of Hafnia alvei (H. alvei) 4597 bacteria was shown to reduce food intake and promote weight loss, effects possibly induced by the bacterial protein ClpB, an antigen-mimetic of the anorexigenic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. A decrease in the basal plasma [...] Read more.
A commercial strain of Hafnia alvei (H. alvei) 4597 bacteria was shown to reduce food intake and promote weight loss, effects possibly induced by the bacterial protein ClpB, an antigen-mimetic of the anorexigenic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. A decrease in the basal plasma glucose levels was also observed in overweight fasted humans and mice receiving H. alvei. However, it is not known whether H. alvei influences sweet taste preference and whether its protein extract or ClpB are sufficient to increase glucose tolerance; these are the objectives tested in the present study. C57BL/6J male mice were kept under standard diet and were gavaged daily for 17 days with a suspension of H. alvei (4.5 × 107 CFU/animal) or with H. alvei total protein extract (5 μg/animal) or saline as a control. Sweet taste preference was analyzed via a brief-access licking test with sucrose solution. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT) were performed after the intraperitoneal (IP) or intragastric (IG) glucose administration at the 9th and 15th days of gavage, respectively. The expression of regulatory peptides’ mRNA levels was assayed in the hypothalamus. In another experiment performed in non-treated C57BL/6J male mice, effects of acute IP administration of recombinant ClpB protein on glucose tolerance were studied by both IP- and IG-GTT. Mice treated with the H. alvei protein extract showed an improved glucose tolerance in IP-GTT but not in IG-GTT. Both groups treated with H. alvei bacteria or protein extract showed a reduction of pancreatic tissue weight but without significant changes to basal plasma insulin. No significant effects of H. alvei bacteria or its total protein extract administration were observed on the sweet taste preference, insulin tolerance and expression of regulatory peptides’ mRNA in the hypothalamus. Acute administration of ClpB in non-treated mice increased glucose tolerance during the IP-GTT but not the IG-GTT, and reduced basal plasma glucose levels. We conclude that both the H. alvei protein extract introduced orally and the ClpB protein administered via IP improve glucose tolerance probably by acting at the glucose postabsorptive level. Moreover, H. alvei probiotic does not seem to influence the sweet taste preference. These results justify future testing of both the H. alvei protein extract and ClpB protein in animal models of diabetes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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21 pages, 668 KiB  
Article
Effect of Manual Lymphatic Drainage on the Concentrations of Selected Adipokines, Cytokines, C-Reactive Protein and Parameters of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Abnormal Body Mass Index: Focus on Markers of Obesity and Insulin Resistance
by Klaudia Antoniak-Pietrynczak, Katarzyna Zorena, Marta Jaskulak, Rita Hansdorfer-Korzon and Marek Koziński
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210338 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1792
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the impact of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) on the parameters of carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism and the level of selected adipokines and cytokines in people with abnormal body mass index (BMI). In addition, an attempt [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to assess the impact of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) on the parameters of carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism and the level of selected adipokines and cytokines in people with abnormal body mass index (BMI). In addition, an attempt was made to assess the optimal cut-off values of serum concentrations of the biochemical parameters studied in identifying the risk of obesity and insulin resistance (IR). The study included 60 subjects who underwent 10 and 30 min long MLD sessions three times a week. The study group included 15 patients with a normal body mass index (group I; n = 15), overweight patients (group II; n = 15) and obese patients (group III; n = 10). The control group was IV; n = 20 subjects not undergoing MLD. Biochemical tests were carried out on all subjects at stage 0′ (before MLD therapy) and at stage 1′ (one month after MLD therapy). In the control group, the time between the sample collection at stage 0′ and stage 1′ was the same as in the study group. Our results showed that 10 MLD sessions may have a positive effect on the selected biochemical parameters, including insulin, 2h-PG, leptin and HOMA-IR values in normal weight and overweight patients. In addition, in the study group, the highest AUCROC values in identifying the risk of obesity were found for leptin (AUCROC = 82.79%; cut-off = 17.7 ng/mL; p = 0.00004), insulin (AUCROC = 81.51%; cut-off = 9.5 µIU/mL; p = 0.00009) and C-peptide (AUCROC = 80.68%; cut-off = 2.3 ng/mL; p = 0.0001) concentrations as well as for HOMA-IR values (AUCROC = 79.97%; cut-off = 1.8; p = 0.0002). When considering the risk of IR, we observed the highest diagnostic value for insulin (AUCROC = 93.05%; cut-off = 1.8 ng/mL; p = 0.053), which was followed by C-peptide (AUCROC = 89.35%; cut-off = 17.7 ng/mL; p = 0.000001), leptin (AUCROC = 79.76%; cut-off = 17.6 ng/mL; p = 0.0002) and total cholesterol (AUCROC = 77.31%; cut-off = 198 mg/dL; p = 0.0008). Our results indicate that MLD may have a positive effect on selected biochemical parameters, including insulin, 2h-PG, leptin and HOMA-IR, in normal weight and overweight patients. In addition, we successfully established optimal cut-off values for leptin in the assessment of obesity and insulin in the assessment of insulin resistance in patients with abnormal body mass index. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that MLD, when combined with caloric restriction and physical activity, may serve as an effective preventive intervention against the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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Review

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17 pages, 412 KiB  
Review
What We Know about and What Is New in Primary Aldosteronism
by Natalia Ekman, Ashley B. Grossman and Dorota Dworakowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020900 - 11 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1223
Abstract
Primary aldosteronism (PA), a significant and curable cause of secondary hypertension, is seen in 5–10% of hypertensive patients, with its prevalence contingent upon the severity of the hypertension. The principal aetiologies of PA include bilateral idiopathic hypertrophy (BIH) and aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs), while [...] Read more.
Primary aldosteronism (PA), a significant and curable cause of secondary hypertension, is seen in 5–10% of hypertensive patients, with its prevalence contingent upon the severity of the hypertension. The principal aetiologies of PA include bilateral idiopathic hypertrophy (BIH) and aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs), while the less frequent causes include unilateral hyperplasia, familial hyperaldosteronism (FH) types I-IV, aldosterone-producing carcinoma, and ectopic aldosterone synthesis. This condition, characterised by excessive aldosterone secretion, leads to augmented sodium and water reabsorption alongside potassium loss, culminating in distinct clinical hallmarks: elevated aldosterone levels, suppressed renin levels, and hypertension. Notably, hypokalaemia is present in only 28% of patients with PA and is not a primary indicator. The association of PA with an escalated cardiovascular risk profile, independent of blood pressure levels, is notable. Patients with PA exhibit a heightened incidence of cardiovascular events compared to counterparts with essential hypertension, matched for age, sex, and blood pressure levels. Despite its prevalence, PA remains frequently undiagnosed, underscoring the imperative for enhanced screening protocols. The diagnostic process for PA entails a tripartite assessment: the aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR) as the initial screening tool, followed by confirmatory and subtyping tests. A positive ARR necessitates confirmatory testing to rule out false positives. Subtyping, achieved through computed tomography and adrenal vein sampling, aims to distinguish between unilateral and bilateral PA forms, guiding targeted therapeutic strategies. New radionuclide imaging may facilitate and accelerate such subtyping and localisation. For unilateral adrenal adenoma or hyperplasia, surgical intervention is optimal, whereas bilateral idiopathic hyperplasia warrants treatment with mineralocorticoid antagonists (MRAs). This review amalgamates established and emerging insights into the management of primary aldosteronism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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45 pages, 2428 KiB  
Review
New Insights and Potential Therapeutic Interventions in Metabolic Diseases
by Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, Alexandra Martín-Rodríguez, Laura Redondo-Flórez, Clara López-Mora, Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda and José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10672; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310672 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5483
Abstract
Endocrine homeostasis and metabolic diseases have been the subject of extensive research in recent years. The development of new techniques and insights has led to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying these conditions and opened up new avenues for diagnosis and treatment. [...] Read more.
Endocrine homeostasis and metabolic diseases have been the subject of extensive research in recent years. The development of new techniques and insights has led to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying these conditions and opened up new avenues for diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we discussed the rise of metabolic diseases, especially in Western countries, the genetical, psychological, and behavioral basis of metabolic diseases, the role of nutrition and physical activity in the development of metabolic diseases, the role of single-cell transcriptomics, gut microbiota, epigenetics, advanced imaging techniques, and cell-based therapies in metabolic diseases. Finally, practical applications derived from this information are made. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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19 pages, 3507 KiB  
Review
Melanocortin-5 Receptor: Pharmacology and Its Regulation of Energy Metabolism
by Li-Qin Ji, Ye Hong and Ya-Xiong Tao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8727; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158727 - 5 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4605
Abstract
As the most recent melanocortin receptor (MCR) identified, melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R) has unique tissue expression patterns, pharmacological properties, and physiological functions. Different from the other four MCR subtypes, MC5R is widely distributed in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues and is [...] Read more.
As the most recent melanocortin receptor (MCR) identified, melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R) has unique tissue expression patterns, pharmacological properties, and physiological functions. Different from the other four MCR subtypes, MC5R is widely distributed in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues and is associated with multiple functions. MC5R in sebaceous and preputial glands regulates lipid production and sexual behavior, respectively. MC5R expressed in immune cells is involved in immunomodulation. Among the five MCRs, MC5R is the predominant subtype expressed in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue, tissues critical for energy metabolism. Activated MC5R triggers lipid mobilization in adipocytes and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. Therefore, MC5R is a potential target for treating patients with obesity and diabetes mellitus. Melanocortin-2 receptor accessory proteins can modulate the cell surface expression, dimerization, and pharmacology of MC5R. This minireview summarizes the molecular and pharmacological properties of MC5R and highlights the progress made on MC5R in energy metabolism. We poInt. out knowledge gaps that need to be explored in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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Graphical abstract

Other

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10 pages, 2107 KiB  
Brief Report
GWAS-Identified Variants for Obesity Do Not Influence the Risk of Developing Multiple Myeloma: A Population-Based Study and Meta-Analysis
by José Manuel Sánchez-Maldonado, Antonio José Cabrera-Serrano, Subhayan Chattopadhyay, Daniele Campa, María del Pilar Garrido, Angelica Macauda, Rob Ter Horst, Andrés Jerez, Mihai G. Netea, Yang Li, Kari Hemminki, Federico Canzian, Asta Försti and Juan Sainz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6029; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076029 - 23 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2206
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable disease characterized by the presence of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow that secrete specific monoclonal immunoglobulins into the blood. Obesity has been associated with the risk of developing solid and hematological cancers, but its role [...] Read more.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable disease characterized by the presence of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow that secrete specific monoclonal immunoglobulins into the blood. Obesity has been associated with the risk of developing solid and hematological cancers, but its role as a risk factor for MM needs to be further explored. Here, we evaluated whether 32 genome-wide association study (GWAS)-identified variants for obesity were associated with the risk of MM in 4189 German subjects from the German Multiple Myeloma Group (GMMG) cohort (2121 MM cases and 2068 controls) and 1293 Spanish subjects (206 MM cases and 1087 controls). Results were then validated through meta-analysis with data from the UKBiobank (554 MM cases and 402,714 controls) and FinnGen cohorts (914 MM cases and 248,695 controls). Finally, we evaluated the correlation of these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with cQTL data, serum inflammatory proteins, steroid hormones, and absolute numbers of blood-derived cell populations (n = 520). The meta-analysis of the four European cohorts showed no effect of obesity-related variants on the risk of developing MM. We only found a very modest association of the POC5rs2112347G and ADCY3rs11676272G alleles with MM risk that did not remain significant after correction for multiple testing (per-allele OR = 1.08, p = 0.0083 and per-allele OR = 1.06, p = 0.046). No correlation between these SNPs and functional data was found, which confirms that obesity-related variants do not influence MM risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technique and Insights in Endocrine Homeostasis and Metabolic Diseases)
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