OBJECTIVE To investigate deep and comprehensive analysis of gut microbial communities and biological parameters after prebiotic administration in obese and diabetic mice. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Genetic (ob/ob) or diet-induced obese and diabetic mice were chronically fed with prebiotic-enriched diet or with a control diet. Extensive gut microbiota analyses, including quantitative PCR, pyr...

Although obesity has become the most common metabolic disorder in the developed world and is highly associated with insulin resistance and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are not clearly understood. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is overexpressed in obesity and is a candidate mediator of obesity-induced insulin resistance. Com...

Trehalase activity was determined in serum, liver, and kidney in alloxan treated Swiss mice and in homozygous (Ob/Ob, Db/Db) and heterozygous (Ob/+, Db/m+) diabetic mice. Both alloxan and genetic diabetic mice exhibited a large increase in serum and liver trehalase activity with no change in kidney trehalase activity. The heterozygotes (Ob/+, Db/m+) showed only a slight increase of enzyme activ...

Altered expression of proteins of the fibrinolytic and coagulation cascades in obesity may contribute to the cardiovascular risk associated with this condition. In spite of this, the zymogenic nature of some of the molecules and the presence of variable amounts of activators, inhibitors, and cofactors that alter their activity have made it difficult to accurately monitor changes in the activiti...

Obesity was shown to cause reproductive dysfunctions such as reduced conception, infertility and early pregnancy loss. However, the possible effects of obesity on oocyte quality are still not fully understood. In this study we investigated the effects of both diet and gene mutation induced obesity on impairments in mouse oocyte polarization, oxidative stress, and epigenetic modifications. Our r...

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of leptin on the progression of colorectal carcinoma to metastatic disease by analyzing the serum leptin concentration and Ob-R gene expression in colon cancer tissues. Tissue samples were obtained from 31 patients who underwent surgical resection for colon (18 cases) and metastatic colon (13 cases) cancer. Serum leptin concentrat...

Accumulating evidence suggests that the olfactory bulbs (OBs) function as an independent circadian system regulating daily rhythms in olfactory performance. However, the cells and signals in the olfactory system that generate and coordinate these circadian rhythms are unknown. Using real-time imaging of gene expression, we found that the isolated olfactory epithelium and OB, but not the pirifor...

The lipogenic gene stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD)1 appears to be a promising new target for obesity-related diabetes, as mice deficient in this enzyme are resistant to diet- and leptin deficiency-induced obesity. The BTBR mouse strain replicates many features of insulin resistance found in humans with excess visceral adiposity. Using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique, we determined...

Obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes are estimated to affect millions of people in the world. This pathology is multifactorial, comprising complex interactions of genetic and environmental factors and lacking a specific therapy. Great interest arose from the recent discovery of the ob gene expressed only in adipose tissue and coding for a protein that appears to regulate adiposity, potent...

We have investigated the in vitro effects and regulatory mechanism of CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) on the differentiation of OB (osteoblasts) in co-culture with HUVEC (human umbilical vein endothelial cells). Primary human MOB (mandibular OB) and OB-like cells (MG-63) were either cultured directly or indirectly co-cultured with HUVEC at a 1:1 ratio. Expression of OC (osteocalcin) was ...