TY - JOUR A1 - Westbury, Michael V. A1 - Dalerumb, Fredrik A1 - Noren, Karin A1 - Hofreiter, Michael T1 - Complete mitochondrial genome of a bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), along with phylogenetic considerations JF - Mitochondrial DNA. Part B N2 - The bat-eared fox, Otocyon megalotis, is the only member of its genus and is thought to occupy a basal position within the dog family. These factors can lead to challenges in complete mitochondrial reconstructions and accurate phylogenetic positioning. Here, we present the first complete mitochondrial genome of the bat-eared fox recovered using shotgun sequencing and iterative mapping to three distantly related species. Phylogenetic analyses placed the bat-eared fox basal in the Canidae family within the clade including true foxes (Vulpes) and the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes) with high support values. This position is in good agreement with previously published results based on short fragments of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, therefore adding more support to the basal positioning of the bat-eared fox within Canidae. KW - Phylogenetics KW - mitochondria KW - iterative mapping KW - Canidae Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2017.1331325 SN - 2380-2359 VL - 2 IS - 1 SP - 298 EP - 299 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wardelmann, Kristina A1 - Rath, Michaela A1 - Castro, José Pedro A1 - Blümel, Sabine A1 - Schell, Mareike A1 - Hauffe, Robert A1 - Schumacher, Fabian A1 - Flore, Tanina A1 - Ritter, Katrin A1 - Wernitz, Andreas A1 - Hosoi, Toru A1 - Ozawa, Koichiro A1 - Kleuser, Burkhard A1 - Weiß, Jürgen A1 - Schürmann, Annette A1 - Kleinridders, André T1 - Central acting Hsp10 regulates mitochondrial function, fatty acid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the hypothalamus JF - Antioxidants N2 - Mitochondria are critical for hypothalamic function and regulators of metabolism. Hypothalamic mitochondrial dysfunction with decreased mitochondrial chaperone expression is present in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently, we demonstrated that a dysregulated mitochondrial stress response (MSR) with reduced chaperone expression in the hypothalamus is an early event in obesity development due to insufficient insulin signaling. Although insulin activates this response and improves metabolism, the metabolic impact of one of its members, the mitochondrial chaperone heat shock protein 10 (Hsp10), is unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that a reduction of Hsp10 in hypothalamic neurons will impair mitochondrial function and impact brain insulin action. Therefore, we investigated the role of chaperone Hsp10 by introducing a lentiviral-mediated Hsp10 knockdown (KD) in the hypothalamic cell line CLU-183 and in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of C57BL/6N male mice. We analyzed mitochondrial function and insulin signaling utilizing qPCR, Western blot, XF96 Analyzer, immunohistochemistry, and microscopy techniques. We show that Hsp10 expression is reduced in T2D mice brains and regulated by leptin in vitro. Hsp10 KD in hypothalamic cells induced mitochondrial dysfunction with altered fatty acid metabolism and increased mitochondria-specific oxidative stress resulting in neuronal insulin resistance. Consequently, the reduction of Hsp10 in the ARC of C57BL/6N mice caused hypothalamic insulin resistance with acute liver insulin resistance. KW - brain insulin signaling KW - mitochondria KW - oxidative stress KW - fatty acid metabolism Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10050711 SN - 2076-3921 VL - 10 IS - 5 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schell, Mareike A1 - Chudoba, Chantal A1 - Leboucher, Antoine A1 - Alfine, Eugenia A1 - Flore, Tanina A1 - Ritter, Katrin A1 - Weiper, Katharina A1 - Wernitz, Andreas A1 - Henkel, Janin A1 - Kleinridders, André T1 - Interplay of Dietary Fatty Acids and Cholesterol Impacts Brain Mitochondria and Insulin Action JF - Nutrients N2 - Overconsumption of high-fat and cholesterol-containing diets is detrimental for metabolism and mitochondrial function, causes inflammatory responses and impairs insulin action in peripheral tissues. Dietary fatty acids can enter the brain to mediate the nutritional status, but also to influence neuronal homeostasis. Yet, it is unclear whether cholesterol-containing high-fat diets (HFDs) with different combinations of fatty acids exert metabolic stress and impact mitochondrial function in the brain. To investigate whether cholesterol in combination with different fatty acids impacts neuronal metabolism and mitochondrial function, C57BL/6J mice received different cholesterol-containing diets with either high concentrations of long-chain saturated fatty acids or soybean oil-derived poly-unsaturated fatty acids. In addition, CLU183 neurons were stimulated with combinations of palmitate, linoleic acid and cholesterol to assess their effects on metabolic stress, mitochondrial function and insulin action. The dietary interventions resulted in a molecular signature of metabolic stress in the hypothalamus with decreased expression of occludin and subunits of mitochondrial electron chain complexes, elevated protein carbonylation, as well as c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Palmitate caused mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) resistance, while cholesterol and linoleic acid did not cause functional alterations. Finally, we defined insulin receptor as a novel negative regulator of metabolically stress-induced JNK activation. KW - cholesterol KW - insulin signaling KW - mitochondria KW - brain KW - inflammation KW - fatty acids KW - JNK KW - insulin receptor Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051518 SN - 2072-6643 VL - 12 IS - 5 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Johann, Kornelia A1 - Kleinert, Maximilian A1 - Klaus, Susanne T1 - The role of GDF15 as a myomitokine JF - Cells N2 - Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a cytokine best known for affecting systemic energy metabolism through its anorectic action. GDF15 expression and secretion from various organs and tissues is induced in different physiological and pathophysiological states, often linked to mitochondrial stress, leading to highly variable circulating GDF15 levels. In skeletal muscle and the heart, the basal expression of GDF15 is very low compared to other organs, but GDF15 expression and secretion can be induced in various stress conditions, such as intense exercise and acute myocardial infarction, respectively. GDF15 is thus considered as a myokine and cardiokine. GFRAL, the exclusive receptor for GDF15, is expressed in hindbrain neurons and activation of the GDF15-GFRAL pathway is linked to an increased sympathetic outflow and possibly an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis. There is also evidence for peripheral, direct effects of GDF15 on adipose tissue lipolysis and possible autocrine cardiac effects. Metabolic and behavioral outcomes of GDF15 signaling can be beneficial or detrimental, likely depending on the magnitude and duration of the GDF15 signal. This is especially apparent for GDF15 production in muscle, which can be induced both by exercise and by muscle disease states such as sarcopenia and mitochondrial myopathy. KW - anorexia KW - appetite regulation KW - cardiokine KW - cytokine KW - exercise KW - mitochondria KW - muscle KW - myokine KW - myopathy KW - sarcopenia Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10112990 SN - 2073-4409 VL - 10 IS - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Geroldinger, Gerald A1 - Tonner, Matthias A1 - Fudickar, Werner A1 - De Sarkar, Sritama A1 - Dighal, Aishwarya A1 - Monzote, Lianet A1 - Staniek, Katrin A1 - Linker, Torsten A1 - Chatterjee, Mitali A1 - Gille, Lars T1 - Activation of anthracene endoperoxides in leishmania and impairment of mitochondrial functions JF - Molecules N2 - Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoal Leishmania. Because of resistance development against current drugs, new antileishmanial compounds are urgently needed. Endoperoxides (EPs) are successfully used in malaria therapy, and experimental evidence of their potential against leishmaniasis exists. Anthracene endoperoxides (AcEPs) have so far been only technically used and not explored for their leishmanicidal potential. This study verified the in vitro efficiency and mechanism of AcEPs against both Leishmania promastigotes and axenic amastigotes (L. tarentolae and L. donovani) as well as their toxicity in J774 macrophages. Additionally, the kinetics and radical products of AcEPs’ reaction with iron, the formation of radicals by AcEPs in Leishmania, as well as the resulting impairment of parasite mitochondrial functions were studied. Using electron paramagnetic resonance combined with spin trapping, photometry, and fluorescence-based oximetry, AcEPs were demonstrated to (i) show antileishmanial activity in vitro at IC50 values in a low micromolar range, (ii) exhibit host cell toxicity in J774 macrophages, (iii) react rapidly with iron (II) resulting in the formation of oxygen- and carbon-centered radicals, (iv) produce carbon-centered radicals which could secondarily trigger superoxide radical formation in Leishmania, and (v) impair mitochondrial functions in Leishmania during parasite killing. Overall, the data of different AcEPs demonstrate that their structures besides the peroxo bridge strongly influence their activity and mechanism of their antileishmanial action. KW - Leishmania KW - endoperoxides KW - EPR spectroscopy KW - mitochondria KW - radicals Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23071680 SN - 1420-3049 VL - 23 IS - 7 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER -