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Domenico Accili

Publications and source records attributed to Domenico Accili.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Metabolic diapause in pancreatic beta-cells expressing a gain-of-function mutant of the forkhead protein Foxo1.

Diabetes is associated with decreased pancreatic beta-cell function and mass. It is unclear whether diabetes treatment should aim at restoring beta-cell performance/mass or at inducing "beta-cell rest" to prevent further deterioration. The transcription factor Foxo1 protects beta-cells against oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia and prevents beta-cell replication in insulin-resistant states. Here we show that these combined effects are associated with a concerted repression of genes involved in glycolysis, nitric-oxide synthesis, G protein-coupled receptor signaling, and ion transport. Conversely, Foxo1 increases expression of several neurotransmitter receptors and fails to regulate target genes predicted from Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila studies. Functional analyses show decreased glucose utilization and insulin secretion in beta-cells overexpressing Foxo1. We propose the definition of "metabolic diapause" for the changes induced by Foxo1 to protect beta-cells against oxidative stress. The data provide genetic underpinning for the concept of beta-cell rest as a treatment goal in diabetes.

Animals↗

Dual role of transcription factor FoxO1 in controlling hepatic insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism.

Hepatic insulin resistance affects both carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. It has been proposed that insulin controls these 2 metabolic branches through distinct signaling pathways. FoxO transcription factors are considered effectors of the pathway regulating hepatic glucose production. Here we show that adenoviral delivery of constitutively nuclear forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) to mouse liver results in steatosis arising from increased triglyceride accumulation and decreased fatty acid oxidation. FoxO1 gain of function paradoxically increased insulin sensitivity by promoting Akt phosphorylation, while FoxO1 inhibition via siRNA decreased it. We show that FoxO1 regulation of Akt phosphorylation does not require DNA binding and is associated with repression of the pseudokinase tribble 3 (Trb3), a modulator of Akt activity. This unexpected dual role of FoxO1 in promoting insulin sensitivity and lipid synthesis in addition to glucose production has the potential to explain the peculiar admixture of insulin resistance and sensitivity that is commonly observed in the metabolic syndrome.

Animals↗

Forkhead protein FoxO1 mediates Agrp-dependent effects of leptin on food intake.

Leptin controls food intake by regulating the transcription of key neuropeptides in the hypothalamus. The mechanism by which leptin regulates gene expression is unclear, however. Here we show that delivery of adenovirus encoding a constitutively nuclear mutant FoxO1, a transcription factor known to control liver metabolism and pancreatic beta-cell function, to the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of rodents results in a loss of the ability of leptin to curtail food intake and suppress expression of Agrp. Conversely, a transactivation-deficient FoxO1 mutant prevents induction of Agrp by fasting. We also find that FoxO1 and the transcription factor Stat3 exert opposing actions on the expression of Agrp and Pomc through transcriptional squelching. FoxO1 promotes opposite patterns of coactivator-corepressor exchange at the Pomc and Agrp promoters, resulting in activation of Agrp and inhibition of Pomc. Thus, FoxO1 represents a shared component of pathways integrating food intake and peripheral metabolism.

Adenoviridae↗

Role of the forkhead protein FoxO1 in beta cell compensation to insulin resistance.

Diabetes is associated with defective beta cell function and altered beta cell mass. The mechanisms regulating beta cell mass and its adaptation to insulin resistance are unknown. It is unclear whether compensatory beta cell hyperplasia is achieved via proliferation of existing beta cells or neogenesis from progenitor cells embedded in duct epithelia. We have used transgenic mice expressing a mutant form of the forkhead-O1 transcription factor (FoxO1) in both pancreatic ductal and endocrine beta cells to assess the contribution of these 2 compartments to islet expansion. We show that the mutant FoxO1 transgene prevents beta cell replication in 2 models of beta cell hyperplasia, 1 due to peripheral insulin resistance (Insulin receptor transgenic knockouts) and 1 due to ectopic local expression of IGF2 (Elastase-IGF2 transgenics), without affecting insulin secretion. In contrast, we failed to detect a specific effect of the FoxO1 transgene on the number of periductal beta cells. We propose that beta cell compensation to insulin resistance is a proliferative response of existing beta cells to growth factor signaling and requires FoxO1 nuclear exclusion.

Animals↗

Macrophage insulin receptor deficiency increases ER stress-induced apoptosis and necrotic core formation in advanced atherosclerotic lesions.

Insulin resistance in diabetes and metabolic syndrome is thought to increase susceptibility to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To evaluate the possibility that decreased insulin signaling in macrophage foam cells might worsen atherosclerosis, Ldlr(-/-) mice were transplanted with insulin receptor Insr(+/+) or Insr(-/-) bone marrow. Western diet-fed Insr(-/-) recipients developed larger, more complex lesions with increased necrotic cores and increased numbers of apoptotic cells. Insr(-/-) macrophages showed diminished Akt phosphorylation and an augmented ER stress response, leading to induction of scavenger receptor A and increased apoptosis when challenged with cholesterol loading or nutrient deprivation. These studies suggest that defective insulin signaling and reduced Akt activity impair the ability of macrophages to deal with ER stress-induced apoptosis within atherosclerotic plaques.

Animals↗

Transcription factor FoxO1 mediates glucagon-like peptide-1 effects on pancreatic beta-cell mass.

The glucoincretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) increases pancreatic beta-cell proliferation and survival through sequential activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI 3-kinase), and Akt. We investigated the role of transcription factor FoxO1 in the proliferative and antiapoptotic actions of GLP-1 in beta-cells. GLP-1 inhibited FoxO1 through phosphorylation-dependent nuclear exclusion in pancreatic beta (INS832/13) cells. The effect of GLP-1 was suppressed by inhibitors of EGFR (AG1478) and PI 3-kinase (LY294002). In contrast, LY294002 but not AG1478 suppressed insulin-induced FoxO1 phosphorylation. Expression of constitutively nuclear FoxO1 in beta-cells prevented the proliferative and antiapoptotic actions of GLP-1 in cultured beta-cells and the increase in pancreatic beta-cell mass in response to Exendin4 in transgenic mice. Gene expression and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that GLP-1 increases pancreatic and duodenal homeobox gene-1 and Foxa2 expression and inhibits FoxO1 binding to both promoters. We propose that FoxO1 mediates the pleiotropic effects of the glucoincretin hormone on cell proliferation and survival.

Animals↗

Timp3 deficiency in insulin receptor-haploinsufficient mice promotes diabetes and vascular inflammation via increased TNF-alpha.

Activation of inflammatory pathways may contribute to the beginning and the progression of both atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. Here we report a novel interaction between insulin action and control of inflammation, resulting in glucose intolerance and vascular inflammation and amenable to therapeutic modulation. In insulin receptor heterozygous (Insr+/-) mice, we identified the deficiency of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (Timp3, an inhibitor of both TNF-alpha-converting enzyme [TACE] and MMPs) as a common bond between glucose intolerance and vascular inflammation. Among Insr+/- mice, those that develop diabetes have reduced Timp3 and increased TACE activity. Unchecked TACE activity causes an increase in levels of soluble TNF-alpha, which subsequently promotes diabetes and vascular inflammation. Double heterozygous Insr+/-Timp3+/- mice develop mild hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia at 3 months and overt glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia at 6 months. A therapeutic role for Timp3/TACE modulation is supported by the observation that pharmacological inhibition of TACE led to marked reduction of hyperglycemia and vascular inflammation in Insr+/- diabetic mice, as well as by the observation of increased insulin sensitivity in Tace+/- mice compared with WT mice. Our results suggest that an interplay between reduced insulin action and unchecked TACE activity promotes diabetes and vascular inflammation.

Analysis of Variance↗

Overexpression of the insulin receptor inhibitor PC-1/ENPP1 induces insulin resistance and hyperglycemia.

The ectoenzyme PC-1 is an insulin receptor inhibitor that is elevated in cells and tissues of humans with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We have recently shown that acute PC-1 overexpression in liver causes insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in mice (3), but the chronic effects of PC-1 overexpression on these functions are unknown. Herein we produced transgenic mice overexpressing the potent q allele of human PC-1 in muscle and liver. Compared with controls, these mice had 2- to 3-fold elevations of PC-1 content in liver and 5- to 10-fold elevations in muscle. In the fed state, the PC-1 animals had 100 mg/dl higher glucose levels and sixfold higher insulin levels compared with controls. During glucose tolerance tests, these PC-1 animals had peak glucose levels that were >150 mg/dl higher than controls. In vivo uptake of 2-deoxy-d-glucose in muscle during insulin infusion was decreased in the PC-1 animals. These in vivo data support the concept, therefore, that PC-1 plays a role in insulin resistance and hyperglycemia and suggest that animals with overexpression of human PC-1 in insulin-sensitive tissues may be important models to investigate insulin resistance.

Animals↗

Deletion of SOCS7 leads to enhanced insulin action and enlarged islets of Langerhans.

NIDDM is characterized by progressive insulin resistance and the failure of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells to compensate for this resistance. Hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and prolonged activation of the insulin receptor (INSR) have been shown to induce insulin resistance by decreasing INSR substrate (IRS) protein levels. Here we describe a role for SOCS7 in regulating insulin signaling. Socs7-deficient mice exhibited lower glucose levels and prolonged hypoglycemia during an insulin tolerance test and increased glucose clearance in a glucose tolerance test. Six-month-old Socs7-deficient mice exhibited increased growth of pancreatic islets with mildly increased fasting insulin levels and hypoglycemia. These defects correlated with increased IRS protein levels and enhanced insulin action in cells lacking SOCS7. Additionally, SOCS7 associated with the INSR and IRS1--molecules that are essential for normal regulation of insulin action. These data suggest that SOCS7 is a potent regulator of glucose homeostasis and insulin signaling.

Animals↗

Nuclear trapping of the forkhead transcription factor FoxO1 via Sirt-dependent deacetylation promotes expression of glucogenetic genes.

Activation of NAD-dependent deacetylases, or Sirtuins, prolongs life span and mimics the effects of caloric restriction in yeast. The FoxO subfamily of forkhead transcription factors has been shown to mediate some of the effects of Sirtuins. Here we have shown that Sirtuin activation or hydrogen peroxide treatment overrides the phosphorylation-dependent nuclear exclusion of FoxO1 caused by growth factors and causes nuclear translocation of FoxO1 in hepatocytes. Kinetic measurements of nuclear fluorescence recovery after photobleaching show that FoxO1 is readily diffusible within the nucleus under normal conditions but becomes restricted within a nuclear subdomain following treatment with the prototypical Sirtuin agonist resveratrol or oxidative stress. Expression of FoxO1 target genes is accordingly increased, leading to activation of gluconeogenesis and increased glucose release from hepatocytes. Selective modulation of the FoxO/Sirtuin interaction represents a promising therapeutic modality for metabolic disorders.

Acetylation↗

All roads lead to FoxO.

Stress-activated kinases control metabolism by antagonizing the early steps of insulin signal transduction. Two papers now demonstrate that Jnk, the prototypical stress-activated kinase, controls life span in Drosophila and C. elegans by promoting phosphorylation of the forkhead protein FoxO (Oh et al., 2005; Wang et al., 2005). The findings provide yet another mechanism by which metabolic and stress responses are integrated via phosphorylation of FoxO proteins.

Animals↗

FoxO1 protects against pancreatic beta cell failure through NeuroD and MafA induction.

Diabetes causes pancreatic beta cell failure through hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, or "glucose toxicity." We show that the forkhead protein FoxO1 protects beta cells against oxidative stress by forming a complex with the promyelocytic leukemia protein Pml and the NAD-dependent deacetylase Sirt1 to activate expression of NeuroD and MafA, two Insulin2 (Ins2) gene transcription factors. Using acetylation-defective and acetylation-mimicking mutants, we demonstrate that acetylation targets FoxO1 to Pml and prevents ubiquitin-dependent degradation. We show that hyperglycemia suppresses MafA expression in vivo and that MafA inhibition can be prevented by transgenic expression of constitutively nuclear FoxO1 in beta cells. The findings provide a mechanism linking glucose- and growth factor receptor-activated pathways to protect beta cells against oxidative damage via FoxO proteins.

Acetylation↗

Restoration of liver insulin signaling in Insr knockout mice fails to normalize hepatic insulin action.

Partial restoration of insulin receptor Insr expression in brain, liver, and pancreatic beta cells is sufficient for rescuing Insr knockout mice from neonatal death, preventing diabetes ketoacidosis, and normalizing life span and reproductive function. However, the transgenically rescued mice (referred to as L1) have marked hyperinsulinemia, and approximately 30% develop late-onset type 2 diabetes. Analyses of protein expression indicated that L1 mice had modestly reduced Insr content but normal insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in the liver. Conversely, L1 mice had a near complete ablation of Insr protein product in the arcuate and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, which was associated with a failure to undergo insulin-dependent Akt phosphorylation in the hypothalamus. To test whether reconstitution of insulin signaling in the liver is sufficient for restoring in vivo hepatic insulin action, we performed euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp studies in conscious L1 and WT mice. During the clamp, L1 mice required an approximately 50% lower rate of glucose infusion than did WT controls, while the rate of glucose disappearance was not significantly altered. Conversely, the rate of glucose production was increased approximately 2-fold in L1 mice. Thus, restoration of hepatic insulin signaling in Insr knockout mice fails to normalize the in vivo response to insulin.

Animals↗

Increased hepatic levels of the insulin receptor inhibitor, PC-1/NPP1, induce insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.

The ectoenzyme, plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1), is an insulin receptor (IR) inhibitor that is elevated in cells and tissues of insulin-resistant humans. However, the effects of PC-1 overexpression on insulin action have not been studied in animal models. To produce mice with overexpression of PC-1 in liver, a key glucose regulatory organ in this species, we injected them with a PC-1 adenovirus vector that expresses human PC-1. Compared with controls, these mice had two- to threefold elevations of PC-1 content in liver but no changes in other tissues such as skeletal muscle. In liver of PC-1 animals, insulin-stimulated IR tyrosine kinase and Akt/protein kinase B activation were both decreased. In this tissue, the IR-dependent nuclear factor Foxo1 was increased along with two key gluconeogenic enzymes, glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphenolpyruvate carboxykinase. The PC-1 animals had 30-40 mg/dl higher glucose levels and twofold higher insulin levels. During glucose tolerance tests, these animals had peak glucose levels that were >100 mg/dl higher than those of controls. These in vivo data support the concept, therefore, that PC-1 plays a role in insulin resistance and suggest that animals with overexpression of human PC-1 in liver may be interesting models to investigate this pathological process.

Adenoviridae↗

FoxOs at the crossroads of cellular metabolism, differentiation, and transformation.

Forkhead transcription factors of the FoxO subfamily are emerging as a shared component among pathways regulating diverse cellular functions, such as differentiation, metabolism, proliferation, and survival. Their transcriptional output is controlled via a two-tiered mechanism of phosphorylation and acetylation. Modest alterations of this balance can result in profound effects. The gamut of phenotypes runs from protection against diabetes and predisposition to neoplasia, conferred by FoxO loss of function, to increased cellular survival and a marked catabolic response associated with gain of function.

Acetylation↗

Insulin/Foxo1 pathway regulates expression levels of adiponectin receptors and adiponectin sensitivity.

Adiponectin/Acrp30 is a hormone secreted by adipocytes, which acts as an antidiabetic and antiatherogenic adipokine. We reported previously that AdipoR1 and -R2 serve as receptors for adiponectin and mediate increased fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake by adiponectin. In the present study, we examined the expression levels and roles of AdipoR1/R2 in several physiological and pathophysiological states such as fasting/refeeding, obesity, and insulin resistance. Here we show that the expression of AdipoR1/R2 in insulin target organs, such as skeletal muscle and liver, is significantly increased in fasted mice and decreased in refed mice. Insulin deficiency induced by streptozotocin increased and insulin replenishment reduced the expression of AdipoR1/R2 in vivo. Thus, the expression of AdipoR1/R2 appears to be inversely correlated with plasma insulin levels in vivo. Interestingly, the incubation of hepatocytes or myocytes with insulin reduced the expression of AdipoR1/R2 via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Foxo1-dependent pathway in vitro. Moreover, the expressions of AdipoR1/R2 in ob/ob mice were significantly decreased in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, which was correlated with decreased adiponectin binding to membrane fractions of skeletal muscle and decreased AMP kinase activation by adiponectin. This adiponectin resistance in turn may play a role in worsening insulin resistance in ob/ob mice. In conclusion, the expression of AdipoR1/R2 appears to be inversely regulated by insulin in physiological and pathophysiological states such as fasting/refeeding, insulin deficiency, and hyper-insulinemia models via the insulin/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Foxo1 pathway and is correlated with adiponectin sensitivity.

Adenoviridae↗