From Molecules to Medicine: Deciphering Obesity and Lipid Metabolism for Translational Insights

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 1234

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology, Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science center, San Antonio, TX, USA
Interests: metabolic disease; lipid metabolism; type 2 diabetes; obesity
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Guest Editor
Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
Interests: diabetes; obesity; PPARg; necroptosis; sarcopenia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity has reached alarming proportions, affecting over half a billion adults worldwide. It serves as a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and infection. The link between type 2 diabetes and obesity is well established, accompanied with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, intensifying the severity of the disease. These metabolic disorders contribute to an overburdened healthcare system, increased mortality, and overall diminished quality of life. Drugs, used alone or in combination with lifestyle modifications and surgery, are a cornerstone for treatment. However, the efficacy of many drugs designed to manage metabolic disorders is suboptimal, and they are often accompanied by off-target side effects.

This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring innovative approaches to address metabolic disorders, with a primary focus on obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance. The emphasis lies on the identification of novel molecules and advanced strategies to enhance drug efficacy, improve specificity, and maximize overall effectiveness in the treatment of these metabolic disorders.

Dr. Abhishek Gupta
Dr. Sandeep Kumar
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • obesity
  • insulin resistance
  • lipid metabolism
  • drug discovery

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3274 KiB  
Article
Carnosic Acid (CA) Induces a Brown Fat-like Phenotype, Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and Activates AMPK in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
by Filip Vlavcheski, Rebecca E. K. MacPherson, Val Fajardo, Newman Sze and Evangelia Tsiani
Biomedicines 2024, 12(7), 1569; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12071569 - 15 Jul 2024
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Abstract
Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, and its dysfunction in obesity leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). White adipose tissue (WAT) primarily stores energy as lipids, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) regulates thermogenesis by dissipating energy [...] Read more.
Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, and its dysfunction in obesity leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). White adipose tissue (WAT) primarily stores energy as lipids, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) regulates thermogenesis by dissipating energy as heat. The process of browning involves the transdifferentiation of WAT into brown-like or beige adipocytes, which exhibit a similar phenotype as BAT. The browning of WAT is an attractive approach against obesity and T2D, and the activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to play a role in browning. Carnosic acid (CA), a polyphenolic diterpene, found in many plants including rosemary, is reported to possess potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hyperglycemic properties. The limited evidence available indicates that CA activates AMPK and may have anti-obesity and antidiabetic potential; however, the effects in adipocyte browning remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the effects of CA on the markers of adipocyte browning. The treatment of 3T3L1 adipocytes with CA activated AMPK, reduced lipid accumulation, and increased the expression of browning protein markers (UCP-1, PGC-1α, PRDM16, and TFAM) and mitochondrial biogenesis. The use of compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly attenuated the effects of CA, indicating AMPK involvement. These studies demonstrate that CA can activate AMPK and stimulate the browning of white adipocytes. Future animal and human studies are required to examine the effects of CA in vivo. Full article
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Review

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14 pages, 628 KiB  
Review
Impact of Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors (SGLT2i) Therapy on Dementia and Cognitive Decline
by Antonio Lardaro, Ludovica Quarta, Stefania Pagnotta, Giorgio Sodero, Sandro Mariani, Maria Del Ben, Giovambattista Desideri, Evaristo Ettorre and Francesco Baratta
Biomedicines 2024, 12(8), 1750; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12081750 - 3 Aug 2024
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Abstract
Dementia is an age-related syndrome characterized by the progressive deterioration of cognition and capacity for independent living. Diabetes is often associated with cognitive decline and shares similar pathophysiological mechanisms with dementia, such as systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and advanced glycation end-products [...] Read more.
Dementia is an age-related syndrome characterized by the progressive deterioration of cognition and capacity for independent living. Diabetes is often associated with cognitive decline and shares similar pathophysiological mechanisms with dementia, such as systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and advanced glycation end-products formation. Therefore, adequate diabetes management may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, especially in patients with other comorbidities and risk factors. The sodium glucose cotransporter inhibitors (SGLT2i) regulate renal glucose reabsorption by blocking the SGLT2 cotransporters located in the proximal tubules, causing glycosuria and intraglomerular pressure reduction. Their use helps to lower blood pressure by modifying sodium and water homeostasis; these drugs are also commonly used in the treatment of heart failure and chronic kidney disease, while recently, a potential neuroprotective role in the central nervous system has been suggested. The aim of our scoping review is to analyze current evidence about the potential neuroprotective effects of SGLT2i in adult patients. We performed a scoping literature review to evaluate the effect of SGLT2i on dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease incidence and progression. The screening process was performed through different searches on PubMed and EMBASE, evaluating original works published up to January 2024. In conclusion, the use of SGLT2i could be associated with a neuroprotective effect in patients with diabetes, reducing the incidence or the progression of MCI and dementia. Further prospective studies are needed to validate this hypothesis and to evaluate the effectiveness of this class of drugs in normal glycemic profile patients. Full article
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