Biomaterial Database

Characterization of nuclear protein binding (AP-1, GR, and STAT) in the genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rat. 1998

A L Roe, and G Howard, and R A Blouin

Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0082, USA.

There is evidence to suggest that obese populations have an increased susceptibility to various pathologic disorders. Both AP-1 and STAT nuclear binding proteins have been suggested to play a role in certain obesity-related diseases. The objective of our studies reported herein was to compare constitutive binding activity of nuclear proteins (AP-1, GR, and STAT), that may be relevant to obesity-related diseases in the obese (fa/fa) Zucker rat to lean (Fa/?) littermates. AP-1, GR, and STAT liver nuclear protein binding activity was analyzed using the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). EMSA analysis of liver nuclear protein from obese and lean Zucker rats revealed high constitutive AP-1 binding activity in the obese animals. AP-1 binding activity in the obese rats was not further elevated by treatment with phenobarbital, a known inducer of AP-1 binding activity. No differences were observed in GR binding to a consensus GRE between obese and lean animals; however, STAT binding activity to a consensus GAS element was lower in liver tissue from obese Zucker rats. Our findings presented herein suggest that the fa/fa Zucker rat may be a suitable obese rodent model for studying the roles AP-1 and STAT may play in the pathologies of these diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008110	Liver Extracts	Extracts of liver tissue containing uncharacterized specific factors with specific activities; a soluble thermostable fraction of mammalian liver is used in the treatment of pernicious anemia.	Perhepar,Extracts, Liver
D008297	Male		Males
D009765	Obesity	A status with BODY WEIGHT that is grossly above the recommended standards, usually due to accumulation of excess FATS in the body. The standards may vary with age, sex, genetic or cultural background. In the BODY MASS INDEX, a BMI greater than 30.0 kg/m2 is considered obese, and a BMI greater than 40.0 kg/m2 is considered morbidly obese (MORBID OBESITY).
D011924	Rats, Zucker	Two populations of Zucker rats have been cited in research--the "fatty" or obese and the lean. The "fatty" rat (Rattus norvegicus) appeared as a spontaneous mutant. The obese condition appears to be due to a single recessive gene.	Zucker Rat,Zucker Rats,Rat, Zucker
D011965	Receptors, Glucocorticoid	Cytoplasmic proteins that specifically bind glucocorticoids and mediate their cellular effects. The glucocorticoid receptor-glucocorticoid complex acts in the nucleus to induce transcription of DNA. Glucocorticoids were named for their actions on blood glucose concentration, but they have equally important effects on protein and fat metabolism. Cortisol is the most important example.	Corticoid Type II Receptor,Glucocorticoid Receptors,Glucocorticoids Receptor,Corticoid II Receptor,Corticoid Type II Receptors,Glucocorticoid Receptor,Receptors, Corticoid II,Receptors, Corticoid Type II,Receptors, Glucocorticoids,Corticoid II Receptors,Glucocorticoids Receptors,Receptor, Corticoid II,Receptor, Glucocorticoid,Receptor, Glucocorticoids
D002467	Cell Nucleus	Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, Cell
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004268	DNA-Binding Proteins	Proteins which bind to DNA. The family includes proteins which bind to both double- and single-stranded DNA and also includes specific DNA binding proteins in serum which can be used as markers for malignant diseases.	DNA Helix Destabilizing Proteins,DNA-Binding Protein,Single-Stranded DNA Binding Proteins,DNA Binding Protein,DNA Single-Stranded Binding Protein,SS DNA BP,Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein,Binding Protein, DNA,DNA Binding Proteins,DNA Single Stranded Binding Protein,DNA-Binding Protein, Single-Stranded,Protein, DNA-Binding,Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein,Single Stranded DNA Binding Proteins
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs