title: Elevated hypothalamic beacon gene expression in Psammomys obesus prone to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate hypothalamic beacon gene expression at various developmental stages in genetically selected diabetes-resistant and diabetes-prone Psammomys obesus. In addition, effects of dietary energy composition on beacon gene expression were investigated in diabetes-prone P. obesus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypothalamic beacon gene expression was measured using Taqman fluorogenic PCR in 4-, 8- and 16-week-old animals from each genetically selected line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of beacon was elevated in the diabetes-prone compared with diabetes-resistant P. obesus at 4 weeks of age despite no difference in body weight between the groups. At 8 weeks of age, hypothalamic beacon gene expression was elevated in diabetes-prone animals fed a high-energy diet, and was correlated with serum insulin concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P. obesus with a genetic predisposition for the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes have elevated hypothalamic beacon gene expression at an early age. Overexpression of beacon may contribute to the development of obesity and insulin resistance in these animals.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia. walder@deakin.edu.au
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walder
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziv
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Whitecross
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shafrir
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmet
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Collier
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D015870:Gene Expression; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014452:Ubiquitins
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D014452:Ubiquitins; C498170:Ubl5 protein, rat