title: Improved cerebral energetics and ketone body metabolism in db/db mice.
abstract: It is becoming evident that type 2 diabetes mellitus is affecting brain energy metabolism. The importance of alternative substrates for the brain in type 2 diabetes mellitus is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ketone bodies are relevant candidates to compensate for cerebral glucose hypometabolism and unravel the functionality of cerebral mitochondria in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Acutely isolated cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices of db/db mice were incubated in media containing [U-13C]glucose, [1,2-13C]acetate or [U-13C]β-hydroxybutyrate and tissue extracts were analysed by mass spectrometry. Oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis of brain mitochondria of db/db mice were assessed by Seahorse XFe96 and luciferin-luciferase assay, respectively. Glucose hypometabolism was observed for both cerebral cortical and hippocampal slices of db/db mice. Significant increased metabolism of [1,2-13C]acetate and [U-13C]β-hydroxybutyrate was observed for hippocampal slices of db/db mice. Furthermore, brain mitochondria of db/db mice exhibited elevated oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis rate. This study provides evidence of several changes in brain energy metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The increased hippocampal ketone body utilization and improved mitochondrial function in db/db mice, may act as adaptive mechanisms in order to maintain cerebral energetics during hampered glucose metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sofie K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Helle S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Waagepetersen
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
chemical_list: D007657:Ketone Bodies; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Brain energy metabolism; db/db; ketone bodies; mitochondria; type 2 diabetes mellitus