Objective—: Serum uric acid (UA) has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, the causal mechanisms linking elevated UA levels to cardio-metabolic diseases are still unsettled. One potential explanation for how UA might contribute to cardio-metabolic disease might be its ability to induce systemic inflammation. Approach and Results—: Herein, we report a positive relationship between serum UA and acute-phase reactants, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, ferritin, complement C3, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, in a cohort of 2731 nondiabetic adults. The relationship remains significant after adjustment for several confounders, including age, sex, adiposity, anti-hypertensive treatments or diuretics use. To confirm the existence of a causal relationship, we examined the effect of UA on the expression of inflammatory biomarkers in human hepatoma HepG2 cells and characterized the signaling pathway by which UA acts. We show that UA stimulates the expression of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, ferritin, and complement C3 in a dose-dependent fashion. The proinflammatory effects of UA were abrogated by benzbromarone, a specific inhibitor of UA transporters. Exposure of cells to UA resulted in activation of the IκB kinase/IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway that was attenuated by benzbromarone. The effect of UA was completely blocked by the antioxidant N -acetylcysteine. Conclusions—: These in vivo and in vitro data suggest that hyperuricemia might induce the expression of hepatic inflammatory molecules by activating the proinflammatory NF-κB signaling cascade. Because inflammation has an important pathogenetic role in metabolic and cardiovascular disease, our study may help understanding the mechanism by which hyperuricemia may contribute to organ damage.

Diabetes is associated with an elevated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Previous studies have suggested that the genetic factors predisposing to excess cardiovascular risk may be different in diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. To identify genetic determinants of CHD that are specific to patients with diabetes. We studied 5 independent sets of CHD cases and CHD-negative controls from the Nurses' Health Study (enrolled in 1976 and followed up through 2008), Health Professionals Follow-up Study (enrolled in 1986 and followed up through 2008), Joslin Heart Study (enrolled in 2001-2008), Gargano Heart Study (enrolled in 2001-2008), and Catanzaro Study (enrolled in 2004-2010). Included were a total of 1517 CHD cases and 2671 CHD-negative controls, all with type 2 diabetes. Results in diabetic patients were compared with those in 737 nondiabetic CHD cases and 1637 nondiabetic CHD-negative controls from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study cohorts. Exposures included 2,543,016 common genetic variants occurring throughout the genome. Coronary heart disease--defined as fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or angiographic evidence of significant stenosis of the coronary arteries. A variant on chromosome 1q25 (rs10911021) was consistently associated with CHD risk among diabetic participants, with risk allele frequencies of 0.733 in cases vs 0.679 in controls (odds ratio, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.22-1.51]; P = 2 × 10(-8)). No association between this variant and CHD was detected among nondiabetic participants, with risk allele frequencies of 0.697 in cases vs 0.696 in controls (odds ratio, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.87-1.13]; P = .89), consistent with a significant gene × diabetes interaction on CHD risk (P = 2 × 10(-4)). Compared with protective allele homozygotes, rs10911021 risk allele homozygotes were characterized by a 32% decrease in the expression of the neighboring glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL) gene in human endothelial cells (P = .0048). A decreased ratio between plasma levels of γ-glutamyl cycle intermediates pyroglutamic and glutamic acid was also shown in risk allele homozygotes (P = .029). A single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs10911021) was identified that was significantly associated with CHD among persons with diabetes but not in those without diabetes and was functionally related to glutamic acid metabolism, suggesting a mechanistic link.

Context: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease and is associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Among the potential factors that may account for the increased cardiometabolic risk, IGF-I is a plausible candidate because the liver is the main site of its production. Objective: Our objective was to examine the relationship between NAFLD and IGF-I levels and to test the hypothesis that free fatty acids-induced insulin resistance might impair insulin-induced increase of GH receptor (GHR) expression in human hepatoma cells. Subjects, Design, and Setting: Five hundred three nondiabetic Caucasians participated in this ambulatory-care cross-sectional study. Main Outcome Measures: Cardiometabolic risk factors and liver ultrasound scanning were assessed. Insulin-induced expression of GHR in HuH7 human hepatoma cells exposed for 24 h to palmitate was determined by Western blotting and real-time PCR. Results: After adjustment for age and gender, individuals with NAFLD had significantly higher body mass index, waist circumference, fasting insulin, triglycerides, homeostasis model assessment index, liver enzymes, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with control subjects. IGF-I levels were significantly lower in individuals with NAFLD (P = 0.001). Exposure of HuH7 hepatoma cells to palmitate caused a dose-dependent reduction in the insulin-induced increase of GHR expression. Conclusions: These data show that IGF-I levels are reduced in subjects with NAFLD and suggest that hepatic insulin resistance may affect IGF-I levels by modulating GH-stimulated synthesis of hepatic IGF-I.

Potentiation of glucose-induced insulin secretion is the main mechanism of exenatide (EXE) antidiabetic action, however, increased glucose utilization by peripheral tissues has been also reported. We here studied the effect of EXE on glucose uptake by skeletal muscle cells. 2-deoxy-glucose (2DG) uptake and intracellular signal pathways were measured in rat L6 skeletal muscle myotubes exposed to 100 nmol/l EXE for up to 48 h. Mechanisms of EXE action were explored by inhibiting AMPK activity with compound C (CC, 40 μmol/l) or siRNAs (2 μmol/l). Time course experiments show that EXE increases glucose uptake up to 48 h achieving its maximal effect, similar to that induced by insulin, after 20 min (2- vs 2.5-fold-increase, respectively). Differently from insulin, EXE does not stimulate: (i) IR β-subunit- and IRS1 tyrosine phosphorylation and binding to p85 regulatory subunit of PI-3kinase; (ii) AKT activation; and (iii) ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 phosphorylation. Conversely, EXE increases phosphorylation of α-subunit of AMPK at Thr172 by 2.5-fold (p < 0.01). Co-incubation of EXE and insulin does not induce additive effects on 2DG-uptake. Inhibition of AMPK with CC, and reduction of AMPK protein expression by siRNA, completely abolish EXE-induced 2DG-uptake. Liraglutide, another GLP-1 receptor agonist, also stimulates AMPK phosphorylation and 2DG-uptake. Moreover, EXE stimulates 2DG-uptake also by L6 myotubes rendered insulin-resistant with methylglyoxal. Finally, EXE also induces glucose transporter Glut-4 translocation to the plasma membrane. In L6 myotubes, EXE and liraglutide increase glucose uptake in an insulin-independent manner by activating AMPK.

Summary: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease that has reached the levels of a global epidemic. In order to achieve optimal glucose control, it is often necessary to rely on combination therapy of multiple drugs or insulin because uncontrolled glucose levels result in T2DM progression and enhanced risk of complications and mortality. Several antihyperglycemic agents have been developed over time, and T2DM pharmacotherapy should be prescribed based on suitability for the individual patient's characteristics. Pharmacogenetics is the branch of genetics that investigates how our genome influences individual responses to drugs, therapeutic outcomes, and incidence of adverse effects. In this review, we evaluated the pharmacogenetic evidences currently available in the literature, and we identified the top informative genetic variants associated with response to the most common anti‐diabetic drugs: metformin, DPP‐4 inhibitors/GLP1R agonists, thiazolidinediones, and sulfonylureas/meglitinides. Overall, we found 40 polymorphisms for each drug class in a total of 71 loci, and we examined the possibility of encouraging genetic screening of these variants/loci in order to critically implement decision‐making about the therapeutic approach through precision medicine strategies. It is possible then to anticipate that when the clinical practice will take advantage of the genetic information of the diabetic patients, this will provide a useful resource for the prevention of T2DM progression, enabling the identification of the precise drug that is most likely to be effective and safe for each patient and the reduction of the economic impact on a global scale.