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Abstract

Grant Number: 1R21AT002995-01
Project Title: Chromium, Cellular Energy Status, Whole Body Energy Bala
PI Information:NameEmailTitle
CEFALU, WILLIAM T. cefaluwt@pbrc.edu PROFESSOR AND CHIEF

Abstract: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Insulin resistance is a key pathophysiologic feature of the "metabolic syndrome" and is strongly associated with co-existing cardiovascular risk factors and accelerated atherosclerosis. Strategies to improve insulin resistance by pharmacological means have represented the traditional approach for clinical medicine. However, because of the widespread use of dietary supplements by the general public, nutritional supplementation with the use of biologically based therapies that effectively increase insulin sensitivity represent a very attractive and novel approach for future studies designed to intervene in the development of metabolic syndrome. Chromium has been proposed as one such therapy. Unfortunately, considerable controversy exists regarding the effect of chromium in human metabolism as there is a paucity of data in humans in regard to proposed mechanism of action, and as such, chromium remains as one of the only trace minerals where the mechanism of action is not known. Our recent findings have suggested that chromium supplementation over a long-term period of observation may significantly attenuate weight gain and percent body fat in human subjects. The observed change in body weight and fat stores would suggest a novel new mechanism for chromium to improve whole body energy balance by enhancing energy expenditure and/or altering dietary intake. In addition, we provide experimental evidence to suggest that a primary event contributing to cellular energy status, i.e. activation of AMP kinase, appears to be a cellular target for chromium. Activation of AMP kinase is known to enhance glucose uptake, reduce hepatic glucose production, increase oxidation of fatty acids and enhance cellular signaling. Thus, this project's overall objective is to perform exploratory studies on the effect of chromium on whole body energy balance, lipid metabolism, and cellular energy status in subjects with Type 2 diabetes as part of an ongoing chromium supplementation trial. We hypothesize that, in subjects with type 2 diabetes, chromium will enhance cellular AMP kinase activation resulting in an increase in skeletal muscle lipid metabolism and adipose tissue function These findings will be associated with an improved whole body energy balance and will provide the preliminary data in order to plan larger more definitive clinical research studies.

Public Health Relevance:
This Public Health Relevance is not available.

Thesaurus Terms:
bioenergetics, cell biology, chromium, diabetes mellitus therapy, dietary mineral, dietary supplement, human therapy evaluation, noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus
adenylate kinase, adipocyte, adipose tissue, body composition, cell differentiation, enzyme activity, insulin sensitivity /resistance, lipid metabolism, metabolic syndrome, muscle metabolism, nutrient intake activity
alternative medicine, clinical research, human subject, nutrition related tag, patient oriented research

Institution: LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CTR
LSU System
BATON ROUGE, LA 70808
Fiscal Year: 2005
Department: NONE
Project Start: 01-AUG-2005
Project End: 30-JUN-2008
ICD: NATIONAL CENTER FOR COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
IRG: ZAT1


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