We have recently reported that PPAR alpha deficiency leads to hypoglycaemia and hypoinsulinemia in mice (Yessoufou et al. Endocrinology 147:4410-4418, 2006). Besides, these mice exhibited high adiposity with an inflammatory state. We, therefore, assessed, in this study, the effects of PPAR alpha deficiency on the expression of mRNA encoding for the insulin gene transcription factors in pancreatic beta-cells along with those implicated in inflammation in adipose tissues. On fasting, the adult PPAR alpha-null mice were hypoglycemic. Serum insulin concentrations and its pancreatic mRNA transcripts were downregulated in PPAR alpha-null mice, suggesting that PPAR alpha gene deletion contributes to low insulin gene transcription. The PPAR alpha gene deletion downregulates the mRNA expression of insulin gene transcription factors, i.e., Pdx-1, Nkx6.1, and MafA. Besides, the pancreatic function was diminished by PPAR alpha deficiency as PPAR alpha-null mice expressed low pancreatic Glut2 and glucokinase mRNA. PPAR alpha-null mice also expressed high adiponectin and leptin mRNA levels compared to wild type animals. Adipose tissues of PPAR alpha-null mice exhibited upregulation of CD14 and CD68 mRNA, generally expressed by macrophages. PPAR alpha gene deletion downregulates the adipocyte mRNA of certain pro-inflammatory agents, like MCP-1, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and RANTES, though pro-inflammatory TLR-2 and TLR-4 mRNAs were upregulated in the adipose tissues. Our results suggest that PPAR alpha deficiency, in mice, is implicated in the modulation of insulin gene transcription and inflammatory status in adipose tissues.

Moringa oleifera is a plant whose fruits, roots and leaves have been advocated for traditional medicinal uses. The physico-chemical analysis shows that Moringa oleifera contains more dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than saturated fatty acids (SFA). The consumption of an experimental diet enriched with Moringa oleifera extracts lowered blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), but not in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats as compared to rats fed an unsupplemented control diet. Anti-CD3-stimulated T cell proliferation was diminished in both strains of rats fed the Moringa oleifera. The experimental diet lowered secretion of interleukin-2 in SHR, but not in WKY rats compared with rats fed the control diet. Studies of platelets from patients with primary hypertension and from SHR support the notion that the concentration of intracellular free calcium [Ca2+]i is modified in both clinical and experimental hypertension. We observed that the basal, [Ca2+]i was lower in T cells of SHR than in those of WKY rats fed the control diet. Feeding the diet with Moringa oleifera extracts to WKY rats did not alter basal [Ca2+]i in T cells but increased basal [Ca2+]i in SHR. Our study clearly demonstrated that Moringa oleifera exerts antihypertensive effects by inhibiting the secretion of IL-2 and modulates T cell calcium signaling in hypertensive rats.

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