Objective: Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is an intracellular lipid chaperone involved in the crosstalk between adipose and peripheral tissues, and it contributes to widespread insulin... Show moreObjective: Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is an intracellular lipid chaperone involved in the crosstalk between adipose and peripheral tissues, and it contributes to widespread insulin resistance in cells, including cardiac cells. However, the role of this adipokine in regulating cardiac metabolism and myocardial neutral lipid content in patients with type 2 diabetes has not been elucidated.Methods: The impact of circulating FABP4 on the cardiac neutral lipid content was measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-MRS) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, circulating FABP4 and the cardiac triglyceride content were analysed in high-fat diet (FIFD)-fed mice, and the impact of the exogenous FABP4 was explored in HL-1 cardiac cells.Results: Serum FABP4 levels were higher in type 2 diabetic patients compared to healthy individuals. Circulating FABP4 levels were associated with myocardial neutral lipid content in type 2 diabetic patients. In FIFD-fed mice, both serum FABP4 and myocardial triglyceride content were increased. In FABP4-challenged HL-1 cells. extracellular FABP4 increased intracellular lipid accumulation, which led to impairment of the insulin-signalling pathway and reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. However, these effects were partially reversed by FABP4 inhibition with BM5309403. which attenuated the intracellular lipid content and improved insulin signalling and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.Conclusions: Taken together, our results identify FABP4 as a molecule involved in diabeticllipid-induced cardiomyopathy and indicate that this molecule may be an emerging biomarker for diabetic cardiomyopathy-related disturbances, such as myocardial neutral lipid accumulation. Additionally, FABP4 inhibition may be a potential therapeutic target for metabolic-related cardiac dysfunctions. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Show less
We examine the impact of researchers’ interaction and drama-based techniques when learning science on students’ views of scientists and motivations for studying science. We do so through mixed... Show moreWe examine the impact of researchers’ interaction and drama-based techniques when learning science on students’ views of scientists and motivations for studying science. We do so through mixed-methods in five secondary schools in three countries. Students changed their perception of scientists toward a less stereotyped image, particularly where their interaction with researchers was higher. Pupils’ interest for scientific careers significantly increased where drama-based techniques were more inserted into the pedagogical approach. Promoting long-term interaction with scientists in school settings combined with embedded drama-based methods in science learning/teaching can contribute to reconstructing students’ views on who can be engaged in science. Show less
