Life manifests as growth, movement or heat production that occurs thanks to the energy accepted from the outside environment. The basis of energy transduction attracted the Czech researchers since the beginning of the 20th century. It further accelerated after World War II, when the new Institute of Physiology was established in 1954. When it was found that energy is stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that can be used by numerous reactions as energy source and is produced in the process called oxidative phosphorylation localized in mitochondria, the investigation focused on this cellular organelle. Although the Czech scientists had to overcome various obstacles including Communist party leadership, driven by curiosity, boldness, and enthusiasm, they characterized broad spectrum of mitochondrial properties in different tissues in (patho)physiological conditions in collaboration with many world-known laboratories. The current review summarizes the contribution of the Czech scientists to the bioenergetic and mitochondrial research in the global context. Keywords: Mitochondria, Bioenergetics, Chemiosmotic coupling.

• MeSH
• Biomedical Research history   trends   MeSH
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Energy Metabolism * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mitochondria * metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

Chronic low-grade inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. In the current study, we tested the effects of salsalate, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in an animal model of inflammation and metabolic syndrome using spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) that transgenically express human C-reactive protein (SHR-CRP rats). We treated 15-month-old male transgenic SHR-CRP rats and nontransgenic SHR with salsalate (200 mg/kg/day) mixed as part of a standard diet for 4 weeks. A corresponding untreated control group of male transgenic SHR-CRP and SHR rats were fed a standard diet without salsalate. In the SHR-CRP transgenic strain, salsalate treatment decreased circulating concentrations of the inflammatory markers TNF-α and MCP-1, reduced oxidative stress in the liver and kidney, increased sensitivity of skeletal muscles to insulin action and improved tolerance to glucose. In SHR controls with no CRP-induced inflammation, salsalate treatment reduced body weight, decreased concentrations of serum free fatty acids and total and HDL cholesterol and increased palmitate oxidation and incorporation in brown adipose tissue. Salsalate regulated inflammation by affecting the expression of genes from MAPK signalling and NOD-like receptor signalling pathways and lipid metabolism by affecting hepatic expression of genes that favour lipid oxidation from PPAR-α signalling pathways. These findings suggest that salsalate has metabolic effects beyond suppressing inflammation.

• MeSH
• C-Reactive Protein biosynthesis   genetics   MeSH
• Animals, Genetically Modified genetics   MeSH
• Adipose Tissue, Brown metabolism   MeSH
• Hypertension drug therapy   genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Insulin Resistance genetics   MeSH
• Liver metabolism   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Metabolic Syndrome drug therapy   genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Lipid Metabolism drug effects   MeSH
• NLR Proteins biosynthesis   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress drug effects   MeSH
• PPAR alpha biosynthesis   MeSH
• Salicylates administration & dosage   MeSH
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha biosynthesis   MeSH
• Inflammation drug therapy   genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• C-Reactive Protein MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified MeSH
• NLR Proteins MeSH
• PPAR alpha MeSH
• Salicylates MeSH
• salicylsalicylic acid MeSH Browser
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha MeSH