Digital Commons Network^™

Health Behaviors And Their Correlates Among Participants In The Continuing To Confront Copd International Patient Survey, Hana Müllerová, Sarah H. Landis, Zaurbek Aisanov, Kourtney J. Davis, Masakazu Ichinose, David M. Mannino, Joe Maskell, Ana M. Menezes, Thys Van Der Molen, Yeon-Mok Oh, Maggie Tabberer, Meilan K. Han

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background and aims: We used data from the Continuing to Confront COPD International Patient Survey to test the hypothesis that patients with COPD who report less engagement with their disease management are also more likely to report greater impact of the disease.

Methods: This was a population-based, cross-sectional survey of 4,343 subjects aged ≥ 40 years from 12 countries, fulfilling a case definition of COPD based on self-reported physician diagnosis or symptomatology. The impact of COPD was measured with COPD Assessment Test, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale, and hospital admissions and emergency department visits for COPD in the prior …

Network-Driven Plasma Proteomics Expose Molecular Changes In The Alzheimer's Brain, Philipp A. Jaeger, Kurt M. Lucin, Markus Britschgi, Badri Vardarajan, Ruo-Pan Huang, Elizabeth D. Kirby, Rachelle Abbey, Bradley F. Boeve, Adam L. Boxer, Lindsay A. Farrer, Nicole Finch, Neill R. Graff-Radford, Elizabeth Head, Matan Hofree, Ruochun Huang, Hudson Johns, Anna Karydas, David S. Knopman, Andrey Loboda, Eliezer Masliah, Ramya Narasimhan, Ronald C. Petersen, Alexei Podtelezhnikov, Suraj Pradhan, Rosa Rademakers, Chung-Huan Sun, Steven G. Younkin, Bruce L. Miller, Trey Ideker, Tony Wyss-Coray

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Biological pathways that significantly contribute to sporadic Alzheimer’s disease are largely unknown and cannot be observed directly. Cognitive symptoms appear only decades after the molecular disease onset, further complicating analyses. As a consequence, molecular research is often restricted to late-stage post-mortem studies of brain tissue. However, the disease process is expected to trigger numerous cellular signaling pathways and modulate the local and systemic environment, and resulting changes in secreted signaling molecules carry information about otherwise inaccessible pathological processes.

Results: To access this information we probed relative levels of close to 600 secreted signaling proteins from patients’ blood samples using …

Resveratrol Supplementation Confers Neuroprotection In Cortical Brain Tissue Of Nonhuman Primates Fed A High-Fat/Sucrose Diet, Michel Bernier, Devin Wahl, Ahmed Ali, Joanne Allard, Shakeela Faulkner, Artur Wnorowski, Mitesh Sanghvi, Ruin Moaddel, Irene Alfaras, Julie A. Mattison, Stefano Tarantini, Zsuzsanna Tucsek, Zoltan Ungvari, Anna Csiszar, Kevin J. Pearson, Rafael De Cabo

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Previous studies have shown positive effects of long-term resveratrol (RSV) supplementation in preventing pancreatic beta cell dysfunction, arterial stiffening and metabolic decline induced by high-fat/high-sugar (HFS) diet in nonhuman primates. Here, the analysis was extended to examine whether RSV may reduce dietary stress toxicity in the cerebral cortex of the same cohort of treated animals. Middle-aged male rhesus monkeys were fed for 2 years with HFS alone or combined with RSV, after which whole-genome microarray analysis of cerebral cortex tissue was carried out along with ELISA, immunofluorescence, and biochemical analyses to examine markers of vascular health and inflammation in the …

Understanding The Value Of Multi-Sector Partnerships To Improve Population Health, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

We review recent research concerning multi-sectoral partnerships aimed at improving health status on a population-wide basis, with a particular focus on implementation strategies and on health and economic impact. While still preliminary and emerging, research indicates that large health benefits are possible through collective actions that engage the medical, public health, and social sectors. Mechanisms for aligning incentives, dividing responsibilities equitably, and measuring progress regularly appear critical to success.

Forage News [2016-04], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Advanced Kentucky Grazing School April 12
• How Does the Value of Poultry Litter Compare to Commercial Fertilizer?
• Forage News Quote of the Month - "Fear of Bloat Costs More than Bloat Itself?
• 70th Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference Registration May 2-4
• Eastern Tent Caterpillar Egg Hatch begins in Central Kentucky
• Heart of America Grazing Conference Highlight: Putting Some Pop Back in Your Crop: Alfalfa in Crop Rotations
• Featured Publication: Stand Establishment and Seeding Year Weed Control Considerations in Alfalfa

Overwintering Seeds As Reservoirs For Seedling Pathogens Of Wetland Plant Species, Ellen V. Crocker, Justin J. Lanzafane, Mary Ann Karp, Eric B. Nelson

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Seed germination and seedling establishment are central to the distribution and abundance of plant species in wetlands. While fungal and oomycete pathogens are known to affect seed viability and emergence, relatively little is known about which fungi and oomycetes are associated with seeds in the soil or how these species affect seeds and seedlings. We characterized the fungi and oomycetes associated with overwintering seeds in wetlands and determined their potential to influence seed germination and subsequent seedling mortality. Fungi and oomycetes did not affect seed germination, despite the isolation of high frequencies of known seed and seedling pathogens in the …

Muscle-Specific Loss Of Bmal1 Leads To Disrupted Tissue Glucose Metabolism And Systemic Glucose Homeostasis, Brianna D. Harfmann, Elizabeth Schroder, Maureen T. Kachman, Brian A. Hodge, Xiping Zhang, Karyn Esser

Center for Muscle Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the USA, and disruption of circadian rhythms is gaining recognition as a contributing factor to disease prevalence. This disease is characterized by hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance and symptoms caused by failure to produce and/or respond to insulin. The skeletal muscle is a key insulin-sensitive metabolic tissue, taking up ~80 % of postprandial glucose. To address the role of the skeletal muscle molecular clock to insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, we generated an inducible skeletal muscle-specific Bmal1 ^−/− mouse (iMSBmal1 ^−/−).

Results: Progressive changes in body composition (decreases in …

Targeting Iκb Kinase Β In Adipocyte Lineage Cells For Treatment Of Obesity And Metabolic Dysfunctions, Robert N. Helsley, Yipeng Sui, Se-Hyung Park, Zun Liu, Richard G. Lee, Beibei Zhu, Philip A. Kern, Changcheng Zhou

Clinical and Translational Science Faculty Publications

IκB kinase β (IKKβ), a central coordinator of inflammation through activation of nuclear factor-κB, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity-associated metabolic dysfunctions. In this study, we evaluated an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) inhibitor of IKKβ and found that IKKβ ASO ameliorated diet-induced metabolic dysfunctions in mice. Interestingly, IKKβ ASO also inhibited adipocyte differentiation and reduced adiposity in high-fat (HF)-fed mice, indicating an important role of IKKβ signaling in the regulation of adipocyte differentiation. Indeed, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genomic deletion of IKKβ in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes blocked these cells differentiating into adipocytes. To further elucidate the role of …

Impact Of Individual Acute Phase Serum Amyloid A Isoforms On Hdl Metabolism In Mice, Myung-Hee Kim, Maria C. De Beer, Joanne M. Wroblewski, Richard J. Charnigo, Ailing Ji, Nancy R. Webb, Frederick C. De Beer, Deneys R. Van Der Westhuyzen

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

The acute phase (AP) reactant serum amyloid A (SAA), an HDL apolipoprotein, exhibits pro-inflammatory activities, but its physiological function(s) are poorly understood. Functional differences between SAA1.1 and SAA2.1, the two major SAA isoforms, are unclear. Mice deficient in either isoform were used to investigate plasma isoform effects on HDL structure, composition, and apolipoprotein catabolism. Lack of either isoform did not affect the size of HDL, normally enlarged in the AP, and did not significantly change HDL composition. Plasma clearance rates of HDL apolipoproteins were determined using native HDL particles. The fractional clearance rates (FCRs) of apoA-I, apoA-II, and SAA were …

Aligning Delivery & Financing Systems To Advance A Culture Of Health, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Systems for Action Research Program supports research on how best to organize, finance, and deliver the constellation of services and supports that promote health and well-being in American communities, including but extending beyond the medical care and public health sectors. This session describes work underway through the S4A program and future research priorities, building on a strong scientific foundation in the fields of health services research (HSR) and public health services & systems research (PHSSR).

Integrating Health Services & Systems: What We Know, Think We Know, And Need To Learn, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

The delivery and financing systems for medical care, public health, and social and community services pursue many common goals and serve overlapping groups of families and communities. Unfortunately, in most American communities these systems interact in complex and often poorly understood ways through fragmented funding vehicles, information flows, governance and decision-making structures, institutional relationships, implementation rules and strategies, and professional and interpersonal connections. New research approaches are required to untangle these interactions and expose novel pathways of influence that can support equitable improvements in service delivery, resource use, health impact, and wellbeing. This presentation will summarize evidence from recent studies …

Mitigation Of Ergot Vasoconstriction By Clover Isoflavones In Goats (Capra Hircus), Glen E. Aiken, Michael D. Flythe, Isabelle A. Kagan, Huihua Ji, Lowell P. Bush

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Ergot alkaloids produced by a fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala; formerly Neotyphodium coenophialum) that infects tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) can induce persistent constriction of the vasculature in ruminants, hindering their capability to thermo-regulate core body temperature. There is evidence that isoflavones produced by legumes can relax the vasculature, which suggests that they could relieve ergot alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction and mitigate the vulnerability to severe heat stress in ruminants that graze tall fescue. To test if isoflavones can relieve alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction, two pen experiments were conducted with rumen-fistulated goats (Capra hircus) to determine with ultrasonograpy if …

Decreasing Obesity And Obesity Stigma: Socio-Demographic Differences In Beliefs About Causes Of And Responsibility For Obesity, Christy F. Brady

Sociology Faculty Publications

Obesity is a stigmatized condition, and research has shown that obesity stigma varies based on the perceived cause of obesity. It is important that public health professionals develop policy and campaigns that resonate with specific populations while avoiding an increase in harmful stigma. This study identifies socio-demographic differences in causal attributions of obesity and beliefs about responsibility for obesity. Using data from a survey of 923 people in the United States conducted by ABC New/Time Magazine, attributions of cause and responsibility are analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares regression. Beliefs about cause and responsibility fall on a continuum from primarily individual …

Genetically Engineered Crops: Emerging Opportunities, Paul C. Vincelli

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Biotechnology is “any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.” This definition encompasses many, many applications, including traditional ones such as fermentation of alcoholic beverages.

In certain biotech crops, their genetic material (DNA) has been purposefully manipulated in the laboratory. These genetically engineered crops are often called “GMOs,” an acronym for “genetically modified organisms.” These GMOs are the focus of this publication.

Plant Diseases [2016], Kimberly Leonberger, Kelly Jackson, Robbie Smith, Nicole Ward Gauthier

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Anyone who has ever planted a garden knows not only the rewards of beautiful flowers, fruit, and/ or vegetables, but also the disappointment when plants become diseased or damaged. Many factors cause plants to exhibit poor vigor, changes in appearance, or even death. Both abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors can negatively impact plant heath. Disorders that result from non-living factors (such as nutrient deficiencies, over/under watering, temperature stress, and chemical damage) are discussed in subsequent chapters. This chapter focuses on those living organisms that cause disease: fungi, water molds, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, phytoplasmas, and parasitic plants.

Unexpected Reaction Pathway For Butyrylcholinesterase-Catalyzed Inactivation Of "Hunger Hormone" Ghrelin, Jianzhuang Yao, Yaxia Yuan, Fang Zheng, Chang-Guo Zhan

Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center Faculty Publications

Extensive computational modeling and simulations have been carried out, in the present study, to uncover the fundamental reaction pathway for butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)-catalyzed hydrolysis of ghrelin, demonstrating that the acylation process of BChE-catalyzed hydrolysis of ghrelin follows an unprecedented single-step reaction pathway and the single-step acylation process is rate-determining. The free energy barrier (18.8 kcal/mol) calculated for the rate-determining step is reasonably close to the experimentally-derived free energy barrier (~19.4 kcal/mol), suggesting that the obtained mechanistic insights are reasonable. The single-step reaction pathway for the acylation is remarkably different from the well-known two-step acylation reaction pathway for numerous ester hydrolysis reactions …

Development Of A Spirometry T-Score In The General Population, Sei Won Lee, Hyun Kuk Kim, Seunghee Baek, Ji-Ye Jung, Young Sam Kim, Jae Seung Lee, Sang-Do Lee, David M. Mannino, Yeon-Mok Oh

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background and objective: Spirometry values may be expressed as T-scores in standard deviation units relative to a reference in a young, normal population as an analogy to the T-score for bone mineral density. This study was performed to develop the spirometry T-score.

Methods: T-scores were calculated from lambda-mu-sigma-derived Z-scores using a young, normal age reference. Three outcomes of all-cause death, respiratory death, and COPD death were evaluated in 9,101 US subjects followed for 10 years; an outcome of COPD-related health care utilization (COPD utilization) was evaluated in 1,894 Korean subjects followed for 4 years.

Results: The …

Flow-Through Filter To Remove Aluminum From Medical Solutions, Robert A. Yokel, Wesley R. Harris, Christopher D. Spilling, Robert Joseph Kuhn, Vasiliy Paul Abramov, Jason Matthew Lone

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Patents

A flow through filter assembly includes a trivalent and tetravalent metal ion capturing agent and a flow controller providing a predetermined flow rate which allows capture of the trivalent and tetravalent metal ions by the capturing agent.

Differential Expression Of Pancreatic Protein And Chemosensing Receptor Mrnas In Nkcc1-Null Intestine, Emily M. Bradford, Kanimozhi Vairamani, Gary E. Shull

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

AIM: To investigate the intestinal functions of the NKCC1 Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl cotransporter (SLC12a2 gene), differential mRNA expression changes in NKCC1-null intestine were analyzed.

METHODS: Microarray analysis of mRNA from intestines of adult wild-type mice and gene-targeted NKCC1-null mice (n = 6 of each genotype) was performed to identify patterns of differential gene expression changes. Differential expression patterns were further examined by Gene Ontology analysis using the online Gorilla program, and expression changes of selected genes were verified using northern blot analysis and quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction. Histological staining and immunofluorescence were performed …

AΒ40 Reduces P-Glycoprotein At The Blood-Brain Barrier Through The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway, Anika M. S. Hartz, Yu Zhong, Andrea Wolf, Harry Levine Iii, David S. Miller, Björn Bauer

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Failure to clear amyloid-β (Aβ) from the brain is in part responsible for Aβ brain accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A critical protein for clearing Aβ across the blood–brain barrier is the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the luminal plasma membrane of the brain capillary endothelium. P-gp is reduced at the blood–brain barrier in AD, which has been shown to be associated with Aβ brain accumulation. However, the mechanism responsible for P-gp reduction in AD is not well understood. Here we focused on identifying critical mechanistic steps involved in reducing P-gp in AD. We …

Blockade Of Astrocytic Calcineurin/Nfat Signaling Helps To Normalize Hippocampal Synaptic Function And Plasticity In A Rat Model Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Jennifer L. Furman, Pradoldej Sompol, Susan D. Kraner, Melanie M. Pleiss, Esther J. Putman, Jacob Dunkerson, Hafiz Mohmmad Abdul, Kelly N. Roberts, Stephen William Scheff, Christopher M. Norris

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence suggests that the calcineurin (CN)-dependent transcription factor NFAT (Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells) mediates deleterious effects of astrocytes in progressive neurodegenerative conditions. However, the impact of astrocytic CN/NFAT signaling on neural function/recovery after acute injury has not been investigated extensively. Using a controlled cortical impact (CCI) procedure in rats, we show that traumatic brain injury is associated with an increase in the activities of NFATs 1 and 4 in the hippocampus at 7 d after injury. NFAT4, but not NFAT1, exhibited extensive labeling in astrocytes and was found throughout the axon/dendrite layers of CA1 and the dentate …

Drought Risk Management For Beef Cattle Farms, Stephen F. Higgins, Lee Moser, Kylie Schmidt

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

One of the most challenging aspects of owning and operating any farming operation is dealing with uncertainty. Uncertainty on the farm comes in many forms; livestock health, feed prices, fuel prices, market prices, and weather to name a few. Over the past decade, the prevalence and impact of drought on agriculture has dramatically increased, thus adding further uncertainty to farmers’ decision-making processes. Drought and the associated loss of productivity is a real risk scenario that all farmers must face. With this inherent risk, one must protect their farm and the environment it impacts through a sound decision-making process that factors …

How Diversity Extends The Grazing Season At Dogwood Farm, Debby Dulworth

Kentucky Grazing Conference

This article was previously published in Cow Country News.

Cattle are a valuable resource these days, in ways that most people, consumers and producers alike, haven’t yet realized. Putting some other resources into making the change for a better grazing system makes sense, especially here in Kentucky, where grass has, in the past, been the basis of a healthy and expansive economy. Grass can once again be the basis for a healthy economy, if enough people with the vision to see its possibilities get involved and make it happen. A truly healthy economy begins with good human health and …

Soy Hulls: More Than Just A Feed Supplement, Glen E. Aiken, Michael Flythe

Kentucky Grazing Conference

There is approximately 35 million acres of tall fescue in the USA, with most of this acreage being utilized in hay meadows and grazed pastures in a region between the temperate northeast and subtropical southeast and commonly referred to as the Fescue Belt. Popularity of the grass is due to its productivity, persistence, and low cost of management. Unfortunately, a fungal endophyte that infects most plants of tall fescue produces ergot alkaloid toxins that cause a toxicosis in cattle and other grazing livestock. Fescue toxicosis may reduce reproductive performance of cow herds and weaning weights, and reduce post-weaning weight gain …

Association Of Dna Methylation At Cpt1a Locus With Metabolic Syndrome In The Genetics Of Lipid Lowering Drugs And Diet Network (Goldn) Study, Mithun Das, Jin Sha, Bertha Hidalgo, Stella Aslibekyan, Anh N. Do, Degui Zhi, Dianjianyi Sun, Tao Zhang, Shengxu Li, Wei Chen, Sathanur R. Srinivasan, Hemant K. Tiwari, Devin Absher, Jose M. Ordovas, Gerald S. Berenson, Donna K. Arnett, Marguerite R. Irvin

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

In this study, we conducted an epigenome-wide association study of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 846 participants of European descent in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN). DNA was isolated from CD4+ T cells and methylation at ~470,000 cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) pairs was assayed using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. We modeled the percentage methylation at individual CpGs as a function of MetS using linear mixed models. A Bonferroni-corrected P-value of 1.1 x 10⁻⁷ was considered significant. Methylation at two CpG sites in CPT1A on chromosome 11 was significantly associated with MetS (P for cg00574958 = …

H2ax Deficiency Is Associated With Erythroid Dysplasia And Compromised Haematopoietic Stem Cell Function, Baobing Zhao, Timothy L. Tan, Yang Mei, Jing Yang, Yiting Yu, Amit Verma, Ying Liang, Juehua Gao, Peng Ji

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal disorders of haematopoiesis characterised by dysplastic changes of major myeloid cell lines. However, the mechanisms underlying these dysplastic changes are poorly understood. Here, we used a genetically modified mouse model and human patient data to examine the physiological roles of H2AX in haematopoiesis and how the loss of H2AX contributes to dyserythropoiesis in MDS. H2AX knockout mice showed cell-autonomous anaemia and erythroid dysplasia, mimicking dyserythropoiesis in MDS. Also, dyserythropoiesis was increased in MDS patients with the deletion of chromosome 11q23, where H2AX is located. Although loss of H2AX did not affect the early stage of …

Vaccines And The Looming Threat Of Syphilis, Charles T. Ambrose

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

During the past several decades, syphilis has increased in the US and explosively so in China and Russia.While most current cases can be cured by penicillin or second line antibiotics, strains of the syphilis spirochete (Treponema pallidum) resistant to the latter have emerged.And the potential of strains to acquire resistance to penicillin via plasmids has recently been recognized.The 36 million-plus undertreated cases of syphilis in the world represent metaphorically a vast global 37°C incubator allowing exchange of antibiotic resistant genes among the human-borne bacteria and theoretically permitting the emergence of penicillin resistant strains.None has yet been identified but …

Alteration Of Tobacco Alkaloid Content Through Modification Of Specific Cytochrome P450 Genes, Ralph E. Dewey, Balazs Siminszky, Steven W. Bowen, Lily Gavilano

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents

Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in …

Alteration Of Tobacco Alkaloid Content Through Modification Of Specific Cytochrome P450 Genes, Ralph E. Dewey, Balazs Siminszky, Steven W. Bowen, Lily Gavilano

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents

Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in …

Serum Amyloid A Impairs The Antiinflammatory Properties Of Hdl, Chang Yeop Han, Chongren Tang, Myriam E. Guevara, Hao Wei, Tomasz Wietecha, Baohai Shao, Savitha Subramanian, Mohamed Omer, Shari Wang, Kevin D. O'Brien, Santica M. Marcovina, Thomas N. Wight, Tomas Vaisar, Maria C. De Beer, Frederick C. De Beer, William R. Osborne, Keith B. Elkon, Alan Chait

Physiology Faculty Publications

HDL from healthy humans and lean mice inhibits palmitate-induced adipocyte inflammation; however, the effect of the inflammatory state on the functional properties of HDL on adipocytes is unknown. Here, we found that HDL from mice injected with AgNO₃ fails to inhibit palmitate-induced inflammation and reduces cholesterol efflux from 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, HDL isolated from obese mice with moderate inflammation and humans with systemic lupus erythematosus had similar effects. Since serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in HDL increase with inflammation, we investigated whether elevated SAA is a causal factor in HDL dysfunction. HDL from AgNO₃-injected mice lacking Saa1.1 …