Project description:Mild cold acclimation increases insulin sensitivity and previous studies indicate that some level of muscle contraction is essential for provoking this effect. Here, 15 adults with overweight or obesity, the majority of which had impaired glucose tolerance (n=9), were intermittently cold exposed for 10 consecutive days to induce 1 hour of shivering per day. Cold acclimation with shivering improved oral glucose tolerance, blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglyceride, and non-esterified free-fatty acid concentrations, and may thus represent a novel lifestyle approach for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related metabolic disorders.
Project description:Background and aims: Youth populations with overweight/obesity (OW/OB) exhibit heterogeneity in cardiometabolic health phenotypes (e.g. fasting glucose, serum triglycerides, etc.). The underling mechanisms for those differences are still unclear. This study aimed to analyze the whole blood transcriptome profile (RNA-seq) of children with metabolic healthy overweight/obesity (MHO) and metabolic unhealthy overweight/obesity (MUO) phenotypes. Methods: 27 children with OW/OB (10.14 ± 1.3 years, 59% boys) from the ActiveBrains project were included. MHO was defined as having none of the following criteria for metabolic syndrome: elevated fasting glucose, high serum triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high systolic or diastolic blood pressure, while MUO was defined as presenting one or more of these criteria. Inflammatory markers interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) were additionally determined. Total-blood RNA was analyzed by 5’-end RNA sequencing. Two different bioinformatics approaches were performed: 1) Differential gene expression analyses using Limma R/Bioconductor software package (analyses adjusted by sex and maturational status) and 2) weighted gene coexpression network analyses (WGCNA). Results: Children with MHO had lower values of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 compared to MUO (p < 0.05). 40 genes were differentially expressed (FDR < 0.05) in children with MHO compared to MUO. WGCNA analysis identified 23 gene coexpression modules (i.e. clusters of genes) with low preservation (Zsummary < 2) in children with MHO compared to MUO. Differential and WGCNA gene expression patterns identified 32 genes linked to metabolism, mitochondrial and immune functions. Conclusions: Whole blood transcriptome analysis revealed a distinct pattern of gene expression in children with MHO compared to MUO children. The identified gene expression patterns related to metabolism, mitochondrial and immune functions can promote a better understanding of cardiovascular disease prognosis in individuals with MHO.
Project description:In order to explore the effect of hypertension and overweight/obesity on human visceral adipose tissue transcriptome, we collected three visceral adipose tissue samples from normal weight individuals (non hypertension), overweight/obese individuals (non hypertension) and overweight/obese individuals with hypertension, and sequenced their transcriptome.
Project description:Distinct whole blood transcriptome profile of children with metabolic healthy overweight/obesity compared to metabolic unhealthy overweight/obesity
Project description:Background: The current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits of exercise is still limited, especially in the pediatric population. We set out to investigate the effect of a 20-week exercise intervention on whole blood transcriptome profile (RNA-seq) in children with overweight/obesity. Methods: Twenty-four pre-pubertal children (10.21 ± 1.33 years, 46% girls) with overweight/obesity, were randomized to either a 20-week exercise program (intervention group; n=10), or to a non-exercise control group (usual lifestyle, n=14). Whole blood transcriptome profile was analysed using RNA-seq STRT2 technique. Gene expression analysis was carried out with the Limma R/Bioconductor software package, and the gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed using R. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was performed for gene network detection. The transcriptome data were in silico validated using PHENOPEDIA and meta-analysis database extrameta.org. Results: 161 genes were differentially expressed between the exercise and the control groups among boys, and 121 genes among girls (p-value < 0.05), while after multiple correction, no significant difference between groups persisted in gene expression profiles (FDR > 0.05). Based on non-corrected analyses, the enriched GO processes and molecular pathways highlighted the effect of exercise on different immune response related pathways in boys (antigen processing and presentation, infections, and T cell receptor complex) and girls (Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway) (FDR < 0.05). In silico data mining and validation analyses (using PHENOPEDIA and meta-analysis database extrameta.org) highlight top genes regulated by exercise such as CD6, HLA-C, TNFRSF1A, MYD88, and NFKBIA genes in boys and RAC1, ANXA6, FYN, INPP5D, PIK3CD and SPARC genes in girls. Conclusion: These results suggest that 20-week exercise program influences different immune processes in children with overweight/obesity. The transcriptome differences between boys and girls could partly be explained, in addition to the gender differences, by the distinct intensity in the exercise intervention as boys had stronger exercise stimulus in training. Our findings should be considered exploratory and preliminary given the relatively small sample size. Larger and more powered randomized controlled trials should confirm or contrast our findings.
Project description:Background: An important feature to vitamin D physiology is its gender dependence. The aim of this study was to examine whether vitamin D exerts a sexually dimorphic effect on the blood coagulation pathway among adults with overweight. Methods: This study compared the serum proteomic profiles of age and BMI-matched males (n=26) and pre-menopausal females (n=24) with overweight that attained vitamin D sufficiency after a 12-month intervention. Unprocessed serum was subjected to depletion-free, quantitative proteomic analysis using our previously published methodology. Results. A total of 1,841 proteins were profiled (p < 0.05). The analysed proteins vitamin-K dependent protein C, von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen gamma chain and multimerin-1 were ELISA validated to be differentially affected between genders by vitamin D status improvement. Conclusions: Vitamin D optimization exhibits a sexually dimorphic effect on the blood coagulation pathway among adults with overweight. This gender specific vitamin D effect should be taken into consideration in the design and interpretation of vitamin D observational and intervention studies.
Project description:In the past few decades, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has sharply increased in children and adolescents. Childhood obesity life are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, sleep disturbances and certain cancers in adulthood. Childhood obesity has become a serious global public health challenge. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have an important role in adipose tissue function and energy metabolism homeostasis, and abnormalities may lead to obesity. We used microarrays to detail the differential expression profile of lncRNAs and mRNAs in obese children compared with non-obese children.
Project description:Obesity and overweight are closely related to diet, and gut microbiota play an important role in body weight and human health. The aim of this study was to explore how Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum KY1032 supplementation alleviate obesity by modulating the human gut microbiome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 72 overweight individuals. Over a 12-week period, probiotic groups consumed 5×10^9 colony-forming units of HY7601 and KY1032), whereas the placebo group consumed the same product without probiotics. After treatment, the probiotic group displayed a reduction in body weight (p <0.001), visceral fat mass (p <0.025), and waist circumference (p <0.007), and an increase in adiponectin (p <0.046), compared with the placebo group. Additionally, HY7601 and KY1032 supplementation modulated bacterial gut microbiota characteristics and beta diversity by increasing Bifidobacteriaceae and Akkermansiaceae, and decreasing Prevotellaceae and Selenomonadaceae. In summary, HY7601 and KY1032 probiotics exert anti-obesity effects by regulating the gut microbiota; hence, they have therapeutic potential for preventing or alleviating obesity and overweight.
Project description:Maternal obesity impacts the health of offspring, increasing the risk of developing obesity and/or other metabolic dysregulation in childhood or later in life. Using a genome-wide methylation assay, we identified sex-dependent dysregulation of the methylome of CD3+ T-lymphocytes, a cell type that plays an important role in obesity and inflammatory diseases, in newborn offspring of overweight and obese mothers. Furthermore, the differentially methylated loci were targeted to regulatory regions of the genome, in imprinted genes and genes identified from GWAS as being related to type 2 diabetes and obesity.