Project description:Time-restricted feeding improves metabolic health independently of dietary macronutrient composition or energy restriction. To understand the mechanisms underpinning the effects of time-restricted feeding, we investigated the metabolic and transcriptomic profile of skeletal muscle and serum samples from 11 overweight/obese men. In muscle, 4-10% of transcripts and 14% of metabolites were periodic, with the amplitude of the metabolites lower after time-restricted feeding. Core clock genes were unaltered by either intervention, while time-restricted feeding induced rhythmicity of genes related to lipid and amino acid transport. In serum, 49-65% of the metabolites had diurnal rhythms across both conditions, with the majority being lipids. Time-restricted feeding shifted the skeletal muscle metabolite profile from predominantly lipids to amino acids. Our results show time-restricted feeding differentially affects the amplitudes and rhythmicity of serum and skeletal muscle metabolites, and regulates the rhythmicity of genes controlling lipid and amino acid transport, without perturbing the core clock.
Project description:Lymphocyte and breast tissue samples from overweight woman at increased risk of breast cancer before and after 1 month of intermittant energy restriction Introduction Observational studies indicate that weight loss and energy restriction reduce breast cancer risk. Intermittent energy restriction (IER) reduces weight as well as, or more than continuous energy restriction (CER), but its effect on the breast and systemic metabolism as indicators of breast cancer risk are not known. Methods We assessed the effect of IER ( 2 days of 65% energy restriction) for one menstrual cycle on the breast (breast gene expression and fat cell size) and systemic metabolism (insulin resistance, lipids, serum and urine metabolites) in 23 overweight premenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer. Unsupervised hierarchical analysis selected 100 genes with the highest variance between pre and post IER biopsies in 20 subjects, whilst mass spectrometry was used to assess corresponding changes in serum (LCMS) and urine metabolites (GCMS) in 23 subjects in the restricted and unrestricted days of the IER. Results Women lost on average 4.8% (± 2.0) of body weight and 8.0% (± 5.0) of body fat. Insulin resistance (HOMA) was reduced by 29.8% (±17.8) on the restricted days and by 11%(±34) on the unrestricted days of the IER. Over 250 serum and urine metabolites significantly increased or decreased during the two restricted days and most returned to normal after the subsequent five day period . In the breast tissue, approximately half (In 11) of the subjects displayed down regulation of several metabolic pathways including lipid synthesis, growth factors and hormones, whilst epithelial genes including milk proteins, secretoglobulins and mucins were up-regulated and several metabolic pathways down-regulated including lipid synthesis, growth factors and hormones. In the other nine subjects there was no appreciable effect of IER on the breast. CorrespondingThe gene changes were not seen in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and there was no reduction in breast fat cell size. The two groups defined by change in gene expression or lack of it did not differ in the degree of weight or fat loss, other systemic metabolic markers, or histological assessment of the biopsies. Conclusion We conclude that breasts vary in response to short-term IER, the mechanism of which requires further investigation. Trial registration ISRCTN77916487
Project description:The circadian clock and rhythmic food intake are both important regulators of rhythmic gene expression in the liver. It remains, however, elusive to which extent the circadian clock network and natural feeding rhythms contribute to rhythmic gene expression. To systematically address this question, we developed an algorithm to investigate differential rhythmicity between a varying number of conditions. Mouse knockout models of different parts of the circadian clock network (Bmal1, Cry1/2, and Hlf/Dbp/Tef) exposed to controlled feeding regimens (ad libitum, night restricted feeding) were generated and analyzed for their temporal hepatic transcriptome. A genetical ablation of core loop elements altered feeding patterns that were restored by night restricted feeding. Mainly genes with a high amplitude were driven by the circadian clock but natural feeding patterns equally contributed to rhythmic gene expression with lower amplitude. We observed that Bmal1 and Cry1/2 KOs differed in rhythmic gene expression and identified differences in mean expression levels as a predictor for rhythmic gene expression. In Hlf/Dbp/Tef KO, mRNA levels of Hlf/Dbp/Tef target genes were decreased, albeit rhythmicity was overall preserved potentially due to the activity of the D-Box binding repressor NFIL3. Genes that lost rhythmicity in Hlf/Dbp/Tef KOs were identified to be no direct targets of PARbZip factors and presumably lost rhythmicity due to indirect effects. Collectively, our findings provide unprecedent insights into the diurnal transcriptome in mouse liver and defines the contribution of subloops of the circadian clock network and natural feeding cycles. The developed algorithm and a webapp to browse the outcomes of the study are publicly available to serve as a resource for the scientific community.
Project description:The circadian clock and rhythmic food intake are both important regulators of rhythmic gene expression in the liver. It remains, however, elusive to which extent the circadian clock network and natural feeding rhythms contribute to rhythmic gene expression. To systematically address this question, we developed an algorithm to investigate differential rhythmicity between a varying number of conditions. Mouse knockout models of different parts of the circadian clock network (Bmal1, Cry1/2, and Hlf/Dbp/Tef) exposed to controlled feeding regimens (ad libitum, night restricted feeding) were generated and analyzed for their temporal hepatic transcriptome. A genetical ablation of core loop elements altered feeding patterns that were restored by night restricted feeding. Mainly genes with a high amplitude were driven by the circadian clock but natural feeding patterns equally contributed to rhythmic gene expression with lower amplitude. We observed that Bmal1 and Cry1/2 KOs differed in rhythmic gene expression and identified differences in mean expression levels as a predictor for rhythmic gene expression. In Hlf/Dbp/Tef KO, mRNA levels of Hlf/Dbp/Tef target genes were decreased, albeit rhythmicity was overall preserved potentially due to the activity of the D-Box binding repressor NFIL3. Genes that lost rhythmicity in Hlf/Dbp/Tef KOs were identified to be no direct targets of PARbZip factors and presumably lost rhythmicity due to indirect effects. Collectively, our findings provide unprecedent insights into the diurnal transcriptome in mouse liver and defines the contribution of subloops of the circadian clock network and natural feeding cycles. The developed algorithm and a webapp to browse the outcomes of the study are publicly available to serve as a resource for the scientific community.
Project description:The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of a short-term nutritional intervention on gene expression in adipose tissue from lean and overweight subjects
Project description:Using standardized, semipurified diets is a crucial factor for reproducibility of experimental nutritional studies. For the purpose of comparability and integration of research, two European consortia, Mitofood and BIOCLAIMS, proposed an AIN-93-based standard reference diet, the standardized BIOCLAIMS low-fat diet (LFD) as well as a high-fat diet (HFD). In order to evaluate the BIOCLAIMS LFD and HFD, we performed short-term (5 days) and long-term (12 weeks) feeding experiments using male C57BL/6 mice. The HFD has the same composition as the LFD except the fat content is increased to 40% energy in exchange for carbohydrates. Both diets were accepted by the animals and proof of principle was given that the BIOCLAIMS HFD increases body weight and body fat and affects glucose homeostasis. Short-term feeding trials (5 days) were performed in order to identify metabolic and molecular parameters which can serve as acute predictors for metabolic disorders due to high-fat diet-induced obesity. We analyzed gene expression in gonadal white adipose tissue of short- and long-term fed animals with whole genome microarrays. The BIOCLAIMS HFD strongly influenced gene expression in white adipose tissue after short- and long-term intervention. A total number of 973 and 4678 transcripts were significantly different between both diets after 5 days feeding and 12 weeks feeding, respectively. A total number of 764 transcripts encoding 549 genes were significantly differentially regulated between LF and HF animals after 12 weeks feeding as well as after 5 days feeding. Of these 549 overlapping genes, a substantial number (434 genes) were expressed at a lower level and 115 genes were expressed at a higher level in the HF mice compared to the LF mice. Without exception, all genes were regulated equally. Pathway analysis revealed a prominent role for genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. This was confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR. The high predictive value of gene expression changes in our short-term study compared to long-term high fat feeding is a promising step to get well-defined, early biomarkers that could shorten animal trials considerably and allow a more rapid and efficient screening of different compounds. C57BL/6J wildtype male mice, aged 12 weeks, received a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet for 5 days or 12 weeks. After sacrification, white adipose tissue depots were dissected, and immediately snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was isolated, quantified and qualified, and subsequently used for global gene expression profiling using Agilent 4x44K microarrays.
Project description:Using standardized, semipurified diets is a crucial factor for reproducibility of experimental nutritional studies. For the purpose of comparability and integration of research, two European consortia, Mitofood and BIOCLAIMS, proposed an AIN-93-based standard reference diet, the standardized BIOCLAIMS low-fat diet (LFD) as well as a high-fat diet (HFD). In order to evaluate the BIOCLAIMS LFD and HFD, we performed short-term (5 days) and long-term (12 weeks) feeding experiments using male C57BL/6 mice. The HFD has the same composition as the LFD except the fat content is increased to 40% energy in exchange for carbohydrates. Both diets were accepted by the animals and proof of principle was given that the BIOCLAIMS HFD increases body weight and body fat and affects glucose homeostasis. Short-term feeding trials (5 days) were performed in order to identify metabolic and molecular parameters which can serve as acute predictors for metabolic disorders due to high-fat diet-induced obesity. We analyzed gene expression in gonadal white adipose tissue of short- and long-term fed animals with whole genome microarrays. The BIOCLAIMS HFD strongly influenced gene expression in white adipose tissue after short- and long-term intervention. A total number of 973 and 4678 transcripts were significantly different between both diets after 5 days feeding and 12 weeks feeding, respectively. A total number of 764 transcripts encoding 549 genes were significantly differentially regulated between LF and HF animals after 12 weeks feeding as well as after 5 days feeding. Of these 549 overlapping genes, a substantial number (434 genes) were expressed at a lower level and 115 genes were expressed at a higher level in the HF mice compared to the LF mice. Without exception, all genes were regulated equally. Pathway analysis revealed a prominent role for genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. This was confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR. The high predictive value of gene expression changes in our short-term study compared to long-term high fat feeding is a promising step to get well-defined, early biomarkers that could shorten animal trials considerably and allow a more rapid and efficient screening of different compounds.