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Nutrients Jun 2024Morphofunctional assessment was developed to evaluate disease-related malnutrition. However, it can also be used to assess cardiometabolic risk, as excess adiposity... (Review)
Review
Morphofunctional assessment was developed to evaluate disease-related malnutrition. However, it can also be used to assess cardiometabolic risk, as excess adiposity increases this risk. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most prevalent inherited metabolic disease among adults, and obesity in PKU has recently gained interest, although fat mass correlates better with cardiometabolic risk than body mass index. In this systematic review, the objective was to assess whether adult patients with PKU have higher fat mass than healthy controls. Studies of adult PKU patients undergoing dietary treatment in a metabolic clinic reporting fat mass were included. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. Relevance of articles, data collection, and risk of bias were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Ten articles were evaluated, six with a control group, including 310 subjects with PKU, 62 with mild hyperphenylalaninemia, and 157 controls. One study reported a significant and four a tendency towards an increased fat mass in all patients or only females with PKU. Limitations included not having a healthy control group, not reporting sex-specific results and using different techniques to assess fat mass. Evaluation of fat mass should be included in the morphofunctional assessment of cardiometabolic risk in adult patients with PKU.
Topics: Humans; Phenylketonurias; Adult; Female; Male; Malnutrition; Adiposity; Body Mass Index; Obesity; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Adipose Tissue
PubMed: 38931188
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121833 -
Nutrients Jun 2024In order to better understand which metabolic differences are related to insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome (MetSyn), we used hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic (HE)...
CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE
In order to better understand which metabolic differences are related to insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome (MetSyn), we used hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic (HE) clamps in individuals with MetSyn and related peripheral insulin resistance to circulating biomarkers.
DESIGN/METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, HE-clamps were performed in treatment-naive men (n = 97) with MetSyn. Subjects were defined as insulin-resistant based on the rate of disappearance (Rd). Machine learning models and conventional statistics were used to identify biomarkers of insulin resistance. Findings were replicated in a cohort with n = 282 obese men and women with (n = 156) and without (n = 126) MetSyn. In addition to this, the relation between biomarkers and adipose tissue was assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.
RESULTS
Peripheral insulin resistance is marked by changes in proteins related to inflammatory processes such as IL-1 and TNF-receptor and superfamily members. These proteins can distinguish between insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive individuals (AUC = 0.72 ± 0.10) with MetSyn. These proteins were also associated with IFG, liver fat (rho 0.36, = 1.79 × 10) and visceral adipose tissue (rho = 0.35, = 6.80 × 10). Interestingly, these proteins had the strongest association in the MetSyn subgroup compared to individuals without MetSyn.
CONCLUSIONS
MetSyn associated with insulin resistance is characterized by protein changes related to body fat content, insulin signaling and pro-inflammatory processes. These findings provide novel targets for intervention studies and should be the focus of future in vitro and in vivo studies.
Topics: Humans; Insulin Resistance; Metabolic Syndrome; Male; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Middle Aged; Adult; Biomarkers; Proteome; Glucose Clamp Technique; Obesity; Adipose Tissue; Insulin; Intra-Abdominal Fat
PubMed: 38931177
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121822 -
Nutrients Jun 2024The global rise in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity necessitates innovative dietary interventions. This study investigates the effects of allulose, a rare sugar shown...
The global rise in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity necessitates innovative dietary interventions. This study investigates the effects of allulose, a rare sugar shown to reduce blood glucose, in a rat model of diet-induced obesity and T2D. Over 12 weeks, we hypothesized that allulose supplementation would improve body weight, insulin sensitivity, and glycemic control. Our results showed that allulose mitigated the adverse effects of high-fat, high-sugar diets, including reduced body weight gain and improved insulin resistance. The allulose group exhibited lower food consumption and increased levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), enhancing glucose regulation and appetite control. Additionally, allulose prevented liver triglyceride accumulation and promoted mitochondrial uncoupling in adipose tissue. These findings suggest that allulose supplementation can improve metabolic health markers, making it a promising dietary component for managing obesity and T2D. Further research is needed to explore the long-term benefits and mechanisms of allulose in metabolic disease prevention and management. This study supports the potential of allulose as a safe and effective intervention for improving metabolic health in the context of dietary excess.
Topics: Animals; Fructose; Male; Obesity; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Insulin Resistance; Blood Glucose; Rats; Diet, High-Fat; Liver; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Triglycerides; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Adipose Tissue; Weight Gain; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38931176
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121821 -
Microorganisms May 2024Given the recognized involvement of the gut microbiome in the development of obesity, considerable efforts are being made to discover probiotics capable of preventing...
Given the recognized involvement of the gut microbiome in the development of obesity, considerable efforts are being made to discover probiotics capable of preventing and managing obesity. In this study, we report the discovery of GBCC_F0227, isolated from fermented food, which exhibited superior triglyceride catabolism efficacy compared to WCSF1. Molecular analysis showed elevated expression levels of α/β hydrolases with lipase activity (abH04, abH08_1, abH08_2, abH11_1, and abH11_2) in GBCC_F0227 compared to WCFS1, demonstrating its enhanced lipolytic activity. In a high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse obesity model, the administration of GBCC_F0227 mitigated weight gain, reduced blood triglycerides, and diminished fat mass. Furthermore, GBCC_F0227 upregulated adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue, indicative of favorable metabolic modulation, and showed robust growth and low cytotoxicity, underscoring its industrial viability. Therefore, our findings encourage the further investigation of GBCC_F0227's therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of obesity and associated metabolic diseases.
PubMed: 38930468
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061086 -
Microorganisms May 2024The human microbiome, a complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and protozoans living in symbiosis with the host, plays a crucial role in human health, influencing... (Review)
Review
The human microbiome, a complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and protozoans living in symbiosis with the host, plays a crucial role in human health, influencing everything from metabolism to immune function. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in this ecosystem, has been linked to various health issues, including diabetes and gestational diabetes (GD). In diabetes, dysbiosis affects the function of adipose tissue, leading to the release of adipokines and cytokines, which increase inflammation and insulin resistance. During pregnancy, changes to the microbiome can exacerbate glucose intolerance, a common feature of GD. Over the past years, burgeoning insights into the gut microbiota have unveiled its pivotal role in human health. This article comprehensively reviews literature from the last seven years, highlighting the association between gut microbiota dysbiosis and GD, as well as the metabolism of antidiabetic drugs and the potential influences of diet and probiotics. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms discussed include the impact of dysbiosis on systemic inflammation and the interplay with genetic and environmental factors. By focusing on recent studies, the importance of considering microbial health in the prevention and treatment of GD is emphasized, providing insights into future research directions and clinical applications to improve maternal-infant health outcomes.
PubMed: 38930451
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061070 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Gelatin-based photo-crosslinkable hydrogels are promising scaffold materials to serve regenerative medicine. They are widely applicable in additive manufacturing, which...
Gelatin-based photo-crosslinkable hydrogels are promising scaffold materials to serve regenerative medicine. They are widely applicable in additive manufacturing, which allows for the production of various scaffold microarchitectures in line with the anatomical requirements of the organ to be replaced or tissue defect to be treated. Upon their in vivo utilization, the main bottleneck is to monitor cell colonization along with their degradation (rate). In order to enable non-invasive visualization, labeling with MRI-active components like -(2,2-difluoroethyl)acrylamide (DFEA) provides a promising approach. Herein, we report on the development of a gelatin-methacryloyl-aminoethyl-methacrylate-based biomaterial ink in combination with DFEA, applicable in digital light processing-based additive manufacturing towards bone tissue regeneration. The fabricated hydrogel constructs show excellent shape fidelity in line with the printing resolution, as DFEA acts as a small molecular crosslinker in the system. The constructs exhibit high stiffness ( = 36.9 ± 4.1 kPa, evaluated via oscillatory rheology), suitable to serve bone regeneration and excellent MRI visualization capacity. Moreover, in combination with adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), the 3D-printed constructs show biocompatibility, and upon 4 weeks of culture, the ASCs express the osteogenic differentiation marker Ca.
PubMed: 38930365
DOI: 10.3390/ma17122996 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024The incidence of obesity and asthma continues to enhance, significantly impacting global public health. Adipose tissue is an organ that secretes hormones and cytokines,... (Review)
Review
The incidence of obesity and asthma continues to enhance, significantly impacting global public health. Adipose tissue is an organ that secretes hormones and cytokines, causes meta-inflammation, and contributes to the intensification of bronchial hyperreactivity, oxidative stress, and consequently affects the different phenotypes of asthma in obese people. As body weight increases, the risk of severe asthma increases, as well as more frequent exacerbations requiring the use of glucocorticoids and hospitalization, which consequently leads to a deterioration of the quality of life. This review discusses the relationship between obesity and severe asthma, the underlying molecular mechanisms, changes in respiratory function tests in obese people, its impact on the occurrence of comorbidities, and consequently, a different response to conventional asthma treatment. The article also reviews research on possible future therapies for severe asthma. The manuscript is a narrative review of clinical trials in severe asthma and comorbid obesity. The articles were found in the PubMed database using the keywords asthma and obesity. Studies on severe asthma were then selected for inclusion in the article. The sections: 'The classification connected with asthma and obesity', 'Obesity-related changes in pulmonary functional tests', and 'Obesity and inflammation', include studies on subjects without asthma or non-severe asthma, which, according to the authors, familiarize the reader with the pathophysiology of obesity-related asthma.
PubMed: 38930006
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123474 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024Modern treatments for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDβT) have allowed patients to reach high life expectancy with no iron overload. Despite survival...
Modern treatments for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDβT) have allowed patients to reach high life expectancy with no iron overload. Despite survival improvement, atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as a relevant issue. AF pathophysiology and characteristics in TDβT are different than in the general population. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may play a role but its relationship with AF in patients with TDβT has not been explored. A monocentric, cross-sectional study, enrolling consecutive patients with TDβT. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) was evaluated at magnetic resonance. Characteristics of patients with and without history of AF were investigated. Factors independently associated with AF prevalence were analyzed. A total of 116 patients were enrolled. All patients were treated with regular chelation therapy. The prevalence of AF was 29.3% (34/116). Cardiac T2* and liver iron concentration were no different between patients with and without AF. EAT thickness was significantly higher in patients with AF at left atrium, right atrium and right ventricle (5.0 vs. 4.0 mm, < 0.01, 4.4 vs. 4.0, = 0.02 and 5.0 vs. 4.3, = 0.04). Patients with AF presented with older age, (53 vs. 49 years, < 0.01), more hypothyroidism (44.1 vs. 20.7%, = 0.01), pulmonary hypertension (23.5 vs. 2.4% < 0.01), splenectomy (88.2 vs. 64.6%, = 0.01), higher right and left atrial volume (61 vs. 40 and 74 vs. 43 mL, both < 0.01). At multivariable analysis, hypothyroidism, left atrial volume and left atrial EAT were independently associated with AF (odds ratio 9.95, 1.09 and 1.91, respectively). In a contemporary cohort of patients with TDβT, treated with regular chelation therapy, prevalence of AF was unrelated to iron overload. EAT was independently associated with AF.
PubMed: 38930000
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123471 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Jun 2024Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common complex musculoskeletal disorder, resulting from the degeneration of the articular cartilage and characterized by joint pain and...
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common complex musculoskeletal disorder, resulting from the degeneration of the articular cartilage and characterized by joint pain and dysfunction that culminate in progressive articular cartilage loss. We present our experience in the management of hip and knee OA by means of the intra-articular injection of fat micrograft, describing our approach, which was developed from the belief in the powerful reparative effect of autologous fat graft on damaged tissue, as well as its natural lubricating effect on the joints. Inclusion criteria were as follows: men and women, aged 20 to 80 years, that referred articular pain of the hips and/or knees, showing initial-stage degenerative OA. From October 2018 to July 2023, a total of 250 patients underwent treatment with the Sefficare device (SEFFILINE srl, Bologna, Italy). The Superficial Enhanced Fluid Fat Injection device was used to perform autologous regenerative treatments in a safe, standardized, easy, and effective way on 160 women, 64%, and 90 men, 36%. A total of 190 procedures (76%) involved the knees, with 20 patients who were bilaterally treated, while 60 procedures, all unilateral, involved the hips (24%). The mean age at treatment was 52.4 years. Before treatment, each patient had undergone X-rays and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the painful hip/knee to evaluate and grade the articular OA. Postoperatively, each patient was assessed after one, three, six, and twelve months. The donor site postoperative course was uneventful other than minimal discomfort. Clinically, the ROM (range of motion) of the treated knee/hip increased an average of 10 degrees 3 months after treatment, but the stiffness was reduced, as reported by the patients. The VAS (Visual Analog Scale) was submitted at 3, 6, and 12 months, demonstrating a progressive reduction of pain, with the best score obtained at six months postoperatively. In total, 85% of patients were satisfied one year after treatment, with a considerable improvement in pain and quality of life. The satisfactory outcome of this minimally invasive procedure indicates that the intra-articular injection of fat micrograft can replace or considerably delay the need for the classical major joint replacement surgery, thanks to its impact on the quality of life of patients and financial cost.
PubMed: 38929825
DOI: 10.3390/jpm14060604 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Studies on adolescent rats, when body composition is changing deeply, reveal that the administration of sodium selenite and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), at the same...
Studies on adolescent rats, when body composition is changing deeply, reveal that the administration of sodium selenite and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), at the same dose, have opposite effects on adipogenesis in white adipose tissue (WAT). To investigate the mechanisms involved in these contrasting effects by means of transcriptomic analysis, three groups of male adolescent rats ( = 18) were used: control (C), selenite supplemented (S), and SeNPs supplemented (NS). Both treated groups received a twofold increase in Se dose compared to the control group through water intake for three weeks. Following treatment, WAT was removed and frozen at -80 °C until subsequent use for RNA extraction, endogenous antioxidant enzymatic activities determination, and quantification of HO and malondialdehyde. NS rats displayed a larger number of differentially expressed genes and cellular processes impacted than S rats. Remarkably, these changes involved upregulation of gene expression associated with the immune system, catabolism, mitochondrial function, and oxidative balance. NS rats presented an increase in antioxidant enzymes activity, alongside an accumulation of HO and malondialdehyde levels. The expression level of 81 genes related to oxidative stress was significantly affected in NS rats. Analyzing the KEGG pathway enrichment revealed that NS rats exhibited increased activity in key catabolic pathways and decreased activity in crucial growth signaling processes. These changes contribute to the mass decrease in WAT found in NS rats. These results suggest a possible application of SeNPs in WAT reduction and induction of the immune response during adolescence.
PubMed: 38929188
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060750