Adiponectin and the metabolic syndrome: mechanisms mediating risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disease

Association between adiponectin and lipids in Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVES

There is increasing evidence linking Parkinson's disease (PD) to lipids, such as the presence of lipids in the core of Lewy bodies in PD brains or high-molecular-weight adiponectin (APN) in phosphorylated α-synuclein-positive Lewy bodies. This study aimed to verify whether APN levels are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The association between APN and body weight was also investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The following parameters were measured using venous blood sampling: HDL-C, LDL-C, glucose, and lipids, including APN.

RESULTS

PD patients receiving dopaminergic treatments had significant higher APN than that of de-novo PD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) or multiple system atrophy- parkinsonian type (MSA-P). Multivariate analysis using ANCOVA revealed a significant difference in APN levels between treated PD patients and de-novo PD patients (adjusted mean difference of -4.273 μg/ml, p = 0.037]), or PSP patients (adjusted mean difference of -4.756 μg/ml, p = 0.034]). BMIs were mildly higher in de-novo PD patients compared to treated PD patients (adjusted mean difference of 1.686, p = 0.074]). After adjustment, APN levels were positively correlated with HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with PD (regression coefficient=0.479, P < 0.001), but not total cholesterol, or LDL-C. This correlation was not evident in patients with MSA-P, or PSP.

CONCLUSIONS

APN likely plays a role in the composition of lipid rafts, particularly in patients with treated PD. The correlation between APN and HDL-C may be a marker that differentiates PD from MSA-P, or PSP.

Sex-Related Differences in the Associations between Adiponectin and Serum Lipoproteins in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

The strong associations between the serum levels of adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses observed in healthy subjects are much weaker in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the impact of sex on these associations remained unexplored. Therefore, in the present study, we examined associations between adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses, analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, separately in healthy females and males, as well as in females and males with MS. We observed negative correlations between adiponectin and VLDL, IDL, and small-dense LDL in healthy males, but neither in healthy females nor in females or males with MS. Additionally, adiponectin was positively correlated with some HDL subclasses in healthy males and females with MS, but not in healthy females or males with MS. Adjusting for age and either body mass index, waist circumference, C-reactive protein, or interleukin-6 weakened the associations between adiponectin and VLDL and IDL but not small-dense LDL. The adjustment weakened the associations between adiponectin and HDL in healthy males but not in females with MS. Based on our results, we conclude that sex and the presence of MS are strong determinants of the associations between adiponectin and serum lipoproteins and that the complex regulatory network comprising adiponectin and other molecular players involved in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism is primarily operative in healthy males and females with MS.

Clinical characteristics and treatment compounds of obesity-related kidney injury

Disorders in energy homeostasis can lead to various metabolic diseases, particularly obesity. The obesity epidemic has led to an increased incidence of obesity-related nephropathy (ORN), a distinct entity characterized by proteinuria, glomerulomegaly, progressive glomerulosclerosis, and renal function decline. Obesity and its associated renal damage are common in clinical practice, and their incidence is increasing and attracting great attention. There is a great need to identify safe and effective therapeutic modalities, and therapeutics using chemical compounds and natural products are receiving increasing attention. However, the summary is lacking about the specific effects and mechanisms of action of compounds in the treatment of ORN. In this review, we summarize the important clinical features and compound treatment strategies for obesity and obesity-induced kidney injury. We also summarize the pathologic and clinical features of ORN as well as its pathogenesis and potential therapeutics targeting renal inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, fibrosis, kidney lipid accumulation, and dysregulated autophagy. In addition, detailed information on natural and synthetic compounds used for the treatment of obesity-related kidney disease is summarized. The synthesis of detailed information aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the clinical treatment modalities for obesity-related kidney diseases, fostering the anticipation of novel insights in this domain.

Serum Levels of Adiponectin Are Strongly Associated with Lipoprotein Subclasses in Healthy Volunteers but Not in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a widespread disease in developed countries, accompanied, among others, by decreased adiponectin serum levels and perturbed lipoprotein metabolism. The associations between the serum levels of adiponectin and lipoproteins have been extensively studied in the past under healthy conditions, yet it remains unexplored whether the observed associations also exist in patients with MS. Therefore, in the present study, we analyzed the serum levels of lipoprotein subclasses using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and examined their associations with the serum levels of adiponectin in patients with MS in comparison with healthy volunteers (HVs). In the HVs, the serum levels of adiponectin were significantly negatively correlated with the serum levels of large buoyant-, very-low-density lipoprotein, and intermediate-density lipoprotein, as well as small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and significantly positively correlated with large buoyant high-density lipoprotein (HDL). In patients with MS, however, adiponectin was only significantly correlated with the serum levels of phospholipids in total HDL and large buoyant LDL. As revealed through logistic regression and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analyses, high adiponectin serum levels were associated with low levels of small dense LDL and high levels of large buoyant HDL in the HVs as well as high levels of large buoyant LDL and total HDL in patients with MS. We conclude that the presence of MS weakens or abolishes the strong associations between adiponectin and the lipoprotein parameters observed in HVs and disturbs the complex interplay between adiponectin and lipoprotein metabolism.

Inflammatory Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Multiple Myeloma: Transcriptional Signature and In Vitro Modeling

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM MSCs) play a tumor-supportive role in promoting drug resistance and disease relapse in multiple myeloma (MM). Recent studies have discovered a sub-population of MSCs, known as inflammatory MSCs (iMSCs), exclusive to the MM BM microenvironment and implicated in drug resistance. Through a sophisticated analysis of public expression data from unexpanded BM MSCs, we uncovered a positive association between iMSC signature expression and minimal residual disease. While in vitro expansion generally results in the loss of the iMSC signature, our meta-analysis of additional public expression data demonstrated that cytokine stimulation, including IL1-β and TNF-α, as well as immune cells such as neutrophils, macrophages, and MM cells, can reactivate the signature expression of iMSCs to varying extents. These findings underscore the importance and potential utility of cytokine stimulation in mimicking the gene expression signature of early passage of iMSCs for functional characterizations of their tumor-supportive roles in MM.

Correlation analysis of obesity phenotypes with leptin and adiponectin

Obesity can be categorized as metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). However, individuals with MHO are characterized by the absence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and appear to have lower inflammation levels compared to MUO. This study aimed to investigate the association of obesity phenotypes with leptin (LEP) and adiponectin (ADP). According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 178 subjects from the previous cross-sectional survey. Based on the body mass index (BMI) and diagnostic criteria of MS, we divided the individuals into three groups, including healthy control group (HC group), metabolically healthy obesity group (MHO group) and metabolically unhealthy obesity group (MUO group). The concentrations of LEP and ADP in serum were measured, and the association of these two cytokines with different obesity phenotypes were subsequently analyzed. Compared to both the HC and MHO groups, the MUO group showed significantly higher BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (Homa-IR) and blood pressure (P < 0.05). In contrast, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was notably lower in the MUO group (P < 0.05). ADP was found to have a positive correlation with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a negative correlation with FPG in the MHO group. In the MUO group, LEP demonstrated a positive correlation with fasting insulin (FINS) and Homa-IR, while ADP showed a positive correlation with TC and SBP. Linear regression analysis further indicated that SBP (β = 0.234, P = 0.043), TG (β = - 0.292, P = 0.001) and LDL-C (β = 0.626, P = 0.000) were independently correlated with ADP, and BMI (β = 0.398, P = 0.002) was independently correlated with LEP in obese individuals. In conclusion, ADP and LEP were closely related with glucose and lipid metabolism in obese individuals, these two cytokines might play critical roles in obesity-associated metabolic disorders.

Association of obesity and cardiovascular disease and progress in pharmacotherapy: what is next for obesity?

Obesity has recently emerged as one of the most severe health concerns. Obesity is a key autonomous risk factor for heart failure and contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic abnormalities. Obesity is caused by a metabolic imbalance, which occurs when calories burnt are fewer than the number of calories consumed. There are several pathways accountable for the adverse impacts of obesity on the cardiovascular system. Inflammatory cell infiltration develops in the adipose tissue, the pancreas, and other issues similar to the progression of obesity. Inflammation is triggered by immune cells that invade dysfunctional adipose tissue. The atherosclerotic inflammation phase, related to obesity, induces coronary calcification. Obesity is linked to elevated levels of leptin and high blood pressure. Leptin causes systemic vasoconstriction, sodium retention, and increased blood pressure by influencing the synthesis of nitric oxide and activating the sympathetic nervous system. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for CVD and is one of the leading causes of the greater risk of diseases, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, depression, metabolic syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure in adults and children. When used with dietary improvements, antiobesity drugs improve the probability of experiencing clinically healthy (5%) weight loss. This review aimed to address the consequences of obesity on cardiac structure and function, risk factors, the impact of the obesity paradox, pharmacological treatment strategies for managing and recommended exercise and diet.

Association between obesity indicators and cardiometabolic disease in Chinese adults

BACKGROUND

Obesity is an established risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. Different measurements of obesity with cardiometabolic disease have been compared in recent studies in Western countries. However, obesity-related criteria for the Chinese population differ from the standard World Health Organization guidelines, and similar research in Chinese adults is limited.

MEASURES

Data were obtained from a comprehensive intervention project involving a community population with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors in Shenzhen in 2015. A total of 4,000 participants (1,605 men and 2,395 women) with a mean age of 56.01±9.78 years were included in this study. Categorical data are reported as percentages, and continuous data are reported as mean ± standard deviation. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and neck circumference (NC) with hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia among Chinese adults.

RESULTS

The participants had a mean BMI of 24.25±3.33 kg/m2, mean NC of 33.59±4.16 cm, and mean WC of 82.44±9.84 cm (men: 85.46±9.10 cm, women: 80.40±9.81 cm). Blood pressure, plasma glucose, and lipid levels in the BMI, WC, and NC groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). BMI, WC, and NC were positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride and negatively correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05), while the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia increased with an increase in BMI, WC, and NC (p < 0.05). One SD of BMI, WC, and NC resulted in an increase of 41%, 22%, and 31% risk of hypertension; 45%, 34%, and 47% risk of diabetes; and 37%, 32%, and 23% risk of dyslipidemia, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to BMI and NC, WC was more strongly associated with cardiometabolic diseases in Chinese adults.

Exposure to Heavy Metals and Serum Adiponectin Levels among Workers: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study

The workers exposed to metal fumes had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, which was correlated with decreased serum adiponectin. Thus, we aimed to explore whether heavy metal exposure affects the adiponectin level. There were 96 male workers recruited from a shipyard at baseline. Apart from 82 participants completed the follow-up assessments, new participants were recruited in next year. Finally, there were 100 welding workers in the exposure group and 31 office workers in the control group. Inferential statistics on repeated measures were performed using generalized estimating equations. A weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression model was conducted to examine the joint effect of the multimetal exposure with serum adiponectin. Significantly negative associations of metals with adiponectin were detected in the welding workers, including Cr (β = -0.088; 95% CI: -0.148, -0.027), Mn (β = -0.174; 95% CI: -0.267, -0.081), Co (β = -0.094; 95% CI: -0.158, -0.029), Ni (β = -0.108; 95% CI: -0.208, -0.008), Cd (β = -0.067; 95% CI: -0.115, -0.018), and Pb (β = -0.089; 95% CI: -0.163, -0.015). The WQS regression suggested that Pb was the greatest contributor. In conclusion, our findings highlighted that welding workers exposed to heavy metals would reduce serum adiponectin.

The potential molecular implications of adiponectin in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2: Inbuilt tendency

Adiponectin (APN) is an adipokine concerned in the regulation of glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity and fatty acid oxidation. APN plays a critical role in viral infections by regulating the immune response through its anti-inflammatory/pro-inflammatory axis. Reduction of APN may augment the severity of viral infections because APN inhibits immune cells’ response via suppression of inflammatory signaling pathways and stimulation of adenosine monophosphate protein kinase (AMPK). Moreover, APN inhibits the stimulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and regulates the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL-18, IL-6). In COVID-19, abnormalities of the fatty tissue due to oxidative stress (OS) and hyperinflammation may inhibit the production and release of APN. APN has lung-protective effect and can prevent SARS-CoV-2-induced acute lung injury (ALI) through the amelioration of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, endothelial dysfunction (ED) and stimulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-α). It has been established that there is a potential correlation between inflammatory signal transduction pathways and APN that contributes to the development of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Deregulation of these molecular pathways affects the expression of APN and vice versa. In addition, the reduction of APN effect in SARS-CoV-2 infection could be a potential cause of the exacerbation of pro-inflammatory effects which are associated with the disease severity. In this context, exploratory, developmental, and extensive prospective studies are necessary.

Effect of Adiponectin Variant on Lipid Profile and Plasma Adiponectin Levels: A Multicenter Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Adiponectin is a recognized antiatherogenic molecule; this study was aimed at clarifying the effects of adiponectin variants on lipid and adiponectin levels. Methods. By searching PubMed and Cochrane databases for studies published before March 31, 2022, a total of 86,610 individuals were included in the analysis. Results. Variants of rs2241766 and rs266729 were associated with decreased adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), as well as increased triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. In contrast, the rs1501299 variant was correlated with increased adiponectin and HDL-C, as well as decreased TG, TC, and LDL-C levels. Subgroup analysis indicated that the significant effect of the rs2241766 and rs266729 variants on lipid profile was predominant in Chinese, while the significant effect of the rs1501299 variant on lipid profile was primarily in Caucasians. Moreover, a stronger effect of the rs2241766 and rs1501299 variants on LDL-C levels was observed in males, while a considerable effect of the rs266729 variant on LDL-C levels was observed in children. Conclusions. The present study indicated that Chinese with the rs2241766 and rs266729 variants were at high risk of dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, or coronary artery disease (CAD). Males with the rs2241766 variant were at high risk of CAD. Children with the rs266729 variant had a high risk to develop dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and even early onset of CAD in the future. These findings are beneficial to clinical physicians to choose different management strategies for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.

Discovery and functional assessment of a novel adipocyte population driven by intracellular Wnt/β-catenin signaling in mammals

Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been well established as a potent inhibitor of adipogenesis. Here, we identified a population of adipocytes that exhibit persistent activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, as revealed by the Tcf/Lef-GFP reporter allele, in embryonic and adult mouse fat depots, named as Wnt⁺ adipocytes. We showed that this β-catenin-mediated signaling activation in these cells is Wnt ligand- and receptor-independent but relies on AKT/mTOR pathway and is essential for cell survival. Such adipocytes are distinct from classical ones in transcriptomic and genomic signatures and can be induced from various sources of mesenchymal stromal cells including human cells. Genetic lineage-tracing and targeted cell ablation studies revealed that these adipocytes convert into beige adipocytes directly and are also required for beige fat recruitment under thermal challenge, demonstrating both cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous roles in adaptive thermogenesis. Furthermore, mice bearing targeted ablation of these adipocytes exhibited glucose intolerance, while mice receiving exogenously supplied such cells manifested enhanced glucose utilization. Our studies uncover a unique adipocyte population in regulating beiging in adipose tissues and systemic glucose homeostasis.

Pathophysiological Role of Genetic Factors Associated With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a highly prevalent maternal pathology characterized by maternal glucose intolerance during pregnancy that is, associated with severe complications for both mother and offspring. Several risk factors have been related to GDM; one of the most important among them is genetic predisposition. Numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that act at different levels on various tissues, could cause changes in the expression levels and activity of proteins, which result in glucose and insulin metabolism dysfunction. In this review, we describe various SNPs; which according to literature, increase the risk of developing GDM. These SNPs include: (1) those associated with transcription factors that regulate insulin production and excretion, such as rs7903146 (TCF7L2) and rs5015480 (HHEX); (2) others that cause a decrease in protective hormones against insulin resistance such as rs2241766 (ADIPOQ) and rs6257 (SHBG); (3) SNPs that cause modifications in membrane proteins, generating dysfunction in insulin signaling or cell transport in the case of rs5443 (GNB3) and rs2237892 (KCNQ1); (4) those associated with enzymes such as rs225014 (DIO2) and rs9939609 (FTO) which cause an impaired metabolism, resulting in an insulin resistance state; and (5) other polymorphisms, those are associated with growth factors such as rs2146323 (VEGFA) and rs755622 (MIF) which could cause changes in the expression levels of these proteins, producing endothelial dysfunction and an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines, characteristic on GDM. While the pathophysiological mechanism is unclear, this review describes various potential effects of these polymorphisms on the predisposition to develop GDM.

Relationship between adiponectin multimer levels and subtypes of cerebral infarction

Aim

Serum adiponectin levels are decreased in patients with cerebral infarction. Adiponectin in circulation exists in three isoforms: high molecular weight (HMW), medium molecular weight (MMW), and low molecular weight (LMW) adiponectin. We measured serum levels of total adiponectin and adiponectin multimers (HMW, MMW, and LMW) in patients with cerebral infarction and compared the serum levels of the three adiponectin multimers in stroke subtypes. We also evaluated the clinical value of adiponectin multimer levels as a biomarker for cerebral infarction.

Methods

We assessed a total of 132 patients with cerebral infarctions. The serum levels of total and adiponectin multimers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

The total and HMW adiponectin levels were significantly lower in atherothrombotic infarction (AI) than in cerebral embolism (CE) (total, p < 0.05; HMW, p < 0.05). In male patients, the MMW adiponectin level was significantly lower in the lacunar infarction (LI) group than in the AI group (p < 0.05). The LMW adiponectin level was significantly lower in the AI group than in the LI and CE groups (LI, p < 0.001; CE, p = 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in adiponectin multimer levels among the stroke subtypes in female subjects. Additionally, in female patients with AI and LI, the LMW adiponectin levels were negatively associated with C-reactive protein (CRP; AI, p < 0.05; LI, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that a decrease in adiponectin is associated with AI and that serum LMW adiponectin level represents a potential biomarker for AI.

Identifying young adults at high risk of cardiometabolic disease using cluster analysis and the Framingham 30-yr risk score

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Current strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young adults are largely limited to those at extremes of risk. In cohort studies we have shown cluster analysis identified a large sub-group of adolescents with multiple risk factors. This study examined if individuals classified at 'high-risk' by cluster analysis could also be identified by their Framingham risk scores.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Raine Study data at 17- (n = 1048) and 20-years (n = 1120) identified high- and low-risk groups by cluster analysis using continuous measures of systolic BP, BMI, triglycerides and insulin resistance. We assessed:- CVD risk at 20-years using the Framingham 30 yr-risk-score in the high- and low-risk clusters, and cluster stability from adolescence to adulthood. Cluster analysis at 17- and 20-years identified a high-risk group comprising, 17.9% and 21.3%, respectively of the cohort. In contrast, only 1.2% and 3.4%, respectively, met the metabolic syndrome criteria, all of whom were within the high-risk cluster. Compared with the low-risk cluster, Framingham scores of the high-risk cluster were elevated in males (9.4%; 99%CI 8.3, 10.6 vs 6.0%; 99%CI 5.7, 6.2) and females (4.9%; 99%CI 4.4, 5.4 vs 3.2%; 99%CI 3.0, 3.3) (both P < 0.0001). A score >8 for males and >4 for females identified those at high CVD risk with 99% confidence.

CONCLUSION

Cluster analysis using multiple risk factors identified ∼20% of young adults at high CVD risk. Application of our Framingham 30 yr-risk cut-offs to individuals allows identification of more young people with multiple risk factors for CVD than conventional metabolic syndrome criteria.

Changes in Impaired Fasting Glucose and Borderline High Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol Status Alter the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A 9-Year Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to characterize the relationships of the changes in impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and borderline high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) status with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS

A total of 36,537 participants who did not have previous CVD, diabetes mellitus, or high LDL-C (≥ 4.1 mmol/L), nor were taking lipid-lowering drugs were recruited from the Kailuan study. The participants were allocated to six groups according to their baseline and follow-up fasting blood glucose (FBG) and LDL-C concentrations: (1) both were normal; (2) both normal at baseline, one abnormality subsequently; (3) both normal at baseline, both abnormal subsequently; (4) at least one abnormality that became normal; (5) at least one abnormality at baseline, a single abnormality subsequently; and (6) at least one abnormality, two abnormalities subsequently. The outcomes were CVD and subtypes of CVD (myocardial infarction and stroke). Multiple Cox regression models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and confidence interval (95% CI).

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 9.00 years, 1,753 participants experienced a CVD event. After adjustment for covariates, participants with IFG in combination with a borderline high LDL-C status at baseline and follow-up had higher risks of CVD (HR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.04-2.23 and HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13-1.70, respectively) compared with those with normal fasting blood glucose and LDL-C. Compared with participants that remained normal, those who changed from normality to having two abnormalities were at a higher risk of CVD (HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.98-1.61), as were those who changed from at least one abnormality to two abnormalities (HR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.02-2.15).

CONCLUSION

Changes in IFG and borderline high LDL-C status alter the risk of CVD and its subtype, implying that it is important to focus on such individuals for the prevention and control of CVD.

Serum adiponectin, body adiposity and metabolic parameters in obese Egyptian children with Down syndrome

OBJECTIVES

Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a higher risk for obesity. Adiponectin plays a crucial role in obesity-related cardiometabolic comorbidities. The study aimed to explore whether body adiposity indicators, the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, serum adiponectin and insulin resistance indices as well as the validity of serum adiponectin as a biomarker for MetS are different in prepubertal obese-DS children compared to matched obese-controls.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study included 150 prepubertal children classfied into three groups; obese-DS (n=50), obese-control (n=50) and normal-weight-control (n=50). Participants were evaluated for waist-circumference (WC), body adiposity, serum triglycerides, HDL-C, adiponectin and Homeostasis-Model-Assessment of Insulin-Resistance (HOMA-IR). MetS was defined using modified Adult Treatment Panel III-criteria.

RESULTS

Obese-DS had significantly higher WC, %body fat, total-fat mass, trunk-fat mass, trunk/appendicular-fat mass ratio, triglycerides, insulin and HOMA-IR and significantly lower HDL-C values compared to obese-control. Higher prevalence of MetS and its components were observed in obese-DS that was evident at younger age. Adiponectin was significantly lower in obese-DS compared with obese-control and in obese-DS children with MetS compared to obesecontrol with MetS. The decrease in adiponectin with increasing grades of obesity was pronounced in obese-DS. Adiponectin exhibited strong correlations with body adiposity, several MetS components and HOMA-IR in obese-DS. Adiponectin performed better as a biomarker for MetS among obese-DS (AUC=0.808) than obese-control (AUC=0.674).

CONCLUSIONS

Prepubertal obese-DS displayed excess body adiposity with pronounced central fat distribution, atherogenic lipid profile and higher insulin resistance compared to matched obese-control. Adiponectin performed better as potential biomarker of MetS in obese-DS than obese-control.

Pathophysiological role of major adipokines in Atrial Fibrillation

Background

The adipokines, secreted from adipose tissue or body fats, are also called adipocytokines which are cytokines, cell signaling proteins or cell–cell communication. However, AF is a common cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart beats so fast by abnormal beating and is a serious public health disease associated with increased heart failure, systemic thromboembolism, and death. Adipokines are cardiovascular disease (CVD) mediators or biomarkers that affect the heart as well as blood vessels, by increasing the cardiac contractility and action potential duration, which result in the extent of left ventricular and atrial remodeling.

Main body

Google Scholar, PubMed, and science direct were used to review the literature. Many keywords were used for searching the literature such as Adipokines, Leptin, Apelin, Adiponectin, Omentin-1, Chemerin, CTRP3, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and AF. According to the literature, much more data are available for numerous adipokines, but this review article only has taken few major adipokines which played their major role in Atrial Fibrillation. The review article did not limit the time frame.

Conclusion

In conclusion, adipokines play a significant role in the development and progress of atrial fibrillation. Also, there are major adipokines such as adiponectin, apelin, C1q/TNF-Related Protein 3 (CTRP3), Chemerin, Omentin-1, interleukin-6, Leptin, TNF-α, resistin, and interleukin-10, which played their pathophysiological role in atrial fibrillation by causing cardiac hypertrophy, increasing the cardiac contractility and action potential duration, atrial fibrosis, electrical and structural remodeling of atrial tissue.

Metabolic and inflammatory functions of cannabinoid receptor type 1 are differentially modulated by adiponectin

BACKGROUND

Antagonists of cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) have been shown to promote body weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity. Cannabinoids decrease adiponectin, and CB1 blocker increase adiponectin. However, the mediators of CB1 actions are not well defined.

AIM

To investigate whether the beneficial effects of CB1 inhibition are, at least in part, mediated by adiponectin.

METHODS

We compared metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes of wild-type (WT) mice, CB1-null (CB1 -/-) and CB1/adiponectin double-knockout (DKO) mice. We assessed the insulin sensitivity using insulin tolerance test and glucose tolerance test, and inflammation using flow cytometry analysis of macrophages.

RESULTS

CB1 -/- mice exhibited significantly reduced body weight and fat mass when compared to WT mice. While no significance was found in total daily food intake and locomotor activity, CB1 -/- mice showed increased energy expenditure, enhanced thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT), and improved insulin sensitivity compared to WT mice. DKO showed no difference in body weight, adiposity, nor insulin sensitivity; only showed a modestly elevated thermogenesis in BAT compared to CB1 -/- mice. The metabolic phenotype of DKO is largely similar to CB1 -/- mice, suggesting that adiponectin is not a key mediator of the metabolic effects of CB1. Interestingly, CB1 -/- mice showed reduced pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization in both peritoneal macrophages and adipose tissue macrophages compared to WT mice; in contrast, DKO mice exhibited increased pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization in these macrophages compared to CB1 -/- mice, suggesting that adiponectin is an important mediator of the inflammatory effect of CB1.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal that CB1 functions through both adiponectin-dependent and adiponectin-independent mechanisms: CB1 regulates energy metabolism in an adiponectin-independent manner, and inflammation in an adiponectin-dependent manner. The differential effects of adiponectin on CB1-mediated metabolic and inflammatory functions should be taken into consideration in CB1 antagonist utilization.

Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activity mediates adipocyte differentiation through control of adipogenic gene expression

Serotonin 5-HT2 receptors are expressed in many tissues and play important roles in biological processes. Although the 5-HT2A receptor is primarily known for its role in central nervous system, it is also expressed in peripheral tissues. We have found that 5-HT2A receptor antagonists inhibit human subcutaneous primary adipocyte differentiation. We also show that siRNA knockdown of the 5-HT2A receptor blocks differentiation. Using gene expression analysis in combination with receptor antagonists we found that activity of 5-HT2A receptors is necessary very early in the differentiation process to mediate expression of adipogenic genes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (ppar-γ), adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), adiponectin, and serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (sgk1). We show here for the first time that 5-HT2A receptor activity is necessary for differentiation of human primary subcutaneous preadipocytes to adipocytes, and that 5-HT2A receptor activity mediates key genes related to adipogenesis during this process. Importantly, this work contributes to a greater understanding of the adipocyte differentiation process, as well as to the role of 5-HT2A receptors in peripheral tissues, and may be relevant to the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting this receptor for the treatment of obesity related diseases.

The Effect of Garlic (Allium sativum L) Supplementation on Circulating Adiponectin: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of garlic on serum adiponectin levels. We searched Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library to databases up to January 2021. RCTs investigating the effects of garlic on serum adiponectin levels in adult participants were included. The change in serum adiponectin levels was estimated using weighted mean differences (WMD) and standard deviations (SD). The random effects model was used to provide a summary of mean estimates and their SDs. Out of 386 records, 6 trials with 8 arms treatment which enrolled 266 subjects were included. Garlic supplementation resulted in a non-significant increase in adiponectin concentrations when compared to placebo, according to the pooled data (WMD, 0.27 Hedges' g; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.07, 0.62; p = 0.124). Greater effects on adiponectin were observed in trials with supplementation dose less than 1.5 gram per day (WMD, 0.71 Hedges' g; 95% CI, -0.01, 1.43; p = 0.600) and in trials with female subset (WMD, 0.62 Hedges' g; 95% CI, -0.96, 2.21; p = 0.441). Garlic boosts adiponectin levels in general. However, due to different target population, various units for reporting adiponectin level and few eligible studies in final analysis, more research is needed to get a firm conclusion about the influence of garlic on adiponectin levels.

Adiponectin Concentration and Chronic Stroke Individuals, Associations with Body Composition, Physical Activity Levels and Lipid Profile: A Cross-Sectional Explorative Study

OBJECTIVE

Higher adiponectin concentration has been associated with the presence of sarcopenia in individuals with cardiovascular diseases. Post-stroke individuals presented higher adiponectin concentrations than non-stroke ones. However, no previous study has investigated the association between the adiponectin concentration and skeletal muscle mass in post-stroke individuals. On the other hand, higher adiponectin concentration has been associated with a more favorable lipid profile and the physical activity level might regulate adiponectin concentration. These associations have not been studied in this population. Thus, the main objective of this study was to determine whether the adiponectin concentration is associated with: (1) body composition; (2) lipid profile; and (3) physical activity level in chronic post-stroke individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was a correlational, cross-sectional exploratory study. Data on body composition and lipid profile were collected using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer (InBody® 720) and an automated method analyzer (CELL-DYN Ruby), respectively. The physical activity level was measured by the StepWatch® Activity Monitor and the serum adiponectin concentration was analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Correlation analyses were made using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r_s).

RESULTS

Twenty-one post-stroke participants took part in the study. The adiponectin concentration was associated with the following: skeletal muscle mass (r_s = -0.78), skeletal muscle mass index (r_s = -0.75) and high-density lipoprotein (r_s = 0.43).

CONCLUSIONS

A greater adiponectin concentration is associated with a lower skeletal muscle mass and a higher high-density lipoprotein level in chronic post-stroke individuals, but not with physical activity levels.

Changes in Body Composition Are Associated with Metabolic Changes and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

In a cohort of 190,599 participants from The National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening (NHIS-HEALS) study, we investigated the association of changes in the predicted body composition and metabolic profiles with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the general population, which was hitherto incompletely elucidated. At baseline and follow-up examinations, the body composition, including lean body mass (LBM), body fat mass (BFM), and appendicular skeletal mass (ASM), were estimated using a prediction equation, and the risk of MetS was analyzed according to relative body composition changes. An increase in relative LBM and ASM decreased the risk of MetS in men and women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 0.78 and 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.77-0.79 and 0.79-0.81, respectively; all p < 0.001). As relative LBM and ASM increased, the risk of MetS was more significantly reduced in the group with higher baseline BMI and body fat mass index (BFMI)(all p-trend < 0.001). In men, when the relative LBM increased (aOR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.63-0.73), the risk of MetS was low despite increased BMI. Thus, our findings suggested that an increase in the relative LBM and ASM reduced the risk of MetS, whereas an increase in the relative BFMI increased the risk of MetS; this result was consistent in men despite an increase in BMI.

Metabolic syndrome components and acute pancreatitis: a case-control study in China

Background

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common inflammatory disorder of the pancreas. Recent evidence has shown that metabolic syndrome is positively correlated with the severity of AP. However, only a few studies have revealed the relationship between metabolic syndrome and the occurrence of AP. We therefore elucidated the association between metabolic syndrome and the occurrence of AP.

Methods

A hospital-based case–control study was conducted. A total of 705 patients admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were included in the study. Subjects were divided into case and control groups according to their diagnosis: (1) According to the revised Atlanta classification from 2012, patients diagnosed with AP were enrolled in the case group. (2) Patients without a history of AP or any disease related to metabolic syndrome were allocated into the control group. Controls were matched to cases individually by sex and age (control/case ratio = 1).

Results

The incidence rate of metabolic syndrome in AP patients was 30.9%, which was more frequent than that in controls (13.2%) (OR 2.837; 95% CI 1.873–4.298, p < 0.001). In the multivariate regression analysis, a history of smoking or alcohol consumption and biliary stones were significantly associated with AP (OR 2.441; 95% CI 1.865–5.172, p < 0.001; OR 1.777; 95% CI 1.060–2.977, p = 0.029; OR 28.995; 95% CI 13.253–63.435, p < 0.001). In addition, the occurrence of AP was significantly associated with total cholesterol (TC) (OR 1.992; 95% CI 1.246–3.183, p = 0.004), triglyceride (TG) (OR 2.134; 95% CI 1.403–3.245, p < 0.001), hyperglycaemia (OR 2.261; 95% CI 1.367–3.742, p = 0.001), and apolipoprotein A (Apo A) (OR 0.270; 95% CI 0.163–0.447, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Metabolic syndrome and its components were associated with AP occurrence.

First trimester secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 4 and other adipokine serum concentrations in women developing gestational diabetes mellitus

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soluble frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) concentration in the first trimester of pregnancy is individually, or in combination with Leptin, Chemerin and/or Adiponectin, associated with the development of gestational diabetes (GDM).

Methods

In a nested case-control study, 50 women with GDM who spontaneously conceived and delivered a live-born infant were matched with a total of 100 uncomplicated singleton control pregnancies based on body mass index (± 2 kg/m²), gestational age at sampling (exact day) and maternal age (± 2 years). In serum samples, obtained between 70–90 days gestational age, sFRP4, Chemerin, Leptin and Adiponectin concentrations were determined by ELISA. Statistical comparisons were performed using univariate and multi-variate logistic regression analysis after logarithmic transformation of the concentrations. Discrimination of the models was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC).

Results

First trimester sFRP4 concentrations were significantly increased in GDM cases (2.04 vs 1.93 ng/ml; p<0.05), just as Chemerin (3.19 vs 3.15 ng/ml; p<0.05) and Leptin (1.44 vs 1.32 ng/ml; p<0.01). Adiponectin concentrations were significantly decreased (2.83 vs 2.94 ng/ml; p<0.01) in GDM cases. Further analysis only showed a weak, though significant, correlation of sFRP4 with Chemerin (R² = 0.124; p<0.001) and Leptin (R² = 0.145; p<0.001), and Chemerin with Leptin (R² = 0.282; p<0.001) in the control group. In a multivariate logistic regression model of these four markers, only Adiponectin showed to be significantly associated with GDM (odds ratio 0.12, 95%CI 0.02–0.68). The AUC of this model was 0.699 (95%CI 0.605–0.793).

Conclusion

In the first trimester of pregnancy, a multi-marker model with sFRP4, Leptin, Chemerin and Adiponectin is associated with the development of GDM. Therefore, this panel seems to be an interesting candidate to further evaluate for prediction of GDM in a prospective study.

The Effect of Supplementation with Low Doses of a Cod Protein Hydrolysate on Satiety Hormones and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterised by metabolic abnormalities that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Altered levels of circulating ghrelin, several adipokines and inflammatory markers secreted from adipose tissue, such as leptin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor alpha, are observed in overweight and obese individuals. We assessed the effect of supplementation with low doses of a cod protein hydrolysate (CPH) on fasting and postprandial levels of acylated ghrelin, as well as fasting levels of adiponectin, leptin and inflammatory markers in subjects with MetS. A multicentre, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial with a parallel group design was conducted. Subjects received a daily supplement of CPH (4 g protein, n = 15) or placebo (0 g protein, n = 15). We observed no effect on fasting or postprandial levels of acylated ghrelin, fasting levels of adiponectin (p = 0.089) or leptin (p = 0.967) after supplementation with CPH, compared to placebo. Overall, our study showed that 8 weeks supplementation with a low dose of CPH in subjects with MetS had no effect on satiety hormones or most of the inflammatory markers, but the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were statistically significantly different in the CPH-group compared to placebo group. The robustness and clinical relevance of these findings should be explored in future studies with a larger sample size.

New insights on the reparative cells in bone regeneration and repair

Bone possesses a remarkable repair capacity to regenerate completely without scar tissue formation. This unique characteristic, expressed during bone development, maintenance and injury (fracture) healing, is performed by the reparative cells including skeletal stem cells (SSCs) and their descendants. However, the identity and functional roles of SSCs remain controversial due to technological difficulties and the heterogeneity and plasticity of SSCs. Moreover, for many years, there has been a biased view that bone marrow is the main cell source for bone repair. Together, these limitations have greatly hampered our understanding of these important cell populations and their potential applications in the treatment of fractures and skeletal diseases. Here, we reanalyse and summarize current understanding of the reparative cells in bone regeneration and repair and outline recent progress in this area, with a particular emphasis on the temporal and spatial process of fracture healing, the sources of reparative cells, an updated definition of SSCs, and markers of skeletal stem/progenitor cells contributing to the repair of craniofacial and long bones, as well as the debate between SSCs and pericytes. Finally, we also discuss the existing problems, emerging novel technologies and future research directions in this field.

An Overview of the Pathophysiology of Metabolic Changes and Their Sequence of Occurrence in Obese Diabetic Females: A Narrative Review

Obesity and diabetes both mediate their effects through insulin resistance and frequently co-exist. Insulin resistance is one of the key factors in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Adult females tend to develop obesity more frequently than males. One of the factors causing this difference is the pattern of changes that occur as females age from pre-menopausal to the post-menopausal stage, causing a change in the pattern of accumulation of fats. Several studies have explored and described the association between obesity and metabolic syndrome and their effect on type II diabetes. We conducted our literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar as our primary databases. We selected a total of 49 articles for review after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and removing the duplicate articles. We chose the full-text articles that were published in the English language only. The selected studies were randomized controlled trials and review papers. The reviewed articles showed that visceral fat, central obesity, and fasting blood sugar of post-menopausal is higher than in pre-menopausal women and needs adequate management. More studies are needed in the future to explore the patterns of the metabolic changes in obese females to provide early and better management of diabetes and prevent related complications.

Metabolic syndrome and subchondral bone alterations: The rise of osteoarthritis - A review

Metabolic syndrome (MS) has become one of the top major health burdens for over three decades not only due to its effects on cardiovascular health but also its implications in orthopedics. Extensive research has shown that MS is tightly linked to osteoarthritis and inflammation, a process which appears to primarily occur in the subchondral bone via the incidence of bone-marrow lesions (BMLs). Numerous studies identify obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and hypertension as the top metabolic risk factors, the so-called "deadly quartet". These factors are responsible for the disruptive physiological processes that culminate in detrimental alterations within the subchondral bone, cartilage damage and, overall, the predominant pro-inflammatory joint microenvironment. Although it has long been thought that osteoarthritis was limited to the cartilage component of the joint, other studies indicate that the disease may originate from the harmful alterations that occur primarily in the subchondral bone, especially via means of vascular pathology. Since metabolic risk factors are manageable to a certain extent, it is therefore possible to decelerate the progression of OA and mitigate its devastating effects on the subchondral bone and subsequent articular cartilage damage.

METHODS

Literature was reviewed using PubMed and Google Scholar in order to find a correlation between metabolic syndrome and osteoarthritic progression. The investigation included a combination of nomenclature such as: "metabolic syndrome", "obesity", "insulin resistance", "hypertension", "dyslipidemia", "low-grade systemic inflammation", "osteoarthritis", "subchondral bone", "cartilage" and "inflammatory biomarkers".

CONCLUSION

Based on several studies, there seems to be a significant association between The Deadly Quartet (metabolic syndrome), dysregulation of both pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers, and osteoarthritic progression arising from unbridled systemic inflammation.

Investigating the Role of Childhood Adiposity in the Development of Adult Type 2 Diabetes in a 64-year Follow-up Cohort: An Application of the Parametric G-formula Within an Agent-based Simulation Study

BACKGROUND

The contribution of childhood obesity to adult type 2 diabetes (T2DM), not through adult adiposity, as well as the causal pathways through which childhood obesity increases adult T2DM risk are not well understood. This study investigated the contribution of childhood obesity to incident T2DM including pathways not through adult adiposity, and explored whether race modified this contribution.

METHODS

We used data from the Virtual Los Angeles Cohort, an agent-based longitudinal birth cohort composed of 98,230 simulated individuals born in 2009 and followed until age 65 years. We applied the parametric mediational g-formula to the causal mediation analysis investigating the impact of childhood obesity on the development of adult T2DM.

RESULTS

The marginal adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the total effect of childhood obesity on adult T2DM was 1.37 (95% CI = 1.32, 1.46). Nearly all the effect of childhood obesity on adult T2DM was mostly attributable to pathways other than through adult obesity; the aOR for the pure direct effect was 1.36 (95% CI = 1.31, 1.41). In all racial subpopulations, a similar 3% of the total effect of childhood obesity on adult T2DM was attributable to its effect on adult obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood obesity remains a risk factor for adult T2DM separate from its effects on adult obesity. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of early interventions and illustrates that agent-based simulation models could serve as virtual laboratories for exploring mechanisms in obesity research.

Animal Models of Metabolic Epilepsy and Epilepsy Associated Metabolic Dysfunction: A Systematic Review

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder affecting around 70 million people globally and is characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures. Recent evidence indicates that dysfunction in metabolic processes can lead to the alteration of neuronal and network excitability, thereby contributing to epileptogenesis. Developing a suitable animal model that can recapitulate all the clinical phenotypes of human metabolic epilepsy (ME) is crucial yet challenging. The specific environment of many symptoms as well as the primary state of the applicable neurobiology, genetics, and lack of valid biomarkers/diagnostic tests are the key factors that hinder the process of developing a suitable animal model. The present systematic review summarizes the current state of available animal models of metabolic dysfunction associated with epileptic disorders. A systematic search was performed by using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model. A range of electronic databases, including google scholar, Springer, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus, were scanned between January 2000 and April 2020. Based on the selection criteria, 23 eligible articles were chosen and are discussed in the current review. Critical analysis of the selected literature delineated several available approaches that have been modeled into metabolic epilepsy and pointed out several drawbacks associated with the currently available models. The result describes available models of metabolic dysfunction associated with epileptic disorder, such as mitochondrial respiration deficits, Lafora disease (LD) model-altered glycogen metabolism, causing epilepsy, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) deficiency, adiponectin responsive seizures, phospholipid dysfunction, glutaric aciduria, mitochondrial disorders, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) α-subunit gene (PDHA1), pyridoxine dependent epilepsy (PDE), BCL2-associated agonist of cell death (BAD), Kcna1 knock out (KO), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility candidate 2 (lncRNA CASC2). Finally, the review highlights certain focus areas that may increase the possibilities of developing more suitable animal models and underscores the importance of the rationalization of animal models and evaluation methods for studying ME. The review also suggests the pressing need of developing precise robust animal models and evaluation methods for investigating ME.

Antiobesity Effects of Gentiana lutea Extract on 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and a High-Fat Diet-Induced Mouse Model

Obesity is one of the most common metabolic diseases resulting in metabolic syndrome. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity effect of Gentiana lutea L. (GL) extract on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and a high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse model. For the induction of preadipocytes into adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells were induced by treatment with 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 1 mM dexamethasone, and 1 μg/mL insulin. Adipogenesis was assessed based on the messenger ribonucleic acid expression of adipogenic-inducing genes (adiponectin (Adipoq), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (Cebpa), and glucose transporter type 4 (Slc2a4)) and lipid accumulation in the differentiated adipocytes was visualized by Oil Red O staining. In vivo, obese mice were induced with HFD and coadministered with 100 or 200 mg/kg/day of GL extract for 12 weeks. GL extract treatment inhibited adipocyte differentiation by downregulating the expression of adipogenic-related genes in 3T3-L1 cells. In the obese mouse model, GL extract prevented HFD-induced weight gain, fatty hepatocyte deposition, and adipocyte size by decreasing the secretion of leptin and insulin. In conclusion, GL extract shows antiobesity effects in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that this extract can be beneficial in the prevention of obesity.

Serum Adiponectin Levels and Their Association With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Patients With Psoriasis

Background and objective

Low adiponectin levels have been described in conditions with high cardiometabolic risk, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidaemia. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, and it is also associated with these conditions. In this study, we sought to assess the correlation between adiponectin levels and these risk factors including psoriasis severity. We investigated adiponectin value and its correlation with components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and psoriasis severity.

Methods

Serum adiponectin levels were obtained from 215 psoriasis patients in a tertiary dermatology centre in Singapore. Psoriasis severity was measured with the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), and cardiometabolic risk factors including obesity, hyperlipidaemia, insulin resistance, and waist circumference were measured. Patients answered a questionnaire regarding alcohol use, exercise, family history, smoking, and treatment history.

Results

Low adiponectin value was found in psoriasis patients with high body mass index (BMI) risk, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Patients with low HDL value had 25% lower adiponectin value compared to those with normal HDL. Adiponectin levels had a negative correlation with waist circumference. Psoriasis patients with MetS and a family history of cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs) had 17% and 18% lower adiponectin values than those without, respectively. There was no correlation between adiponectin level and PASI score.

Conclusion

Adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in psoriasis patients with obese-level BMI, MetS, increased abdominal girth, low HDL, high LDL, and a family history of CVA. Low adiponectin levels could play a role in predicting the development of MetS and possibly enable intervention to decrease the risk of cardiovascular mortality in psoriatic patients.

Lower Levels of Circulating Adiponectin in Elderly Patients with Metabolic Inflammatory Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Metabolic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and obesity. The above metabolic disorders often coexist and are closely related with systemic low-grade inflammation. Metabolic inflammatory syndrome (MIS), a cluster of these four metabolic disorders, is a novel concept that is thought to be a better predictor of coronary heart disease than metabolic syndrome. Adiponectin is an adipokine that increases insulin sensitivity and antioxidation as well as has an anti-atherosclerosis effect. It is unclear whether adiponectin is associated with MIS. The objective of this study was to assess whether circulating adiponectin can be used as an indicator for MIS in elderly adults.

METHODS

A total of 136 elderly inpatients were divided into two groups: the MIS group and the non-MIS group. Characteristics, inflammatory markers, blood lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and circulating adiponectin levels were assessed and compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between the associated factors and MIS.

RESULTS

MIS patients were more likely to have a higher body mass index, have a higher fasting blood glucose level, be smokers, have fundus arteriosclerosis, have lower levels of adiponectin (4044.90 ± 3906.82 ng/mL vs 8503.89 ± 3523.89 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and have higher levels of inflammation (white blood cell and C-reactive protein) than non-MIS patients. Multiple factor analysis showed that lower adiponectin levels (OR = 22.937, p < 0.001) were independently associated with MIS. Adiponectin levels were lower in the vascular disease (2673.29 ± 1930.05 ng/mL vs 7194.38 ± 4615.83 ng/mL, p = 0.001), atherosclerosis (2374.14 [1496.41-4263.90] ng/mL vs 6037.48 [3865.61-10,373.60] ng/mL, p < 0.001), and type 2 diabetes (2391.73 [1386.41-4069.68] ng/mL vs 8916.03 [5801.14-12,724.45] ng/mL, p < 0.001) subgroups than in the non-MIS group.

CONCLUSION

Lower adiponectin levels in serum are associated with MIS. Low adiponectin may be used as a biomarker for atherosclerosis in patients with MIS.

Podocyte Lysosome Dysfunction in Chronic Glomerular Diseases

Podocytes are visceral epithelial cells covering the outer surface of glomerular capillaries in the kidney. Blood is filtered through the slit diaphragm of podocytes to form urine. The functional and structural integrity of podocytes is essential for the normal function of the kidney. As a membrane-bound organelle, lysosomes are responsible for the degradation of molecules via hydrolytic enzymes. In addition to its degradative properties, recent studies have revealed that lysosomes may serve as a platform mediating cellular signaling in different types of cells. In the last decade, increasing evidence has revealed that the normal function of the lysosome is important for the maintenance of podocyte homeostasis. Podocytes have no ability to proliferate under most pathological conditions; therefore, lysosome-dependent autophagic flux is critical for podocyte survival. In addition, new insights into the pathogenic role of lysosome and associated signaling in podocyte injury and chronic kidney disease have recently emerged. Targeting lysosomal functions or signaling pathways are considered potential therapeutic strategies for some chronic glomerular diseases. This review briefly summarizes current evidence demonstrating the regulation of lysosomal function and signaling mechanisms as well as the canonical and noncanonical roles of podocyte lysosome dysfunction in the development of chronic glomerular diseases and associated therapeutic strategies.

Consuming Diet Supplemented with Either Red Wheat Bran or Soy Extract Changes Glucose and Insulin Levels in Female Obese Zucker Rats

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by the inability to regulate blood glucose levels due to insulin resistance, resulting in hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Research has shown that consuming soy and fiber may protect against type 2 diabetes mellitus. We performed a study to determine whether supplementing diet with soy extract (0.5% weight of diet) or fiber (as red wheat bran; 11.4% weight of diet) would decrease serum insulin and blood glucose levels in a pre-diabetic/metabolic syndrome animal model. In our study, female obese Zucker rats were fed either a control diet (n = 8) or control diet supplemented with either soy extract (n = 7) or red wheat bran (n = 8) for seven weeks. Compared to rats consuming control diet, rats fed treatment diets had significantly lower (p-value < 0.05) fasting serum insulin (control = 19.34±1.6; soy extract = 11.1±1.54; red wheat bran = 12.4±1.11) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance values (control = 2.16±0.22; soy extract = 1.22±0.21; red wheat bran = 1.54±0.16). Non-fasted blood glucose was also significantly lower (p-value < 0.05) in rats fed treatment diets compared to rats consuming control diet at weeks four (control = 102.63±5.67; soy extract = 80.14±2.13; red wheat bran = 82.63±3.16), six (control = 129.5±10.83; soy extract = 89.14±2.48; red wheat bran = 98.13±3.54), and seven (control = 122.25±8.95; soy extract = 89.14±4.52; red wheat bran = 84.75±4.15). Daily intake of soy extract and red wheat bran may protect against type 2 diabetes mellitus by maintaining normal glucose homeostasis.

New Insights into Adipokines as Potential Biomarkers for Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

A large number of studies have been focused on investigating serum biomarkers associated with risk or diagnosis of type-2 diabetes mellitus. In the last decade, promising studies have shown that circulating levels of adipokines could be used as a relevant biomarker for diabetes mellitus progression as well as therapeutic future targets. Here, we discuss the possible use of recently described adipokines, including apelin, omentin-1, resistin, FGF-21, neuregulin-4 and visfatin, as early biomarkers for diabetes. In addition, we also include recent findings of other well known adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin. In conclusion, further studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiological significance and clinical value of these biological factors as potential biomarkers in type-2 diabetes and related dysfunctions.

DNA methylation microarray uncovers a permissive methylome for cardiomyocyte differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells

Differentiation of Wharton's Jelly-Mesenchymal Stem cells (WJ-MSCs) into cardiomyocytes (CMs) in vitro has been reported widely although contradictions remain regarding the maturation of differentiated MSCs into fully functioning CMs. Studies suggest that use of epigenetic modifiers like 5'Azacytidine (5-AC) in MSCs de-methylates DNA and results in expression of cardiac-specific genes (CSGs). However, only partial expression of the CSG set leads to incomplete differentiation of WJ-MSCs to CMs. We used the Agilent 180 K human DNA methylation microarray on WJ-MSCs, 5-AC treated WJ-MSCs and human cardiac tissue (hCT) to analyze differential DNA methylation profiles which were then validated by bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). BSP confirmed that only a limited number of CSGs were de-methylated by 5-AC in WJ-MSCs. It also revealed that hCT displays a methylation profile similar to promoter regions of CSG in untreated WJ-MSCs. Thus, the presence of hypo-methylated CSGs indicates that WJ-MSCs are ideal cell types for cardiomyogenic differentiation.

Comparative Biological Effects of Human Amnion and Chorion Membrane Extracts on Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells

Although therapies with human amnion/chorion are used to ameliorate acute and chronic wounds, it is unclear which component of the amnion/chorion tissue promotes wound healing. To characterize the comparative effects of amnion and chorion in wound healing, we used human adipose-derived stromal cells to assess cell viability, migration, and gel contraction after treatment with amnion membrane extract (AME) or chorion membrane extract (CME). We then correlated the possible effectors via AME and CME protein profiling, and compared them by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, and immunocytochemistry. Cell viability was significantly increased with 50 and 100 μg/mL AME treatment, but with CME treatment, a significant increase was only observed with 100 μg/mL. With CME treatment, cell migration was 2.22-fold greater than the control, and collagen gels showed 20% greater contraction. Compared to control, the expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and smooth muscle protein 22-alpha (SM22α) increased both with AME and CME treatments, whereas calponin expression decreased. Protein profiling revealed significantly higher tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), interleukin-8, exotoxin, and adiponectin levels in CME than in AME, and ELISA revealed 8-fold higher adiponectin levels in cells treated with CME than those treated with AME. Immunocytochemistry revealed that α-SMA, SM22α, and calponin were significantly higher in CME- than AME-treated cells; however, adiponectin treatment did not enhance α-SMA, SM22α, or calponin expression. In conclusion, amnion and chorion membrane extracts exerted differential effects on proliferation and contraction of human adipose-derived stromal cells. Amnion extract was superior at inducing cell proliferation and migration, whereas CME was superior at inducing cell contraction.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of curcuminoids on adiponectin levels

INTRODUCTION

Curcuminoids are known anti-inflammatory molecules with multiple mechanisms of action while adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory molecule secreted by the adipocytes. Curcuminoids may upregulate the expression of adiponectin and thus modulate their levels in serum. A meta-analysis was performed to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of curcuminoids on adiponectin concentrations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The search included PubMed-Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar databases (from inception to October 20, 2018) and the quality of studies was assessed according to Cochrane criteria. Quantitative data synthesis was conducted using a random-effects model and sensitivity analysis by the leave-one out method. Additional analysis was performed to assess the impact of potential confounders on adiponectin levels.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis of five randomized clinical trials (n = 686) showed a significant elevation of plasma adiponectin concentrations following supplementation with curcuminoids (WMD: 6.47 ng/mL, 95% CI: 1.85, 11.10, p  = 0.010; I2 = 94.85%). The effect size was robust in the leave-one-out sensitivity analysis and the effect size was not driven by a single study in the meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis showed a significant increase in plasma levels of adiponectin following curcuminoids therapy, which may be one of the mechanisms of anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin.

Cell-Type Heterogeneity in Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Complex Traits and Reveals Disease-Relevant Cell-Specific eQTLs

Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ with a role in many cardiometabolic diseases. It is comprised of a heterogeneous collection of cell types that can differentially impact disease phenotypes. Cellular heterogeneity can also confound -omic analyses but is rarely taken into account in analysis of solid-tissue transcriptomes. Here, we investigate cell-type heterogeneity in two population-level subcutaneous adipose-tissue RNA-seq datasets (TwinsUK, n = 766 and the Genotype-Tissue Expression project [GTEx], n = 326) by estimating the relative proportions of four distinct cell types (adipocytes, macrophages, CD4+ T cells, and micro-vascular endothelial cells). We find significant cellular heterogeneity within and between the TwinsUK and GTEx adipose datasets. We find that adipose cell-type composition is heritable and confirm the positive association between adipose-resident macrophage proportion and obesity (high BMI), but we find a stronger BMI-independent association with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) derived body-fat distribution traits. We benchmark the impact of adipose-tissue cell composition on a range of standard analyses, including phenotype-gene expression association, co-expression networks, and cis-eQTL discovery. Our results indicate that it is critical to account for cell-type composition when combining adipose transcriptome datasets in co-expression analysis and in differential expression analysis with obesity-related traits. We applied gene expression by cell-type proportion interaction models (G × Cell) to identify 26 cell-type-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in 20 genes, including four autoimmune disease genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci. These results identify cell-specific eQTLs and demonstrate the potential of in silico deconvolution of bulk tissue to identify cell-type-restricted regulatory variants.

A Cellular Taxonomy of the Bone Marrow Stroma in Homeostasis and Leukemia

Stroma is a poorly defined non-parenchymal component of virtually every organ with key roles in organ development, homeostasis, and repair. Studies of the bone marrow stroma have defined individual populations in the stem cell niche regulating hematopoietic regeneration and capable of initiating leukemia. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to define a cellular taxonomy of the mouse bone marrow stroma and its perturbation by malignancy. We identified seventeen stromal subsets expressing distinct hematopoietic regulatory genes spanning new fibroblastic and osteoblastic subpopulations including distinct osteoblast differentiation trajectories. Emerging acute myeloid leukemia impaired mesenchymal osteogenic differentiation and reduced regulatory molecules necessary for normal hematopoiesis. These data suggest that tissue stroma responds to malignant cells by disadvantaging normal parenchymal cells. Our taxonomy of the stromal compartment provides a comprehensive bone marrow cell census and experimental support for cancer cell crosstalk with specific stromal elements to impair normal tissue function and thereby enable emergent cancer.

Circulating Salicylic Acid and Metabolic Profile after 1-Year Nutritional⁻Behavioral Intervention in Children with Obesity

Objectives and Study: Salicylic acid (SA), a phenolic compound produced by plants, may play a beneficial role on health. A pilot study showed that children with obesity had lower serum SA than normal-weight children. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of a 1-year nutritional-behavioral intervention on serum SA levels and to study a possible association between SA levels and metabolic profile changes in children with obesity.

METHODS

This was an interventional longitudinal observational uncontrolled cohort study. Forty-nine children with obesity, aged >6 years were evaluated. BMI (body mass index) z-scores were calculated. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for lipids, insulin, and glucose. The most significant metabolic variables were calculated. Serum SA was measured using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The 1-year intervention was based on the promotion of a balanced and normocaloric diet, in accordance with the national guidelines for treatment of childhood obesity. Additionally, behavioral education, based on the revised CALO-RE (Coventry, Aberdeen, and London-REfined) taxonomy, was performed.

RESULTS

At the end of intervention, children showed an increase in serum SA levels (mean (Standard Deviation, SD) 0.06 (0.02) vs. 0.09 (0.05) µmol/L; p < 0.001), a reduction of BMI z-score (3.14 (0.79) vs. 3.02 (0.82); p < 0.001), TyG index (4.52 (0.20) vs. 4.48 (0.23); p < 0.001), AIP (atherogenic index of plasma) (0.36 (0.21) vs. 0.27 (0.25); p < 0.001), and triglycerides/HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol (2.57 (1.28) vs. 2.18 (1.22); p < 0.001) ratio. No statistically significant change in HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment index) was observed (4.20 (3.29) vs. 4.03 (2.28)). An association between the longitudinal variation of serum SA and HOMA-IR was found (correlation coefficient: -0.338, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Nutritional-behavioral intervention may improve the circulating SA and the metabolic profile in children with obesity. Serum SA could influence mainly glucose metabolism. Further larger studies are needed to evaluate whether a nutritional intervention based on specific advice regarding the quantity and type of fruit and vegetables (FV) consumption could provide benefits in terms of metabolic syndrome.

Intermittent Hypoxia Up-Regulates CCL2, RETN, and TNFα mRNAs in Adipocytes via Down-regulation of miR-452

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), characterized by recurrent episodes of oxygen desaturation and reoxygenation (intermittent hypoxia [IH]), is a risk factor for insulin resistance. Recently, IH is considered to independently cause adipose tissue inflammation/dysfunction, leading to worsening insulin resistance; however, the detailed mechanism remains unknown. We exposed mouse 3T3-L1 and human SW872 adipocytes to experimental IH or normoxia for 24 h, and analyzed mRNA expression of several adipokines. We found that the mRNA levels of RETN, TNFα, and CCL2 in SW872 and 3T3-L1 adipocytes were significantly increased by IH, whereas the promoter activities of these genes were not increased. A target mRNA search of microRNA (miR)s revealed that all human mRNAs have a potential target sequence for miR-452. The miR-452 level of IH-treated cells was significantly decreased compared to normoxia-treated cells. MiR-452 mimic and non-specific control RNA (miR-452 mimic NC) were introduced into SW872 cells, and the IH-induced up-regulation of the genes was abolished by introduction of the miR-452 mimic but not by the miR-452 mimic NC. These results indicate that IH stress down-regulates the miR-452 in adipocytes, resulting in increased levels of RETN, TNFα, and CCL2 mRNAs, leading to insulin resistance in SAS patients.

Administration of rCTRP9 Attenuates Neuronal Apoptosis Through AdipoR1/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway after ICH in Mice

Targeting neuronal apoptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) may be an important therapeutic strategy for ICH patients. Emerging evidence indicates that C1q/TNF-Related Protein 9 (CTRP9), a newly discovered adiponectin receptor agonist, exerts neuroprotection in cerebrovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-apoptotic role of CTRP9 after experimental ICH and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. ICH was induced in mice via intrastriatal injection of bacterial collagenase. Recombinant CTRP9 (rCTRP9) was administrated intranasally at 1 h after ICH. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, adiponectin receptor1 small interfering ribonucleic acid (AdipoR1 siRNA) and selective PI3 K inhibitor LY294002 were administered prior to rCTRP9 treatment. Western blots, neurofunctional assessments, immunofluorescence staining, and Fluoro-Jade C (FJC) staining experiments were performed. Administration of rCTRP9 significantly improved both short- and long-term neurofunctional behavior after ICH. RCTRP9 treatment significantly increased the expression of AdipoR1, PI3 K, p-Akt, and Bcl-2, while at the same time was found to decrease the expression of Bax in the brain, which was reversed by inhibition of AdipoR1 and PI3 K. The neuroprotective effect of rCTRP9 after ICH was mediated by attenuation of neuronal apoptosis via the AdipoR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway; therefore, rCTRP9 should be further evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent for ICH patients.

Examining the Potential of Developing and Implementing Use of Adiponectin-Targeted Therapeutics for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiometabolic diseases encompass those affecting the heart and vasculature as well as other metabolic problems, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These diseases tend to have common risk factors, one of which is impaired adiponectin action. This may be due to reduced bioavailability of the hormone or resistance to its effects on target tissues. A strong negative correlation between adiponectin levels and cardiometabolic diseases has been well-documented and research shown that adiponectin has cardioprotective, insulin sensitizing and direct beneficial metabolic effects. Thus, therapeutic approaches to enhance adiponectin action are widely considered to be desirable. The complexity of adiponectin structure and function has so far made progress in this area less than ideal. In this article we will review the effects and mechanism of action of adiponectin on cardiometabolic tissues, identify scenarios where enhancing adiponectin action would be of clinical value and finally discuss approaches via which this can be achieved.