Association between Interleukin-1B C-31T polymorphism and obesity in Japanese

Innate-Immunity Genes in Obesity

The main functions of adipose tissue are thought to be storage and mobilization of the body’s energy reserves, active and passive thermoregulation, participation in the spatial organization of internal organs, protection of the body from lipotoxicity, and ectopic lipid deposition. After the discovery of adipokines, the endocrine function was added to the above list, and after the identification of crosstalk between adipocytes and immune cells, an immune function was suggested. Nonetheless, it turned out that the mechanisms underlying mutual regulatory relations of adipocytes, preadipocytes, immune cells, and their microenvironment are complex and redundant at many levels. One possible way to elucidate the picture of adipose-tissue regulation is to determine genetic variants correlating with obesity. In this review, we examine various aspects of adipose-tissue involvement in innate immune responses as well as variants of immune-response genes associated with obesity.

Cortical Transcriptomic Alterations in Association With Appetitive Neuropeptides and Body Mass Index in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

BACKGROUND

The molecular pathology underlying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains unclear mainly due to a lack of human PTSD postmortem brain tissue. The orexigenic neuropeptides ghrelin, neuropeptide Y, and hypocretin were recently implicated in modulating negative affect. Drawing from the largest functional genomics study of human PTSD postmortem tissue, we investigated whether there were molecular changes of these and other appetitive molecules. Further, we explored the interaction between PTSD and body mass index (BMI) on gene expression.

METHODS

We analyzed previously reported transcriptomic data from 4 prefrontal cortex regions from 52 individuals with PTSD and 46 matched neurotypical controls. We employed gene co-expression network analysis across the transcriptomes of these regions to uncover PTSD-specific networks containing orexigenic genes. We utilized Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software for pathway annotation. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among individuals with and without PTSD, stratified by sex and BMI.

RESULTS

Three PTSD-associated networks (P < .01) contained genes in signaling families of appetitive molecules: 2 in females and 1 in all subjects. We uncovered DEGs (P < .05) between PTSD and control subjects stratified by sex and BMI with especially robust changes in males with PTSD with elevated vs normal BMI. Further, we identified putative upstream regulators (P < .05) driving these changes, many of which were enriched for involvement in inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

PTSD-associated cortical transcriptomic modules contain transcripts of appetitive genes, and BMI further interacts with PTSD to impact expression. DEGs and inferred upstream regulators of these modules could represent targets for future pharmacotherapies for obesity in PTSD.

Genetic variants influencing obesity-related traits in Japanese population

Context: Adipose tissue is the main organ that stores energy and participates in adaptive thermogenesis of the human body. The adipose tissue content in an individual is determined by a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle related factors. While Japanese people, along with the closely related East Asians, are generally thinner than individuals of European ancestry, they are prone to accumulating visceral adipose tissues. Genome-wide discovery of loci influencing obesity-related traits, and application of the genome sequence data to assess natural selection, provides evidence that the obesity-related traits in East Asians might be shaped by natural selection. Objective: This review aims to summarise health and evolutionary implications of genetic variants influencing obesity-related traits in Japanese. Methods: This study gathered recently published papers of medical, genetic and evolutionary studies regarding obesity-related traits in the Japanese and closely related East Asians. Results and conclusion: A high susceptibility to central obesity of Japanese and closely related East Asians might have been shaped by natural selection favouring thrifty genotypes. Moreover, natural selection favouring higher thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissues would contribute to increased non-thrifty alleles in ancestors of East Asians.

IL-1β gene polymorphism and serum levels in a Tunisian population with acute heart failure

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between IL-1β-31T/C polymorphism and serum levels of IL-1β and the risk of acute heart failure (AHF). Methods: A total of 320 dyspnea patients (160 with AHF and 160 without AHF) and 100 healthy subjects were included in this study. IL-1β genotyping was performed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Results: Concentration of IL-1β was significantly higher in patients with heart failure (HF) compared with non-HF and control groups. Results of the distribution of IL-1β-31T/C genotypes and allele frequencies did not show any significant difference between the three groups. Serum levels of IL-1β were found to be higher among TT genotype than TC and CC genotype. Conclusion: IL-1β levels may be useful for the evaluation of diagnosis in acutely decompensated HF.