Relationship between the thrombospondin-1/Toll-like receptor 4 (TSP1/TLR4) pathway and vitamin D levels in obese and normal weight subjects with different metabolic phenotypes

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) contributes to obesity-associated inflammation via activating Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The regulatory role of vitamin D on this pathway has been suggested. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between TSP1/TLR4 pathway and vitamin D in obese and normal weight subjects with different metabolic phenotypes. Thirty obese and thirty normal weight men were selected. Anthropometric parameters and serum TSP1, TLR4, TNF-α, vitamin D, and metabolic profile were determined. Metabolic phenotypes of obese and normal weight subjects were determined. Findings revealed enhanced TSP1/TLR4/TNF-α levels and reduced 25(OH)D levels in obese compared to normal weight subjects and metabolically unhealthy compared to metabolically healthy subjects. TSP1 correlated positively with parameters of unhealthy metabolic profile. TSP1, TLR4 and TNF-α levels significantly negatively correlated with vitamin D levels. In conclusion, vitamin D might exert a regulatory role on TSP1/TLR4 pathway, providing a potential mechanism that links hypovitaminosis D with risk of metabolic dysfunction.

Unravelling phenolic metabotypes in the frame of the COMBAT study, a randomized, controlled trial with cranberry supplementation

Cranberry (poly)phenols may have potential health benefits. Circulating (poly)phenol metabolites can act as mediators of these effects, but they are subjected to an extensive inter-individual variability. This study aimed to quantify both plasma and urine (poly)phenol metabolites following a 12-week intake of a cranberry powder in healthy older adults, and to investigate inter-individual differences by considering the existence of urinary metabotypes related to dietary (poly)phenols. Up to 13 and 67 metabolites were quantified in plasma and urine respectively. Cranberry consumption led to changes in plasma metabolites, mainly hydroxycinnamates and hippuric acid. Individual variability in urinary metabolites was assessed using different data sets and a combination of statistical models. Three phenolic metabotypes were identified, colonic metabolism being the main driver for subject clustering. Metabotypes were characterized by quali-quantitative differences in the excretion of some metabolites such as phenyl-γ-valerolactones, hydroxycinnamic acids, and phenylpropanoic acids. Metabotypes were further confirmed when applying a model only focused on flavan-3-ol colonic metabolites. 5-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone derivatives were the most relevant metabolites for metabotyping. Metabotype allocation was well preserved after 12-week intervention. This metabotyping approach for cranberry metabolites represents an innovative step to handle the complexity of (poly)phenol metabolism in free-living conditions, deciphering the existence of metabotypes derived from the simultaneous consumption of different classes of (poly)phenols. These results will help contribute to studying the health effects of cranberries and other (poly)phenol-rich foods, mainly considering gut microbiota-driven individual differences.

Obesity Metabolic Phenotypes and Unplanned Readmission Risk in Diabetic Kidney Disease: An Observational Study from the Nationwide Readmission Database

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Obesity is a potentially modifiable factor for reducing readmissions, with heterogeneity that varies according to the metabolic status. Our objective was to examine the independent or mutual relationship between obesity and metabolic abnormalities and diabetic kidney disease (DKD)-related hospitalizations.

METHODS

493,570 subjects with DKD were enrolled in the 2018 Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD, United States). The at-risk population was reclassified into refined obesity subtypes based on the body mass index (BMI) classification of metabolic abnormalities (hypertension and/or dyslipidemia) to investigate the 180 d readmission risk and hospitalization costs related to DKD.

RESULTS

The overall readmission rate was 34.1%. Patients with metabolic abnormalities, regardless of obesity, had a significantly higher risk of readmission compared to non-obese counterparts (adjusted HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.07-1.14]; 1.12 [95% CI, 1.08-1.15]). Hypertension appeared to be the only metabolic factor associated with readmission among individuals with DKD. Obesity without metabolic abnormalities was independently associated with readmission (adjusted HR,1.08 [1.01,1.14]), especially among males and those >65 years (adjusted HR,1.10 [1.01-1.21]; 1.20 [1.10-1.31]). Women or those ≤65 years with metabolic abnormalities (all p <0.050) had elevated readmission rates, regardless of obesity; however, no such trend was observed in obese subjects without metabolic abnormalities (adjusted HR, 1.06 [0.98,1.16]). Additionally, obesity and metabolic abnormalities were associated with elevated hospitalization costs (all p <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased BMI and hypertension are positively associated with readmissions and related costs among patients with DKD, which should be considered in future studies.

Metabolic dependency of non-small cell lung cancer cells affected by three-dimensional scaffold and its stiffness

Three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment is an important regulator of the stiffness of the tumors. Cancer cells require heterogeneous metabolic phenotypes to cope with resistance in the malignant process. However, how the stiffness of the matrix affects the metabolic phenotypes of cancer cells, is lacking. In this study, the young's modulus of the synthesized collagen-chitosan scaffolds was adjusted according to the percentage ratio of collagen to chitosan. We cultured non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in four different microenvironments (two-dimensional (2D) plates, stiffest 0.5-0.5 porous collagen-chitosan scaffolds, middle stiff 0.5-1 porous collagen-chitosan scaffolds, and softest 0.5-2 porous collagen-chitosan scaffolds) to investigate the influence of the difference of 2D and 3D cultures as well as the 3D scaffolds with different stiffnesses on the metabolic dependency of NSCLC cells. The results revealed that NSCLC cells cultured in 3D collagen-chitosan scaffolds displayed higher capacity of mitochondrial metabolism and fatty acid metabolism than that cultured in 2D culture. The metabolic response of NSCLC cells is differential for 3D scaffolds with different stiffnesses. The cells cultured in middle stiff 0.5-1 scaffolds displayed a higher potential of mitochondrial metabolism than that of stiffer 0.5-0.5 scaffolds and softer 0.5-2 scaffolds. Furthermore, NSCLC cells culture in 3D scaffolds displayed drug resistance compared with that in 2D culture which maybe via the hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway. Moreover, the cells cultured in 0.5-1 scaffolds showed higher ROS levels, which were counterbalanced by an equally high expression of antioxidant enzymes when compared to the cells grown in 2D culture, which may be regulated by the increased expression of PGC-1α. Together, these results demonstrate that differences in the microenvironments of cancer cells profoundly impact their metabolic dependencies.

Programmed versus non-programmed evolution of aging. What is the evidence?

The evolutionary meaning and basic molecular mechanisms involved in the determination of longevity remain an unresolved problem. Currently, different theories are on offer in response to these biological traits and to explain the enormous range of longevities observed in the animal kingdom. These theories may be grouped into those that defend non-programmed aging (non-PA) and those that propose the existence of programmed aging (PA). In the present article we examine many observational and experimental data from both the field and from the laboratory and sound reasoning accumulated in recent decades both compatible and not with PA and non-PA evolutionary theories of aging. These analyses are briefly summarized and discussed. Our conclusion is that most of the data favour programmed aging with a possible contribution of non-PA antagonist pleiotropy in various cases.

Coffee and metabolic phenotypes: A cross-sectional analysis of the Japan multi-institutional collaborative cohort (J-MICC) study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To date, the relationship between coffee consumption and metabolic phenotypes has hardly been investigated and remains controversial. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study is to examine the associations between coffee consumption and metabolic phenotypes in a Japanese population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed the data of 26,363 subjects (aged 35-69 years) in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Coffee consumption was assessed using a questionnaire. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement Criteria of 2009, using body mass index (BMI) instead of waist circumference. Subjects stratified by the presence or absence of obesity (normal weight: BMI <25 kg/m²; obesity: BMI ≥25 kg/m²) were classified by the number of MetS components (metabolically healthy: no components; metabolically unhealthy: one or more components) other than BMI. In multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for sex, age, and other potential confounders, high coffee consumption (≥3 cups/day) was associated with a lower prevalence of MetS and metabolically unhealthy phenotypes both in normal weight (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.76-0.90) and obese subjects (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.69-0.99). Filtered/instant coffee consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of MetS and metabolically unhealthy phenotypes, whereas canned/bottled/packed coffee consumption was not.

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that high coffee consumption, particularly filtered/instant coffee, is inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolically unhealthy phenotypes in both normal weight and obese Japanese adults.

Hyperuricemia as an effect modifier of the association between metabolic phenotypes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Different metabolic phenotypes may be related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but such association whether modified by serum uric acid levels is unknown. We examined the association between different metabolic phenotypes and NAFLD and further explore whether hyperuricemia could modify this association.

METHODS

A total of 2959 participants (mean age: 55.02 years) with medical checkups were recruited from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Participants were categorized into four groups according to their BMI levels and metabolically healthy status: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically healthy overweight or obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), and metabolically unhealthy overweight or obese (MUO). Blood samples (including serum uric acid) were collected from participants after an overnight fast. NAFLD was diagnosed based on abdominal ultrasonography scanning. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models and the interaction effect model.

RESULTS

The prevalence of NAFLD in MHNW, MHO, MUNW, and MUO groups was 9.9% (7.9-12.0%), 42.8% (39.5-46.1%), 36.5% (31.2-41.9%), and 69.7% (66.8-72.6%), respectively. In multi-adjusted logistic models, the ORs (95% CIs) of NAFLD were 5.32 (4.01-7.04) for participants with MHO, 4.51 (3.17-6.40) for those with MUNW, and 13.68 (10.23-18.30) for those with MUO compared to those with MHNW. In the stratified analysis by uric acid levels, the prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in participants with MHO, MUNW, and MUO in the hyperuricemia group than those in the normal uric acid group, and the interaction effect of metabolic phenotypes and uric acid on NAFLD was statistical significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MHO, MUNW, and MUO were associated with higher prevalence of NAFLD. Serum uric acid levels may modify the association between metabolically phenotypes and NAFLD.

The Heterogeneity of Liver Cancer Metabolism

Primary liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death around the world. Histologically, it can be divided into two major groups, hepatocellular carcinoma (75% of all liver cancer) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (15% of all liver cancer) [1, 2]. Primary liver cancer usually happens in liver disease or cirrhosis patients [1], and the risk factors for developing HCC depend on the etiology [3] and the country of provenance [1]. There is an urgent need for an accurate diagnostic test given the high proportion of false positives and false negatives for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a common HCC biomarker [4]. Due to often being diagnosed in advanced stages, HCCrelated deaths per year have doubled since 1999 [3]. With the use of metabolomics technologies [5], the aberrant metabolism characteristics of cancer tissues can be discovered and exploited for the new biomarkers and new therapies to treat HCC [6, 7].

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ameliorates high-carbohydrate diet-induced metabolic phenotypes by restoration of intestinal acetate-producing bacteria in Nile Tilapia

Poor utilisation efficiency of carbohydrate always leads to metabolic phenotypes in fish. The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in carbohydrate degradation. Whether the intestinal bacteria could alleviate high-carbohydrate diet (HCD)-induced metabolic phenotypes in fish remains unknown. Here, a strain affiliated to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated from the intestine of Nile tilapia. A basal diet (CON), HCD or HCD supplemented with B. amy SS1 (HCB) was used to feed fish for 10 weeks. The beneficial effects of B. amy SS1 on weight gain and protein accumulation were observed. Fasting glucose and lipid deposition were decreased in the HCB group compared with the HCD group. High-throughput sequencing showed that the abundance of acetate-producing bacteria was increased in the HCB group relative to the HCD group. Gas chromatographic analysis indicated that the concentration of intestinal acetate was increased dramatically in the HCB group compared with that in the HCD group. Glucagon-like peptide-1 was also increased in the intestine and serum of the HCB group. Thus, fish were fed with HCD, HCD supplemented with sodium acetate at 900 mg/kg (HLA), 1800 mg/kg (HMA) or 3600 mg/kg (HHA) diet for 8 weeks, and the HMA and HHA groups mirrored the effects of B. amy SS1. This study revealed that B. amy SS1 could alleviate the metabolic phenotypes caused by HCD by enriching acetate-producing bacteria in fish intestines. Regulating the intestinal microbiota and their metabolites might represent a powerful strategy for fish nutrition modulation and health maintenance in future.

Different Tumor Microenvironments Lead to Different Metabolic Phenotypes

The beginning of the twenty-first century offered new advances in cancer research, including new knowledge about the tumor microenvironment (TME). Because TMEs provide the niches in which cancer cells, fibroblasts, lymphocytes, and immune cells reside, they play a crucial role in cancer cell development, differentiation, survival, and proliferation. Throughout cancer progression, the TME constantly evolves, causing cancer cells to adapt to the new conditions. The heterogeneity of cancer, evidenced by diverse proliferation rates, cellular structures, metabolisms, and gene expressions, presents challenges for cancer treatment despite the advances in research. This chapter discusses how different TMEs lead to specific metabolic adaptations that drive cancer progression.

The Heterogeneity Metabolism of Renal Cell Carcinomas

According to data from the American Cancer Society, cancer is one of the deadliest health problems globally. Annually, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) causes more than 100,000 deaths worldwide [1-4], posing an urgent need to develop effective treatments to increase patient survival outcomes. New therapies are expected to address a major factor contributing to cancer's resistance to standard therapies: oncogenic heterogeneity. Gene expression can vary tremendously among different types of cancers, different patients of the same tumor type, and even within individual tumors; various metabolic phenotypes can emerge, making singletherapy approaches insufficient. Novel strategies targeting the diverse metabolism of cancers aim to overcome this obstacle. Though some have yielded positive results, it remains a challenge to uncover all of the distinct metabolic profiles of RCC. In the quest to overcome this obstacle, the metabolic oriented research focusing on these cancers has offered freshly new perspectives, which are expected to contribute heavily to the development of new treatments.

Association of metabolic phenotypes, grip strength and diabetes risk: The 15-year follow-up of The North West Adelaide Health Study, Australia

BACKGROUND

The association of diabetes risk in the long-term, metabolic phenotypes (MP) and muscle strength is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between strictly defined MP, grip strength (GS) and diabetes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

MP were defined according to BMI and presence of any individual metabolic abnormality for ≥18 years, in participants of the North West Adelaide Health Study (Australia) free of diabetes at baseline. The association of MP and dominant hand GS with incident diabetes over 15-years follow-up and the moderation effect of GS on the association between diabetes and MP were investigated by logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Of 3039 participants followed over 13.3 years (SD 2.6), 236 (7.8%) developed diabetes. Compared to the metabolically healthy (MH) normal weight phenotype, the metabolically unhealthy (MU) overweight (OR 6.15, 95%CI 2.43-15.59) and obese (OR 12.32, 95%CI 4.97-30.52) phenotypes were associated with a high risk of diabetes, but not the MU normal weight (OR 1.73, 95%CI 0.57-5.25), MH overweight (OR 1.15, 95%CI 0.31-4.31) or MH obese phenotypes (OR 0.77, 0.07-8.89). GS was inversely associated with diabetes (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99) and attenuated the risk associated with MU overweight (beta = -0.296, p = 0.039) and MU normal weight (beta = -0.773; p for interaction = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Strictly defined MP (rather than based on metabolic syndrome criteria) and GS, a proxy of muscle strength, might be useful for stratifying the risk of diabetes in the long-term. Improving muscle strength might be an important strategy to reduce diabetes risk.

Dietary determinants of unhealthy metabolic phenotype in normal weight and overweight/obese adults: results of a prospective study

We aimed to investigate associations of dietary intakes with unhealthy metabolic phenotype development, in normal weight and overweight/obese adults separately. A total of 1114 individuals, aged ≥19 years, with healthy phenotype in the third examination cycle of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study were followed until the fifth examination. Dietary intakes were estimated using the food frequency questionnaires, collected during the study. The participants were grouped as normal weight and overweight/obese according to the baseline body mass index (BMI). Unhealthy metabolic status was determined as having more than one component of metabolic syndrome using the Joint Interim Statement. Regardless of BMI, higher intakes of magnesium, dairy products, poultry, apples/pears, citrus fruits, and tea/coffee decreased the risk of developing unhealthy phenotype, while higher intakes of fast foods, organ meats, and potatoes increased the risk. Food intake can influence the transition to unhealthy phenotype in metabolically healthy adults, irrespective of the BMI status.

Impact of early events and lifestyle on the gut microbiota and metabolic phenotypes in young school-age children

BACKGROUND

The gut microbiota evolves from birth and is in early life influenced by events such as birth mode, type of infant feeding, and maternal and infant antibiotics use. However, we still have a gap in our understanding of gut microbiota development in older children, and to what extent early events and pre-school lifestyle modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, and how this impinges on whole body metabolic regulation in school-age children.

RESULTS

Taking advantage of the KOALA Birth Cohort Study, a long-term prospective birth cohort in the Netherlands with extensive collection of high-quality host metadata, we applied shotgun metagenomics sequencing and systematically investigated the gut microbiota of children at 6-9 years of age. We demonstrated an overall adult-like gut microbiota in the 281 Dutch school-age children and identified 3 enterotypes dominated by the genera Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Bifidobacterium, respectively. Importantly, we found that breastfeeding duration in early life and pre-school dietary lifestyle correlated with the composition and functional competences of the gut microbiota in the children at school age. The correlations between pre-school dietary lifestyle and metabolic phenotypes exhibited a striking enterotype dependency. Thus, an inverse correlation between high dietary fiber consumption and low plasma insulin levels was only observed in individuals with the Bacteroides and Prevotella enterotypes, but not in Bifidobacterium enterotype individuals in whom the gut microbiota displayed overall lower microbial gene richness, alpha-diversity, functional potential for complex carbohydrate fermentation, and butyrate and succinate production. High total fat consumption and elevated plasma free fatty acid levels in the Bifidobacterium enterotype are associated with the co-occurrence of Streptococcus.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work highlights the persistent effects of breastfeeding duration and pre-school dietary lifestyle in affecting the gut microbiota in school-age children and reveals distinct compositional and functional potential in children according to enterotypes. The findings underscore enterotype-specific links between the host metabolic phenotypes and dietary patterns, emphasizing the importance of microbiome-based stratification when investigating metabolic responses to diets. Future diet intervention studies are clearly warranted to examine gut microbe-diet-host relationships to promote knowledge-based recommendations in relation to improving metabolic health in children.

Text-based phenotypic profiles incorporating biochemical phenotypes of inborn errors of metabolism improve phenomics-based diagnosis

Phenomics is the comprehensive study of phenotypes at every level of biology: from metabolites to organisms. With high throughput technologies increasing the scope of biological discoveries, the field of phenomics has been developing rapid and precise methods to collect, catalog, and analyze phenotypes. Such methods have allowed phenotypic data to be widely used in medical applications, from assisting clinical diagnoses to prioritizing genomic diagnoses. To channel the benefits of phenomics into the field of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), we have recently launched IEMbase, an expert-curated knowledgebase of IEM and their disease-characterizing phenotypes. While our efforts with IEMbase have realized benefits, taking full advantage of phenomics requires a comprehensive curation of IEM phenotypes in core phenomics projects, which is dependent upon contributions from the IEM clinical and research community. Here, we assess the inclusion of IEM biochemical phenotypes in a core phenomics project, the Human Phenotype Ontology. We then demonstrate the utility of biochemical phenotypes using a text-based phenomics method to predict gene-disease relationships, showing that the prediction of IEM genes is significantly better using biochemical rather than clinical profiles. The findings herein provide a motivating goal for the IEM community to expand the computationally accessible descriptions of biochemical phenotypes associated with IEM in phenomics resources.

Biochemical and clinical characterization of metabolic phenotypes: a cross-sectional study from Maracaibo city, Venezuela

Background: In 1980, Reuben Andresen observed that in certain individuals, obesity did not increase mortality, introducing an atypical phenotype called "healthy obese". Other studies reported that 10-15 % of lean individuals presented insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate biochemical and clinical characteristics of metabolic phenotypes in Maracaibo city. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional sub-analysis of The Maracaibo City Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Study, with a randomized multistage sampling was performed including 1226 non diabetic individuals from both sexes. For phenotype definition, the subjects were first classified according to their BMI into Normal-Weight, Overweight and Obese; then divided in metabolically healthy and unhealthy using a two-step analysis cluster being predictive variables: HOMA2-IR, HOMA2-βcell, triglycerides. To evaluate the relationship with coronary risk, a multiple logistic regression model was performed. Results: In the studied population, 43.9% (n=538) were healthy normal weight, 5.2% (n=64) unhealthy normal weight, 17.4% (n=217) healthy obese and 33.5% (n=411) unhealthy obese subjects. Atypical phenotypes, Metabolically Unhealthy Normal-Weight (MUNW) was more frequent in males (56.3%), whereas Metabolically Unhealthy Obese (MUO) was more frequent in females (51.3%). This phenotypes had a higher coronary event risk, especially for obese individuals (MHO: OR=1.85 CI95%: 1.11-3.09; p=0.02 and MUO: OR=2.09 CI95%: 1.34-3.28; p<0.01). Conclusion: Individuals with atypical metabolic phenotypes are common in Maracaibo city. Related factors may include insulin resistance, basal glucose, and triglycerides levels. Lastly, obese subjects show a higher coronary event risk even those with normal metabolic status.

Biochemical and clinical characterization of metabolic phenotypes: a cross-sectional study from Maracaibo city, Venezuela

Background: In 1980, Reuben Andresen observed that in certain individuals, obesity did not increase mortality, introducing an atypical phenotype called "healthy obese". Other studies reported that 10-15 % of lean individuals presented insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate biochemical and clinical characteristics of metabolic phenotypes in Maracaibo city. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study with a randomized multistage sampling was performed including 1226 non diabetic individuals from both sexes. For phenotype definition, the subjects were first classified according to their BMI into Normal-Weight, Overweight and Obese; then divided in metabolically healthy and unhealthy using a two-step analysis cluster. To evaluate the relationship with coronary risk, a multiple logistic regression model was performed. Results: In the studied population, 5.2% (n=64) corresponded to unhealthy lean subjects, and 17.4% (n=217) to healthy obese subjects. Metabolically unhealthy normal-weight (MUNW) phenotype was found in males in 53.3% in contrast to 51.3% of metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) phenotype found in females. An association between metabolically unhealthy phenotypes and a higher risk of a coronary event was found, especially for obese individuals (MHO: OR=1.85 CI95%: 1.11-3.09; p=0.02 and MUO: OR=2.09 CI95%: 1.34-3.28; p<0.01). Conclusion: Individuals with atypical metabolic phenotypes exist in Maracaibo city. Related factors may include insulin resistance, basal glucose levels, and triglycerides levels. Lastly, cardiovascular risk exhibited by healthy obese individuals should be classified in categories of major coronary risk related to lean subjects.

Biochemical and clinical characterization of metabolic phenotypes: a cross-sectional study from Maracaibo city, Venezuela

Background: In 1980, Reuben Andresen observed that in certain individuals, obesity did not increase mortality, introducing an atypical phenotype called "healthy obese". Other studies reported that 10-15 % of lean individuals presented insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate biochemical and clinical characteristics of metabolic phenotypes in Maracaibo city. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional sub-analysis of The Maracaibo City Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Study, with a randomized multistage sampling was performed including 1226 non diabetic individuals from both sexes. For phenotype definition, the subjects were first classified according to their BMI into Normal-Weight, Overweight and Obese; then divided in metabolically healthy and unhealthy using a two-step analysis cluster being predictive variables: HOMA2-IR, HOMA2-βcell, triglycerides. To evaluate the relationship with coronary risk, a multiple logistic regression model was performed. Results: In the studied population, 43.9% (n=538) were healthy normal weight, 5.2% (n=64) unhealthy normal weight, 17.4% (n=217) healthy obese and 33.5% (n=411) unhealthy obese subjects. Atypical phenotypes, Metabolically Unhealthy Normal-Weight (MUNW) was more frequent in males (56.3%), whereas Metabolically Unhealthy Obese (MUO) was more frequent in females (51.3%). This phenotypes had a higher coronary event risk, especially for obese individuals (MHO: OR=1.85 CI95%: 1.11-3.09; p=0.02 and MUO: OR=2.09 CI95%: 1.34-3.28; p<0.01). Conclusion: Individuals with atypical metabolic phenotypes are common in Maracaibo city. Related factors may include insulin resistance, basal glucose, and triglycerides levels. Lastly, obese subjects show a higher coronary event risk even those with normal metabolic status.

Thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity in Nigerians: phenotypes and activity reference values

Objectives

This study assessed the activity of thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) in Nigerians with a view to providing data on susceptibility to thiopurine toxicity, and as well generate reference activity values for clinical use.

Results

TPMT activity, expressed as the amount of 6MMP in ng/mL after 1 h incubation at 37 °C per haemoglobin (U/g Hb), varied between 2.34 and 63.50 U/g Hb in the study population. Poor metabolic phenotypes, characterised by an activity values below 8.41 U/g Hb, were observed in 20% of the study subjects. Intermediate metabolizers had activity values between 8.41 and 16.13 U/g Hb. Fast and very fast metabolizers were characterised by activity values of 16.20–56.22 and > 56.22 U/g Hb, respectively. These findings suggest that a potentially huge discordance between TPMT phenotype and genotype exist in Nigerians, and emphasizes the superiority of a prior determination of TPMT metabolic phenotype in ensuring the safety of thiopurine drug administration in the population.

Energy expenditure in the etiology of human obesity: spendthrift and thrifty metabolic phenotypes and energy-sensing mechanisms

The pathogenesis of human obesity is the result of dysregulation of the reciprocal relationship between food intake and energy expenditure (EE), which influences daily energy balance and ultimately leads to weight gain. According to principles of energy homeostasis, a relatively lower EE in a setting of energy balance may lead to weight gain; however, results from different study groups are contradictory and indicate a complex interaction between EE and food intake which may differentially influence weight change in humans. Recently, studies evaluating the adaptive response of one component to perturbations of the other component of energy balance have revealed both the existence of differing metabolic phenotypes ("spendthrift" and "thrifty") resulting from overeating or underfeeding, as well as energy-sensing mechanisms linking EE to food intake, which might explain the propensity of an individual to weight gain. The purpose of this review is to debate the role that human EE plays on body weight regulation and to discuss the physiologic mechanisms linking EE and food intake. An increased understanding of the complex interplay between human metabolism and food consumption may provide insight into pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying weight gain, which may eventually lead to prevention and better treatment of human obesity.

The ENPP1 K121Q polymorphism is associated with type 2 diabetes and related metabolic phenotypes in a Taiwanese population

Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs1044498 (K121Q), in the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) gene, but this association is unclear among Asians. In this replication study, we reassessed whether the ENPP1 rs1044498 SNP is associated with T2D, obesity, and T2D/obesity-related metabolic traits in a Taiwanese population. A total of 1513 Taiwanese subjects were assessed in this study. The ENPP1 rs1044498 SNP was genotyped by the Taqman assay. T2D/Obesity-related quantitative traits, such as waist circumference and fasting glucose, were measured. Our data showed a significant association of the ENPP1 rs1044498 SNP with T2D (P < 0.001) among the subjects. Moreover, the ENPP1 rs1044498 SNP was significantly associated with T2D/obesity-related metabolic traits, such as waist circumference (P = 0.002) and fasting glucose (P < 0.001), among the subjects. However, we found no association of ENPP1 rs1044498 with obesity (BMI ≧ 27 kg/m(2)). Our study indicates that the ENPP1 rs1044498 SNP is associated with T2D, waist circumference, and fasting glucose in Taiwanese subjects.

"Adolescent metabolic phenotypes and early adult metabolic syndrome: Tehran lipid and glucose study"

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the predictive role of adolescent metabolic phenotypes in development of early adult metabolic syndrome (MetS).

STUDY DESIGN

A group of 1446 adolescents (44.8% boys), participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, with a mean (SD) of age 14.6 (2.2) years, followed for 10.4 years. Logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the predictive power of different metabolic phenotypes for adult MetS. Moreover, areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were estimated to compare the prediction power of metabolic phenotypes for adult MetS.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS was 14.6% (29.7% and 2.4% for adult males and females, respectively) at the end of follow up. The most frequent metabolic phenotype in adolescent was high TGs/low HDL-C (23.7%), while the prevalence of high TGs/high WC was 10.4% and the other phenotypes were less than 10%. After adjustment for baseline BMI Z-Score and BMI change, high TGs/low HDL-C (OR: 1.70, 95%CI: 1.23-2.37), high WC/high BP (OR: 1.75., 95%CI: 1.08-2.84), high BP/low HDL-C (OR:1.68, 95%CI: 1.05-2.60) and high WC/low HDL-C (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.37-4.23) phenotypes were associated with adult MetS. However, their AUCs were significantly lower than overweight or obesity.

CONCLUSION

Some combinations of metabolic abnormalities in adolescence predict early adult MetS, independent of baseline BMI Z-Score and BMI change. However, the discriminative power of these phenotypes was weak, in comparison to adolescent overweight or obesity.

Association of the rs6235 variant in the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1) gene with obesity and related traits in a Taiwanese population

One particularly interesting single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs6235 (encoding an S690T substitution), in the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1) gene has been widely associated with obesity in several European cohorts. The present study was intended to investigate the association between the PCSK1 rs6235 SNP and the prevalence of overweight or obesity, or obesity-related metabolic traits in a Taiwanese population. A total of 964 Taiwanese subjects with general health examinations were analyzed. Our data revealed no association of PCSK1 rs6235 with the risk of obesity or overweight in the complete subjects. However, the PCSK1 rs6235 SNP exhibited a significant association with overweight among the male subjects (P=0.03), but not among the female subjects. Furthermore, the carriers of GG variant had a significantly higher waist circumference than those with the CC variant (82.5 ± 11.5 vs. 81.2 ± 10.2 cm; P=0.01) and those with the CG variant (82.5 ± 11.5 vs. 81.4 ± 10.4 cm; P=0.021). In addition, the carriers of GG variant had a higher diastolic blood pressure than those with the CC variant (81.9 ± 14.2 vs. 80.3 ± 12.9 mm Hg; P=0.023). Our study indicates that the PCSK1 rs6235 SNP may contribute to the risk of overweight in men and predict obesity-related metabolic traits such as waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure in Taiwanese subjects.