'Fat mass and obesity associated' gene (FTO): No significant association of variant rs9939609 with weight loss in a lifestyle intervention and lipid metabolism markers in German obese children and adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have previously identified strong association of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in <it>FTO </it>(fat mass and obesity associated gene) to early onset extreme obesity within the first genome wide association study (GWA) for this phenotype. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the obesity risk allele of one of these SNPs (rs9939609) is associated with weight loss in a lifestyle intervention program. Additionally, we tested for association of rs9939609 alleles with fasting blood parameters indicative of glucose and lipid metabolism.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We initially analysed rs9939609 in a case-control study comprising 519 German overweight and obese children and adolescents and 178 normal weight adults. In 207 of the obese individuals who took part in the outpatient obesity intervention program 'Obeldicks' we further analysed whether carrier status of the obesity risk A-allele of rs9939609 has a differential influence on weight loss after the intervention program. Additionally, we investigated in 480 of the overweight and obese patients whether rs9939609 is associated with fasting blood levels of glucose, triglycerides and HDL and LDL-cholesterol. Genotyping was performed using allele specific polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR). For the association study (case-control approach), the Cochran-Armitage trend test was applied. Blood parameters were analysed using commercially available test kits and the log10-transformed blood parameters and changes in BMI-standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) were analysed by linear regression with sex and age as covariates under an additive mode of inheritance with the rs9939609 A-allele as risk allele.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We confirmed the association of the risk A-allele of rs9939609 with overweight and early onset obesity (one sided p = 0.036). However, we observed no association of rs9939609 alleles with weight loss or fasting levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We confirmed the rs9939609 A-allele as a risk factor for early onset obesity whereas its impact on weight loss or on serum levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol could not be detected in our samples.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p><b>This study is registered </b>at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00435734).</p

Long-term effect of lifestyle intervention on adiposity, metabolic parameters, inflammation and physical fitness in obese children: a randomized controlled trial

Epidemiology in Pediatrics and Child Healt

Características agronômicas dos acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar agronomicamente 19 acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva (BAGUva), por um período compreendido entre sete e 11 anos. Os materiais são cultivados a campo, em condições padronizadas, sob porta-enxerto '101-14?, com sistema de sustentação em espaldeira e poda em Guyot. Foram avaliadas características relacionadas ao cacho, à baga, à produtividade e à incidência das principais doenças da videira no país

Análise fenológica de acessos mantidos pelo Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o ciclo fenológico de 19 acessos mantidos no Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva

Caracterização da qualidade do mosto de acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade do mosto, com relação ao pH, conteúdo de sólidos solúveis totais (SS) e acidez total titulável (ATT) de 19 acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva

Características agronômicas dos acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva da Embrapa Uva e Vinho.

A caracterização de acessos de uva mantidos em coleção é uma etapa importante, que contribui para o melhoramento genético. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar agronomicamente 43 acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva (BAG-Uva), mantido pela Embrapa Uva e Vinho, localizada em Bento Gonçalves-RS

Avaliação físico-química de acessos do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva (BAG-Uva).

O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar 43 acessos do BAG-Uva, com relação à qualidade do mosto [pH, Sólidos Solúveis Totais (SS) e Acidez Total Titulável (ATT)], por um período que variou entre sete e 10 anos. Trinta e oito acessos também foram avaliados com relação ao Índice de Polifenóis Totais (IPT) e conteúdo de antocianinas (ANT), por um período que variou de dois e três anos

Fenologia de acessos mantidos pelo Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva (BAG-Uva).

Cultivares de videira com ciclos produtivos diferenciados são importantes para a viticultura praticada em clima tropical e temperado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o ciclo fenológico de 43 acessos mantidos no BAG-Uva. Os acessos foram avaliados em condições padronizadas no campo por um período que variou entre 7 e 10 anos em clima temperado (29º09?S, 51º31'W, 680m de altitude)

Higher steroid sulfation is linked to successful weight loss in obese children

Objective: Little information is available on the steroid sulfates profile in obese children. Therefore, we examined whether sulfated steroids are linked with weight status and associated comorbidities in obese children. Methods: We analyzed 66 obese children (mean age 10.5 ± 2.5 years, 57.6% female, 53.9% prepubertal, mean BMI 27.0 ± 4.6 kg/m2, 50% with BMI-SDS reduction >0.5, 50% without BMI-SDS reduction) who participated in an outpatient 1-year intervention program based on exercise, behavior and nutrition therapy. We measured intact sulfated steroids (cholesterol sulfate (CS), pregnenolone sulfate (PregS), 17αOH pregnenolone sulfate (17OH-PregS), 16αOH dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (16OH-DHEAS), DHEAS, androstenediol-3-sulfate, androsterone sulfate and epiandrosterone sulfate) by LC–MS/MS, and insulin resistance index HOMA, lipids, blood pressure at baseline and 1 year later. Results: All sulfated steroids except 17OH-PregS, 16OH-DHEAS, androsterone sulfate and epiandrosterone sulfate were higher in boys compared to girls. Concentrations of CS before intervention were higher in children who lost weight. After 1 year of treatment, both groups showed increased levels of DHEAS, 16OH-DHEAS and androstenediol-3-sulfate, but PregS was only increased in children with weight loss. None of the steroid sulfates was significantly related to cardiovascular risk factors or HOMA except 17OH-PregS, which was associated with systolic blood pressure both in cross-sectional (β-coefficient: 0.09 ± 0.07, P = 0.020) and longitudinal analyses (β-coefficient: 0.06 ± 0.04, P = 0.013) in multiple linear regression analyses. Conclusions: Since higher steroid sulfation capacity was associated with successful weight intervention in children disruption of sulfation may be associated with difficulties to lose weight. Future studies are necessary to prove this hypothesis

Monoclonal antibody-based localization of major diagnostic antigens in metacestode tissue, excretory/secretory products, and extracellular vesicles of Echinococcus species

Alveolar (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE) are severe parasitic zoonoses caused by the larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis and E. granulosus sensu lato, respectively. A panel of 7 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was selected against major diagnostic epitopes of both species. The binding capacity of the mAbs to Echinococcus spp. excretory/secretory products (ESP) was analyzed by sandwich-ELISA, where mAb Em2G11 and mAb EmG3 detected in vitro extravesicular ESP of both E. multilocularis and E. granulosus s.s. These findings were subsequently confirmed by the detection of circulating ESP in a subset of serum samples from infected hosts including humans. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were purified, and the binding to mAbs was analyzed by sandwich-ELISA. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to confirm the binding of mAb EmG3 to EVs from intravesicular fluid of Echinococcus spp. vesicles. The specificity of the mAbs in ELISA corresponded to the immunohistochemical staining (IHC-S) patterns performed on human AE and CE liver sections. Antigenic small particles designated as ‘‘spems’’ for E. multilocularis and ‘‘spegs’’ for E. granulosus s.l. were stained by the mAb EmG3IgM, mAb EmG3IgG1, mAb AgB, and mAb 2B2, while mAb Em2G11 reacted with spems and mAb Eg2 with spegs only. The laminated layer (LL) of both species was strongly visualized by using mAb EmG3IgM, mAb EmG3IgG1, mAb AgB, and mAb 2B2. The LL was specifically stained by mAb Em2G11 in E. multilocularis and by mAb Eg2 in E. granulosus s.l. In the germinal layer (GL), including the protoscoleces, a wide staining pattern with all structures of both species was observed with mAb EmG3IgG1, mAb EmG3IgM, mAb AgB, mAb 2B2, and mAb Em18. In the GL and protoscoleces, the mAb Eg2 displayed a strong E. granulosus s.l. specific binding, while mAb Em2G11 exhibited a weak granular E. multilocularis specific reaction. The most notable staining pattern in IHC-S was found with mAb Em18, which solely bound to the GL and protoscoleces of Echinococcus species and potentially to primary cells. To conclude, mAbs represent valuable tools for the visualization of major antigens in the most important Echinococcus species, as well as providing insights into parasite-host interactions and pathogenesis