Effect of moderate weight loss on hepatic, pancreatic and visceral lipids in obese subjects

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of weight loss on visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat, liver and pancreas lipid contentand to test the effects of these changes on metabolic improvement observed after weight loss.DESIGN: Weight-loss program designed to achieve a loss of 7--10% of the initial weight.SUBJECTS: 24 obese subjects (13 males and 11 females) with age ranging from 26 to 69 years and body mass index (BMI)30.2 -- 50.5 kgm2. Measurements: weight, BMI, waist circumference, body composition as assessed by dual-energy X-rayabsorptiometry, metabolic variables, leptin, adiponectin, visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat, liver and pancreas lipidcontent as assessed by magnetic resonance were evaluated before and after weight loss achieved by hypocaloric diet.RESULTS: After a mean body weight decrease of 8.9%, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, all metabolic variables, homeostasismodel assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA), alanine amino transferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, high-sensitivityC-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and leptin, but not adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, significantly decreased (allPo0.01). Visceral and subcutaneos abdominal fat, liver and pancreas lipid content significantly decreased (all Po0.01). Percentchanges in liver lipid content were greater (84.1\ub13%) than those in lipid pancreas content (42.3\ub129%) and visceral abdominalfat (31.9\ub115.6%). After weight loss, percentage of subjects with liver steatosis decreased from 75 to 12.5%. Insulin resistanceimprovement was predicted by changes in liver lipid content independently of changes in visceral fat, pancreas lipid content,systemic inflammation, leptin and gender.CONCLUSION: Moderate weight loss determines significant decline in visceral abdominal fat, lipid content in liver andpancreas. Reduction of liver lipid content was greater than that of pancreas lipid content and visceral fat loss. Liver lipidcontent is the strongest predictor of insulin resistance improvement after weight loss

Validation of Reference Genes for the Relative Quantification of Gene Expression in Human Epicardial Adipose Tissue

BACKGROUND: Relative quantification is a commonly used method for assessing gene expression, however its accuracy and reliability is dependent upon the choice of an optimal endogenous control gene, and such choice cannot be made a priori. There is limited information available on suitable reference genes to be used for studies involving human epicardial adipose tissue. The objective of the current study was to evaluate and identify optimal reference genes for use in the relative quantification of gene expression in human epicardial fat depots of lean, overweight and obese subjects. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Some of the commonly used reference genes including 18S, ACTB, RPL27, HPRT, CYCA, GAPDH, RPLPO, POLR2A and B2M were quantified using real-time PCR analysis. The expression stability of these genes was evaluated using Genorm, Normfinder and Bestkeeper algorithms. In addition, the effect of sample size on the validation process was studied by randomly categorizing subjects in two cohorts of n = 2 and n = 33. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CYCA, GAPDH and RPL27 were identified as the most stable genes common to all three algorithms and both sample sizes. Their use as reference gene pairs might contribute to the enhanced robustness of relative quantification in the studies involving the human epicardial adipose tissue

Active Whey Protein Edible Films and Coatings Incorporating Lactobacillus buchneri for Penicillium nordicum Control in Cheese

Fungal contamination of food is responsible for health issues and food waste. In this work, the incorporation of a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with antifungal properties (Lactobacillus buchneri UTAD104) into whey protein-based films and coatings was tested for the control of an ochratoxigenic fungi (Penicillium nordicum) in a cheese matrix. The incorporation of L. buchneri cells resulted in thicker films with less luminosity than control films and colour alteration. Nevertheless, cells inclusion did not alter moisture content, water vapour permeability, mechanical properties, hydrophobicity and chemical structure of the films. Whey protein films were able to maintain the viability of L. buchneri UTAD104 cells in 105 CFU/mL after 30 days of storage at 25 \textdegreeC. When applied in cheese, films and coatings containing L. buchneri cells prevented fungal contamination for at least 30 days, while control cheeses with films and coatings either without LAB or with Lactobacillus casei UM3 (a strain without antifungal ability) showed fungal contamination during that period. Ochratoxin A was not found in cheeses treated with films and coatings containing L. buchneri UTAD104. Results showed that the inclusion of a LAB with antifungal properties in edible films and coatings can help to reduce or eliminate P. nordicum contamination in cheeses.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. Ana Guimarães received support through grant SFRH/BD/103245/2014 from the Portuguese FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio