Serum Progranulin Concentrations May Be Associated With Macrophage Infiltration Into Omental Adipose Tissue

OBJECTIVE—Progranulin is an important molecule in inflammatory response. Chronic inflammation is frequently associated with central obesity and associated disturbances; however, the role of circulating progranulin in human obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia is unknown

MiR-155 has a protective role in the development of non-alcoholic hepatosteatosis in mice

Hepatic steatosis is a global epidemic that is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. MicroRNAs (miRs) are regulators that can functionally integrate a range of metabolic and inflammatory pathways in liver. We aimed to investigate the functional role of miR-155 in hepatic steatosis. Male C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and miR-155−/− mice were fed either normal chow or high fat diet (HFD) for 6 months then lipid levels, metabolic and inflammatory parameters were assessed in livers and serum of the mice. Mice lacking endogenous miR-155 that were fed HFD for 6 months developed increased hepatic steatosis compared to WT controls. This was associated with increased liver weight and serum VLDL/LDL cholesterol and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, as well as increased hepatic expression of genes involved in glucose regulation (Pck1, Cebpa), fatty acid uptake (Cd36) and lipid metabolism (Fasn, Fabp4, Lpl, Abcd2, Pla2g7). Using miRNA target prediction algorithms and the microarray transcriptomic profile of miR-155−/− livers, we identified and validated that Nr1h3 (LXRα) as a direct miR-155 target gene that is potentially responsible for the liver phenotype of miR-155−/− mice. Together these data indicate that miR-155 plays a pivotal role regulating lipid metabolism in liver and that its deregulation may lead to hepatic steatosis in patients with diabetes

Autocrine IGF-1 Action in Adipocytes Controls Systemic IGF-1 Concentrations and Growth

OBJECTIVE—IGF-1 and the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) have been implicated in the regulation of adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in vitro

The serum vaspin levels are reduced in Japanese chronic hemodialysis patients

Background: Visceral adipose tissue-derived serine proteinase inhibitor (vaspin) is an adipokine identified in genetically obese rats that correlates with insulin resistance and obesity in humans. Recently, we found that 7% of the Japanese population with the minor allele sequence (A) of rs77060950 exhibit higher levels of serum vaspin. We therefore evaluated the serum vaspin levels in Japanese chronic hemodialysis patients. Methods: Healthy Japanese control volunteers (control; n = 95, 49.9 +/- 6.91 years) and Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy (HD; n = 138, 51.4 +/- 10.5 years) were enrolled in this study, and serum samples were subjected to the human vaspin RIA system. Results: The measurement of the serum vaspin levels demonstrated that a fraction of control subjects (n = 5) and HD patients (n = 11) exhibited much higher levels (> 10 ng/ml; Vaspin(High) group), while the rest of the population exhibited lower levels (< 3 ng/ml; Vaspin(Low) group). By comparing the patients in the Vaspin(Low) group, the serum vaspin levels were found to be significantly higher in the control subjects (0.87 +/- 0.24 ng/ml) than in the HD patients (0.32 +/- 0.15 ng/ml) (p < 0.0001). In the stepwise regression analyses, the serum creatinine and triglyceride levels were found to be independently and significantly associated with the vaspin concentrations in all subjects. Conclusions: The creatinine levels are negatively correlated with the serum vaspin levels and were significantly reduced in the Japanese HD patients in the Vaspin(Low) group

Levelling off of prevalence of obesity in the adult population of Sweden between 2000/01 and 2004/05

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The escalating global epidemic of obesity is of worldwide concern because of its association with several chronic diseases and premature mortality. Some subgroups seem to be more affected than others. The aim of this study was to examine whether the mean BMI (adjusted for age) and the prevalence of obesity (adjusted for all the explanatory variables) changed between 2000/01 and 2004/05 in different subgroups of the Swedish population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study compared two cross-sectional, nationwide random samples of persons aged 16 to 84 years: the first from 2000/01 (5515 men, 5838 women) and the second from 2004/05 (4681 men, 4821 women). After stratification by gender, a logistic regression model was applied to analyse possible changes in mean BMI and the prevalence of obesity between 2000/01 and 2004/05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Total mean BMI remained almost unchanged between 2000/01 and 2004/05 for both men and women. The prevalence of obesity increased slightly in both men and women, but not significantly (from 9.7 to 10.8% and from 9.6 to 10.2%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity in 2004/05 was especially high in some subgroups: men aged 45-54 (14.3%) or 55-64 (16.5%), women aged 65-74 (15.9%) or 75-84 (16.8%), men and women of middle educational level (15.6% and 14.4%, respectively), male former smokers (13.4%), and men from small towns or rural areas (13.1%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although the mean BMI and obesity were almost unchanged in the Swedish adult population between 2000/01 and 2004/05, obesity levels in Sweden remained unacceptably high, especially in certain subgroups. Primary and secondary intervention actions should strive to decrease the prevalence of obesity in Sweden.</p

Molecular mechanisms of vaspin action: from adipose tissue to skin and bone, from blood vessels to the brain

Visceral adipose tissue derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) or SERPINA12 according to the serpin nomenclature was identified together with other genes and gene products that  were specifically expressed or overexpressed in the intra abdominal or visceral adipose tissue  (AT) of the Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rat. These rats spontaneously develop visceral  obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and ‐glycemia, as well as hypertension and thus represent a well suited animal model of obesity and related metabolic disorders such as type  2 diabetes.  The follow-up study reporting the cloning, expression and functional characterization of  vaspin suggested the great and promising potential of this molecule to counteract obesity induced insulin resistance and inflammation and has since initiated over 300 publications, clinical and experimental, that have contributed to uncover the multifaceted functions and molecular mechanisms of vaspin action not only in the adipose, but in many different cells, tissues and organs. This review will give an update on mechanistic and structural aspects of vaspin with a focus on its serpin function, the physiology and regulation of vaspin expression, and will summarize the latest on vaspin function in various tissues such as the different adipose tissue depots as well as the vasculature, skin, bone and the brain