Localization, traffic and function of Rab34 in adipocyte lipid and endocrine functions.

BACKGROUND: Excessive lipid accumulation in the adipose tissue in obesity alters the endocrine and energy storage functions of adipocytes. Adipocyte lipid droplets represent key organelles coordinating lipid storage and mobilization in these cells. Recently, we identified the small GTPase, Rab34, in the lipid droplet proteome of adipocytes. Herein, we have characterized the distribution, intracellular transport, and potential contribution of this GTPase to adipocyte physiology and its regulation in obesity. METHODS: 3T3-L1 and human primary preadipocytes were differentiated in vitro and Rab34 distribution and trafficking were analyzed using markers of cellular compartments. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were transfected with expression vectors and/or Rab34 siRNA and assessed for secretory activity, lipid accumulation and expression of proteins regulating lipid metabolism. Proteomic and protein interaction analyses were employed for the identification of the Rab34 interactome. These studies were combined with functional analysis to unveil the role played by the GTPase in adipocytes, with a focus on the actions conveyed by Rab34 interacting proteins. Finally, Rab34 regulation in response to obesity was also evaluated. RESULTS: Our results show that Rab34 localizes at the Golgi apparatus in preadipocytes. During lipid droplet biogenesis, Rab34 translocates from the Golgi to endoplasmic reticulum-related compartments and then reaches the surface of adipocyte lipid droplets. Rab34 exerts distinct functions related to its intracellular location. Thus, at the Golgi, Rab34 regulates cisternae integrity as well as adiponectin trafficking and oligomerization. At the lipid droplets, this GTPase controls lipid accumulation and lipolysis through its interaction with the E1-ubiquitin ligase, UBA1, which induces the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the fatty acid transporter and member of Rab34 interactome, FABP5. Finally, Rab34 levels in the adipose tissue and adipocytes are regulated in response to obesity and related pathogenic insults (i.e., fibrosis). CONCLUSIONS: Rab34 plays relevant roles during adipocyte differentiation, including from the regulation of the oligomerization (i.e., biological activity) and secretion of a major adipokine with insulin-sensitizing actions, adiponectin, to lipid storage and mobilization from lipid droplets. Rab34 dysregulation in obesity may contribute to the altered adipokine secretion and lipid metabolism that characterize adipocyte dysfunction in conditions of excess adiposity.

Exploring the role of the inflammasomes on prostate cancer: Interplay with obesity.

Obesity is a weight-related disorder characterized by excessive adipose tissue growth and dysfunction which leads to the onset of a systemic chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Likewise, inflammation is considered a classic cancer hallmark affecting several steps of carcinogenesis and tumor progression. In this regard, novel molecular complexes termed inflammasomes have been identified which are able to react to a wide spectrum of insults, impacting several metabolic-related disorders, but their contribution to cancer biology remains unclear. In this context, prostate cancer (PCa) has a markedly inflammatory component, and patients frequently are elderly individuals who exhibit weight-related disorders, being obesity the most prevalent condition. Therefore, inflammation, and specifically, inflammasome complexes, could be crucial players in the interplay between PCa and metabolic disorders. In this review, we will: 1) discuss the potential role of each inflammasome component (sensor, molecular adaptor, and targets) in PCa pathophysiology, placing special emphasis on IL-1ß/NF-kB pathway and ROS and hypoxia influence; 2) explore the association between inflammasomes and obesity, and how these molecular complexes could act as the cornerstone between the obesity and PCa; and, 3) compile current clinical trials regarding inflammasome targeting, providing some insights about their potential use in the clinical practice.

Rab18 Drift in Lipid Droplet and Endoplasmic Reticulum Interactions of Adipocytes under Obesogenic Conditions.

The adipose tissue stores excess energy in the form of neutral lipids within adipocyte lipid droplets (LDs). The correct function of LDs requires the interaction with other organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as well as with LD coat-associated proteins, including Rab18, a mediator of intracellular lipid trafficking and ER-LD interaction. Although perturbations of the inter-organelle contact sites have been linked to several diseases, such as cancer, no information regarding ER-LD contact sites in dysfunctional adipocytes from the obese adipose tissue has been published to date. Herein, the ER-LD connection and Rab18 distribution at ER-LD contact sites are examined in adipocytes challenged with fibrosis and inflammatory conditions, which represent known hallmarks of the adipose tissue in obesity. Our results show that adipocytes differentiated in fibrotic conditions caused ER fragmentation, the expansion of ER-LD contact sites, and modified Rab18 dynamics. Likewise, adipocytes exposed to inflammatory conditions favored ER-LD contact, Rab18 accumulation in the ER, and Rab18 redistribution to large LDs. Finally, our studies in human adipocytes supported the suggestion that Rab18 transitions to the LD coat from the ER. Taken together, our results suggest that obesity-related pathogenic processes alter the maintenance of ER-LD interactions and interfere with Rab18 trafficking through these contact sites.

LRP10, PGK1 and RPLP0: Best Reference Genes in Periprostatic Adipose Tissue under Obesity and Prostate Cancer Conditions.

Obesity (OB) is a metabolic disorder characterized by adipose tissue dysfunction that has emerged as a health problem of epidemic proportions in recent decades. OB is associated with multiple comorbidities, including some types of cancers. Specifically, prostate cancer (PCa) has been postulated as one of the tumors that could have a causal relationship with OB. Particularly, a specialized adipose tissue (AT) depot known as periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) has gained increasing attention over the last few years as it could be a key player in the pathophysiological interaction between PCa and OB. However, to date, no studies have defined the most appropriate internal reference genes (IRGs) to be used in gene expression studies in this AT depot. In this work, two independent cohorts of PPAT samples (n = 20/n = 48) were used to assess the validity of a battery of 15 literature-selected IRGs using two widely used techniques (reverse transcription quantitative PCR [RT-qPCR] and microfluidic-based qPCR array). For this purpose, ΔCt method, GeNorm (v3.5), BestKeeper (v1.0), NormFinder (v.20.0), and RefFinder software were employed to assess the overall trends of our analyses. LRP10, PGK1, and RPLP0 were identified as the best IRGs to be used for gene expression studies in human PPATs, specifically when considering PCa and OB conditions.

The clinical and molecular cardiometabolic fingerprint of an exploratory psoriatic arthritis cohort is associated with the disease activity and differentially modulated by methotrexate and apremilast.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To evaluate clinical and molecular cardiovascular disease (CVD) signs and their relationship with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) features and (2) to identify a clinical patient profile susceptible to benefit from methotrexate (MTX) and/or apremilast regarding CVD risk. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients with PsA and 100 age-matched healthy donors. In addition, an exploratory cohort of 45 biologically naïve patients treated for 6 months with apremilast, MTX or combined therapy according to routine clinical practice was recruited. Extensive clinical and metabolic profiles were obtained. Ninety-nine surrogate CVD-related molecules were analysed in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Hard cluster analysis was performed to identify the clinical and molecular phenotypes. Mechanistic studies were performed on adipocytes. RESULTS: Cardiometabolic comorbidities were associated with disease activity and long-term inflammatory status. Thirty-five CVD-related proteins were altered in the plasma and PBMCs of PsA patients and were associated with the key clinical features of the disease. Plasma levels of some of the CVD-related molecules might distinguish insulin-resistant patients (MMP-3, CD163, FABP-4), high disease activity (GAL-3 and FABP-4) and poor therapy outcomes (CD-163, LTBR and CNTN-1). Hard cluster analysis identified two phenotypes of patients according to the rates of cardiometabolic comorbidities with distinctive clinical and molecular responses to each treatment. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Novel CVD-related proteins associated with clinical features could be emerging therapeutic targets in the context of PsA and (2) the pleiotropic action of apremilast could make it an excellent choice for the management of PsA patients with high CVD risk, targeting metabolic alterations and CVD-related molecules.

Adipose tissue depot-specific intracellular and extracellular cues contributing to insulin resistance in obese individuals.

Adipose tissue dysregulation in obesity strongly influences systemic metabolic homeostasis and is often linked to insulin resistance (IR). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity are not fully understood. Herein, a proteomic analysis of subcutaneous (SC) and omental (OM) fat from lean subjects and obese individuals with different degrees of insulin sensitivity was performed to identify adipose tissue biomarkers related to obesity-associated metabolic disease. Our results suggest that dysregulation of both adipose tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and intracellular trafficking processes may be associated with IR in obesity. Thus, abnormal accumulation of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan, lumican, as observed in SC fat of IR obese individuals, modifies collagen I organization, impairs adipogenesis and activates stress processes [endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress] in adipocytes. In OM fat, IR is associated with increased levels of the negative regulator of the Rab family of small GTPases, GDI2, which alters lipid storage in adipocytes by inhibiting insulin-stimulated binding of the Rab protein, Rab18, to lipid droplets. Together, these results indicate that lumican and GDI2 might play depot-dependent, pathogenic roles in obesity-associated IR. Our findings provide novel insights into the differential maladaptive responses of SC and OM adipose tissue linking obesity to IR.

Crohn's Disease Increases the Mesothelial Properties of Adipocyte Progenitors in the Creeping Fat.

Our understanding of the interplay between human adipose tissue and the immune system is limited. The mesothelium, an immunologically active structure, emerged as a source of visceral adipose tissue. After investigating the mesothelial properties of human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue and their progenitors, we explored whether the dysfunctional obese and Crohn's disease environments influence the mesothelial/mesenchymal properties of their adipocyte precursors, as well as their ability to mount an immune response. Using a tandem transcriptomic/proteomic approach, we evaluated the mesothelial and mesenchymal expression profiles in adipose tissue, both in subjects covering a wide range of body-mass indexes and in Crohn's disease patients. We also isolated adipose tissue precursors (adipose-derived stem cells, ASCs) to assess their mesothelial/mesenchymal properties, as well as their antigen-presenting features. Human visceral tissue presented a mesothelial phenotype not detected in the subcutaneous fat. Only ASCs from mesenteric adipose tissue, named creeping fat, had a significantly higher expression of the hallmark mesothelial genes mesothelin (MSLN) and Wilms' tumor suppressor gene 1 (WT1), supporting a mesothelial nature of these cells. Both lean and Crohn's disease visceral ASCs expressed equivalent surface percentages of the antigen-presenting molecules human leucocyte antigen-DR isotype (HLA-DR) and CD86. However, lean-derived ASCs were predominantly HLA-DR dim, whereas in Crohn's disease, the HLA-DR bright subpopulation was increased 3.2-fold. Importantly, the mesothelial-enriched Crohn's disease precursors activated CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Our study evidences a mesothelial signature in the creeping fat of Crohn's disease patients and its progenitor cells, the latter being able to present antigens and orchestrate an immune response.

The caveolae-associated coiled-coil protein, NECC2, regulates insulin signalling in Adipocytes.

Adipocyte dysfunction in obesity is commonly associated with impaired insulin signalling in adipocytes and insulin resistance. Insulin signalling has been associated with caveolae, which are coated by large complexes of caveolin and cavin proteins, along with proteins with membrane-binding and remodelling properties. Here, we analysed the regulation and function of a component of caveolae involved in growth factor signalling in neuroendocrine cells, neuroendocrine long coiled-coil protein-2 (NECC2), in adipocytes. Studies in 3T3-L1 cells showed that NECC2 expression increased during adipogenesis. Furthermore, NECC2 co-immunoprecipitated with caveolin-1 (CAV1) and exhibited a distribution pattern similar to that of the components of adipocyte caveolae, CAV1, Cavin1, the insulin receptor and cortical actin. Interestingly, NECC2 overexpression enhanced insulin-activated Akt phosphorylation, whereas NECC2 downregulation impaired insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt and ERK2. Finally, an up-regulation of NECC2 in subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue was found in association with human obesity and insulin resistance. This effect was also observed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to hyperglycaemia/hyperinsulinemia. Overall, the present study identifies NECC2 as a component of adipocyte caveolae that is regulated in response to obesity and associated metabolic complications, and supports the contribution of this protein as a molecular scaffold modulating insulin signal transduction at these membrane microdomains.

Interrelation of adipose tissue macrophages and fibrosis in obesity.

Obesity is characterized by adipose tissue expansion, extracellular matrix remodelling and unresolved inflammation that contribute to insulin resistance and fibrosis. Adipose tissue macrophages represent the most abundant class of immune cells in adipose tissue inflammation and could be key mediators of adipocyte dysfunction and fibrosis in obesity. Although macrophage activation states are classically defined by the M1/M2 polarization nomenclature, novel studies have revealed a more complex range of macrophage phenotypes in response to external condition or the surrounding microenvironment. Here, we discuss the plasticity of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) in response to their microenvironment in obesity, with special focus on macrophage infiltration and polarization, and their contribution to adipose tissue fibrosis. A better understanding of the role of ATMs as regulators of adipose tissue remodelling may provide novel therapeutic strategies against obesity and associated metabolic diseases.

Understanding the adipose tissue acetylome in obesity and insulin resistance.

Obesity is a widely prevalent pathology with a high exponential growth worldwide. Altered lipid accumulation by adipose tissue is one of the main causes of obesity and exploring lipid homeostasis in this tissue may represent a source for the identification of possible therapeutic targets. The study of the proteome and the post-translational modifications of proteins, specifically acetylation due to its involvement in energy metabolism, may be of great interest to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity. The objective of this study was to characterize the subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue acetylome in conditions of obesity and insulin resistance and to describe the importance of acetylation of key molecules in adipose tissue to use them as therapeutic targets. The results describe for the first time the acetylome of subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue under physiological and physiopathological conditions such as obesity and insulin resistance. New evidence showed different acetylation patterns between two main depots and highlight the molecular complexity of adipose tissue. Results showed changes in FABP4 acetylation in subcutaneous fat in relation to insulin resistance, thus unveiling a potential marker of depot-specific dysfunctional expansion in obesity-associated metabolic disease. Furthermore, it is shown that the acetylation of FABP4 affects its function, modulating the capacity of differentiation in adipocytes. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a profound, depot-specific alteration of adipose tissue acetylome, wherein the acetylation of FABP4 may play a key role in adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation.

Influence of Protein Carbonylation on Human Adipose Tissue Dysfunction in Obesity and Insulin Resistance.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is characterized by adipose tissue dysregulation and predisposes individuals to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. At the molecular level, adipocyte dysfunction has been linked to obesity-triggered oxidative stress and protein carbonylation, considering protein carbonylation as a link between oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. The identification of specific carbonylated proteins in adipose tissue could provide novel biomarkers of oxidative damage related to metabolic status (i.e prediabetes). Thus, we aimed at characterizing the subcutaneous and omental human adipose tissue carbonylome in obesity-associated insulin resistance. METHODS: 2D-PAGE was used to identify carbonylated proteins, and clinical correlations studies and molecular biology approaches including intracellular trafficking, reactive oxygen species assay, and iron content were performed using in vitro models of insulin resistance. RESULTS: The carbonylome of human adipose tissue included common (serotransferrin, vimentin, actin, and annexin A2) and depot-specific (carbonic anhydrase and α-crystallin B in the subcutaneous depot; and α-1-antitrypsin and tubulin in the omental depot) differences that point out the complexity of oxidative stress at the metabolic level, highlighting changes in carbonylated transferrin expression. Posterior studies using in vitro prediabetic model evidence alteration in transferrin receptor translocation, linked to the prediabetic environment. Finally, ligand-receptor molecular docking studies showed a reduced affinity for carbonylated transferrin binding to its receptor compared to wild-type transferrin, emphasizing the role of transferrin carbonylation in the link between oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The adipose tissue carbonylome contributes to understanding the molecular mechanism driving adipocyte dysfunction and identifies possible adipose tissue carbonylated targets in obesity-associated insulin resistance.

miR-223-3p as a potential biomarker and player for adipose tissue dysfunction preceding type 2 diabetes onset.

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as biomarkers for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Adipose tissue (AT), for which dysfunction is widely associated with T2D development, has been reported as a major source of circulating miRNAs. However, the role of dysfunctional AT in the altered pattern of circulating miRNAs associated with T2D onset remains unexplored. Herein, we investigated the relationship between T2D-associated circulating miRNAs and AT function, as well as the role of preadipocytes and adipocytes as secreting cells of candidate circulating miRNAs. Among the plasma miRNAs related to T2D onset in the CORonary Diet Intervention with Olive oil and cardiovascular PREVention (CORDIOPREV) cohort, baseline miR-223-3p levels (diminished in patients who next developed T2D [incident-T2D]) were significantly related to AT insulin resistance (IR). Baseline serum from incident-T2D participants induced inflammation and IR in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibited miR-223-3p secretion while enhancing miR-223-3p intracellular accumulation in 3T3-L1 (pre)adipocytes. Overexpression studies showed that an intracellular increase of miR-223-3p impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in these cells. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the alteration of circulating miRNAs preceding T2D, unveiling both preadipocytes and adipocytes as miR-223-3p-secreting cells and suggesting that inflammation promotes miR-223-3p intracellular accumulation, which might contribute to (pre)adipocyte dysfunction and body metabolic dysregulation.

Molecular Changes in the Adipose Tissue Induced by Rheumatoid Arthritis: Effects of Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs.

Disease severity, progression and response to therapy might be worse in obese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but paradoxically, obesity also might protect from radiographic joint damage. Thus, the intricate relationship between obesity and RA needs urgent clarification. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of obesity on the onset and development of RA and to determine whether arthritis could modify the adipose tissue biology and whether conventional Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (cDMARDs) can modulate these alterations. Two strategies were followed: (1) clinical profiling of two cohorts of RA: non-obese and obese patients; and (2) mechanistic studies carried out in both a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in an obese mouse model and 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with cDMARDs (leflunomide, methotrexate, and hydroxychloroquine). In our cohort of RA patients with low-moderate disease activity, the presence of obesity was not related to a higher activity of the disease; actually, disease activity score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) was reduced in the obese RA patients. However, the induction of arthritis promoted transcriptomic changes in the adipose tissue under obesity condition in the obese CIA model. Treatment with hydroxychloroquine reduced weight and insulin resistance, accompanied by beneficial metabolic effects in the adipose tissue. These molecular changes in adipose tissue were also observed after methotrexate administration. In sum, arthritis might affect directly the inflammatory burden and metabolic alterations associated with obesity in adipose tissue. Clinicians should be cautious measuring the activity of the disease in obesity and managing the best therapeutic options for the metabolic comorbidities of these patients, where the combination of hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate should be considered to improve adipose tissue dysfunction in obese RA.

Impaired mRNA splicing and proteostasis in preadipocytes in obesity-related metabolic disease.

Preadipocytes are crucial for healthy adipose tissue expansion. Preadipocyte differentiation is altered in obese individuals, which has been proposed to contribute to obesity-associated metabolic disturbances. Here, we aimed at identifying the pathogenic processes underlying impaired adipocyte differentiation in obese individuals with insulin resistance (IR)/type 2 diabetes (T2D). We report that down-regulation of a key member of the major spliceosome, PRFP8/PRP8, as observed in IR/T2D preadipocytes from subcutaneous (SC) fat, prevented adipogenesis by altering both the expression and splicing patterns of adipogenic transcription factors and lipid droplet-related proteins, while adipocyte differentiation was restored upon recovery of PRFP8/PRP8 normal levels. Adipocyte differentiation was also compromised under conditions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated protein degradation (ERAD) hyperactivation, as occurs in SC and omental (OM) preadipocytes in IR/T2D obesity. Thus, targeting mRNA splicing and ER proteostasis in preadipocytes could improve adipose tissue function and thus contribute to metabolic health in obese individuals.

Subclinical cardiovascular risk signs in adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in sustained remission.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood that often persists into adulthood and can result in significant long-term morbidity. As a long lasting chronic inflammatory disease, concern has been raised regarding the risk of premature development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in JIA. This study aims to determine whether adults with JIA in clinical remission display clinical and subclinical signs of CVD risk: inflammatory mediators, adipokines, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress markers. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study including 25 patients diagnosed with JIA according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria (ILAR 2001) and 25 age- and sex-matched controls. Remission was determined by JADAS10 < 1 and according to Wallace criteria. The presence of traditional CVD risk factors was analyzed. An extensive clinical analysis including body mass index (BMI), lipid profile, homeostatic model assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and arterial blood pressure was performed. Intima media thickness of the common carotid artery (CIMT) was measured as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. Several proinflammatory cytokines, molecules involved in the endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and adipokines were quantified on serum by ELISA and on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by RT-PCR. In vitro studies were carried out in healthy PBMCs, adipocytes and endothelial cells which were treated with serum from JIA patients under sustained remission. RESULTS: Mean duration of the disease was 13.47 ± 5.47 years. Mean age was 25.11 ± 7.21. Time in remission was 3.52 ± 3.33 years. Patients were in remission with no treatment (40%) and with treatments (60%). CVD risk factors and CIMT were similar in JIA patients and controls. However, cholesterol levels were significantly elevated in JIA patients. Levels of adipocytokines, oxidative stress and endothelial activation markers were elevated in serum and PBMCs from JIA patients. Serum of those JIA patients induced the activation of adipocytes, endothelial cells and healthy PBMCs. CONCLUSIONS: JIA adult patients in remission have subclinical signs of inflammation and CVD risk, showed by an increase in the levels of inflammatory cytokines, endothelial activation and oxidative stress markers and adipokines, molecules closely involved in the alteration of the vascular system.

Ghrelin Reduces TNF-α-Induced Human Hepatocyte Apoptosis, Autophagy, and Pyroptosis: Role in Obesity-Associated NAFLD.

Context: Human obesity is associated with increased circulating TNF-α, a proinflammatory cytokine that induces hepatocyte cell death. Objective: The potential beneficial effects of acylated and desacyl ghrelin in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in obesity via the inhibition of TNF-α-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, autophagic cell death, and pyroptosis were investigated. Design, Settings, and Participants: Plasma ghrelin isoforms and TNF-α were measured in 158 participants, and hepatocyte cell death was evaluated in liver biopsies from 76 patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgery with available liver echography and pathology analysis. The effect of acylated and desacyl ghrelin on basal and TNF-α-induced cell death was determined in vitro in human HepG2 hepatocytes. Results: Circulating TNF-α and the acylated/desacyl ghrelin ratio were increased, whereas desacyl ghrelin levels were decreased in patients with obesity and NAFLD. Six months after bariatric surgery, decreased acylated/desacyl ghrelin levels, and improved hepatic function were found. Patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes showed increased hepatic ghrelin O-acyltransferase transcripts as well as an increased hepatic apoptosis, pyroptosis, and compromised autophagy. In HepG2 hepatocytes, acylated and desacyl ghrelin treatment reduced TNF-α-induced apoptosis, evidenced by lower caspase-8 and caspase-3 cleavage, as well as TUNEL-positive cells and pyroptosis, revealed by decreased caspase-1 activation and lower high-mobility group box 1 expression. Moreover, acylated ghrelin suppressed TNF-α-activated hepatocyte autophagy, as evidenced by a decreased LC3B-II/I ratio and increased p62 accumulation via AMPK/mTOR. Conclusions: Ghrelin constitutes a protective factor against hepatocyte cell death. The increased acylated/desacyl ghrelin ratio in patients with obesity and NAFLD might constitute a compensatory mechanism to overcome TNF-α-induced hepatocyte apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on the differentiation and metabolism of human adipocytes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues improve glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients and cause weight loss in obese subjects by as yet unknown mechanisms. We recently demonstrated that the GLP-1 receptor, which is present in adipocytes and the stromal vascular fraction of human adipose tissue (AT), is up-regulated in AT of insulin-resistant morbidly obese subjects compared with healthy lean subjects. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of in vitro and in vivo administration of GLP-1 and its analogues on AT and adipocyte functions from T2D morbidly obese subjects. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We analysed the effects of GLP-1 on human AT and isolated adipocytes in vitro and the effects of GLP-1 mimetics on AT of morbidly obese T2D subjects in vivo. KEY RESULTS: GLP-1 down-regulated the expression of lipogenic genes when administered during in vitro differentiation of human adipocytes from morbidly obese patients. GLP-1 also decreased the expression of adipogenic/lipogenic genes in AT explants and mature adipocytes, while increasing that of lipolytic markers and adiponectin. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, GLP-1 decreased free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). GLP-1-induced responses were only partially blocked by GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin (9­39). Moreover, administration of exenatide or liraglutide reduced adipogenic and inflammatory marker mRNA in AT of T2D obese subjects. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our data suggest that the beneficial effects of GLP-1 are associated with changes in the adipogenic potential and ability of AT to expand, via activation of the canonical GLP-1 receptor and an additional, as yet unknown, receptor.

The Effects of Bariatric Surgery-Induced Weight Loss on Adipose Tissue in Morbidly Obese Women Depends on the Initial Metabolic Status.

BACKGROUND: Adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction in obesity is commonly linked to insulin resistance and promotes the development of metabolic disease. Bariatric surgery (BS) represents an effective strategy to reduce weight and to improve metabolic health in morbidly obese subjects. However, the mechanisms and pathways that are modified in AT in response to BS are not fully understood, and few information is still available as to whether these may vary depending on the metabolic status of obese subjects. METHODS: Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples were obtained from morbidly obese women (n = 18) before and 13.3 ± 0.37 months after BS. Obese women were stratified into two groups: normoglycemic (NG; Glu < 100 mg/dl, HbA1c <5.7 %) or insulin resistant (IR; Glu 100-126 mg/dl, HbA1c 5.7-6.4 %) (n = 9/group). A multi-comparative proteomic analysis was employed to identify differentially regulated SAT proteins by BS and/or the degree of insulin sensitivity. Serum levels of metabolic, inflammatory, and anti-oxidant markers were also analyzed. RESULTS: Before surgery, NG and IR subjects exhibited differences in AT proteins related to inflammation, metabolic processes, the cytoskeleton, and mitochondria. BS caused comparable weight reductions and improved glucose homeostasis in both groups. However, BS caused dissimilar changes in metabolic enzymes, inflammatory markers, cytoskeletal components, mitochondrial proteins, and angiogenesis regulators in NG and IR women. CONCLUSIONS: BS evokes significant molecular rearrangements indicative of improved AT function in morbidly obese women at either low or high metabolic risk, though selective adaptive changes in key cellular processes occur depending on the initial individual's metabolic status.

Proteasome Dysfunction Associated to Oxidative Stress and Proteotoxicity in Adipocytes Compromises Insulin Sensitivity in Human Obesity.

AIMS: Obesity is characterized by a low-grade systemic inflammatory state and adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction, which predispose individuals to the development of insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic disease. However, a subset of obese individuals, referred to as metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals, are protected from obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities. Here, we aim at identifying molecular factors and pathways in adipocytes that are responsible for the progression from the insulin-sensitive to the insulin-resistant, metabolically unhealthy obese (MUHO) phenotype. RESULTS: Proteomic analysis of paired samples of adipocytes from subcutaneous (SC) and omental (OM) human AT revealed that both types of cells are altered in the MUHO state. Specifically, the glutathione redox cycle and other antioxidant defense systems as well as the protein-folding machinery were dysregulated and endoplasmic reticulum stress was increased in adipocytes from IR subjects. Moreover, proteasome activity was also compromised in adipocytes of MUHO individuals, which was associated with enhanced accumulation of oxidized and ubiquitinated proteins in these cells. Proteasome activity was also impaired in adipocytes of diet-induced obese mice and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to palmitate. In line with these data, proteasome inhibition significantly impaired insulin signaling in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. INNOVATION: This study provides the first evidence of the occurrence of protein homeostasis deregulation in adipocytes in human obesity, which, together with oxidative damage, interferes with insulin signaling in these cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that proteasomal dysfunction and impaired proteostasis in adipocytes, resulting from protein oxidation and/or misfolding, constitute major pathogenic mechanisms in the development of IR in obesity.

Remodeling of energy metabolism and absence of electrophysiological changes in the heart of obese hyperleptinemic mice. New insights into the pleiotropic role of leptin.

Dietary treatment with high-fat diets (HFD) triggers diabetes and hyperleptinemia, concomitantly with a partial state of leptin resistance that affects hepatic and adipose tissue but not the heart. In this context, characterized by widespread steatosis, cardiac lipid content remains unchanged. As previously reported, HFD-evoked hyperleptinemia could be a pivotal element contributing to increase fatty-acid (FA) metabolism in the heart and to prevent cardiac steatosis. This metabolic adaptation might theoretically reduce energy efficiency in cardiomyocytes and lead to cardiac electrophysiological remodeling. Therefore the aim of the current study has been to investigate the impact of long-term HFD on cardiac metabolism and electrophysiological properties of the principal ionic currents responsible of the action potential duration in mouse cardiomyocytes. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a control (10 kcal% from fat) or HFD (45 kcal% from fat) during 32 weeks. Quantification of enzymatic activities regulating mitochondrial uptake of pyruvate and FA showed an increase of both carnitine-palmitoyltransferase and citrate synthase activities together with a decrease of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase activities. Increased expression of uncoupling protein-3, Mn-, and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutases and catalase were also detected. Total glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratios were unaffected by HFD. These data suggest that HFD triggers adaptive mechanisms aimed at (i) facilitating FA catabolism, and (ii) preventing oxidative stress. All these changes did not affect the duration of action potentials in cardiomyocytes and only slightly modified electrocardiographic parameters.