Effects of Bifidobacterium animalis Subsp. lactis (BPL1) Supplementation in Children and Adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations, including obesity, hyperphagia, and behavioral problems. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain BPL1 has been shown to improve central adiposity in adults with simple obesity. To evaluate BPL1's effects in children with PWS, we performed a randomized crossover trial among 39 patients (mean age 10.4 years). Participants were randomized to placebo-BPL1 (n = 19) or BPL1-placebo (n = 20) sequences and underwent a 12-week period with placebo/BPL1 treatments, a 12-week washout period, and a 12-week period with the crossover treatment. Thirty-five subjects completed the study. The main outcome was changes in adiposity, measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Secondary outcomes included lipid and glucose metabolism, hyperphagia, and mental health symptoms. Generalized linear modeling was applied to assess differences between treatments. While BPL1 did not modify total fat mass compared to placebo, BPL1 decreased abdominal adiposity in a subgroup of patients older than 4.5 years (n = 28). BPL1 improved fasting insulin concentration and insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, we observed modest improvements in some mental health symptoms. A follow-up trial with a longer treatment period is warranted to determine whether BPL1 supplementation can provide a long-term therapeutic approach for children with PWS (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03548480).

Artemisia extracts activate PPARγ, promote adipogenesis, and enhance insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue of obese mice.

OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that the inability of adipose tissue to properly expand during the obese state or respond to insulin can lead to metabolic dysfunction. Artemisia is a diverse group of plants that has a history of medicinal use. The aim of this study was to examine the ability of ethanolic extracts of Artemisia scoparia (SCO) and Artemisia santolinifolia (SAN) to modulate adipocyte development in cultured adipocytes and white adipose tissue (WAT) function in vivo using a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. METHOD: Adipogenesis was assessed using Oil Red O staining and immunoblotting. A nuclear receptor specificity assay was used to examine the specificity of SCO- and SAN-induced PPARγ activation. C57BL/6J mice, fed a high-fat diet, were gavaged with saline, SCO, or SAN for 2 wk. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was examined using insulin tolerance tests. WAT depots were assessed via immunoblotting for markers of insulin action and adipokine production. RESULTS: We established that SCO and SAN were highly specific activators of PPARγ and did not activate other nuclear receptors. After a 1-wk daily gavage, SCO- and SAN-treated mice had lower insulin-induced glucose disposal rates than control mice. At the end of the 2-wk treatment period, SCO- and SAN-treated mice had enhanced insulin-responsive Akt serine-473 phosphorylation and significantly decreased monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels in visceral WAT compared with control mice; these differences were depot specific. Moreover, plasma adiponectin levels were increased following SCO treatment. CONCLUSION: Overall, these studies demonstrate that extracts from two Artemisia species can have metabolically favorable effects on adipocytes and WAT.