Cell-Type Composition Affects Adipose Gene Expression Associations With Cardiometabolic Traits.

Understanding differences in adipose gene expression between individuals with different levels of clinical traits may reveal the genes and mechanisms leading to cardiometabolic diseases. However, adipose is a heterogeneous tissue. To account for cell-type heterogeneity, we estimated cell-type proportions in 859 subcutaneous adipose tissue samples with bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) using a reference single-nuclear RNA-seq data set. Cell-type proportions were associated with cardiometabolic traits; for example, higher macrophage and adipocyte proportions were associated with higher and lower BMI, respectively. We evaluated cell-type proportions and BMI as covariates in tests of association between >25,000 gene expression levels and 22 cardiometabolic traits. For >95% of genes, the optimal, or best-fit, models included BMI as a covariate, and for 79% of associations, the optimal models also included cell type. After adjusting for the optimal covariates, we identified 2,664 significant associations (P ≤ 2e-6) for 1,252 genes and 14 traits. Among genes proposed to affect cardiometabolic traits based on colocalized genome-wide association study and adipose expression quantitative trait locus signals, 25 showed a corresponding association between trait and gene expression levels. Overall, these results suggest the importance of modeling cell-type proportion when identifying gene expression associations with cardiometabolic traits.

Baseline gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue predicts diet-induced weight loss in individuals with obesity.

Background: Weight loss effectively reduces cardiometabolic health risks among people with overweight and obesity, but inter-individual variability in weight loss maintenance is large. Here we studied whether baseline gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue predicts diet-induced weight loss success. Methods: Within the 8-month multicenter dietary intervention study DiOGenes, we classified a low weight-losers (low-WL) group and a high-WL group based on median weight loss percentage (9.9%) from 281 individuals. Using RNA sequencing, we identified the significantly differentially expressed genes between high-WL and low-WL at baseline and their enriched pathways. We used this information together with support vector machines with linear kernel to build classifier models that predict the weight loss classes. Results: Prediction models based on a selection of genes that are associated with the discovered pathways 'lipid metabolism' (max AUC = 0.74, 95% CI [0.62-0.86]) and 'response to virus' (max AUC = 0.72, 95% CI [0.61-0.83]) predicted the weight-loss classes high-WL/low-WL significantly better than models based on randomly selected genes (P < 0.01). The performance of the models based on 'response to virus' genes is highly dependent on those genes that are also associated with lipid metabolism. Incorporation of baseline clinical factors into these models did not noticeably enhance the model performance in most of the runs. This study demonstrates that baseline adipose tissue gene expression data, together with supervised machine learning, facilitates the characterization of the determinants of successful weight loss.

Nicotinamide riboside improves muscle mitochondrial biogenesis, satellite cell differentiation, and gut microbiota in a twin study.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) has emerged as a promising compound to improve obesity-associated mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic syndrome in mice. However, most short-term clinical trials conducted so far have not reported positive outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether long-term NR supplementation boosts mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic health in humans. Twenty body mass index (BMI)-discordant monozygotic twin pairs were supplemented with an escalating dose of NR (250 to 1000 mg/day) for 5 months. NR improved systemic NAD+ metabolism, muscle mitochondrial number, myoblast differentiation, and gut microbiota composition in both cotwins. NR also showed a capacity to modulate epigenetic control of gene expression in muscle and adipose tissue in both cotwins. However, NR did not ameliorate adiposity or metabolic health. Overall, our results suggest that NR acts as a potent modifier of NAD+ metabolism, muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and stem cell function, gut microbiota, and DNA methylation in humans irrespective of BMI.

Molecular pathways behind acquired obesity: Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle multiomics in monozygotic twin pairs discordant for BMI.

Tissue-specific mechanisms prompting obesity-related development complications in humans remain unclear. We apply multiomics analyses of subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle to examine the effects of acquired obesity among 49 BMI-discordant monozygotic twin pairs. Overall, adipose tissue appears to be more affected by excess body weight than skeletal muscle. In heavier co-twins, we observe a transcriptional pattern of downregulated mitochondrial pathways in both tissues and upregulated inflammatory pathways in adipose tissue. In adipose tissue, heavier co-twins exhibit lower creatine levels; in skeletal muscle, glycolysis- and redox stress-related protein and metabolite levels remain higher. Furthermore, metabolomics analyses in both tissues reveal that several proinflammatory lipids are higher and six of the same lipid derivatives are lower in acquired obesity. Finally, in adipose tissue, but not in skeletal muscle, mitochondrial downregulation and upregulated inflammation are associated with a fatty liver, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, suggesting that adipose tissue dominates in acquired obesity.

Differential Mitochondrial Gene Expression in Adipose Tissue Following Weight Loss Induced by Diet or Bariatric Surgery.

CONTEXT: Mitochondria are essential for cellular energy homeostasis, yet their role in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) during different types of weight-loss interventions remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate how SAT mitochondria change following diet-induced and bariatric surgery-induced weight-loss interventions in 4 independent weight-loss studies. METHODS: The DiOGenes study is a European multicenter dietary intervention with an 8-week low caloric diet (LCD; 800 kcal/d; n = 261) and 6-month weight-maintenance (n = 121) period. The Kuopio Obesity Surgery study (KOBS) is a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery study (n = 172) with a 1-year follow-up. We associated weight-loss percentage with global and 2210 mitochondria-related RNA transcripts in linear regression analysis adjusted for age and sex. We repeated these analyses in 2 studies. The Finnish CRYO study has a 6-week LCD (800-1000 kcal/d; n = 19) and a 10.5-month follow-up. The Swedish DEOSH study is a RYGB surgery study with a 2-year (n = 49) and 5-year (n = 37) follow-up. RESULTS: Diet-induced weight loss led to a significant transcriptional downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation (DiOGenes; ingenuity pathway analysis [IPA] z-scores: -8.7 following LCD, -4.4 following weight maintenance; CRYO: IPA z-score: -5.6, all P < 0.001), while upregulation followed surgery-induced weight loss (KOBS: IPA z-score: 1.8, P < 0.001; in DEOSH: IPA z-scores: 4.0 following 2 years, 0.0 following 5 years). We confirmed an upregulated oxidative phosphorylation at the proteomics level following surgery (IPA z-score: 3.2, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Differentially regulated SAT mitochondria-related gene expressions suggest qualitative alterations between weight-loss interventions, providing insights into the potential molecular mechanistic targets for weight-loss success.

Metabolic profiling of tissue-specific insulin resistance in human obesity: results from the Diogenes study and the Maastricht Study.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that insulin resistance (IR) in obesity may develop independently in different organs, representing different etiologies toward type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether IR in the liver and IR in skeletal muscle are associated with distinct metabolic profiles. METHODS: This study includes baseline data from 634 adults with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) (≤65 years; 63% women) without diabetes of the European Diogenes Study. Hepatic insulin resistance index (HIRI) and muscle insulin sensitivity index (MISI), were derived from a five-point OGTT. At baseline 17 serum metabolites were identified and quantified by nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy. Linear mixed model analyses (adjusting for center, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio) were used to associate HIRI and MISI with these metabolites. In an independent sample of 540 participants without diabetes (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2; 40-65 years; 46% women) of the Maastricht Study, an observational prospective population-based cohort study, 11 plasma metabolites and a seven-point OGTT were available for validation. RESULTS: Both HIRI and MISI were associated with higher levels of valine, isoleucine, oxo-isovaleric acid, alanine, lactate, and triglycerides, and lower levels of glycine (all p < 0.05). HIRI was also associated with higher levels of leucine, hydroxyisobutyrate, tyrosine, proline, creatine, and n-acetyl and lower levels of acetoacetate and 3-OH-butyrate (all p < 0.05). Except for valine, these results were replicated for all available metabolites in the Maastricht Study. CONCLUSIONS: In persons with obesity without diabetes, both liver and muscle IR show a circulating metabolic profile of elevated (branched-chain) amino acids, lactate, and triglycerides, and lower glycine levels, but only liver IR associates with lower ketone body levels and elevated ketogenic amino acids in circulation, suggestive of decreased ketogenesis. This knowledge might enhance developments of more targeted tissue-specific interventions to prevent progression to more severe disease stages.

Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Systemic Inflammation Are Associated With Peripheral but Not Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Humans.

Obesity-related insulin resistance (IR) may develop in multiple organs, representing various etiologies for cardiometabolic diseases. We identified abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ScAT) transcriptome profiles in liver or muscle IR by means of RNA sequencing in overweight or obese participants of the Diet, Obesity, and Genes (DiOGenes) (NCT00390637, ClinicalTrials.gov) cohort (n = 368). Tissue-specific IR phenotypes were derived from a 5-point oral glucose tolerance test. Hepatic and muscle IR were characterized by distinct abdominal ScAT transcriptome profiles. Genes related to extracellular remodeling were upregulated in individuals with primarily hepatic IR, while genes related to inflammation were upregulated in individuals with primarily muscle IR. In line with this, in two independent cohorts, the Cohort on Diabetes and Atherosclerosis Maastricht (CODAM) (n = 325) and the Maastricht Study (n = 685), an increased systemic low-grade inflammation profile was specifically related to muscle IR but not to liver IR. We propose that increased ScAT inflammatory gene expression may translate into an increased systemic inflammatory profile, linking ScAT inflammation to the muscle IR phenotype. These distinct IR phenotypes may provide leads for more personalized prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Plasma lipid profiling of tissue-specific insulin resistance in human obesity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity-associated insulin resistance (IR) may develop in multiple organs, representing different aetiologies towards cardiometabolic diseases. This study aimed to identify distinct plasma lipid profiles in overweight/obese individuals who show muscle-IR and/or liver-IR. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Baseline data of the European multicenter DiOGenes project were used (n = 640; 401 women, nondiabetic BMI: 27-45 kg/m2). Muscle insulin sensitivity index (MISI) and hepatic insulin resistance index (HIRI) were derived from a 5-point oral glucose tolerance test. The 140 plasma lipids were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate associations between MISI, HIRI and plasma lipids. RESULTS: MISI was comparable between sexes while HIRI and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels were lower in women than in men. MISI was associated with higher lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) levels (standardized (std)ß = 0.126; FDR-p = 0.032). Sex interactions were observed for associations between HIRI, TAG and diacylglycerol (DAG) lipid classes. In women, but not in men, HIRI was associated with higher levels of TAG (44 out of 55 species) and both DAG species (stdß: 0.139-0.313; FDR-p < 0.05), a lower odd-chain/even-chain TAG ratio (stdß = -0.182; FDR-p = 0.005) and a lower very-long-chain/long-chain TAG ratio (stdß = -0.156; FDR-p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: In overweight/obese individuals, muscle insulin sensitivity is associated with higher plasma LPC concentrations. Women have less hepatic IR and lower TAG than men. Nevertheless, hepatic IR is associated with higher plasma TAG and DAG concentrations and a lower abundance of odd-chain and very-long-chain TAG in women, but not in men. This suggests a more pronounced worsening of plasma lipid profile in women with the progression of hepatic IR.

Effect of diet-induced weight loss on angiopoietin-like protein 4 and adipose tissue lipid metabolism in overweight and obese humans.

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) plays a role in lipid partitioning by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-dependent plasma clearance of triacylglycerol in adipose tissue. We investigated the effects of diet-induced weight loss on plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations in relation to in vivo adipose tissue LPL activity and lipolysis and adipose tissue ANGPTL4 release in overweight/obese participants. Sixteen individuals (BMI: 28-35 kg/m2 ; 10 women) were randomized to a dietary intervention composed of either a low-calorie diet (1250 kcal/day) for 12 weeks (n = 9) or a very low-calorie diet (500 kcal/day) for 5 weeks, followed by a 4-week weight stable period. Before and after the intervention, we measured arteriovenous concentration differences in combination with adipose tissue blood flow before and after intake of a high-fat mixed meal with [U-13 C]-palmitate to assess in vivo adipose tissue LPL activity and lipolysis. The intervention significantly reduced body weight (-8.6 ± 0.6 kg, P < 0.001). Plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were unaffected. Significant postprandial adipose tissue ANGPTL4 release into the circulation was observed (P < 0.01). No association was observed between plasma ANGPTL4 and in vivo LPL activity. After intervention, fasting and postprandial plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were positively associated with adipose tissue nonesterified FA (NEFA) and glycerol release, reflecting in vivo adipose tissue lipolysis (fasting NEFA: P = 0.039 and postprandial NEFA: P = 0.003). In conclusion, plasma ANGPTL4 is unaffected by weight loss and is secreted from human adipose tissue after a high-fat meal in overweight/obese participants. Plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were not related to in vivo adipose tissue LPL activity, but were positively associated with in vivo adipose tissue lipolysis after weight loss.

Adipose Tissue Meal-Derived Fatty Acid Uptake Before and After Diet-Induced Weight Loss in Adults with Overweight and Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether diet-induced weight loss alters indices of in vivo postprandial fat uptake in adipose tissue (AT) and whether these changes are associated with weight regain in adults with overweight and obesity. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 16 (6 male) individuals (BMI: 28-35 kg/m2 ) were randomized to either a low-calorie diet (1,250 kcal/d) for 12 weeks or a very-low-calorie diet (500 kcal/d) for 5 weeks (weight loss [WL] period) followed by a 4-week weight-stable (WS) period (together, the dietary intervention [DI] period) and a 9-month follow-up period. Arteriovenous difference measurements combined with stable isotope labeling ([U-13 C] palmitate) of a mixed meal were used to determine postprandial fatty acid uptake in AT. RESULTS: Body weight was significantly reduced during the WL period (-8.2 ± 0.6 kg, P < 0.001), remained stable during the WS period (0.4 ± 0.3 kg, P = 0.150), and increased during follow-up (3.5 ± 0.8 kg, P = 0.001). Meal-derived in vivo fatty acid uptake dynamics across AT and expression of genes important for fatty acid uptake, storage, and release were not significantly changed during the DI period. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous AT does not appear prone to enhanced meal-derived fatty acid uptake after weight loss, nor were fatty acid uptake dynamics detected as related to weight regain.

Altered skeletal muscle fatty acid handling is associated with the degree of insulin resistance in overweight and obese humans.

INTRODUCTION/HYPOTHESIS: Disturbances in skeletal muscle fatty acid (FA) handling may contribute to the development and progression of whole-body insulin resistance (IR). In this study, we compared fasting and postprandial skeletal muscle FA handling in individuals with varying degrees of IR. METHODS: Seventy-four overweight/obese participants (62 men) were divided into two groups based on the HOMA-IR median (3.35). Fasting and postprandial skeletal muscle FA handling were determined by combining the forearm muscle balance technique with stable isotopes. [2H2]palmitate was infused i.v. to label VLDL-triacylglycerol (VLDL-TAG) and NEFA in the circulation, whereas [U-13C]palmitate was incorporated in a high-saturated FA mixed-meal labelling chylomicron-TAG. Skeletal muscle biopsies were taken to assess intramuscular lipid content, fractional synthetic rate (FSR) and the transcriptional regulation of FA metabolism. RESULTS: Postprandial forearm muscle VLDL-TAG extraction was elevated in the high-IR vs the mild-IR group (AUC0-4h: 0.57 ± 0.32 vs -0.43 ± 0.38 nmol [100 ml tissue]-1 min-1, respectively, p = 0.045). Although no differences in skeletal muscle TAG, diacylglycerol, NEFA content and FSR were present between groups, the high-IR group showed increased saturation of the intramuscular NEFA pool (p = 0.039). This was accompanied by lower muscle GPAT1 (also known as GPAM) expression (p = 0.050). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Participants with high-IR demonstrated increased postprandial skeletal muscle VLDL-TAG extraction and higher saturation of the intramuscular NEFA pool vs individuals with mild-IR. These data support the involvement of disturbances in skeletal muscle FA handling in the progression of whole-body IR.

Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4 and Postprandial Skeletal Muscle Lipid Metabolism in Overweight and Obese Prediabetics.

CONTEXT: Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) decreases plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) clearance by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and may contribute to impairments in lipid metabolism under compromised metabolic conditions. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of a high-saturated fatty acid (SFA) mixed meal on plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations in relation to in vivo muscle LPL activity, to study the effects of dietary fat quality, and to examine skeletal muscle ANGPTL4 release. Design, Participants, Setting, and Interventions: We used a dual stable-isotope tracer technique in combination with measurements of arteriovenous concentration differences across forearm muscle to investigate muscle ANGPTL4 secretion and fatty acid handling under fasting conditions and after a high-SFA mixed meal in 73 overweight and obese humans at the Metabolic Research Unit of Maastricht University. The effect of dietary fat quality manipulation on plasma ANGPTL4 was investigated in 10 obese insulin-resistant participants. RESULTS: The high-SFA meal decreased circulating ANGPTL4 concentrations (fasting, 5.2 ng/mL; vs 4 hours postprandial, 4.0 ng/mL; P < .001). Furthermore, skeletal muscle ANGPTL4 secretion into the circulation was observed (AUC0-4 h, P = .048). However, no association was observed between plasma ANGPTL4 and skeletal muscle very low-density lipoprotein or dietary (chylomicron) TAG extraction (AUC0-4 h, P = .372 and P = .139, respectively). In contrast to a high-SFA or high-monounsaturated fat meal, plasma ANGPTL4 remained unchanged after a high-polyunsaturated fat meal. CONCLUSIONS: ANGPTL4 is secreted by human forearm muscle in postprandial conditions after a high-SFA meal. Plasma ANGPTL4 concentrations were not associated with in vivo skeletal muscle LPL activity after a high-SFA meal. Dietary fat quality affects plasma ANGPTL4, but it remains to be elucidated whether this influences short-term skeletal muscle lipid handling.