Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Obesity-linked metabolic disorders are a worldwide health concern affecting about one third of women of reproductive age. The programming events in utero impact the risk of predisposition to obesity and metabolic diseases. Maternal B12 deficiency is associated with higher cord lipids. B12 has a potential epigenetic role and therefore may perpetuate an intergenerational cycle of obesity through its effects on placental function and fetal metabolism. Therefore, we hy...

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease and T2DM remain a global burden. Metformin is the first-line drug for T2DM that decreases glucose and lipid levels. However, prolonged metformin treatment decreases vitamin B12(B12), whereas low B12 is associated with obesity and dyslipidaemia. Clinical studies showed that metformin treatment increases circulating adiponectin and adiponectin improves NAFLD. Others suggested that metformin has no effect on intrahepatic triglycerid...

Background: Vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency is associated with obesity and was recently shown to trigger lipid accumulation in the adipose tissues and liver. The body is capable of synthesizing fatty acids (FAs) endogenously via de novo lipogenesis in the liver. However, dysregulated levels are associated with adverse consequences in subjects. We therefore assessed B12 regulation of de novo fatty acid synthesis and the profile of various FAs in hepatocytes.<...

Background: Evidences show that maternal vitaminB12 deficiency at periods of development influence metabolic status and degree of metabolic syndrome of the offspring into adulthood. VitaminB12 is required for the synthesis of methionine, which is the precursor of S-adenosyl-methionine, a key methyl donor for DNA methylation. So vitaminB12 deficiency might cause methylation changes, which are thought to alter gene expression of regulatory factors and could result in adverse met...

Vitamin B12 (B12) is an essential micronutrient required for optimal hematopoietic, neurologic and other several metabolic reactions. Longitudinal studies and animal models showed that low maternal vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with the maternal obesity, development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome phenotype suggesting the crucial role of B12 in adipose tissue function. Although the mechanisms underpinning metabolic disorders remain poorly defined, the patho...

Vitamin B12 (B12) is an essential micronutrient required for two key metabolic reactions. Longitudinal studies and animal models showed that B12-deficiency during pregnancy is associated with the maternal obesity, development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome phenotype. Although the mechanisms underpinning low B12 and metabolic disorders remain poorly defined, it’s becoming increasingly clear that lipid dysregulation is associated with obesity and co-morbiditie...

Background: The liver stores 10 μg cobalamin per gram protein and able to hold 50% (1–1.5 mg) of body’s B12. Making up the bulk of the liver, hepatocytes express receptors regulating cellular uptake of B12 in the liver. However, relationship between circulating and intracellular B12 levels as well as regulation of hepatic uptake of B12 is unexplored.Objective: To assess the regulation of cellular uptake and storage of B12 in hepatocytes in...

Background: Metformin is utilized in clinical trials for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity. Metformin increases AMP:ATP ratio activating AMP activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα), a mediator of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in the liver. Meanwhile, prolonged oral metformin therapy in T2DM decreases vitamin B12(B12) in patients and evidence shows that low B12 dysregulates lipid levels. We therefore investigated whether low B12 impairs FAO ind...

Background: Studies have shown that interruptions in sedentary time in non-pregnant adults is positively associated with metabolic parameters, including abdominal obesity and glucose tolerance. However, there are no specific guidelines in the UK about recommended physical activity for pregnant women nor any validated tools to measure it. Our aim was to determine how much physical activity is carried out by pregnant women and how it relates to body anthropometry, glucose tolera...

Aims: Vitamin B12 insufficiency has been linked with adiposity and insulin resistance. A clinical study from India showed that B12 insufficiency in pregnancy was associated with higher risk of gestational diabetes (GDM), mediated by maternal BMI. It is not known whether the same association exists among pregnant women in the UK.Methods: A retrospective study was done on women attending our antenatal clinic from 2010–2013. Information including mater...