Endocrine Abstracts

Metabolic syndrome is risk factor for cardiovascular event. According recommendation of NCEP ATP III, the major component of metabolic syndrome is waist circumference up to 94 cm in male and 80 cm in female, and two of following disturbances: fasting glucose up to 5.6 mmol/l, HDL below 0.9 in male and 1.3 in female, triglycerides up to 1.7 mmol/l and BP up to 135/80 mmHg.We have analyzed the influence of low calorie diet (1200–1500 kcal/day) with in...

The follicle-stimulating hormone receptor knockout (FORKO) female mouse provides a useful model to examine the role that lack of estrogen plays in the development of obesity and hypertension in postmenopausal women. Estrogen increases circulating levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a hormone with renal and cardiovascular effects. It has been shown that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a potent stimulator of fat cell lipolysis in addition of its well established effe...

Drug therapies are effective for improving lipid profiles. However, a large proportion of patients and specifically high-risk patients appear unable to achieve the recommended goals for LDL-C level. Furthermore, the proportions of patients, who lack the targeted LDL-C goal, are inconsistent among different studies.Objectives: To explore if application of different guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia can influence the proportion of LDL-C target ...

Objectives: Analyze the evolution of body mass index (BMI) and percentage of excess weight loss (PEWL) after bariatric surgery; compare adjustable gastric banding (LABG) vs laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGB).Methods: Cohort study. Inclusion criteria: all cases underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery; n=89; 9 patients were excluded for incomplete follow up. Differences between the 2 groups were evaluated using the Student t-test; P&#6...

Introduction: The problem of increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity as a consequence of new life styles is worrying the scientists and health officers in less developed countries. In Iran that is experiencing an accelerated nutrition transition overweight has turned into a major public health problem.Objective: To determine overweight and obesity prevalence in Iranian adults.Material and methods: We have used data on 35 92...

Objective: To evaluate and to study obesity in Saudi female population represente by Makkah community. This study aims to investigate obesity, by detecting leptin concentration and to take other parameters like body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in assessing obesity.Methods: Two-hundred forty women (n=240) between the ages 18 and 65 participate in this study. Volunteers were divided into three groups. The first group was the normal...

Background: Adiponectin was suggested to exert hepatoprotective effects in animal models of tetrachlorcarbonate-, endotoxin- and alcohol-induced liver injury. Further, in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) low adiponectin levels were found to be associated with more severe steatosis and hepatic inflammation.Methods: To investigate the molecular basis of the hepatoprotective effects of adiponectin primary human hepatocytes were incuba...

Objective: This study described overweight/obese children and adolescents seeking weight loss treatment regarding their age, gender, severity of obesity and maternal education in Rasht City, northern Iran.Design: A descriptive study on overweight children and adolescents setting: the main clinic of obesity management in Rasht, northern Iran.Subjects: Data on 1465 overweight/obese children and adolescents aged 2–18 years engage...

Objectives: To assess the androgens profile (total testosterone (TT),free testosterone (fT), SHBG, and DHEA-sulphate), cortisol, aldosterone, insulin, and leptin in patients with obesity (OB), metabolic syndrome (MS) and healthy men (HM).Subjects and methods: Group 1: 26 men with obesity, age 30±6 years. BMI 27–35 kg/m2. Group 2: 34 men with MS, age 31±6 yrs. BMI 30–36 kg/m2. Group 3: 20 healthy men, age 28±...

Introduction and aim: Beside protein–energy malnutrition among children, high prevalence of overweight is also a public health problem and a major nutritional challenge in most developing countries. The aim of this research was to determine and compare the prevalence of wasting, overweight and obesity among Iranian urban and rural under 5 year -old children.Subjects and methods: This study was based on national comprehensive study on household food ...

Background: The variablity of the individual susceptibility to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance is well known, but so far insufficiently explained. As skeletal muscle metabolism and insulin sensitivity are important pathophysiologic features of obesity-asscociated metabolic perturbations, we tried to identify differences in muscular gene expression profiles between high fat fed rats prone to develop obesity (diet-induced obesity, DIO) and those which remained lean (...

Background: Obese patients show an increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, but the causality of the relationship is not known. Here, we examine whether a pharmacologic sympathectomy influences diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in the high fat fed rat model.Methods: Wistar-Rats were fed ad libitum with a high fat diet (HF, 40 energy% of fat, based on lard) for 12 weeks. A pharmacologic sympathectomy was performed by a) weekl...

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can progress to hepatic fibrosis and end-stage liver disease. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the central mediators of liver fibrosis. The molecular mechanisms linking hepatic steatosis to activation of HSC, thereby promoting inflammation and fibrosis, are mainly unknown. Here, we demonstrate a novel in vitro model to study the effect of hepatic lipid accumulation on HSC.Methods and results:...

The aim of the study was to investigate insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and atherogenic factors influencing HDL functions in symple obesity (SO) and obesity with acanthosis nigricans (OAN). Althogether 37 children with obesity, 17 girls and 20 boys, 19 with SO and 18 with OAN, were included into the study. Their age was 14.2±1.8 years and BMI was 35.9±6.1 kg/m2.Fasting glucose (FG), insulin (INS) were measured and HOMA-IR was calcul...

Obesity, insulin resistance and high cholesterol levels are hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome. The molecular players involved in the onset of the metabolic syndrome are mostly unknown. In this context the three pseudokinases of the tribbles family have emerged as potential candidates. Among them, TRB3 has been described as a negative regulator of Akt, a key player in insulin signal transduction. However, the biological functions of TRB family members remain largely unknown. ...

The highly conserved Leptin-Melanocortin signaling pathway plays a central role in the regulation of body weight and energy expenditure. Mutations in POMC and MC-4R lead to dosage dependent monogenetic obesity. However, several evidences suggest an epigenetic impact on the regulation of body weight. Moreover it has been shown recently that variants of the FTO gene, which affects ss DNA methylation in the arcuate nucleus, correlate with increased body weight in children and adu...

Background: Secretory products from adipocytes may contribute to increased insulin resistance (IR). Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) may increase IR in mice, with elevated levels in insulin resistant mice and humans with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Mechanisms regulating RBP-4 synthesis remain not fully understood. It is not clear whether short-term hyperglycaemia alters RBP-4 levels in humans. In order to investigate this, we measured serum RBP-4 concentrations during 75 gra...

Background: Metabolic syndrome not only is a serious problem for adults, but is also afflicting an increasing number of children and adolescents. This syndrome is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a sample of Iranian adolescents.Methods: A total of 554 overweight adolescents (aged 11–17 years) participated in a community-based cross se...

Background: It has been shown that one of major causes of obesity in young people could be explained by physical inactivity and fat intake.Purpose: This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of obesity, dietary pattern and physical activity status in Tonekabon girls, a mountainous city in north of Iran.Methods: In a cross-sectional study 311 girls aged 10–12 years old in Tonekabon were studied. Weight, height, wa...

Visceral fat (VAT) may represent the more important site of endocannabinoid dysregulation in obesity. No data are available on the expression of the ECs in morbid obesity. Eleven morbidly obese women, who underwent bariatric surgery, were enrolled and paired samples of VAT and subcutaneous fat tissue (SAT) were obtained from each patient. Real-Time PCR for the gene expression levels of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor, N-acyl-phosphatidil-ethanolamine (NAPE), and fatty...

Adrenomedullin is a vasoactive peptide originally discovered in extracts of human pheochromocytoma. It is highly expressed in plasma and adipose tissue of obese subjects and considered as a member of the adipokine family. Adrenomedullin inhibits adipogenesis under the transcriptional control of insulin. We determined plasma adrenomedullin concentrations in a cohort of 360 healthy subjects and found a very significant positive correlation to body mass index (BMI). In parallel, ...

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional glycoprotein implicated, among others, in bone metabolism, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It promotes inflammation and insulin resistance. Osteopontin is elevated in the plasma and adipose tissue of obese subjects and decreases upon diet induced weight loss. Here we investigated the effect of bariatric surgery on plasma OPN concentrations in morbidly obese patients. 40 obese patients aged 43.1±1.8 years were recruited ...

Ghrelin and PYY are gastrointestinal peptides involved in appetite regulation. The cholinergic part of the vagal nerve participate in the regulation of glucose and insulin levels. We aimed to examine the effects of the cholinergic antagonist atropine on ghrelin, PYY, glucose and insulin under basal conditions and after meal ingestion in lean and obese subjects. Eight lean and eight obese subjects received in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study design...

It has been shown that adiponectin (AN) has antidiabetic, antiatherosclerotic and antiinflammatory activities. We analyzed serum AN levels in children with nonspecific infections. Forty-two prepubertal children (18 boys, 24 girls, age range: 14–163 months) admitted with fever ≥38 °C and nonspecific infection (upper respiratory tract infection, otitis, urine tract infections) symptoms were included. Their ideal body weights (IBW) for height were within 10...

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are characterized by insulin resistance and often associated with male hypogonadism. To discriminate the specific contribution of T2DM and MetS to male hypogonadism.Design and methods: A consecutive series of 1134 (mean age 52.1±13 years) male patients with sexual dysfunction was studied. Several hormonal and biochemical parameters were studied along with ANDROTEST, a 12-item ...

Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced adipose-related protein (TIARP)/six-transmembrane protein of prostate 2 (STAMP2) has been characterized as an adipocyte-expressed protein which might play a crucial role in metabolic homeostasis and inflammatory pathways. In the current study, the impact of insulin resistance-inducing and proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1ß on TIARP/STAMP2 gene expression was determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain re...

Abdominal obesity (AO) might have a hyperactivation of the HPA axis but previous studies are limited by the small and heterogeneous number of patients investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate urinary free cortisol (UFC) output during daily and nightly hours in a large cohort of AO women versus normal weight controls (CT). 107 AO women and 37 CT women were enrolled in this study; all subjects underwent a complete physical examination, an OGTT and biochemical determin...

High-fat/low carbohydrate (HF–LC) diets in humans, such as the Atkin’s diet, are claimed to work in an ad libitum setting. In a previous study, we had demonstrated reduced bodyweight (BW) gain in rats when pair-fed isocaloric amounts of a HF–LC compared to normal chow (CH). However, rats on HF–LC also showed increased body fat and low serum IGF-I. We now compared BW development, food intake and resting energy expenditure (EE) in an ad libitum setting in mal...

Background: Obestatin is a 27 aa peptide derived from the ghrelin gene. Obestatin was first described to exert anorexigenic effects by decreasing gastric motility in rodent models, however these results have been debated and there is presently only small information regarding its activity and its regulation in humans. Furthermore, its interactions with acylated ghrelin (AG), derived from the same gene, have not been evaluated. Therefore, in these preliminary data, we sought to...

The aim of study was to evaluate in a group of obese women the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, defined accordingly to the International Diabetes Federation, of single factors of the syndrome and the correlations with endocrine factors. We evaluated 351 women, 262 overweight-obese and 89 normal weight controls, which underwent physical, biochemical and hormonal evaluation. The prevalence of MS in obese and overweight subjects was 62.3%; the prevalence increased significan...

The aim of this study was: 1) to determine whether there is a correlation between a stressful event, such as the mourning, the hyperactivity of HPA axis, and the fast weight gain 2) to assess whether there is a specific parameter that can predict the susceptibility of individuals to develop metabolic syndrome following a stressful event. We investigated 80 obese women, aged between 23 and 67 years; each subject underwent a clinical evaluation, an OGTT and biochemical, metaboli...

Objectives: Premature estrogen deficiency and menopause are associated with increases in body weight and fat mass. Ovariectomized (OVX) mice also show reduced locomotor activity. Because glucose-dependent-insulinotropic-polypeptide (GIP) is known to play an important role both in fat metabolism and locomotor activity, we hypothesized that effects of estrogen on the regulation of body weight, fat mass and spontaneous physical activity could be mediated in part by GIP signaling....

Central treatment with ghrelin increases body weight and fat accumulation. Here we explore the pharmacological effect of a combined central (ICV) infusion of ghrelin (0.3 nmol/day) and a recently developed ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1A) antagonist (JMV2959, 100 nmol/day) on food intake and body composition. The effect of ghrelin infusion for 14 days to increase body weight (20.7±0.9% vs 34.3±3.1%, saline vs ghrelin, P<0.001) was blocked by co-infusion with JMV...

To maintain a proper lipid composition of cellular membranes is fundamental for cell viability and intracellular signalling. Therefore we hypothesised the existence of membrane quality control homeostatic mechanisms. Previously, we have shown that Pyruvate Carboxylase (PC), an enzyme involved in de novo lipogenesis and fuel partitioning, is a target of PPARγ and that PC level is decreased in PPARγ KO and obese insulin resistant mouse models. Here, we used RNAi...

Introduction: This study carried out relationship between glomerulary filtration rates (GFR) and various metabolic parameters in obese women.Materials and methods: Selected subjects recruited retrospectively from outpatient clinic for this study were 5115 overweight or obese women with mean GFR which was 93 ml/dk/1.73 m2 calculated by MDRD (modification of diet in renal disease). According to mean GFR, they divided group I (low GFR) having &#8...

Objective: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is characterized by a marked sympathetic activation. Whether this adrenergic overdrive is mainly dependent on the obese state or it can be detected also in absence of obesity is unknown, however.Design and Methods: In 25 male patients (age 41.4±yrs., mean±S.E.M.) with MS (ATP III criteria) and in 12 age-matched healthy male controls, we measured body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC...

Aim: The present study aimed to compare the androgen levels in men with obesity, metabolic syndrome /MS/ and healthy normal – weight controls.Materials and methods: Eighty-six males (mean age 29.65±8.57 /18–50/) were investigated. 31 of them were healthy (mean BMI – 23.66±1.97); 22 were with simple obesity (mean BMI – 32.79±7.16) and 33 (mean BMI – 35.78±8.71) were with overt metabolic syndrome /MS/ according ...

Background: The balance between Adrenergic Receptor (AR) subtypes and Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) is crucial for lipolysis. It was previously demonstrated that ANP is strongly lipolytic and we recently demonstrated that ANP is expressed and secreted by human pre-adipocytes. In previous studies, β-receptor density and lipolysis were higher in human visceral adipose tissue (HVAT) as compared with human subcutaneous adipose tissue (HSAT).Aims and ...

Introduction: 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 β-HSD1) converts cortisone into its active metabolite, cortisol. Mechanisms regulating the promoter-activity of 11β-HSD1 are of considerable importance to understand the basics of intracellular cortisol, lipid and glucose metabolism. The incretine glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) has been suggested to affect insulin sensitivity. However, the mechanisms of this effect are unclear yet....

Introduction: A retrospective study of the year 2003, of 1314 women with GDM, from 24 public health Centres in Portugal, was performed.Patients and methods: Women were divided into two groups according to their pre-pregnancy BMI: group Go – BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and group Gno BMI <30 kg/m2. The mean age of these women was 32.9±5 years (18–45), the A1c was <6% in both groups. The influence of the BMI in different...

Background: Sleep loss is increasingly common in the western world and has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus and obesity.Objective: We hypothesised that short term sleep loss results in a diabetogenic metabolic status during carbohydrate challenge at a breakfast buffet.Subjects and methods: Fifteen healthy, normal-weight young men were studied in randomized balanced order on the subsequent morn...

In the 1980s the concept, that some individuals with normal weight (Metabolically Obese, Normal-Weight) have disturbances of metabolism, related to obesity was proposed. It is known, that obesity promotes atheromatosis by various mechanism, inter alia due to excess of inflammatory markers. This problem however, was not investigated in non-obese subjects.We analyzed anthropometric variables, body fat distribution by DXA and serum CRP, Il-6 and Il-18 in 43...

Background: Fasting is associated with suppression of IGF-I production, which is likely to be the stimulator of GH secretion and the subsequent increase in lipolysis. The GH signalling events subserving this switch in the actions of GH have not been studied.Aim: To assess whole body substrate metabolism and GH signalling proteins in skeletal muscle and fat in healthy human subjects in the postabsorptive state and after 38 h of fasting.<p class="abste...

Objective: Acylation Simulating Protein (ASP) has been shown to regulate lipid clearance and glucose uptake in adipose tissue. In vitro studies demonstrate that insulin stimulates ASP secretion from adipocytes. Individuals with obesity and/or metabolic disturbances (insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes) have increased plasma ASP, suggesting ASP resistance. Therefore, the present study evaluates whether ASP levels are influenced by the metabolic profile of overweight and obes...

Introduction: High prevalence of obesity and overweight among middle aged adults is a major health problem. It is related to high prevalence of many chronic degenerative diseases in this high risk group. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of obesity and overweight among young and middle aged Iranian adults.Methods: This study was based on anthropometric data collected in the national household food consumption and nutritional status sur...

The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), a G protein coupled receptor, has a prominent role in hypothalamic weight regulation. The MC4R was recently shown to form receptor dimers. The cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) is the nearest phylogenetic relative of MC4R but fails to interact with the MC4R in vitro. In this study we aim to investigate receptor domains that are necessary for MC4R interaction. Four different chimeric receptors of MC4R and CB1R were constructed. The generated cons...

Introduction: Melatonin plays a key role in the circadian timing system. The question remains whether changes in endogenous melatonin may be associated with food intake. Orexin and ghrelin are involved in the regulation of energetic homeostasis. Therefore, we decided to obtain more detailed data on the circadian changes of orexin, ghrelin and melatonin for identification of the changes in these hormones to food intake and day-time, together with glycemic and C-peptide levels.<...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a main cause of women infertility. There are data suggesting an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in PCOS. Insulin resistance might play a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS and its metabolic complications. The aim of the study was to asses the prevalence of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-defined metabolic syndrome (MS) in women with PCOS in relation to insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction – soluble E-...

Background: Previous studies have shown that acylated ghrelin (AG) modulates insulin secretion and glucose disposal in vitro and after acute administration in humans. The aim of the present study was to evaluate postprandial glucose and insulin response following AG infusion in normal subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods: Six normal subjects and 3 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this study. AG (1 μg/kg per h) or s...

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute phase protein expressed in the advanced atherosclerotic lesions and produced by endothelial cells, macrophages and, in rodents also by adipocytes under tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) exposure. We investigated if PTX3 is expressed in human adipose tissue and is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.Methods: Samples of subcutaneous (SAT) and omental visceral (VAT) adipose tissue were obtained from 21 obese (...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance and obesity. Recent studies have shown that plasma omentin-1 levels decrease with obesity. Currently, no data exists on the relative expression and regulation of omentin-1 in adipose tissue (AT) of PCOS women.Objectives: To assess mRNA and protein levels of omentin-1 in omental (om) AT of PCOS women and matched controls, including circulating omentin-1. Ex vivo and in vivo</...

Ghrelin is a pleiotropic hormone characterized mainly by its strong orexigenic action and its role as GH secretagogue.Age-related level variation of this hormone has been previously shown in different studies centred in mARN expression and in its plasma levels; however there is no data about its secretion directly from the stomach although this is the main ghrelin producing organ.Objectives: To determine the levels of ghrelin in th...

The correction of a subtle nutritional deficiency that may reduce the risk of a future chronic disease is indeed a challenge. One of the most intriguing current and future impacts on public health may come from a greater intake of omega-3 fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid (ALA).Objective: We investigated the effect of an increased amount of dietary α-linolenic acid (ALA) from enriched eggs on the lipid profile and inflammatory markers in hea...

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder, with the significant loss of the adipose tissue. Lack of subcutaneous adipose tissue observed in lipodystrophies is accompanied by insulin resistance. The crucial step in the development of insulin resistance is an impaired increase in carbohydrate oxidation and decrease in lipid oxidation in response to insulin. The aim of the present study was to estimate carbohydrate and lipid oxidation in relation to serum adiponectin concentrat...

Mutations in the hypothalamic expressed MC4R gene are the most frequent cause of monogenetic obesity. This Gαs-Protein coupled receptor (GPCR) is activated by endogenous ligands α- and β-MSH and is inhibited by the only known endogenous inverse agonist and antagonist Agouti related peptide (AgRP). Naturally occurring mutations help to understand activation mechanisms of the human MC4R.We previously described a constitutively act...

Introduction: Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a genetic syndrome characterized by hyperphagia, morbid obesity, and many other endocrine alterations. PWS subjects present higher ghrelin levels. The cause of this increase as well as the modulation of ghrelin secretion at fasting and feeding in relation to other metabolic parameters in PWS is largely unknown. It has also been demonstrated that many ghrelin gene (GHRL) polymorphisms are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and...

Objective: Adiposity, insulin resistance, and hyperandrogenism are features of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) secreted from adipose and liver tissue has been linked to insulin resistance. We here address the impact of RBP4 on insulin resistance in PCOS and its usability to identify women with metabolic syndrome or impaired glucose metabolism (IGT or diabetes).Design: RBP4 was determined in plasma of 115 PCOS...

Objective: The mechanisms underlying the well known glucagon-induced satiety effect are unclear. As we showed recently, the glucagon-induced reduction in total ghrelin, that might be responsible for this effect, is exerted at hypothalamus–pituitary level. The aim of the present study was to further evaluate glucagon’s suppressive effect on both total and acylated-ghrelin in obesity with respect to its role in appetite control.Methods: Prospecti...

Caloric restriction is the best known experimental procedure that extends lifespan and resistance to aging-related diseases. Part of these actions was found to be mediated by the NAD-dependent histone deacetylase Sir2/Sirt1. Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in the skin of grapes, which was identified as a Sirt1 activator and subsequently proposed as a caloric restriction mimetic. The aim of the present study was to determine how resveratrol affects the GH axis, which is centr...

Background: Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is a gastrointestinal hormone that is secreted in response to food intake and modulates β-cell function. Remarkably, GIP looses its insulinomimetic effect in the presence of chronic hyperglycaemia and thus appears to be ineffective in poorly controlled T2DM at least with regard to insulin release. The mechanism by which this occurs is not clear and it is not known.Objectives: To analyse ...

Markers of endothelial dysfunction, including soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) are related to insulin resistance and are predictors of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is associated with metabolic inflexibility, i.e. an impaired stimulation of carbohydrate oxidation and inhibition of lipid oxidation in insulin-stimulated conditions. The aim of the present study was to estimate the relationships of serum sE-selectin concentration with carbohydrate and lipid oxidation in lean...

Introduction: Left hepatic lobe volume (LHLV) has been associated with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in obese women.Aim: To study the correlation between LHLV and body weight, regardless the weight and gender of the patient.Subjects and methods: The left hepatic lobe was evaluated with an echographic probe of 3.5 MHz. The LHLV (cm3) was calculated with the formula: antero-posterior diameter (length)×longit...

Leptin acts not only as an anorexigenic hormone but is also involved in the regulation of cell-mediated immunity. However, since the impact of leptin on NK cells is currently elusive, we investigated the body weight-dependent leptin effects on NK cells numbers and function.In a first set of experiments leptin and MADB106 tumor cells were injected intravenously in male lean and diet-induced obese Lewis and F344 rats. In a second set of experiments an i...

Current evidence suggests that the adipocyte-derived hormone resistin (RSTN) regulates both feeding and peripheral metabolism through unclear hypothalamic-mediated mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate by the first time, that the anorectic effect of RSTN is associated to specific changes in the expression of neuropeptides in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC), namely AgRP, NPY and CART. Very interestingly, RSTN also exerts a deep, nutritional-dependent inhibitory effect ...

Objective: To evaluate the associations between baseline leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) or changes in LTPA during follow-up on long-term weight changes, and to investigate the effects of physical activity in participants with baseline BMI<25 kg/m2 and baseline BMI≥25 kg/m2.Material and methods: Data of the prospective dynamic cohort (SUN cohort) were used. In total 12 117 participants, all of them university graduat...

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between anthropometric measurements, plasma biomarkers of inflammation, metabolic and adipokines pattern and the presence of severe steatosis, in a group of patients with morbid obesity.Materials and methods: We evaluated a group of 40 patients (25 F, 15 M) with morbid obesity and indication for bariatric surgery. Anthropometric measurements (waist circumference, BMI determination) were performed and...

Aims: Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) is a rare, chronic disease, characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, disrupted nocturnal sleep and manifestations of abnormal REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Human NC is probably caused by environmental and genetic factors, leading to dysfunctions in hypothalamic orexigenic neurons. Recent studies showed that NC was associated with an increase in Body Mass Index, despite a reduction in food intake. In the current study we i...

Non alcoholic steatohepatitis (EHNA) is diagnosed by hepatic biopsy. Its etiology is uncertain but obesity is present in 69–100% of all cases and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in about 34–75%.Objectives: To study the prevalence of EHNA in morbidly obese patients and determine if there is a difference between the prevalence in patients with and without carbohydrate metabolism disorders.Patients and methods: Prospective stu...

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are expanding rapidly and become a wide world health issue. These metabolic diseases are tightly associated with an insulin resistance state. Among insulin target tissues, liver plays a central role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis.Insulin action is initiated by its binding to its receptors (IR) which, once activated, phosphorylate intracellular substrates and lead to the activation of transduction pathways implicating...

Grb14 is a molecular adaptor that inhibits insulin signaling by interacting with the activated insulin receptor and inhibiting its tyrosine kinase activity. In various models of insulin resistance, including obese mice and type 2 diabetes patients, an inverse correlation was reported between Grb14 expression in adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity. To elucidate Grb14 function in this specific tissue, we studied the impact of modifications of Grb14 level of expression on adip...

Background: Obesity has been associated with low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). This could be explained by a low dietary intake, reduced sun exposure or less biodisponibility because of its arrest in the fat mass. The main objective is to study the prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in premenopausal obese women.Methods: Aleatory sample of 100 morbidly obese patients. Selection criteria were: women, premenopausal, Caucasian. Patient with diabetes ...

Introduction: In the past 20 years, obesity has become a major health problem occurring as well in adults as in children. Beside environmental influences on body weight, the genetic background of a person plays an important role in body weight control. After the description of monogenetic mutations linked to obesity most current studies investigate polygenetic forms of obesity.Recent studies showed an association between two SNPs, located in the promoter...

Objective: The increasing incidence of obesity is a major health problem world-wide. So far, mutations were identified in genes encoding major contributors in energy homeostasis. With the exception of mutations in the melanocortin-4-receptor gene (MC4R) obesity-causing mutations are very rare. To date great efforts were undertaken to identify gene variants that contribute to polygenic obesity. The GIPR belongs to the large superfamily of G-protein coupled recepto...

Obesity, diabetes, and depression are associated with distinct neuroendocrine changes influencing the regulation of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) system. Up to now it was not possible to examine the central glucocorticoid feedback in humans to verify results of animal experiments in relating disease models. With the help of a recently developed computational approach we were enabled to address this question to patients with obesity, diabetes, or depression.<p cl...

The aim of the study was to compare ATPIII and IDF criteria for metabolic syndrome in diabetes mellitus type 2 subjects.Two hundred and seventy-seven participants were included, 177 women 60.43±8.06 years and 100 men aged 56.35±9.58 years. Group A: metabolic syndrome by ATPIII; group B metabolic syndrome by IDF.Following laboratory and antropometric measurements were done: total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL- and HDL ch...

Introduction: Elevated high-sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in association with hyperinsulinemia, obesity, insulin resistance and high blood pressure are significant risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluated the correlations between serum hs-CRP concentration and metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese women.Methods: Overweight (BMI>25 kg/m2) and obese (BMI>30 kg/m2) 755 wom...

Objective: To investigate the associations between adiponectin levels and adiposity and body fat distribution indices assessed by waist to hip ratio in Iranian women and to determine if the association differ as a result of ethnicity.Methods: A cross-sectional study of 76 Iranian women free from metabolic disease was performed. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences, waist to hip ratio (WHR), body composition, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles and...

Visfatin is a newly discovered adipokine found in abundance in visceral fat. Leptin is well known marker of fat mass in the body but also one aspect of leptin is its action as a proinflammatory cytokine. Recent studies, both in vitro and in vivo, indicated that visfatin is also one of the inflammatory cytokines, although the relationship between visfatin and insulin resistance remains still unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the association between visfa...

Aim: Comparison of the parameters of obesity with the newly-defined adipocytokines in females applying to our clinic for obesity.Method: Demographical data of 36 obese females were determined. Cases were classified as obese and morbid obese according to BMI values. Biochemical parameters were measured for all the cases. Thicknesses of subcutaneous and visceral fatty tissues were measured on ultrasonography. Statistical significances were evaluated by app...

One important risk factor for the development of arterial hypertension is abdominal obesity. Aldosterone, secreted by adrenocortical cells, promotes sodium and water retention and by that regulates blood pressure homeostasis. Increased serum aldosterone levels have been linked to the development of obesity hypertension. Therefore, identifying the link between obesity and increased aldosterone secretion is of high importance for the management of obesity hypertension.<p cla...

Objective: The soluble leptin receptor (sOb-R) is generated by ectodomain shedding of the membrane-associated Ob-R and may modulate leptin action in metabolic dysregulations. The objective of our study was to investigate whether or not sOb-R generation may be induced by indicators of energy availability or metabolic regulators in a cell model.Material and methods: The four human Ob-R isoforms were cloned, characterized by binding experiments with 125-iod...

The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of feed from different production systems on food intake, body chemical composition and plasma leptin concentrations in rats. It is expected, that organically produced feed influences positively rat organism, in that hormone balance. Leptin regulates energy intake and expenditure, as well as basic functions of many tissues.The experiment was conducted in 104 Wistar male rats divided into 16 dietary groups...

Background: It becomes increasingly evident that features of the metabolic syndrome are already present in young obese patients. Especially an impaired glucose metabolism with insulin resistance is an alarming sign of existing comorbidity of childhood obesity. Metformin has been argued as one pharmacological option to improve impaired glucose metabolism at least in obese adults. So far three prospective randomized studies were performed in childhood cohorts with <30 patien...

Introduction: Obesity has been associated with increased androgenicity in women, however there are conflicting data on this subject. Objectives: To determine whether any androgen is independently related to body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) or age. To access if there is an association between elevated plasma androgen levels and the presence of either morbid obesity or metabolic syndrome (MS).Design and Methods: A total of 148 obese women we...

In most obese patients, obesity is associated with a low-grade inflammation of white adipose tissue resulting from chronic activation of the innate immune system and which can subsequently lead to insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and even diabetes. It is still not clear role of acquired immune response in obesity and related comorbidites such as asthma, cancer or autoimmune diseases. The aim of our study was to compare level s of IL-17 and IL23 in sever obese wom...

Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the GH secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), is a peptide with a post-translational octanoyl modification on Ser-3. Previous studies of ghrelin derivatives showed that the pendant group at Ser-3 plays an essential role in the bioactivity. The acylated peptide specifically releases growth hormone (GH) both in vivo and in vitro, while the desoctanoyl form of the hormone is at least 100-fold less potent than the parent peptide.<p class="a...

It was postulated that different therapeutic approaches could influence the markers of inflammation in obesity but it is unknown whether overweight women with and without metabolic syndrome have the same degrees of inflammatory state. The aim of our study was to compare level of hs-CRP in obese women without other components of metabolic syndrome with hs-CRP in women with metabolic syndrome (according IDF criteria). Overweight body mass index-matched women without (OW)) (n<...

Introduction: Obesity has been associated with a low-level activation of the acute-phase response. The aim of the present study was to compare inflammatory parameters in patients with obesity and a control group, and to evaluate the effect of weight loss on these parameters.Methods: Sixty-seven severe or morbid obese patients (51 women, 16 men), aged 34±11 years, were compared with 67 normal-weight controls (45 women, 22 men), aged 32±10 years....

Introduction: Several haemostatic disturbances have been described in obese patients. Nevertheless, the state of coagulation inhibitors has been scarcely studied in these patients. Activated protein C (APC) is the anticoagulant enzyme formed upon activation of the protein C (PC) by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex on the surface of endothelial cells. Morbid obesity is associated to endothelial dysfunction, which could cause a reduction in APC generation.<p class="abstex...

Introduction: Obesity and its related diseases like high blood pressure are the main reason of coronary heart diseases that are the second main cause of mortality in I.R of IRAN. The significant rise of obesity in the last decade resulted in corresponding increase in the prevalence of hypertension.Objective: To detect obesity and hypertension, and the relationship between them among Semnanian people, Iran, 2007Methods: In this cros...

Background and aims: Longitudinal data from the North West Adelaide Health Study (NWAHS) were used to examine the effect of development of metabolic syndrome between Stage 1 (2000–2003) and Stage 2 (2004–2006) on quality of life.Material and methods: The NWAHS is a random, representative sample of people aged 18 years and over living in the north west region of Adelaide. Participants were recruited via telephone interviews to attend the clinic....

Several synthetic peptide and non-peptide ligands of the GHS-R1a have been described that release GH and stimulate food intake. Starting from a triazole scaffold, we have designed and prepared novel small molecules with high binding affinity to the GHS-R1a and we have investigated their effects in vitro on free intracellular calcium levels and in vivo on food intake and GH secretion in the rat. In CHO cells transfected with the GHS-R1a, hexarelin stimulated calcium leve...

Objectives: Obesity is the major risk factor for the development of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, increased circulating levels of cytokines and chemokines and decreased adiponectin levels are associated with IGT and T2DM. However, a large part of morbidly obese patient remain normoglycemic. Therefore, we investigated if this protection can be attributed to a lower grade of inflammation or higher adiponectin levels.<p cla...

Understanding the complexity of polygenic obesity includes the aspect of the hormonal adaptation during the process of selection for high body weight. Therefore we focussed on the analysis of hormones regulating energy homeostasis, growth and insulin sensitivity in the Berlin Fat Mouse Inbred 860 (BFMI860) line which we use as a model for polygenic obesity. The mouse line had been selected for low protein and high fat content before it was inbred. Under a standard maintenance ...