Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Dysfunctional adipose tissue in obesity is known to contribute to metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This may be due to increased gut-derived endotoxemia (LPS) reducing brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity and altering mitochondrial function. However, the effect of LPS on BAT activity in 3D culture models has not been studied, despite giving a better representation of in-vivo tissue. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of LPS o...

Background: The acquisition of brown-adipocyte-properties by white-adipocytes (BRITE-adipocytes) is an appealing-prospect to combat obesity and type-2-diabetes-Mellitus (T2DM). This may support counteracting the impact of inflammation and mitochondrial-dysfunction, which contribute to the obesity-pathogenesis. However, our previous-finding shave shown that the gut-derived-inflammatory-agent endotoxin can increase the inflammatory-response in white-adipose-tissue impacted by ob...

Background: Delivery of nutrient excess in obesity can disrupt protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) within adipose tissue; this activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) and contributes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. Thus, the aims of this study were to utilise freeze-dried broccoli extract (BE) as a nutrient to mitigate such cellular damage in human adipocytes, understand the relevance of associated pathways, and create a mathematical model of the U...

Background/objectives: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a potent hormone known to reduce glycaemia and improve insulin resistance with anti-obesity effects. Although mainly secreted in the liver, adipose tissue is considered an important target for its function. Whilst FGF21 has been shown to be expressed in murine adipose tissue, studies in human adipose tissue are lacking. Therefore our aim was to examine the expression of FGF21, FGF21 receptor-1 (FGFR1), βKlotho ...

Background: Lipocalin 2 (NGAL) is considered a pro-inflammatory adipokine. Noting the conflicting reports as to the role of Lipocalin 2 in metabolic disease, it remains unclear whether an acute or chronic state affects its impact on adipocyte function. In an attempt to address this our current studies investigated for the first time in humans, whether Lipocalin 2 in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) may influence mitochondrial function and browning of adipocytes, as c...

Background: In an obese state, pro-inflammatory adipokines can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced brown adipocytes properties in white adipocytes (BRITE adipocytes), all of which contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A recent novel adipokine, asprosin, that influences appetite and glucose homeostasis, appears to drive inflammation in obesity. However, asprosin expression in human adipose tissue (AT) depots, its impact on mito...

Background: Metabolic endotoxaemia (raised bacterial endotoxin in serum after high-fat feeding) has been shown to reduce insulin sensitivity in humans through systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Mitochondria represent the main source of cellular reactive oxygen species and mutations in mitochondrial DNA often result in a diabetic phenotype. However, the direct cellular impact of endotoxin on mitochondrial respiration and DNA integrity, particularly within the context o...

Introduction: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare, heterogeneous, genetic connective tissue disorder that manifests clinically as bone fragility, brittleness and growth disorder. Effective diagnosis is important (although often challenging) to enable institution of early and effective multidisciplinary management.The case: A 19-year-old woman was referred to the Endocrine clinic at the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology an...

Background/objectives: Irisin is a novel myokine, released predominantly by skeletal muscle. Peripheral action of irisin improves glucose homeostasis, increases energy expenditure and induces browning of adipocytes, with therapeutic potential for use in weight loss. However, there are no human studies on the central role of irisin in the regulation of appetite or energy expenditure. This study sought to examine the potential central role of irisin, by demonstrating irisin in h...

Background: Asprosin is a novel adipokine involved in appetite and glucose regulation. During obesity, circulating asprosin is increased, which leads to increased inflammation and can disrupt cellular functions such as mitochondrial respiration. Asthma is a comorbidity of obesity, with both diseases sharing an inflammatory profile and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study investigated the molecular links between asthma and obesity, by exploring whether asprosin causes mitochon...