CONTEXT: Zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is a soluble protein similar to the class I major histocompatibility complex heavy chain, which has been implicated in lipid catabolism. We hypothesized that ZAG mRNA expression in adipose tissue may be linked with lipolytic and adipokine gene expression and have a close relationship with clinical phenotype.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to analyze ZAG gene expression in human adipose tissue from lean and obese subjects. ZAG ...

OBJECTIVE: Zinc-α(2) glycoprotein (ZAG) stimulates lipid loss by adipocytes and may be involved in the regulation of adipose tissue metabolism. However, to date no studies have been made in the most extreme of obesity. The aims of this study are to analyze ZAG expression levels in adipose tissue from morbidly obese patients, and their relationship with lipogenic and lipolytic genes and with insulin resistance (IR).

METHODS: mRNA expression levels of PPARγ, IRS-1, IRS-2, lipogenic and ...

OBJECTIVES: A relationship between obesity and intestinal bacterial translocation has been reported. Very little information is available with respect to the involvement of the bacterial translocation mechanistic pathway in HIV-1/highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS). We determined whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP), cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) and toll-like receptor 4 ...

BACKGROUND: Little information is available with respect to the involvement of resistin in lipodystrophy and metabolic disturbances in HIV-1-infected patients treated with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We determined whether the resistin (rest) -420C>G single-nucleotide polymorphism and plasma resistin are associated with the development of lipodystrophy and metabolic disturbances in HIV-1-infected patients treated with cART.

METHODS: The study group comprised 299 ...

The beneficial actions of n-3 fatty acids on obesity-induced insulin resistance and inflammation have been related to the synthesis of specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) like resolvins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of one of these SPMs, maresin 1 (MaR1), to reverse adipose tissue inflammation and/or insulin resistance in two models of obesity: diet-induced obese (DIO) mice and genetic (ob/ob) obese mice. In DIO mice, MaR1 (2 μg/kg; 10 d) reduced ...

Activation of stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) is essential for proper cell adaptation to extracellular stimuli. The exposure of yeast cells to high osmolarity, or mutations that lead to activation of the Hog1 SAPK, result in cell-cycle arrest1,2,3,4. The mechanisms by which Hog1 and SAPKs in general regulate cell-cycle progression are not completely understood5,6,7,8. Here we show that Hog1 regulates cell cycle progression at the G1 phase by a dual mechanism that involves ...

Lipid overload in obesity and type 2 diabetes is associated with adipocyte dysfunction, inflammation, macrophage infiltration, and decreased fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Here, we report that the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme in mitochondrial FAO, is higher in human adipose tissue macrophages than in adipocytes and that it is differentially expressed in visceral vs. subcutaneous adipose tissue in both an obese and a type 2 diabetes ...

Adipose tissue releases bioactive mediators called adipokines. This review focuses on the effects of omentin, vaspin, cardiotrophin-1, Tumor necrosis factor-like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis (TWEAK) and nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV/CCN3) on obesity and diabetes. Omentin is produced by the stromal-vascular fraction of visceral adipose tissue. Obesity reduces omentin serum concentrations and adipose tissue secretion in adults and adolescents. This adipokine regulates insulin sensitivity, ...

Control of cell cycle progression by stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) is essential for cell adaptation to extracellular stimuli. Exposure of yeast to osmostress leads to activation of the Hog1 SAPK, which controls cell cycle at G1 by the targeting of Sic1. Here, we show that survival to osmostress also requires regulation of G2 progression. Activated Hog1 interacts and directly phosphorylates a residue within the Hsl7-docking site of the Hsl1 checkpoint kinase, which results in ...

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the world. NAFLD is principally characterized by an excessive fat accumulation in the hepatocytes. Diet is considered as one of the main drivers to modulate the composition of gut microbiota, which participate in different processes, affecting human metabolism. A disruption in the homeostasis of gut microbiota may lead to dysbiosis, which is commonly reflected by a reduction of the beneficial species and an ...

Leptin, adiponectin and IL18 are adipokines related with obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in the general population. Treated HIV-1-infected patients with lipodystrophy may develop insulin resistance and proatherogenic dyslipidemia. We assessed the relationship between plasma adipokine levels, adipokine genetics, lipodystrophy and metabolic disturbances. Plasma leptin, adiponectin and IL18 levels were assessed in 446 individuals: 282 HIV-1-infected patients treated with ...

BACKGROUND: FABP4 is predominantly expressed in adipose tissue, and its circulating levels are linked with obesity and a poor atherogenic profile.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with a wide BMI range, we analyze FABP4 expression in adipose and hepatic tissues in the settings of obesity and insulin resistance. Associations between FABP4 expression in adipose tissue and the FABP4 plasma level as well as the main adipogenic and lipolytic genes expressed in adipose tissue were also ...

The increase in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) activity has emerged as a useful therapeutic tool for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The actions of GLP-1 on β-cells and the nervous and digestive systems are well known. The action of this peptide in adipose tissue (AT), however, is still poorly defined. Furthermore, no relationship has been established between GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in AT and obesity and insulin resistance (IR). We provide evidence for the presence of this ...

G1 cyclins, in association with a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), are universal activators of the transcriptional G1-S machinery during entry into the cell cycle. Regulation of cyclin degradation is crucial for coordinating progression through the cell cycle, but the mechanisms that modulate cyclin stability to control cell cycle entry are still unknown. Here, we show that a lack of phosphate downregulates Cln3 cyclin and leads to G1 arrest in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The stability of ...

CONTEXT: AQP7 is considered to be the sole adipose glycerol channel, and its regulation is crucial for glycemia control.

OBJECTIVES: In this work, we aimed to further characterize AQP7 in human adipose tissue in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D): 1) to assess AQP7 expression levels in paired abdominal adipose tissue depots (sc and visceral); 2) to relate it with gene expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism; and 3) to confirm that AQP7 is mainly expressed in the ...