Plasma levels and adipose tissue messenger ribonucleic acid expression of retinol-binding protein 4 are reduced during calorie restriction in obese subjects but are not related to diet-induced changes in insulin sensitivity.

Context: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) may play a role in the development of insulin resistance.

Objective: We investigated whether RBP4 adipose tissue mRNA expression and plasma level are related to insulin sensitivity during a diet-induced weight loss.

Design, Setting, Patients, And Intervention: Obese women followed a dietary intervention composed of a 4-wk very low-calorie diet (VLCD), a 2-month low-calorie diet, and 3-4 months of a weight maintenance (WM) phase.

Effect of aerobic training on plasma levels and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue gene expression of adiponectin, leptin, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha in obese women.

Adipocytokines secreted by adipose tissue are suggested to play a role in the development of obesity-related complications. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of metabolic complications in obese subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training on gene expression in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAAT) and on plasma levels of several adipocytokines in obese women.

Comparison of two physical activity questionnaires in obese subjects: the NUGENOB study.

Purpose: Simple instruments are needed to assess habitual physical activity (PA) in obese subjects. In a multicenter European obesity project, we tested whether PA assessments by two questionnaires were correlated and similarly associated to selected obesity-related variables.

Methods: A total of 757 obese subjects (75% female; age 37.

Differential regulation of atrial natriuretic peptide- and adrenergic receptor-dependent lipolytic pathways in human adipose tissue.

The aim of the study was to investigate the regulation affecting the recently described atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-dependent lipolytic pathway in comparison with the adrenergic lipolytic cascade. We studied in vivo the effect of a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp on the changes occurring in the extracellular glycerol concentration (EGC) of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) during ANP or epinephrine perfusion in a microdialysis probe. Homologous desensitization and the incidence of hyperinsulinemia on the ANP- and catecholaminergic-dependent control of lipolysis were also investigated in vitro on fat cells from SCAT.