Early Life Programming of Adipose Tissue Remodeling and Browning Capacity by Micronutrients and Bioactive Compounds as a Potential Anti-Obesity Strategy.

The early stages of life, especially the period from conception to two years, are crucial for shaping metabolic health and the risk of obesity in adulthood. Adipose tissue (AT) plays a crucial role in regulating energy homeostasis and metabolism, and brown AT (BAT) and the browning of white AT (WAT) are promising targets for combating weight gain. Nutritional factors during prenatal and early postnatal stages can influence the development of AT, affecting the likelihood of obesity later on.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as a Potential Mediator of the Beneficial Effects of Myo-Inositol Supplementation during Suckling in the Offspring of Gestational-Calorie-Restricted Rats.

This study aims to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of myo-inositol (MI) supplementation during suckling against the detrimental effects of fetal energy restriction described in animal studies, particularly focusing on the potential connections with BDNF signaling. Oral physiological doses of MI or the vehicle were given daily to the offspring of control (CON) and 25%-calorie-restricted (CR) pregnant rats during suckling. The animals were weaned and then fed a standard diet until 5 months of age, when the diet was switched to a Western diet until 7 months of age.

Stachydrine, N-acetylornithine and trimethylamine N-oxide levels as candidate milk biomarkers of maternal consumption of an obesogenic diet during lactation.

We aimed to evaluate whether improving maternal diet during lactation in diet-induced obese rats reverts the impact of western diet (WD) consumption on the metabolome of milk and offspring plasma, as well as to identify potential biomarkers of these conditions. Three groups of dams were followed: control-dams (CON-dams), fed with standard diet (SD); WD-dams, fed with WD prior and during gestation and lactation; and reversion-dams (REV-dams), fed as WD-dams but moved to SD during lactation. Metabolomic analysis was performed in milk at lactation days 5, 10, and 15, and in plasma from their male and female offspring at postnatal day 15.

KLB and NOX4 expression levels as potential blood-based transcriptional biomarkers of physical activity in children.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) in children is considered one of the major contributors to obesity and cardiometabolic complications later in life. Although regular exercise may contribute to disease prevention and health promotion, reliable early biomarkers are required to objectively discern people performing low PA from those who exercise enough. Here, we aimed to identify potential transcript-based biomarkers through the analysis of a whole-genome microarray in peripheral blood cells (PBC) from physically less active (n = 10) comparing with more active (n = 10) children.

Influence of Maternal Metabolic Status and Diet during the Perinatal Period on the Metabolic Programming by Leptin Ingested during the Suckling Period in Rats.

We aimed to analyze the long-term metabolic effects of leptin supplementation at physiological doses during suckling in the offspring of diet-induced obese rats, together with the potential benefits of improving maternal diet during lactation. Thus, the offspring of: dams fed standard-diet (SD) (CON-dams), dams fed western-diet (WD) before and during gestation and lactation (WD-dams), and dams fed as WD-dams but moved to SD during lactation (REV-dams) were supplemented throughout suckling with leptin or vehicle, and fed SD or WD from weaning to four months. Under SD, leptin treatment significantly improved metabolic profile and body fat accumulation, with stronger effects in the male offspring of CON-dams and REV-dams.

Efficacy of Different Modalities and Frequencies of Physical Exercise on Glucose Control in People with Prediabetes (GLYCEX Randomised Trial).

To assess the efficacy of different modalities and frequencies of physical exercise on glycaemic control in adults with prediabetes. A two-phase, parallel, randomised, controlled clinical trial will be carried out, in 210 participants. In phase 1, 120 participants will be randomized into four arms: (1) aerobic exercise, (2) aerobic exercise combined with resistance, (3) high-intensity intervallic exercise and (4) control group.

Supplementation with the Prebiotic High-Esterified Pectin Improves Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk Biomarker Profile, Counteracting Metabolic Malprogramming.

Supplementation with the prebiotic pectin is associated with beneficial health effects. We aimed to characterize the cardioprotective actions of chronic high-esterified pectin (HEP) supplementation (10%) in a model of metabolic malprogramming in rats, prone to obesity and associated disorders: the progeny of mild calorie-restricted dams during the first half of pregnancy. Results show that pectin supplementation reverses metabolic malprogramming associated with gestational undernutrition.

Increased mRNA Levels of , , and in Peripheral Blood Cells Are Present in Patients with Obesity and May Predict Severe COVID-19 Evolution.

Gene expression patterns in blood cells from SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals with different clinical phenotypes and body mass index (BMI) could help to identify possible early prognosis factors for COVID-19. We recruited patients with COVID-19 admitted in Hospital Universitari Son Espases (HUSE) between March 2020 and November 2021, and control subjects. Peripheral blood cells (PBCs) and plasma samples were obtained on hospital admission.

Reverting to a Healthy Diet during Lactation Normalizes Maternal Milk Lipid Content of Diet-Induced Obese Rats and Prevents Early Alterations in the Plasma Lipidome of the Offspring.

Scope: This study aims to assess in rats whether normalizing maternal diet during lactation prevents the harmful effects of western diet (WD) consumption during the whole perinatal period on the lipidomic profile in maternal milk and offspring plasma.

Methods And Results: Control dams (CON-dams), fed with standard diet (SD); WD-dams, fed with WD prior and during gestation and lactation; and reversion dams (REV-dams), fed as WD-dams but moved to SD during lactation are followed. Lipidomic analysis is performed in milk and plasma samples from pups.

Dietary Improvement during Lactation Normalizes miR-26a, miR-222 and miR-484 Levels in the Mammary Gland, but Not in Milk, of Diet-Induced Obese Rats.

We aimed to evaluate in rats whether the levels of specific miRNA are altered in the mammary gland (MG) and milk of diet-induced obese dams, and whether improving maternal nutrition during lactation attenuates such alterations. Dams fed with a standard diet (SD) (control group), with a Western diet (WD) prior to and during gestation and lactation (WD group), or with WD prior to and during gestation but moved to SD during lactation (Rev group) were followed. The WD group showed higher miR-26a, miR-222 and miR-484 levels than the controls in the MG, but the miRNA profile in Rev animals was not different from those of the controls.

Implementation of a healthy diet to lactating rats attenuates the early detrimental programming effects in the offspring born to obese dams. Putative relationship with milk hormone levels.

Lactation is a critical period of development and alterations in milk composition due to maternal diet or status may affect infant growth. We aimed to evaluate in rats whether improving maternal nutrition during lactation attenuates early imprinted adverse metabolic effects in the offspring born to obese dams. Three groups were studied: Control (C) dams, fed with standard diet; Western diet (WD) dams, fed with WD 1 month prior to gestation and during gestation and lactation; and Reversion (Rev) dams, fed as WD-dams, but moved to a standard diet during lactation.

Maternal Consumption of a Cafeteria Diet during Lactation Leads to Altered Diet-Induced Thermogenesis in Descendants after Exposure to a Western Diet in Adulthood.

This study investigates the ability of a maternal cafeteria diet during lactation to program brown adipose tissue (BAT) metabolic responses to an obesogenic diet re-exposure in the adult offspring after consuming a standard diet (SD). Nursing rats were fed an SD or a cafeteria diet during lactation. Their offspring (O-C and O-CAF, respectively) were weaned onto an SD, and at 16 weeks of age they were switched to a Western diet until week 24.

Leptin and Metabolic Programming.

This Special Issue of "Leptin and Metabolic Programming" includes one review article regarding the function of leptin throughout the entire life on cardiometabolic fates and four original articles related to the new function of leptin present in milk and liquid amniotic, its possible relation with other components of breast milk, and how environmental conditions may impact on leptin action and metabolic programming [...

Myo-Inositol Supplementation in Suckling Rats Protects against Adverse Programming Outcomes on Hypothalamic Structure Caused by Mild Gestational Calorie Restriction, Partially Comparable to Leptin Effects.

We studied whether myo-inositol supplementation throughout lactation, alone and combined with leptin, may reverse detrimental effects on hypothalamic structure and function caused by gestational calorie gestation (CR) in rats. Candidate early transcript-based biomarkers of metabolic health in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were also studied. Offspring of dams exposed to 25% gestational CR and supplemented during lactation with physiological doses of leptin (CR-L), myo-inositol (CR-M), the combination (CR-LM), or the vehicle (CR-V) as well as control rats (CON-V) were followed and sacrificed at postnatal day 25.

Leptin as a key regulator of the adipose organ.

Leptin is a hormone primarily produced by the adipose tissue in proportion to the size of fat stores, with a primary function in the control of lipid reserves. Besides adipose tissue, leptin is also produced by other tissues, such as the stomach, placenta, and mammary gland. Altogether, leptin exerts a broad spectrum of short, medium, and long-term regulatory actions at the central and peripheral levels, including metabolic programming effects that condition the proper development and function of the adipose organ, which are relevant for its main role in energy homeostasis.

Sex-Specific Effects of Myo-Inositol Ingested During Lactation in the Improvement of Metabolic Health in Adult Rats.

Scope: To examine the effects of myo-inositol supplementation during lactation in male and female rats on metabolic parameters and its potential to reverse metabolic alterations associated with a moderate gestational calorie restriction.

Methods And Results: The offspring of control and 25% gestational calorie-restricted rats are supplemented with myo-inositol or vehicle throughout lactation and exposed to a Western diet (WD) from 5 to 7 months of age. Blood parameters are measured and gene expression and protein levels in retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rWAT) and liver are analyzed.

Lactation as a programming window for metabolic syndrome.

The concept of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) was initially supported by the low birth weight and higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adult life, caused by nutrition restriction during foetal development. However, other programming windows have been recognized in the last years, namely lactation, infancy, adolescence and even preconception. Although the concept has been developed in order to study the impact of foetal calorie restriction in adult life, it is now recognized that maternal overweight during programming windows is also harmful to the offspring.

Leptin Distribution in Rat Foetal and Extraembryonic Tissues in Late Gestation: A Physiological View of Amniotic Fluid Leptin.

Prenatal leptin is key to regulating foetal growth and early metabolic programming. The presence of intact leptin in rat foetal (at late gestation) and neonatal (immediately after birth) stomach content and mucosa has been previously described, suggesting that it may act as a regulatory nutrient for the neonate rats, be internalised by the stomach, and play a physiological role early in life, which requires to be further investigated, including its origin. We aimed to study the ontogeny of the presence of leptin in the foetal stomach and key extraembryonic tissues in rats at late gestation (days 18-21).

Identification of blood cell transcriptome-based biomarkers in adulthood predictive of increased risk to develop metabolic disorders using early life intervention rat models.

Calorie restriction during gestation in rats has long-lasting adverse effects in the offspring. It induces metabolic syndrome-related alterations, which are partially reversed by leptin supplementation during lactation. We employed these conditions to identify transcript-based nutrient sensitive biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) predictive of later adverse metabolic health.

Author Correction: Hesperidin and capsaicin, but not the combination, prevent hepatic steatosis and other metabolic syndrome-related alterations in western diet-fed rats.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Regulation of thermogenic capacity in brown and white adipocytes by the prebiotic high-esterified pectin and its postbiotic acetate.

Objectives: High-esterified pectin (HEP) is a prebiotic able to modulate gut microbiota, associated with health-promoting metabolic effects in glucose and lipid metabolism and adipostatic hormone sensitivity. Possible effects regulating adaptive thermogenesis and energy waste are poorly known. Therefore, we aimed to study how physiological supplementation with HEP is able to affect microbiota, energy metabolism and adaptive thermogenic capacity, and to contribute to the healthier phenotype promoted by HEP supplementation, as previously shown.