Circulating miRNAs as Biomarkers of Subclinical Atherosclerosis Associated with Severe Obesity before and after Bariatric Surgery.

Introduction: Severe obesity results in high cardiovascular risk (CVR), increasing morbidity, and mortality. New and improved methods are needed to detect cardiovascular diseases rapidly in severe obesity. microRNAs (miRNAs) has shown promise as diagnostic tools.

The response to fasting and refeeding reveals functional regulation of lipoprotein lipase proteoforms.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is responsible for the intravascular catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and plays a central role in whole-body energy balance and lipid homeostasis. As such, LPL is subject to tissue-specific regulation in different physiological conditions, but the mechanisms of this regulation remain incompletely characterized. Previous work revealed that LPL comprises a set of proteoforms with different isoelectric points, but their regulation and functional significance have not been studied thus far.

Irisin as a Novel Biomarker of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Severe Obesity.

Severe obesity (SO) can accelerate atherosclerosis and the onset of acute cardiovascular events. The diagnosis of atherosclerosis in the context of a high body mass index (BMI) can be challenging, making the identification of biomarkers clinically relevant. We aimed to assess the usefulness of irisin as a biomarker for subclinical atherosclerosis in participants with SO.

Effect of bariatric surgery on inflammation and endothelial dysfunction as processes underlying subclinical atherosclerosis in morbid obesity.

Background: Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are associated with morbid obesity (MO) and atherosclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate inflammation and endothelial function as the initial mechanisms underlying subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with MO, with and without atheromas, and their evolution after bariatric surgery (BS).

Setting: Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital and University of Barcelona.

Effect of bariatric surgery in the evolution of oxidative stress depending on the presence of atheroma in patients with morbid obesity.

Background: Morbid obesity is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, a chronic vascular disease related to oxidative stress (OS) and endothelial dysfunction.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effect of bariatric surgery (BS) on oxidative stress as a cardiovascular risk factor in patients with and without atheromatous plaques.

Setting: Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital and University of Barcelona.

Seasonal variation of body weight loss after bariatric surgery.

Seasonal variations have been described in humans in several variables such as sleep, mood, appetite, food preferences, or body weight. We hypothesized that these variations could also influence the decrease in body weight rate in patients submitted to body weight loss interventions. Thus, here we tested the variations of weight loss according to the time of the year the surgery took place in a group patients (n = 1322) submitted to bariatric surgery in the Hospital Universitari de la Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona (geographical coordinates: 41°25'41″N 2°8'32″E).

Seasonal variations of changes in lipid and glucidic variables after bariatric surgery.

Seasonality is a phenomenon that is characterized by changes over the year in sleep, mood, behaviour, appetite and body weight. In humans, seasonal variations have been found in certain variables, such as lipid variables and body mass index. We hypothesize that this rhythm could influence the expected variation of the levels of biochemical variables in cases of body weight loss.

Seasonal variation in plasma lipids and lipases in young healthy humans.

Although intermediate metabolism is known to follow circadian rhythms, little information is available on the variation in lipase activities (lipoprotein and hepatic lipase, LPL and HL, respectively) and lipids throughout the year. In a cross-sectional study, we collected and analysed blood from 245 healthy students (110 men and 135 women) between 18 and 25 years old from the University of Barcelona throughout the annual campaign (March, May, October and December) of the blood bank. All subjects gave their written informed consent to participate.

Diet Change After Sleeve Gastrectomy Is More Effective for Weight Loss Than Surgery Only.

Background: Bariatric surgery with or without diet change has become one of the most effective treatments for obesity. The objective of this study was to observe the effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and diet change in Sprague-Dawley rats on both body and tissue weights.

Methods: Eighteen rats were fed with a standard chow diet (SCD) (C group), and 36 rats were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) (diet-induced obesity (DIO) group).

Pre and post lipocryolysis thermic conditioning enhances rat adipocyte destruction.

Background: New knowledge about crystallization vs. lipid-to-gel transition has surfaced recently, since some of the latest publications on lipocryolysis have focused on its action mechanism. As a result, new opportunities for technical improvements and clinical outcome optimization have opened up.

Nitric oxide and the release of lipoprotein lipase from white adipose tissue.

Background/aim: Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is the main enzyme responsible for the distribution of circulating triacylglycerides in tissues. Its regulation via release from active sites in the vascular endothelium is poorly understood. In a previous study we reported that in response to acute immobilization (IMMO), LPL activity rapidly increases in plasma and decreases in white adipose tissue (WAT) in rats.

Changes in lipoprotein lipase modulate tissue energy supply during stress.

We studied the variations caused by stress in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, LPL-mRNA, and local blood flow in LPL-rich tissues in the rat. Stress was produced by body immobilization (Immo): the rat's limbs were taped to metal mounts, and its head was placed in a plastic tube. Chronic stress (2 h daily of Immo) decreased total LPL activity in mesenteric and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) and was accompanied by a weight reduction of these tissues.

An in situ perfusion protocol of rat epididymal adipose tissue useful in metabolic studies.

Experimental approaches involving the perfusion of tissues and organs offer the advantage of improved physiological relevance over the use of isolated tissues or cells while at the same time being much more controlled and tissue-specific than studies in vivo. Nevertheless, there have been few metabolic studies performed in perfused white adipose tissue, largely because of the difficulty of the surgical technique involved. Although some methods have been described, they are difficult to use as perfusion protocols and their reproducibility is poor.

Inactive hepatic lipase in rat plasma.

Hepatic lipase activity is detectable in liver but also in adrenal glands, ovaries, and plasma. The subunit size of hepatic lipase in liver, adrenal glands, and nonheparin plasma was compared. Hepatic lipase in liver and adrenal glands appeared as a 55 kDa band.

Immobilization stress alters intermediate metabolism and circulating lipoproteins in the rat.

In humans, stress can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by altering lipoprotein metabolism. Scarce experimental and clinical data are available on this effect. Therefore, we studied the metabolic response to acute and chronic stress following a model of immobilization (IMO) in rats and we evaluated the resulting circulating lipoprotein levels.