Lifetime obesity in patients with eating disorders: increasing prevalence, clinical and personality correlates.

Objectives: The aims of our study were to examine the lifetime prevalence of obesity rate in eating disorders (ED) subtypes and to examine whether there have been temporal changes among the last 10 years and to explore clinical differences between ED with and without lifetime obesity.

Methods: Participants were 1383 ED female patients (DSM-IV criteria) consecutively admitted, between 2001 and 2010, to Bellvitge University Hospital. They were assessed by means of the Eating Disorders Inventory-2, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh and the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-dependent regulation of lipolytic nodes and metabolic flexibility.

Optimal lipid storage and mobilization are essential for efficient adipose tissue. Nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) regulates adipocyte differentiation and lipid deposition, but its role in lipolysis and dysregulation in obesity is not well defined. This investigation aimed to understand the molecular impact of dysfunctional PPARγ on the lipolytic axis and to explore whether these defects are also confirmed in common forms of human obesity.

The L-α-lysophosphatidylinositol/GPR55 system and its potential role in human obesity.

GPR55 is a putative cannabinoid receptor, and l-α-lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) is its only known endogenous ligand. We investigated 1) whether GPR55 is expressed in fat and liver; 2) the correlation of both GPR55 and LPI with several metabolic parameters; and 3) the actions of LPI on human adipocytes. We analyzed CB1, CB2, and GPR55 gene expression and circulating LPI levels in two independent cohorts of obese and lean subjects, with both normal or impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes.

Total and undercarboxylated osteocalcin predict changes in insulin sensitivity and β cell function in elderly men at high cardiovascular risk.

Background: Osteocalcin has been related to insulin secretion in experimental models. Few prospective studies have evaluated the association between circulating osteocalcin concentrations and insulin secretion and sensitivity in humans.

Objective: The objective was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between circulating forms of osteocalcin and insulin secretion and sensitivity in elderly men at high cardiovascular risk.

Structural damage in diabetic nephropathy is associated with TNF-α system activity.

In experimental animal studies, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) contributed to renal hypertrophy during diabetes, and antibodies against TNF-α have led to improved histological lesions in animals with nephrotoxicity and diabetic nephropathy. We aimed to evaluate TNF-α system activity in association with renal histology in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is a prospective, cross-sectional study of 22 patients with type 2 diabetes (16 men), 13 with microalbuminuria and 9 with normoalbuminuria.

Attenuated metabolism is a hallmark of obesity as revealed by comparative proteomic analysis of human omental adipose tissue.

Obesity is recognized as an epidemic health problem worldwide. In humans, the accumulation of omental rather than subcutaneous fat appears to be tightly linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Differences in gene expression profiles in the adipose tissue comparing non-obese and obese subjects have been well documented.

Decreased STAMP2 expression in association with visceral adipose tissue dysfunction.

Context: Six-transmembrane protein of prostate 2 (STAMP2) is a counter-regulator of inflammation and insulin resistance according to findings in mice. However, there have been contradictory reports in humans.

Objective: We aimed to explore STAMP2 in association with inflammatory and metabolic status of human obesity.

Increased levels of calprotectin in obesity are related to macrophage content: impact on inflammation and effect of weight loss.

Calprotectin has been recently described as a novel marker of obesity. The aim of this study was to determine the circulating concentrations and expression levels of calprotectin subunits (S100A8 and S100A9) in visceral adipose tissue (VAT), exploring its impact on insulin resistance and inflammation and the effect of weight loss. We included 53 subjects in the study.

Genetic variation near IRS1 associates with reduced adiposity and an impaired metabolic profile.

Genome-wide association studies have identified 32 loci influencing body mass index, but this measure does not distinguish lean from fat mass. To identify adiposity loci, we meta-analyzed associations between ∼2.5 million SNPs and body fat percentage from 36,626 individuals and followed up the 14 most significant (P < 10(-6)) independent loci in 39,576 individuals.

Gut microbiota interactions with obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes: did gut microbiote co-evolve with insulin resistance?

Purpose Of Review: The prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes has steadily increased in the last decades. In addition to the genetic and environmental factors, gut microbiota may play an important role in the modulation of intermediary phenotypes leading to metabolic disease.

Recent Findings: Obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with specific changes in gut microbiota composition.

Role of diabetes- and obesity-related protein in the regulation of osteoblast differentiation.

Although thyroid hormone (TH) is known to exert important effects on the skeleton, the nuclear factors constituting the TH receptor coactivator complex and the molecular pathways by which TH mediates its effects on target gene expression in osteoblasts remain poorly understood. A recent study demonstrated that the actions of TH on myoblast differentiation are dependent on diabetes- and obesity-related protein (DOR). However, the role of DOR in osteoblast differentiation is unknown.

The alarm secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor increases with progressive metabolic dysfunction.

Background: Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is an alarm antiprotease secreted by neutrophils and mucous membranes that potently inhibits the inflammatory cascade; however, the role of SLPI in human disease remains largely unknown. We hypothesized that SLPI is related to chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (MS) or type-2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: We examined associations between circulating SLPI (ELISA) and quantitative traits of MS (ATPIII criteria) in 261 Caucasian men with various degrees of metabolic dysfunction.

Proadipogenic effects of lactoferrin in human subcutaneous and visceral preadipocytes.

Lactoferrin has been associated with insulin sensitivity in vivo and in vitro studies. We aimed to test the effects of lactoferrin on human subcutaneous and visceral preadipocytes. Human subcutaneous and visceral preadipocytes were cultured with increasing lactoferrin (hLf, 0.

Circulating omentin as a novel biomarker of endothelial dysfunction.

Omentin is a novel soluble lectin expressed mainly in the stromal-vascular cells from visceral adipose tissue with vasodilator effect in isolated blood vessels. To gain insight in the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, we aimed to explore the interaction among circulating omentin, metabolic parameters, and endothelial function. Circulating omentin (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) was studied in 248 white men (148 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and 100 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)).

Early interplay of intra-hepatic iron and insulin resistance in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: The liver is a crucial organ at the crossroads of iron and glucose metabolism. The aim of the study was to assess intra-hepatic iron in young patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its association with insulin resistance and severity of liver damage.

Methods: Intrahepatic iron content was assessed (Pearl's stain grade) in 66 patients (41 males, age 3.

OCT1 Expression in adipocytes could contribute to increased metformin action in obese subjects.

Objective: Metformin has been well characterized in vitro as a substrate of liver-expressed organic cation transporters (OCTs). We investigated the gene expression and protein levels of OCT-1 and OCT-2 in adipose tissue and during adipogenesis and evaluated their possible role in metformin action on adipocytes.

Research Design And Methods: OCT1 and OCT2 gene expressions were analyzed in 118 adipose tissue samples (57 visceral and 61 subcutaneous depots) and during human preadipocyte differentiation.

Circulating pigment epithelium-derived factor levels are associated with insulin resistance and decrease after weight loss.

Objective: We aimed to study circulating pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in vivo in association with insulin resistance and in vitro in human adipocytes.

Methods: Circulating PEDF (ELISA) and metabolic profile were assessed in 125 Caucasian men. PEDF levels were also assessed in an independent cohort of subjects (n = 33) to study the effects of changing insulin action.

Enhanced algorithm for glucose estimation using the continuous glucose monitoring system.

Background: The CGMS Gold continuous glucose monitor presents a problem of lack of accuracy, especially in the lower range, sometimes leading to missed or false alarms. The new algorithm aims to improve the measurement accuracy and hypoglycemia detection.

Material/methods: Twenty-one patients with type 1 diabetes were monitored for 3 days (1 day at the hospital and 2 at home) using the CGMS Gold.

Transferrin receptor-1 gene polymorphisms are associated with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Iron is involved in oxidative stress and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Transferrin receptor (TFRC) constitutes the major receptor by which most cells take up iron. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether TFRC gene polymorphisms are associated with T2D.

Circulating omentin concentration increases after weight loss.

Background: Omentin-1 is a novel adipokine expressed in visceral adipose tissue and negatively associated with insulin resistance and obesity. We aimed to study the effects of weight loss-induced improved insulin sensitivity on circulating omentin concentrations.

Methods: Circulating omentin-1 (ELISA) concentration in association with metabolic variables was measured in 35 obese subjects (18 men, 17 women) before and after hypocaloric weight loss.

The decrease of serum levels of human neutrophil alpha-defensins parallels with the surgery-induced amelioration of NASH in obesity.

Background: Innate immune system participates actively into inflammatory processes, with immune cells and liver secreting a number of immune peptides. Among them, both soluble CD14 receptor (sCD14) and human neutrophil alpha-defensins (HNDs) may represent serum markers of necro-inflammation in obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods: To verify this hypothesis, we investigated changes in circulating levels of sCD14 and HNDs in 11 severely obese young women following surgery-induced weight loss (bilio-pancreatic diversion).

Real-time glucose estimation algorithm for continuous glucose monitoring using autoregressive models.

Background: Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) present a problem of lack of accuracy, especially in the lower range, sometimes leading to missed or false hypoglycemia. A new algorithm is presented here aimed at improving the measurement accuracy and hypoglycemia detection. Its core is the estimation of blood glucose (BG) in real time (RT) from CGM intensity readings using autoregressive (AR) models.