Branched chain amino acid metabolism and microbiome in adolescents with obesity during weight loss therapy.

Background: Towards improving outcomes for adolescents with obesity, we aimed to define metabolic and microbiome phenotypes at baseline and post-weight loss intervention.

Methods: The Pediatric Obesity Microbiome and Metabolism Study enrolled 220 adolescents aged 10-18 with severe obesity (OB) and 67 healthy weight controls (HWC). Blood, stool, and clinical measures were collected at baseline and after a 6-month intervention for the OB group. Serum metabolomic and fecal microbiome data were analyzed for associations with BMI, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Fecal microbiome transplants were performed on germ-free mice using samples from both groups to assess weight gain and metabolomic changes.

Results: Adolescents with OB exhibited elevated serum branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) but reduced ketoacid metabolites (BCKA) compared to HWC. This pattern was sex- and age-dependent, unlike adults with OB, who showed elevated levels of both. The fecal microbiomes of adolescents with OB and HWC had similar diversity but differed in membership and functional potential. FMT from OB and HWC donors had similar effects on mouse body weight, with specific taxa linked to weight gain in FMT recipients. Longitudinal analysis identified metabolic and microbial features correlated with changes in health measures during the intervention.

Conclusion: Adolescents with OB have unique metabolomic adaptations and microbiome signatures compared to their HWC counterparts and adults with OB.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03139877 (Observational Study) and NCT02959034 (Repository).

Funding Sources: American Heart Association Grants: 17SFRN33670990, 20PRE35180195National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Grant: R24-DK110492.