Visceral adiposity, inflammation, and hippocampal function in obesity

Alcohol Drinking Impacts on Adiposity and Steatotic Liver Disease: Concurrent Effects on Metabolic Pathways and Cardiovascular Risks

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This integrative search aimed to provide a scoping overview of the relationships between the benefits and harms of alcohol drinking with cardiovascular events as associated to body fat mass and fatty liver diseases, as well as offering critical insights for precision nutrition research and personalized medicine implementation concerning cardiovascular risk management associated to ethanol consumption.

RECENT FINDINGS

Frequent alcohol intake could contribute to a sustained rise in adiposity over time. Body fat distribution patterns (abdominal/gluteus-femoral) and intrahepatic accumulation of lipids have been linked to adverse cardiovascular clinical outcomes depending on ethanol intake. Therefore, there is a need to understand the complex interplay between alcohol consumption, adipose store distribution, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and cardiovascular events in adult individuals. The current narrative review deals with underconsidered and apparently conflicting benefits concerning the amount of alcohol intake, ranging from abstention to moderation, and highlights the requirements for additional robust methodological studies and trials to interpret undertrained and existing controversies. The conclusion of this review emphasizes the need of newer multifaceted clinical approaches for precision medicine implementation, considering epidemiological strategies and pathophysiological mechanistic. Newer investigations and trials should be derived and performed particularly focusing both on alcohol's objective consequences as putatively mediated by fat deposition, including associated roles in fatty liver disease as well as to differentiate the impact of different levels of alcohol consumption (absence or moderation) concerning cardiovascular risks and accompanying clinical manifestations. Indeed, the threshold for the safe consumption of alcoholic drinks remains to be fully elucidated.

Obesity- and diet-induced plasticity in systems that control eating and energy balance

In April 2023, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), in partnership with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Aging, and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, hosted a 2-day online workshop to discuss neural plasticity in energy homeostasis and obesity. The goal was to provide a broad view of current knowledge while identifying research questions and challenges regarding neural systems that control food intake and energy balance. This review includes highlights from the meeting and is intended both to introduce unfamiliar audiences with concepts central to energy homeostasis, feeding, and obesity and to highlight up-and-coming research in these areas that may be of special interest to those with a background in these fields. The overarching theme of this review addresses plasticity within the central and peripheral nervous systems that regulates and influences eating, emphasizing distinctions between healthy and disease states. This is by no means a comprehensive review because this is a broad and rapidly developing area. However, we have pointed out relevant reviews and primary articles throughout, as well as gaps in current understanding and opportunities for developments in the field.

The remarkable impact of Opuntia Ficus Indica fruit administration on metabolic syndrome: Correlations between cognitive functions, oxidative stress and lipid dysmetabolism in the high-fat, diet-fed rat model

BACKGROUND

A wealth of evidence underscores the bioactive properties of nutraceuticals and functional foods in addressing oxyinflammatory-based diseases with implications at both peripheral and central levels. Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is well-documented for its health-promoting attributes, though its fruit (OFIF) remains relatively understudied. Not only poses Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) cardiometabolic risks but also contributes significantly to cognitive impairment, especially in crucial brain areas such as hippocampus and hypothalamus.

METHODS

Following 8 weeks of HFD to induce MetS, rats received OFIF oral supplementation for 4 weeks to evaluate cognitive and affective modifications using behavioural paradigms, i.e. open field, burrowing, white-dark box, novelty-suppressed feeding, and object recognition tests. Our investigation extended to biochemical evaluations of lipid homeostasis, central and peripheral oxidative stress and neurotrophic pathways, correlating these measures together with circulating leptin levels.

RESULTS

Our data revealed that OFIF modulation of leptin positively correlates with systemic and brain oxidative stress, with markers of increased anxiety-like behaviour and impaired lipid homeostasis. On the other hand, leptin levels reduced by OFIF are associated with improved antioxidant barriers, declarative memory and neurotrophic signalling.

DISCUSSION

This study underscores OFIF neuroactive potential in the context of MetS-associated cognitive impairment, offering insights into its mechanisms and implications for future therapeutic strategies.

Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) Levels in Obese and Overweight Adults: Correlations With Metabolic Syndrome and Inflammatory Markers

BACKGROUND

Overweight and obesity are escalating public health concerns globally, and India is also experiencing a significant rise in the population of overweight and obese people. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a type of cytokine that has garnered attention in particularly obesity-related metabolic disturbances. This study aimed to assess TNF-α levels in overweight and obese adults and explore its correlation with metabolic syndrome and associated biochemical parameters in the northeastern Indian population.

METHODS

A comparative study was conducted involving 200 participants divided into four groups: 50 healthy controls, 50 overweight individuals, 50 obese individuals without metabolic syndrome and 50 obese individuals with metabolic syndrome. Serum TNF-α levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical analyses, including glucose and lipid profiles, were performed using standard methods.

RESULTS

TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in overweight individuals (128.5±35.7 pg/ml), obese individuals without metabolic syndrome (171.5±13.6 pg/ml), and obese individuals with metabolic syndrome (238.6±62 pg/ml) compared to normal subjects (controls; 21.7±11.8 pg/ml). Positive correlations were observed between TNF-α and body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), neck circumference, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and negative correlation was found high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

CONCLUSION

Elevated TNF-α levels in overweight and obese individuals suggest its role in metabolic disturbances and immune activation within the adipose tissue. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring TNF-α as a potential biomarker for metabolic syndrome risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in the northeastern Indian population to mitigate the health impacts of obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

Quantitative MRI Biomarkers Measure Changes in Targeted Brain Areas in Patients With Obesity

CONTEXT

Obesity is accompanied by damages to several tissues, including the brain. Pathological data and animal models have demonstrated an increased inflammatory reaction in hypothalamus and hippocampus.

OBJECTIVE

We tested whether we could observe such pathological modifications in vivo through quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted between May 2019 and November 2022. The study was conducted in the Specialized Center for the Care of Obesity in a French University Hospital. Twenty-seven patients with obesity and 23 age and gender-paired normal-weight controls were prospectively recruited. All participants were examined using brain MRI. Anthropometric and biological data, eating behavior, anxiety, depression, and memory performance were assessed in both groups. The main outcome measure was brain MRI with the following parametric maps: quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), magnetization transfer ratio map, and T2 relaxivity map.

RESULTS

In the hypothalamus, patients with obesity had higher FA and lower QSM than normal-weight controls. In the hippocampus, patients with obesity had higher FA and lower MD. There was no correlation between imaging biomarkers and eating behavior or anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Our findings are consistent with the presence of neuroinflammation in brain regions involved in food intake. In vivo brain biomarkers from quantitative MRI appear to provide an incremental information for the assessment of brain damages in patients with obesity.

Is phase angle associated with visceral adiposity and cardiometabolic risk in cardiology outpatients?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Phase angle (PhA) serves as a prognostic marker in various clinical scenarios, reflecting oxidative stress and cellular damage. Despite its clinical relevance, its connection with adiposity and cardiovascular risk markers remains underexplored. Hence, our study sought to investigate the relationship between PhA and metabolic, adiposity, and cardiovascular risk parameters among outpatients with cardiology diagnosis.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Adults aged between 26 and 59 years, under the care of a cardiology unit, were included. Ultrasound imaging was used to assess visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) [50 kHz] was employed to calculate PhA, from BIA's resistance and reactance measurements. Muscle strength, body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio were also evaluated. Framingham's risk score was calculated to estimate the cardiovascular risk events. Metabolic blood samples' results were obtained from medical records.

RESULTS

One hundred and five participants were included in our study. Low PhA was observed in 29.5% of our sample. Higher PhA values were independently and inversely associated with both higher VAT and cardiovascular risk (adjusted OR: 0.79 [95% CI 0.69;0.91], OR: 0.74 [95% CI 0.60;0.89], respectively). Lower PhA values (≤5.59) were goodly associated with high VAT (AUC: 0.82 p < 0.001). Lower PhA values (≤5.06) were fairly associated with higher cardiovascular risk (AUC: 0.70 p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Our study provides evidence that PhA is independently and inversely associated with elevated VAT and cardiovascular risk. These findings underscore the potential of PhA as a valuable complementary marker in assessing cardiometabolic health.

Water extract of moschus alleviates erastin-induced ferroptosis by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway in HT22 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Moschus, first described in the Shennong's Classic of the Materia medicine, is a scarce and precious animal medicine. Modern pharmacological researches have suggested that Moschus has neuroprotective actions, and its mechanism is related to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptosis effects. Ferroptosis is one of the major pathologies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is widely implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of AD. Although previous studies have suggested that Moschus possesses neuroprotective effect, whether Moschus could mitigate neuronal damages by inhibiting the onset of ferroptosis is unknown in model cells of AD.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of study was to explore the water extract of Moschus (WEM) on ferroptosis caused by erastin and the potential mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Erastin was used to stimulate HT22 cells to form ferroptosis model to evaluate the anti-ferroptosis effect of WEM by cell counting kit-8 and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) tests. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) kits are used for detection of MDA and GSH levels, and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate and C11 BODIPY 581/591 fluorescence probe are used for evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxide (LOOH) levels. And Western blot was used to test nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and ferroptosis associated proteins including glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), cystine/glutamate antiporter subunit (SLC7A11), ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), ferroportin1 (FPN1), transferrin receptor (TFRC). In addition, the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 was applied to verify whether WEM prevents erastin-induced ferroptosis by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway.

RESULTS

After WEM treatment, erastin-induced HT22 cell survival was significantly elevated, the accumulation of intracellular MDA, ROS, and LOOH were significantly reduced, the level of GSH and expressions of ferroptosis inhibitors GPX4 and SLC7A11 were significantly increased, and iron metabolism-related proteins TFRC, FPN1, and FTH1 were regulated. These effects of WEM are implemented by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that WEM could perform neuroprotective effects by alleviating ferroptosis, verified that WEM treatment of AD can be mediated by the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway, and provided theoretical support for the application of WEM in the treatment of AD.

Bridging metabolic syndrome and cognitive dysfunction: role of astrocytes

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cognitive dysfunction pose significant challenges to global health and the economy. Systemic inflammation, endocrine disruption, and autoregulatory impairment drive neurodegeneration and microcirculatory damage in MetS. Due to their unique anatomy and function, astrocytes sense and integrate multiple metabolic signals, including peripheral endocrine hormones and nutrients. Astrocytes and synapses engage in a complex dialogue of energetic and immunological interactions. Astrocytes act as a bridge between MetS and cognitive dysfunction, undergoing diverse activation in response to metabolic dysfunction. This article summarizes the alterations in astrocyte phenotypic characteristics across multiple pathological factors in MetS. It also discusses the clinical value of astrocytes as a critical pathologic diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target for MetS-associated cognitive dysfunction.

Temporal and region-specific tau hyperphosphorylation in the medulla and forebrain coincides with development of functional changes in male obese Zucker rats

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with development of tauopathies that contribute to cognitive decline. Without functional leptin receptors, male obese Zucker rats (OZRs) develop MetS, and they have increased phosphorylated tau (ptau) with impaired cognitive function. In addition to regulating energy balance, leptin enhances activation of the hippocampus, which is essential for spatial learning and memory. Whether spatial learning and memory are always impaired in OZRs or develop with MetS is unknown. We hypothesized that male OZRs develop MetS traits that promote regional increases in ptau and functional deficits associated with those brain regions. In the medulla and cortex, tau-pSer199,202 and tau-pSer396 were comparable in juvenile (7-8 wk old) lean Zucker rats (LZRs) and OZRs but increased in 18- to 19-wk-old OZRs. Elevated tau-pSer396 was concentrated in the dorsal vagal complex of the medulla, and by this age OZRs had hypertension with increased arterial pressure variability. In the hippocampus, tau-pSer199,202 and tau-pSer396 were still comparable in 18- to 19-wk-old OZRs and LZRs but elevated in 28- to 29-wk-old OZRs, with emergence of deficits in Morris water maze performance. Comparable escape latencies observed during acquisition in 18- to 19-wk-old OZRs and LZRs were increased in 28- to 29-wk-old OZRs, with greater use of nonspatial search strategies. Increased ptau developed with changes in the insulin/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway in the hippocampus and cortex but not medulla, suggesting different underlying mechanisms. These data demonstrate that leptin is not required for spatial learning and memory in male OZRs. Furthermore, early development of MetS-associated autonomic dysfunction by the medulla may be predictive of later hippocampal dysfunction and cognitive impairment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Male obese Zucker rats (OZRs) lack functional leptin receptors and develop metabolic syndrome (MetS). At 16-19 wk, OZRs are insulin resistant, with increased ptau in dorsal medulla and impaired autonomic regulation of AP. At 28-29 wk OZRs develop increased ptau in hippocampus with deficits in spatial learning and memory. Juvenile OZRs lack elevated ptau and these deficits, demonstrating that leptin is not essential for normal function. Elevated ptau and deficits emerge before the onset of diabetes in insulin-resistant OZRs.

Relationship between cognitive function and weight-adjusted waist index in people ≥ 60 years old in NHANES 2011-2014

BACKGROUND

Widespread attention has been given to the detrimental effects of obesity on cognitive function. However, there is no evidence on the connection between low cognitive performance and the WWI (weight-adjusted waist index). This study looked into the connection between poor cognitive performance and the WWI in senior Americans.

METHODS

A cross-sectional research study was carried out with information from the NHANES 2011-2014. With multivariate linear regression models, the pertinence between the WWI and low cognitive function in persons older than 60 years was examined. The nonlinear link was described using threshold effect analyses and fitted smoothed curves. Interaction tests and subgroup analysis were also conducted.

RESULTS

The study had 2762 individuals in all, and subjects with higher WWI values were at greater risk for low cognitive function. In the completely adjusted model, the WWI was positively connected with low cognitive performance assessed by CERAD W-L (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.03-1.45, p = 0.0239), AFT (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.54, p = 0.0029), and DSST (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.30-1.94, p < 0.0001). The effect of each subgroup on the positive correlation between the WWI and low cognitive performance was not significant. The WWI and low cognitive performance as determined by CERAD W-L and AFT had a nonlinear connection (log-likelihood ratio < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Among older adults in the United States, the risk of low cognitive performance may be positively related to the WWI.

The hormesis principle of neuroplasticity and neuroprotection

Animals live in habitats fraught with a range of environmental challenges to their bodies and brains. Accordingly, cells and organ systems have evolved stress-responsive signaling pathways that enable them to not only withstand environmental challenges but also to prepare for future challenges and function more efficiently. These phylogenetically conserved processes are the foundation of the hormesis principle, in which single or repeated exposures to low levels of environmental challenges improve cellular and organismal fitness and raise the probability of survival. Hormetic principles have been most intensively studied in physical exercise but apply to numerous other challenges known to improve human health (e.g., intermittent fasting, cognitive stimulation, and dietary phytochemicals). Here we review the physiological mechanisms underlying hormesis-based neuroplasticity and neuroprotection. Approaching natural resilience from the lens of hormesis may reveal novel methods for optimizing brain function and lowering the burden of neurological disorders.

Vulnerability of the Hippocampus to Insults: Links to Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction

The hippocampus is a critical brain substrate for learning and memory; events that harm the hippocampus can seriously impair mental and behavioral functioning. Hippocampal pathophysiologies have been identified as potential causes and effects of a remarkably diverse array of medical diseases, psychological disorders, and environmental sources of damage. It may be that the hippocampus is more vulnerable than other brain areas to insults that are related to these conditions. One purpose of this review is to assess the vulnerability of the hippocampus to the most prevalent types of insults in multiple biomedical domains (i.e., neuroactive pathogens, neurotoxins, neurological conditions, trauma, aging, neurodegenerative disease, acquired brain injury, mental health conditions, endocrine disorders, developmental disabilities, nutrition) and to evaluate whether these insults affect the hippocampus first and more prominently compared to other brain loci. A second purpose is to consider the role of hippocampal blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown in either causing or worsening the harmful effects of each insult. Recent research suggests that the hippocampal BBB is more fragile compared to other brain areas and may also be more prone to the disruption of the transport mechanisms that act to maintain the internal milieu. Moreover, a compromised BBB could be a factor that is common to many different types of insults. Our analysis indicates that the hippocampus is more vulnerable to insults compared to other parts of the brain, and that developing interventions that protect the hippocampal BBB may help to prevent or ameliorate the harmful effects of many insults on memory and cognition.

Sex Differences in Adipose Tissue Distribution Determine Susceptibility to Neuroinflammation in Mice With Dietary Obesity

Preferential energy storage in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) confers protection against obesity-induced pathophysiology in females. Females also exhibit distinct immunological responses, relative to males. These differences are often attributed to sex hormones, but reciprocal interactions between metabolism, immunity, and gonadal steroids remain poorly understood. We systematically characterized adipose tissue hypertrophy, sex steroids, and inflammation in male and female mice after increasing durations of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. After observing that sex differences in adipose tissue distribution before HFD were correlated with lasting protection against inflammation in females, we hypothesized that a priori differences in the ratio of subcutaneous to visceral fat might mediate this relationship. To test this, male and female mice underwent SAT lipectomy (LPX) or sham surgery before HFD challenge, followed by analysis of glial reactivity, adipose tissue inflammation, and reproductive steroids. Because LPX eliminated female resistance to the proinflammatory effects of HFD without changing circulating sex hormones, we conclude that sexually dimorphic organization of subcutaneous and visceral fat determines susceptibility to inflammation in obesity.

Memory function performance in individuals classified as overweight, obese, and normal weight

Evidence accumulated to date about the relationship between cognitive impairments and adults who are overweight and obese suggests that excess weight has a great impact on memory function. Nevertheless, most of the literature has focused only on studying the influences on working memory and episodic memory. This study aimed to examine the potential associations of clinical and anthropometric measures [body mass index (BMI), WHR, body fat, visceral fat, muscle mass, and hypertension] with six memory domains, including contextual memory, short-term visual memory, short-term memory, non-verbal memory, short-term phonological memory, and working memory, in a sample of 124 individuals classified as overweight (n = 33), obese (n = 53), and normal weight (n = 38). The results obtained showed that, after controlling for employment situations, people classified as obese had poorer short-term phonological memory and working memory than those with normal weights. Bivariate correlations showed that measures of weight, BMI, waist-hip ratio index, body fat, and visceral fat were inversely associated with memory function. However, muscle mass was not a significant predictor of memory function. Higher systolic blood pressure was also associated with worse memory function. The study provides evidence of the importance of adiposity in health and memory function.

The association between metabolic syndrome and presence of frailty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Frailty represents a progressive deterioration in multi-system of the body and could increase vulnerability to stressors. Recently, several studies found that metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with frailty and emphasized its role in assessing and preventing frailty. However, these conclusions are controversial. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome and frailty.

METHODS

Databases including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL Complete, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform were searched for studies on the association between metabolic syndrome and frailty, from inception to 17th June 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and evaluated the quality. Stata/SE 15.0 software was used to perform the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included in this review and eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving one prospective cohort studies and ten cross-sectional studies with 12,640 participants. The pooled results indicated that metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with frailty (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.46-2.27) with a low heterogeneity (I² = 32.1%), and there were significant associations between MetS and weakness (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.15-1.58, I² = 0.0%), slow gait speed (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.51-2.14, I² = 93.4%), weight loss (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.36-2.29, I² = 0.0%) and decreased physical activity (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.49-2.35, I² = 39.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that metabolic syndrome could be significantly associated with the presence of frailly. Future studies need to further consider the effects of measurement tools, age and specific disease status in this association. Furthermore, the casual relationship between them is to be determined.

Enhanced Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells in Enzymatically Decellularized Adipose Tissue Solid Foams

Simple Summary

Obesity shortens human lifespan and represents one of the most important public health problems causing significant economic and societal consequences worldwide. However, the current development of physiological human 3D adipose tissue models for in vitro research on preclinical personalized medicine is limited and expensive. Here, we designed, produced, and characterized 3D solid foams using a mixture of bovine collagen I and decellularized human adipose tissue to serve as a 3D matrix mimicking in vivo adipose microenvironment for cell culture purposes. Furthermore, we sought to validate its compatibility for the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the dental pulp. We demonstrated that 3D solid foams are able to integrate the stem cells from the dental pulp and provide the appropriate cues to differentiate them into mature adipocytes. The results represent an advance of in vitro 3D models using a human extracellular matrix derived material for future personalized stem cell therapies.

Abstract

Engineered 3D human adipose tissue models and the development of physiological human 3D in vitro models to test new therapeutic compounds and advance in the study of pathophysiological mechanisms of disease is still technically challenging and expensive. To reduce costs and develop new technologies to study human adipogenesis and stem cell differentiation in a controlled in vitro system, here we report the design, characterization, and validation of extracellular matrix (ECM)-based materials of decellularized human adipose tissue (hDAT) or bovine collagen-I (bCOL-I) for 3D adipogenic stem cell culture. We aimed at recapitulating the dynamics, composition, and structure of the native ECM to optimize the adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. hDAT was obtained by a two-enzymatic step decellularization protocol and post-processed by freeze-drying to produce 3D solid foams. These solid foams were employed either as pure hDAT, or combined with bCOL-I in a 3:1 proportion, to recreate a microenvironment compatible with stem cell survival and differentiation. We sought to investigate the effect of the adipogenic inductive extracellular 3D-microenvironment on human multipotent dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). We found that solid foams supported hDPSC viability and proliferation. Incubation of hDPSCs with adipogenic medium in hDAT-based solid foams increased the expression of mature adipocyte LPL and c/EBP gene markers as determined by RT-qPCR, with respect to bCOL-I solid foams. Moreover, hDPSC capability to differentiate towards adipocytes was assessed by PPAR-γ immunostaining and Oil-red lipid droplet staining. We found out that both hDAT and mixed 3:1 hDAT-COL-I solid foams could support adipogenesis in 3D-hDPSC stem cell cultures significantly more efficiently than solid foams of bCOL-I, opening the possibility to obtain hDAT-based solid foams with customized properties. The combination of human-derived ECM biomaterials with synthetic proteins can, thus, be envisaged to reduce fabrication costs, thus facilitating the widespread use of autologous stem cells and biomaterials for personalized medicine.

Associations of Abdominal Visceral Fat Content and Plasma Adiponectin Level With Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Abdominal obesity and adipocytokines are closely related to atherosclerosis, and adiponectin level is considered one of the important clinical indicators. This study aimed to analyze the associations of abdominal visceral fat content and adiponectin level with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS).

Methods

A total of 186 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were distributed into ICAS and non-ICAS by the degree of artery stenosis. Plasma adiponectin levels and the ratio of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were measured. The related factors of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

The VAT/SAT ratio (OR, 26.08; 95% CI, 5.92–114.83; p < 0.001) and adiponectin (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44–0.84; p = 0.002) were found to be the independent predictors of ICAS in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of ICAS increased (T1: 27.4%; T2: 50.0%; T3: 75.8%) as the VAT/SAT ratio tertile increased (p < 0.001). The prevalence of ICAS decreased (T1: 72.6%; T2: 54.8%; T3: 25.8%) as the adiponectin tertile increased (p < 0.001). In ROC curves analysis, VAT/SAT ratio had a sensible accuracy for the prediction of ICAS. The optimal cut-off value of VAT/SAT ratio to predict ICAS in this study was 1.04 (AUC: 0.747; p < 0.001; sensitivity: 67.4%; specificity: 74.7%). The optimal adiponectin cutoff was 3.03 ug/ml (AUC: 0.716; p < 0.001; sensitivity:75.8%; specificity: 61.5%).

Conclusion

Higher VAT/SAT ratio and lower plasma adiponectin levels were closely related to the increased risk of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.