1
|
Rudolph A, Stengel A, Suhs M, Schaper S, Wölk E, Rose M, Hofmann T. Circulating Neuronatin Levels Are Positively Associated with BMI and Body Fat Mass but Not with Psychological Parameters. Nutrients 2023; 15:3657. [PMID: 37630847 PMCID: PMC10459747 DOI: 10.3390/nu15163657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human genetic studies have associated Neuronatin gene variants with anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity. Studies on the expression of the Neuronatin gene product, a proteolipid, are lacking. We investigated the relationship between circulating Neuronatin, body mass index (BMI), body composition (BC), physical activity (PA), and psychometric outcomes in patients with AN, normal weight, and obesity. Plasma Neuronatin was measured by ELISA in (1) 79 subjects of five BMI categories (AN/BMI < 17.5 kg/m2; normal weight/BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2; obesity/BMI 30-40 kg/m2; obesity/BMI 40-50 kg/m2; obesity/BMI > 50 kg/m2) with assessment of BC (bioimpedance analysis; BIA); (2) 49 women with AN (BMI 14.5 ± 1.8 kg/m2) with measurements of BC (BIA) and PA (accelerometry); (3) 79 women with obesity (BMI 48.8 ± 7.8 kg/m2) with measurements of anxiety (GAD-7), stress (PSQ-20), depression (PHQ-9) and eating behavior (EDI-2). Overall, a positive correlation was found between Neuronatin and BMI (p = 0.006) as well as total fat mass (FM; p = 0.036). In AN, Neuronatin did not correlate with BMI, FM, or PA (p > 0.05); no correlations were found between Neuronatin and psychometric outcomes in obesity (p > 0.05). The findings suggest an FM-dependent peripheral Neuronatin expression. The decreased Neuronatin expression in AN provides evidence that Neuronatin is implicated in the pathogenesis of eating disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amelie Rudolph
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
| | - Andreas Stengel
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Maria Suhs
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
| | - Selina Schaper
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
| | - Ellen Wölk
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
| | - Matthias Rose
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
- Quantitative Health Sciences, Outcomes Measurement Science, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Tobias Hofmann
- Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (A.S.)
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, DRK Kliniken Berlin Wiegmann Klinik, 14050 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
In Silico Identification of Key Genes and Immune Infiltration Characteristics in Epicardial Adipose Tissue from Patients with Coronary Artery Disease. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:5610317. [PMID: 36345357 PMCID: PMC9637040 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5610317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background The present study is aimed at identifying the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and relevant biological processes and pathways associated with epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) from patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We also explored potential biomarkers using two machine-learning algorithms and calculated the immune cell infiltration in EAT. Materials and Methods Three datasets (GSE120774, GSE64554, and GSE24425) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The GSE120774 dataset was used to evaluate DEGs between EAT of CAD patients and the control group. Functional enrichment analyses were conducted to study associated biological functions and mechanisms using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Ontology (GO), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). After this, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) were performed to identify the feature genes related to CAD. The expression level of the feature genes was validated in GSE64554 and GSE24425. Finally, we calculated the immune cell infiltration and evaluated the correlation between the feature genes and immune cells using CIBERSORT. Results We identified a total of 130 upregulated and 107 downregulated genes in GSE120774. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs are associated with several pathways, including the calcium signaling pathway, complement and coagulation cascades, ferroptosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, lipid and atherosclerosis, and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes. TCF21, CDH19, XG, and NNAT were identified as feature genes and validated in the GSE64554 and GSE24425 datasets. Immune cell infiltration analysis showed plasma cells are significantly more numerous in EAT than in the control group (p = 0.001), whereas macrophage M0 (p = 0.024) and resting mast cells (p = 0.036) were significantly less numerous. TCF21, CDH19, XG, and NNAT were correlated with immune cells, including plasma cells, M0 macrophages, and resting mast cells. Conclusion TCF21, CDH19, XG, and NNAT might serve as feature genes for CAD, providing new insights for future research on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.
Collapse
|
3
|
Mak KWY, Mustafa AF, Belsham DD. Neuroendocrine microRNAs linked to energy homeostasis: future therapeutic potential. Pharmacol Rep 2022; 74:774-789. [PMID: 36083576 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-022-00409-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The brain orchestrates whole-body metabolism through an intricate system involving interneuronal crosstalk and communication. Specifically, a key player in this complex circuitry is the hypothalamus that controls feeding behaviour, energy expenditure, body weight and metabolism, whereby hypothalamic neurons sense and respond to circulating hormones, nutrients, and chemicals. Dysregulation of these neurons contributes to the development of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The involvement of hypothalamic microRNAs, post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, in the central regulation of energy homeostasis has become increasingly apparent, although not completely delineated. This review summarizes current evidence demonstrating the regulation of feeding-related neuropeptides by brain-derived microRNAs as well as the regulation of specific miRNAs by nutrients and other peripheral signals. Moreover, the involvement of microRNAs in the central nervous system control of insulin, leptin, and estrogen signal transduction is examined. Finally, the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of microRNAs for metabolic disorders will be discussed and the regulation of brain-derived microRNAs by nutrients and other peripheral signals is considered. Demonstrating a critical role of microRNAs in hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis is an innovative route to uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic candidates for metabolic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly W Y Mak
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Aws F Mustafa
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Denise D Belsham
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yang CH, Fagnocchi L, Apostle S, Wegert V, Casaní-Galdón S, Landgraf K, Panzeri I, Dror E, Heyne S, Wörpel T, Chandler DP, Lu D, Yang T, Gibbons E, Guerreiro R, Bras J, Thomasen M, Grunnet LG, Vaag AA, Gillberg L, Grundberg E, Conesa A, Körner A, Pospisilik JA. Independent phenotypic plasticity axes define distinct obesity sub-types. Nat Metab 2022; 4:1150-1165. [PMID: 36097183 PMCID: PMC9499872 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00629-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Studies in genetically 'identical' individuals indicate that as much as 50% of complex trait variation cannot be traced to genetics or to the environment. The mechanisms that generate this 'unexplained' phenotypic variation (UPV) remain largely unknown. Here, we identify neuronatin (NNAT) as a conserved factor that buffers against UPV. We find that Nnat deficiency in isogenic mice triggers the emergence of a bi-stable polyphenism, where littermates emerge into adulthood either 'normal' or 'overgrown'. Mechanistically, this is mediated by an insulin-dependent overgrowth that arises from histone deacetylase (HDAC)-dependent β-cell hyperproliferation. A multi-dimensional analysis of monozygotic twin discordance reveals the existence of two patterns of human UPV, one of which (Type B) phenocopies the NNAT-buffered polyphenism identified in mice. Specifically, Type-B monozygotic co-twins exhibit coordinated increases in fat and lean mass across the body; decreased NNAT expression; increased HDAC-responsive gene signatures; and clinical outcomes linked to insulinemia. Critically, the Type-B UPV signature stratifies both childhood and adult cohorts into four metabolic states, including two phenotypically and molecularly distinct types of obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hsiang Yang
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Vanessa Wegert
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Kathrin Landgraf
- Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, University Hospital for Children & Adolescents, Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ilaria Panzeri
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Erez Dror
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Heyne
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
- Roche Diagnostics Deutschland, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Till Wörpel
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Di Lu
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Tao Yang
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gibbons
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Rita Guerreiro
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Jose Bras
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Martin Thomasen
- Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise G Grunnet
- Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Allan A Vaag
- Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
- Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Linn Gillberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elin Grundberg
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Ana Conesa
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Paterna, Valencia, Spain
- Microbiology and Cell Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Antje Körner
- Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, University Hospital for Children & Adolescents, Center for Pediatric Research Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Leipzig and University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - J Andrew Pospisilik
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lieu CV, Loganathan N, Belsham DD. Mechanisms Driving Palmitate-Mediated Neuronal Dysregulation in the Hypothalamus. Cells 2021; 10:3120. [PMID: 34831343 PMCID: PMC8617942 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus maintains whole-body homeostasis by integrating information from circulating hormones, nutrients and signaling molecules. Distinct neuronal subpopulations that express and secrete unique neuropeptides execute the individual functions of the hypothalamus, including, but not limited to, the regulation of energy homeostasis, reproduction and circadian rhythms. Alterations at the hypothalamic level can lead to a myriad of diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and infertility. The excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids can induce neuroinflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and resistance to peripheral signals, ultimately leading to hyperphagia, obesity, impaired reproductive function and disturbed circadian rhythms. This review focuses on the how the changes in the underlying molecular mechanisms caused by palmitate exposure, the most commonly consumed saturated fatty acid, and the potential involvement of microRNAs, a class of non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally, can result in detrimental alterations in protein expression and content. Studying the involvement of microRNAs in hypothalamic function holds immense potential, as these molecular markers are quickly proving to be valuable tools in the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Calvin V. Lieu
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (C.V.L.); (N.L.)
| | - Neruja Loganathan
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (C.V.L.); (N.L.)
| | - Denise D. Belsham
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building 3247A, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (C.V.L.); (N.L.)
- Departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|