Obesity and genetics

Dysfunction of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor latrophilin 1 (ADGRL1/LPHN1) increases the risk of obesity

Obesity is one of the diseases with severe health consequences and rapidly increasing worldwide prevalence. Understanding the complex network of food intake and energy balance regulation is an essential prerequisite for pharmacological intervention with obesity. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the main modulators of metabolism and energy balance. They, for instance, regulate appetite and satiety in certain hypothalamic neurons, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism and hormone secretion from adipocytes. Mutations in some GPCRs, such as the melanocortin receptor type 4 (MC4R), have been associated with early-onset obesity. Here, we identified the adhesion GPCR latrophilin 1 (ADGRL1/LPHN1) as a member of the regulating network governing food intake and the maintenance of energy balance. Deficiency of the highly conserved receptor in mice results in increased food consumption and severe obesity, accompanied by dysregulation of glucose homeostasis. Consistently, we identified a partially inactivating mutation in human ADGRL1/LPHN1 in a patient suffering from obesity. Therefore, we propose that LPHN1 dysfunction is a risk factor for obesity development.

Body mass index and healthy lifestyle practices among Peruvian university students: a comparative study among academic discipline

Background

Excess body weight and an unhealthy lifestyle are a risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. University students are susceptible to unhealthy habits and obesity. This study compared body mass index (BMI) and healthy lifestyle practices among university students from four academic disciplines: Health Sciences, Business Sciences, Human Sciences and Education, and Engineering/Architecture.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out using a sample of 6,642 university students selected by non-probability convenience sampling. The Diet and Healthy Lifestyle Scale (DEVS), the Peruvian validation of the Vegetarian Lifestyle Index (VLI), was used to assess healthy lifestyle practices.

Results

Students in the areas of Business Sciences and Engineering/Architecture had a higher BMI than their peers in Health Sciences (B = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.56 and 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13-0.52; p = 0.001). Additionally, these students tended to adopt less healthy lifestyle (B = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.20 to -0.01 and -0.09, 95% CI: -0.18 to -0.00; p < 0.05) compared to those in Health Sciences.

Conclusion

Although students of Health Sciences and Human Sciences and Education exhibited healthy lifestyle patterns, there is a clear need to improve eating and living habits in general among the university population to mitigate the risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases.

Neuroendocrinological and Clinical Aspects of Leptin

Obesity is characterized by an abnormal increase in adipose tissue mass and is regarded as a neurobehavioral as well as a metabolic disorder. Increases in body fat are caused by even slight, long-term discrepancies between energy intake and energy expenditure. It is a chronic condition linked to the metabolic syndrome, a spectrum of risky conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. With a swiftly rising prevalence, obesity has emerged as a significant global health concern. Leptin influences the brain's neuroendocrine and metabolic processes, which is important for maintaining energy homeostasis. White adipose tissue secretes the majority of leptin, and there is a positive correlation between leptin levels in the blood and body fat percentages. The central nervous system is also modulated by leptin levels to modify energy intake and usage. The idea of an obesity cure sparked excitement after it was discovered more than 25 years ago. However, the leptin medication only effectively reduces weight in patients with congenital leptin insufficiency and not in patients with typical obesity who may also have leptin resistance. Recent research has focused on the role of leptin in managing weight reduction and preventing "yo-yo dieting". This review concentrates on the neurological effects of leptin with a focus on therapeutic and diagnostic applications, particularly for childhood obesity.

rs67047829 genotypes of ERV3-1/ZNF117 are associated with lower body mass index in the Polish population

There is now substantial evidence that zinc-finger proteins are implicated in adiposity. Aims were to datamine for high-frequency (near-neutral selection) pretermination-codon (PTC) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; n = 141) from a database with > 550,000 variants and analyze possible association with body mass index in a large Polish sample (n = 5757). BMI was regressed (males/females together or separately) against genetic models. Regression for rs67047829 uncovered an interaction-independent association with BMI with both sexes together: mean ± standard deviation, kg/m2: [G];[G], 25.4 ± 4.59 (n = 3650); [G](;)[A], 25.0 ± 4.28 (n = 731); [A];[A], 23.4 ± 3.60 (n = 44); additive model adjusted for age and sex: p = 4.08 × 10-5; beta: - 0.0458, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.0732 : - 0.0183; surviving Bonferroni correction; for males: [G];[G], 24.8 ± 4.94 (n = 1878); [G](;)[A], 24.2 ± 4.31 (n = 386); [A];[A], 22.4 ± 3.69 (n = 23); p = 4.20 × 10-4; beta: - 0.0573, CI - 0.0947 : - 0.0199. For average-height males the difference between [G];[G] and [A];[A] genotypes would correspond to ~ 6 kg, suggesting considerable protection against increased BMI. rs67047829 gives a pretermination codon in ERV3-1 which shares an exonic region and possibly promoter with ZNF117, previously associated with adiposity and type-2 diabetes. As this result occurs in a near-neutral Mendelian setting, a drug targetting ERV3-1/ZNF117 might potentially provide considerable benefits with minimal side-effects. This result needs to be replicated, followed by analyses of splice-variant mRNAs and protein expression.

Adipose Tissue Hyperplasia and Hypertrophy in Common and Syndromic Obesity-The Case of BBS Obesity

Obesity is a metabolic state generated by the expansion of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue expansion depends on the interplay between hyperplasia and hypertrophy, and is mainly regulated by a complex interaction between genetics and excess energy intake. However, the genetic regulation of adipose tissue expansion is yet to be fully understood. Obesity can be divided into common multifactorial/polygenic obesity and monogenic obesity, non-syndromic and syndromic. Several genes related to obesity were found through studies of monogenic non-syndromic obesity models. However, syndromic obesity, characterized by additional features other than obesity, suggesting a more global role of the mutant genes related to the syndrome and, thus, an additional peripheral influence on the development of obesity, were hardly studied to date in this regard. This review summarizes present knowledge regarding the hyperplasia and hypertrophy of adipocytes in common obesity. Additionally, we highlight the scarce research on syndromic obesity as a model for studying adipocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy, focusing on Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). BBS obesity involves central and peripheral mechanisms, with molecular and mechanistic alternation in adipocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Thus, we argue that using syndromic obesity models, such as BBS, can further advance our knowledge regarding peripheral adipocyte regulation in obesity.

Investigation the interaction of dietary fat quality indices and the MC4R gene in metabolically healthy and unhealthy overweight and obese women

Obesity has become a common global problem. Some obese people can be metabolically healthy. Gene-environment interaction can be important in this context. This study aimed to assess the interaction between dietary fat quality indices and the Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene in metabolically healthy and unhealthy overweight and obese women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 279 women with overweight and obesity. The definition of metabolically healthy and unhealthy phenotypes was done according to Karelis criteria. Dietary assessment was done using a 147-item validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and dietary fat quality was assessed by cholesterol-saturated fat index (CSI) and the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 (N6/N3) essential fatty acids. MC4R was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. A generalized linear model was used to evaluate the interaction between dietary fat quality indices and the MC4R gene in both crude and adjusted models. Study subjects with higher ratio of N6/N3 had higher homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA IR) index (P = 0.03) and other variables showed no difference according to the tertile of CSI and N6/N3. Participants with the C allele of MC4R rs17782313 had lower height (P < 0.001) and higher HOMA index (P = 0.01). We found that the CC genotype of MC4R interacts with the N6/N3 ratio on the metabolically unhealthy phenotype in the crude model (β = 9.94, CI 2.49-17.39, P = 0.009) and even after adjustment for all confounders (β = 9.002, CI 1.15-16.85, P = 0.02, β =  - 12.12, CI 2.79-21.46, P = 0.01). The data of this study can justify one inconsistency observed in society, regarding dietary recommendations about metabolic health status. Those with CC genotype, are more likely to have an unhealthy phenotype with an increase in N6/N3 as one fat quality indices than those who do not have CC genotype. We found the interaction of dietary fat quality indices such as N6/N3 and the MC4R gene in metabolically unhealthy overweight and obese women.

PUFA, genotypes and risk for cardiovascular disease

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are long chain fatty acids that are characterized by the presence of more than one double bond. These include fatty acids such as ꞷ-3-α-linolenic acid (ALA) and ꞷ-6 -linoleic acid (LA) which can only be obtained from dietary sources and are therefore termed essential fatty acids. They contain the building blocks for dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid in the ꞷ-6 family as well as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the ꞷ-3 family. Both ALA and LA are important constituents of animal and plant cell membranes and are important components of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory hormones and therefore, often modulate cellular immunity under chronic inflammatory states. The variation in physiological PUFA levels is under significant genetic influence, the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes being key regulators of PUFA metabolism. These genetic variants have been shown to alter fatty acid metabolism and influence the onset and progression of various metabolic conditions. This detailed review discusses the role of PUFAs, diet and genotypes in risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Obesity and Children

Pediatric obesity is a heterogeneous, chronic, relapsing disease associated with metabolic and psychosocial complications. Weight-based victimization, including unrelenting microaggressions, negatively impacts child mental and physical health. Evidence-based guidelines offer individualized, stepwise approaches to obesity treatment. Pediatric nurses positively impact children with obesity by providing affirmation, clinical management, and psychosocial support. Pediatric nurses are respected and positioned to present evidence-based obesity education, correct common obesity myths, sensitively address obesity-related bias and discrimination, and model person-first language and actions. This article shares how nurses in multiple practice areas can make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and adolescents with obesity.

Interactions between Polygenic Risk Scores, Dietary Pattern, and Menarche Age with the Obesity Risk in a Large Hospital-Based Cohort

Obese Asians are more susceptible to metabolic diseases than obese Caucasians of the same body mass index (BMI). We hypothesized that the genetic variants associated with obesity risk interact with the lifestyles of middle-aged and elderly adults, possibly allowing the development of personalized interventions based on genotype. We aimed to examine this hypothesis in a large city hospital-based cohort in Korea. The participants with cancers, thyroid diseases, chronic kidney disease, or brain-related diseases were excluded. The participants were divided into case and control according to their BMI: ≥25 kg/m² (case; n = 17,545) and <25 kg/m² (control; n = 36,283). The genetic variants that affected obesity risk were selected using a genome-wide association study, and the genetic variants that interacted with each other were identified by generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis. The selected genetic variants were confirmed in the Ansan/Ansung cohort, and polygenetic risk scores (PRS)−nutrient interactions for obesity risk were determined. A high BMI was associated with a high-fat mass (odds ratio (OR) = 20.71) and a high skeletal muscle-mass index (OR = 3.38). A high BMI was positively related to metabolic syndrome and its components, including lipid profiles, whereas the initial menstruation age was inversely associated with a high BMI (OR = 0.78). The best model with 5-SNPs included SEC16B_rs543874, DNAJC27_rs713586, BDNF_rs6265, MC4R_rs6567160, and GIPR_rs1444988703. The high PRS with the 5-SNP model was positively associated with an obesity risk of 1.629 (1.475–1.798) after adjusting for the covariates. The 5-SNP model interacted with the initial menstruation age, fried foods, and plant-based diet for BMI risk. The participants with a high PRS also had a higher obesity risk when combined with early menarche, low plant-based diet, and a high fried-food intake than in participants with late menarche, high plant-based diet, and low fried-food intake. In conclusion, people with a high PRS and earlier menarche age are recommended to consume fewer fried foods and a more plant-based diet to decrease obesity risk. This result can be applied to personalized nutrition for preventing obesity.