Adipose Tissue Caveolin-1 Upregulation in Obesity Involves TNF-α/NF-κB Mediated Signaling

Short-Term Assessment of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) Changes Following One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) in Patients with Obesity: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Obesity, characterized by excessive adipose tissue, is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and elevated inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). This inflammation is linked to obesity-associated medical problems, including cardiovascular diseases. One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) has emerged as an effective metabolic and bariatric surgical procedure to address severe obesity and its associated inflammatory state. This study aims to evaluate the changes in hs-CRP levels following OAGB in patients with obesity.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, 71 participants with BMI > 35 kg/m2, with or without obesity-associated medical problems, underwent OAGB. The hs-CRP levels were measured at baseline, 1 day, 5 days, 30 days, and 6 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

The median baseline hs-CRP level was 8.5 mg/L, initially increasing post-surgery to 19 mg/L, but significantly decreased to 3.5 mg/L at 6 months (p < 0.001). Significant reductions in weight and BMI were also observed, with median total weight loss (%TWL) of 29% and excess weight loss (%EWL) of 68.2% over 6 months. Pre-operative hs-CRP levels were the only significant predictor of CRP reduction post-surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

OAGB significantly reduces systemic inflammation by decreasing hs-CRP levels, alongside substantial weight loss. These findings support OAGB as a beneficial intervention for mitigating inflammation and improving metabolic conditions in patients with obesity. Further, long-term studies are warranted to evaluate the sustained impact of OAGB on inflammatory markers and obesity-associated medical problems.

The Role of Inflammatory Mediators in the Pathogenesis of Obesity

Obesity is a pandemic of the 21st century, and the prevalence of this metabolic condition has enormously increased over the past few decades. Obesity is associated with a number of comorbidities and complications, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders, which can be associated with severe and fatal outcomes. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that secretes numerous molecules and proteins that are capable of modifying immune responses. The progression of obesity is associated with adipose tissue dysfunction, which is characterised by enhanced inflammation and apoptosis. Increased fat-tissue mass is associated with the dysregulated secretion of substances by adipocytes, which leads to metabolic alterations. Importantly, the adipose tissue contains immune cells, the profile of which changes with the progression of obesity. For instance, increasing fat mass enhances the presence of the pro-inflammatory variants of macrophages, major sources of tumour necrosis factor α and other inflammatory mediators that promote insulin resistance. The pathogenesis of obesity is complex, and understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms that are involved may provide novel treatment methods that could prevent the development of serious complications. The aim of this review is to discuss current evidence describing the involvement of various inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of obesity.

Study on Potential Differentially Expressed Genes in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis by Bioinformatics and Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease with reduced quality of life and earlier mortality, but its pathogenesis and key genes are still unclear. In this investigation, bioinformatics was used to deeply analyze the pathogenesis of IPF and related key genes, so as to investigate the potential molecular pathogenesis of IPF and provide guidance for clinical treatment. Next-generation sequencing dataset GSE213001 was obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between IPF and normal control group. The DEGs between IPF and normal control group were screened with the DESeq2 package of R language. The Gene Ontology (GO) and REACTOME pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed. Using the g:Profiler, the function and pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed. Then, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed via the Integrated Interactions Database (IID) database. Cytoscape with Network Analyzer was used to identify the hub genes. miRNet and NetworkAnalyst databaseswereused to construct the targeted microRNAs (miRNAs), transcription factors (TFs), and small drug molecules. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to validate the hub genes. A total of 958 DEGs were screened out in this study, including 479 up regulated genes and 479 down regulated genes. Most of the DEGs were significantly enriched in response to stimulus, GPCR ligand binding, microtubule-based process, and defective GALNT3 causes HFTC. In combination with the results of the PPI network, miRNA-hub gene regulatory network and TF-hub gene regulatory network, hub genes including LRRK2, BMI1, EBP, MNDA, KBTBD7, KRT15, OTX1, TEKT4, SPAG8, and EFHC2 were selected. Cyclothiazide and rotigotinethe are predicted small drug molecules for IPF treatment. Our findings will contribute to identification of potential biomarkers and novel strategies for the treatment of IPF, and provide a novel strategy for clinical therapy.