Unraveling White Adipose Tissue Heterogeneity and Obesity by Adipose Stem/Stromal Cell Biology and 3D Culture Models

Bioprinting Using Organ Building Blocks: Spheroids, Organoids, and Assembloids

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, a promising advancement in tissue engineering technology, involves the robotic, layer-by-layer additive biofabrication of functional 3D tissue and organ constructs. This process utilizes biomaterials, typically hydrogels and living cells, following digital models. Traditional tissue engineering uses a classic triad of living cells, scaffolds, and physicochemical signals in bioreactors. A scaffold is a temporary, often biodegradable, support structure. Tissue engineering primarily falls into two categories: (i) scaffold based and (ii) scaffold free. The latter, scaffold-free 3D bioprinting, is gaining increasing popularity. Organ building blocks (OBB), capable of self-assembly and self-organization, such as tissue spheroids, organoids, and assembloids, have begun to be utilized in scaffold-free bioprinting. This article discusses the expanding range of OBB, presents the rapidly evolving collection of bioprinting and bioassembly methods using these OBB, and finally, outlines the advantages, challenges, and future perspectives of using OBB in organ printing.

Analyzing Obesity Trends in American Children and Adolescents: Comprehensive Examination Using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Database

Background In the USA, obesity in children and adolescents has become a major public health concern. Childhood obesity has been linked to various cardiometabolic comorbidities all through one's life. Owing to the significant increment in childhood obesity rates, there has been an urgent need for the identification of the correlates and antecedents of adiposity and the cardiometabolic risk to enable early prevention of obesity. As such, the objective of this study is to analyze obesity trends in American children and adolescents from 1999 to 2018 using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) database, as this will enable the identification of various risk factors and early prevention of childhood obesity. Objective This study aimed to comprehensively examine demographic factors impacting obesity prevalence, including gender, age groups (two to five, six to 11, and 12-19 years), race/ethnicity, and poverty level. Methods The study conducted a retrospective analysis using the NCHS database from 1999 to 2018. Utilizing NCHS data, we examined the evolution of obesity prevalence among children and adolescents. The analysis focused on demographic variations, including gender, age, race/ethnicity, and percentage of poverty level. SPSS version 24, a statistical software by IBM Corp. (Chicago, IL, USA), was used for database summarization, graphical representation, and presenting prevalence trends across all participants. Results Temporal trends in obesity prevalence exhibited notable fluctuations from 1999 to 2018. Utilizing NCHS data, the study revealed demographic disparities in age groups, genders, race/ethnicities, and socioeconomic status categories. Gender-based obesity variations persist, with boys consistently surpassing girls in prevalence (17.5% vs. 16%, p = 0.0231). Varied age group patterns emerged, peaking at 18.7% in 12-19 years, 17.7% in six to 11 years, and 11.2% in two to five years. Racially, Hispanic individuals had the highest prevalence (22.8%), followed by Mexican (22.0%) and Black or African American-only individuals (20.6%). White-only individuals showed 14.4%, and Asian-only individuals exhibited the lowest (9.4%). Lower socioeconomic brackets correlate with higher obesity instances, particularly below the 100% poverty level (20%). The 100-199%, 200-399%, and 400% or more categories contributed 18.6%, 16.6%, and 11.6%, respectively. Conclusion Our extensive examination of obesity trends among American children and adolescents from 1999 to 2018, utilizing the NCHS database, provides valuable insights into the complex interplay of demographic factors influencing this public health concern. The study reveals age-specific variations, emphasizing unique challenges during adolescence. Gender disparities, socioeconomic influences, and racial/ethnic impacts are evident, underscoring the need for further study. Our findings present several policy implications regarding the development of interventions aimed at reducing childhood obesity rates in the USA. For instance, the findings indicate the need for policymakers to develop policy interventions aimed at enabling the prevention of obesity during early infancy stages. The findings highlight the need for interventions aimed at reducing the obesity disparities observed between genders and races/ethnic groups. Developing and executing the interventions is prone to considerably reduce the obesity prevalence rates among children and adolescents in the USA.

Advancements in culture technology of adipose-derived stromal/stem cells: implications for diabetes and its complications

Stem cell-based therapies exhibit considerable promise in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. Extensive research has been dedicated to elucidate the characteristics and potential applications of adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs). Three-dimensional (3D) culture, characterized by rapid advancements, holds promise for efficacious treatment of diabetes and its complications. Notably, 3D cultured ASCs manifest enhanced cellular properties and functions compared to traditional monolayer-culture. In this review, the factors influencing the biological functions of ASCs during culture are summarized. Additionally, the effects of 3D cultured techniques on cellular properties compared to two-dimensional culture is described. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of 3D cultured ASCs in diabetes and its complications are discussed to provide insights for future research.

Emergent trends in organ-on-a-chip applications for investigating metastasis within tumor microenvironment: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis

Background

With the burgeoning advancements in disease modeling, drug development, and precision medicine, organ-on-a-chip has risen to the forefront of biomedical research. Specifically in tumor research, this technology has exhibited exceptional potential in elucidating the dynamics of metastasis within the tumor microenvironment. Recognizing the significance of this field, our study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global scientific contributions related to organ-on-a-chip.

Methods

Publications pertaining to organ-on-a-chip from 2014 to 2023 were retrieved at the Web of Science Core Collection database. Rigorous analyses of 2305 articles were conducted using tools including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-bibliometrix.

Results

Over the 10-year span, global publications exhibited a consistent uptrend, anticipating continued growth. The United States and China were identified as dominant contributors, characterized by strong collaborative networks and substantial research investments. Predominant institutions encompass Harvard University, MIT, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Leading figures in the domain, such as Dr. Donald Ingber and Dr. Yu Shrike Zhang, emerge as pivotal collaboration prospects. Lab on a Chip, Micromachines, and Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology were the principal publishing journals. Pertinent keywords encompassed Microfluidic, Microphysiological System, Tissue Engineering, Organoid, In Vitro, Drug Screening, Hydrogel, Tumor Microenvironment, and Bioprinting. Emerging research avenues were identified as "Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis," "Application of organ-on-a-chip in drug discovery and testing" and "Advancements in personalized medicine applications".

Conclusion

The organ-on-a-chip domain has demonstrated a transformative impact on understanding disease mechanisms and drug interactions, particularly within the tumor microenvironment. This bibliometric analysis underscores the ever-increasing importance of this field, guiding researchers and clinicians towards potential collaborative avenues and research directions.

AGER-1 Long Non-Coding RNA Levels Correlate with the Expression of the Advanced Glycosylation End-Product Receptor, a Regulator of the Inflammatory Response in Visceral Adipose Tissue of Women with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The advanced glycosylation end-product receptor (AGER) is involved in the development of metabolic inflammation and related complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Tissue expression of the AGER gene (AGER) is regulated by epigenetic mediators, including a long non-coding RNA AGER-1 (lncAGER-1). This study aimed to investigate whether human obesity and T2DM are associated with an altered expression of AGER and lncAGER-1 in adipose tissue and, if so, whether these changes affect the local inflammatory milieu. The expression of genes encoding AGER, selected adipokines, and lncAGER-1 was assessed using real-time PCR in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue. VAT and SAT samples were obtained from 62 obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2; N = 24 diabetic) and 20 normal weight (BMI = 20-24.9 kg/m2) women, while a further 15 SAT samples were obtained from patients who were 18 to 24 months post-bariatric surgery. Tissue concentrations of adipokines were measured at the protein level using an ELISA-based method. Obesity was associated with increased AGER mRNA levels in SAT compared to normal weight status (p = 0.04) and surgical weight loss led to their significant decrease compared to pre-surgery levels (p = 0.01). Stratification by diabetic status revealed that AGER mRNA levels in VAT were higher in diabetic compared to non-diabetic women (p = 0.018). Elevated AGER mRNA levels in VAT of obese diabetic patients correlated with lncAGER-1 (p = 0.04, rs = 0.487) and with interleukin 1β (p = 0.008, rs = 0.525) and resistin (p = 0.004, rs = 0.6) mRNA concentrations. In conclusion, obesity in women is associated with increased expression of AGER in SAT, while T2DM is associated with increased AGER mRNA levels and pro-inflammatory adipokines in VAT.