METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of five groups of varying diets as follows: standard diet, high fat diet (HFD), HFD supplemented with Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, HFD supplemented with Bifidobacterium longum and HFD supplemented with a mixture of these two bacterial species. After 15 weeks of supplementation, the animals were examined for changes in body weight, body fat, total count of bacteria in fecal, blood serum lipid profile, leptin, adiponectin and inflammatory biomarkers. Histological analysis of the liver and adipose tissue was performed and the hepatic mRNA expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism were measured. It was found that probiotic supplementation of either B. longum or a mixture of B. longum and LcS bacteria significantly reduced weight and triglycerides in the HFD groups. Supplementation of B. longum bacteria showed better results in terms of modulating leptin level, fat mass, adipocyte size and lipoprotein lipase expression, as well as increasing adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ expression compared to dual species of bacteria. No significant differences were observed in the total count of fecal bacteria, glucose and inflammatory biomarker levels between supplemented groups.
CONCLUSIONS: B. longum supplementation in obesity was more beneficial in metabolic profile changes than the mixture species.
Methods: Human neuroblastoma cells SH-SY5Y (as a neuronal model) and human glioblastoma cells T98G (as an astrocytic model), were treated with 100-500 µM PA, oleic acid (OA) or lauric acid (LA) for 24 h or 48 h, and their cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The effects of stable overexpression of γ-synuclein (γ-syn), a neuronal protein recently recognized as a novel regulator of lipid handling in adipocytes, and transient overexpression of Parkinson's disease (PD) α-synuclein [α-syn; wild-type (wt) and its pathogenic mutants A53T, A30P and E46K] in SH-SY5Y and T98G cells, were also evaluated. The effects of co-treatment of PA with paraquat (PQ), a Parkinsonian pesticide, and leptin, a hormone involved in the brain-adipose axis, were also assessed. Cell death mode and cell cycle were analyzed by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescien diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay and lipid peroxidation level was determined using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay.
Results: MTT assay revealed dose- and time-dependent PA cytotoxicity on SH-SY5Y and T98G cells, but not OA and LA. The cytotoxicity was significantly lower in SH-SY5Y-γ-syn cells, while transient overexpression of wt α-syn or its PD mutants (A30P and E46K, but not A53T) modestly (but still significantly) rescued the cytotoxicity of PA in SH-SY5Y and T98G cells. Co-treatment of increasing concentrations of PQ exacerbated PA's neurotoxicity. Pre-treatment of leptin, an anti-apoptotic adipokine, did not successfully rescue SH-SY5Y cells from PA-induced cytotoxicity-suggesting a mechanism of PA-induced leptin resistance. Annexin V/PI flow cytometry analysis revealed PA-induced increase in percentages of cells in annexin V-positive/PI-negative quadrant (early apoptosis) and subG0-G1 fraction, accompanied by a decrease in G2-M phase cells. The PA-induced ROS production and lipid peroxidation was at greater extent in T98G as compared to that in SH-SY5Y.
Discussion: In conclusion, PA induces apoptosis by increasing oxidative stress in neurons and astrocytes. Taken together, the results suggest that HFD may cause neuronal and astrocytic damage, which indirectly proposes that CNS pathologies involving neuroinflammation and reactive gliosis could be prevented via the diet regimen.
OBJECTIVE: We examined whether adipocytokines might explain the ethnic differences in the relationship between obesity and insulin resistance among the three major ethnic groups in Singapore.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a cross-sectional study of 101 Chinese, 82 Malays, and 81 South Asian men. Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was measured using hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) volumes were quantified using magnetic resonance imaging.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, apelin, IL-6, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), retinol binding protein-4 (RBP 4), and resistin were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassays.
RESULTS: Principle component (PC) analysis on the adipocytokines identified three PCs, which explained 49.5% of the total variance. Adiponectin loaded negatively, and leptin and FGF21 loaded positively onto PC1. Visfatin, resistin, and apelin all loaded positively onto PC2. IL-6 loaded positively and RBP-4 negatively onto PC3. Only PC1 was negatively associated with ISI in all ethnic groups. In the path analysis, SAT and VAT were negatively associated with ISI in Chinese and Malays without significant mediatory role of PC1. In South Asians, the relationship between VAT and ISI was mediated partly through PC1, whereas the relationship between SAT and ISI was mediated mainly through PC1.
CONCLUSIONS: The relationships between abdominal obesity, adipocytokines and insulin sensitivity differ between ethnic groups. Adiponectin, leptin, and FGF21 play a mediating role in the relationship between abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance in South Asians, but not in Malays or Chinese.
METHODS: Studies were identified using electronic search and manual search techniques by choosing keywords for prediabetes, physical activity and inflammatory marker. Randomized controlled trials on individuals diagnosed with prediabetes and provided intervention in the form of physical activity were included in this review. Adiponectin, leptin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α were the considered outcome measures.
RESULTS: Our search retrieved 1,688 citations, 31 full-text articles assessed for eligibility of inclusion. Nine studies satisfied the pre-specified criteria for inclusion. Meta-analysis found that physical activity with or without dietary or lifestyle modification reduces level of leptin (MD-2.11 ng/mL, 95% CI -3.81 - -0.42) and interleukin-6 (MD -0.15 pg/mL, 95% CI -0.25--0.04). It has no effect on level of adiponectin (MD 0.26 µg/mL, 95% CI -0.42- 0.93), C-reactive protein (MD -0.05 mg/L, 95% CI -0.33-0.23) and tumour necrosis factor-α (MD 0.67 pg/mL, 95% CI -2.56-3.89).
CONCLUSIONS: This review suggests that physical activity promotion with dietary and lifestyle modification may reduce the level of leptin and interleukin-6 but are uncertain if there is any effect on levels of adiponectin, C-reactive protein and tumour necrosis factor-α in the individuals with prediabetes.
METHODS: A total of 33 sedentary men with metabolic syndrome (age: 46.2 ± 4.6 years; body mass index: 35.4 ± 1.9 kg.m2) were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: aerobic interval training (n = 12), resistance training (n = 10), or control (n = 11). Participants in the exercise groups completed a 12-week training program, 3 sessions per week, while those in the control group maintained their sedentary lifestyle. The levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), omentin-1, adiponectin, lipid profiles, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, body composition, and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were measured at baseline and after the intervention.
RESULTS: Both aerobic interval training and resistance training significantly improved the levels of omentin-1 and adiponectin, as well as reduced inflammation, as indicated by a decrease in hs-CRP levels. Exercise training also led to significant improvements in lipid profiles, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, and body composition. Specifically, the aerobic interval training group had significantly greater increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and VO2peak, as well as greater reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol compared to the resistance training group.
CONCLUSION: Exercise training, particularly aerobic interval training and resistance training, can be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for managing inflammation and improving cardiovascular health in metabolic syndrome patients.