Biomolecules

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Dear Colleagues,

Obesity has become an increasing major health problem worldwide. One aspect that contributes to this epidemic spread is represented by the energy imbalance between calories consumed (intake of foods rich in fat and sugars) and calories expended (sedentary lifestyle). Obesity is associated to several comorbidities, such as impaired glucose metabolism, hypertension, dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis, with a rise in the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In this context, mechanisms beyond obesity and CVDs are not yet fully understood, but an important player could be the adipose tissue. A condition of obesity leads to structural changes in adipose tissue and affects its cellular composition. Adipose tissue, considered a dynamic depot, secretes bioactive molecules—namely, the adipokines. In obesity, a dysfunctional adipose tissue is characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammation with an increased secretion of pro-inflammatory adipokines and cytokines, which affect the cardiovascular system directly or indirectly. Further important aspects, worthy of consideration in the link between obesity and CVDs, are the increase in fat mass, as well as changes in the quality of the adipose tissue, which can present reduced capillarization, microvascular dysfunction, endothelial cell activation and fibrosis. Finally, the ectopic fat deposition (e.g., in liver, heart and skeletal muscle) is also important in the increased risk of CVDs. Overall, original manuscripts and reviews which contribute to unraveling novel molecular mechanisms or to identifying new players linking obesity, the adipose tissue milieu and CVDs are very welcome.

Dr. Chiara Macchi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

adipokines
adipose tissue
cardiovascular disease
low-grade inflammation
obesity

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Association of Serum Circulating Neuropeptide Q and Chemerin Levels with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

by Marta Pelczyńska, Aniceta Ada Mikulska, Krystyna Czyżewska, Paweł Bogdański and Teresa Grzelak

Biomolecules 2021, 11(12), 1863; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11121863 - 10 Dec 2021

Viewed by 1911

Abstract

The potential involvement of neuropeptide Q (NPQ) and chemerin (CHEM) in metabolic disorders is yet to be fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum concentrations of NPQ and CHEM and to establish their relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors among individuals with metabolic syndrome. A total of 66 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and 83 healthy volunteers (non-MetS) underwent biochemical, blood pressure, and anthropometric measurements. The concentration of NPQ in the MetS group was significantly lower (0.47 (0.34 ; 0.54) vs. 0.52 (0.43 ; 0.60) ng/mL, p = 0.015) than in non-MetS, while there were no differences in CHEM level. In the entire study population, we observed several negative correlations between NPQ concentration and waist-hip ratio (WHR), visceral adipose tissue, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG) along with a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total muscle mass, and CHEM. Moreover, a negative correlation was observed in the MetS group between NPQ and glycemia. CHEM showed no significant correlations with cardiometabolic risk factors in the study population. In a multiple regression model, the total muscle mass proved to be an independent factor determining NPQ concentration in the population (p < 0.00000001, R²_adj = 28.6%). NPQ seems to protect against metabolic disorders correlated with obesity. Thus, it is worth considering NPQ level as a candidate protective biomarker of metabolic syndrome complications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Obesity, Adipose Tissue and Cardiovascular Diseases)

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 497 KiB

Open AccessReview

Obesogens in Foods

by Iva Kladnicka, Monika Bludovska, Iveta Plavinova, Ludek Muller and Dana Mullerova

Biomolecules 2022, 12(5), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12050680 - 9 May 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5288

Abstract

Obesogens, as environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are supposed to have had an impact on the prevalence of rising obesity around the world over the last forty years. These chemicals are probably able to contribute not only to the development of obesity and metabolic disturbances in individuals, but also in their progeny, having the capability to epigenetically reprogram genetically inherited set-up points for body weight and body composition control during critical periods of development, such as fetal, early life, and puberty. In individuals, they may act on myriads of neuro-endocrine–immune metabolic regulatory pathways, leading to pathophysiological consequences in adipogenesis, lipogenesis, lipolysis, immunity, the influencing of central appetite and energy expenditure regulations, changes in gut microbiota–intestine functioning, and many other processes. Evidence-based medical data have recently brought much more convincing data about associations of particular chemicals and the probability of the raised risk of developing obesity. Foods are the main source of obesogens. Some obesogens occur naturally in food, but most are environmental chemicals, entering food as a foreign substance, whether in the form of contaminants or additives, and they are used in a large amount in highly processed food. This review article contributes to a better overview of obesogens, their occurrence in foods, and their impact on the human organism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Obesity, Adipose Tissue and Cardiovascular Diseases)

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