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Nutrients
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Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity
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Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Lipids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2025 | Viewed by 4227

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Renalison Farias-Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, Kean University, Union, NJ 07083, USA
Interests: antioxidants; Caenorhabditis elegans; diabetes; food science; metabolism; nutrition; obesity; plant extracts; toxicology
Dr. Keciany Alves de Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Physiological Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Health, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza 60714-903, CE, Brazil
Interests: adipose tissue; bioactive compounds; functional foods; insulin resistance; liver; metabolism; mitochondrial function; obesity; oxidative stress; plant extracts; type 2 diabetes; zebrafish

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Unbalanced lipid metabolism is known to be involved in diet-related diseases, such as obesity. While the increased lipogenesis is classically related to an excess of fat accumulation, the relationship between the changes in fatty acid beta-oxidation, lipolysis, and lipid transport in obesity is less clear. It is often not evident whether the changes in lipid metabolism are a cause or consequence of an obesogenic diet. The changes in lipid metabolism can lead not only to obesity but also to other underlying conditions, such as insulin resistance. This Special Issue on the “Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity” will include manuscripts that focus on the broad effects of lipid metabolism in relation to obesity.

We welcome submissions of original research papers, short communications, and review articles on any of the following topics as examples:

  • Understanding the molecular pathways of lipid metabolism in healthy and obese populations;
  • Epidemiological studies relating lipid metabolism and obesity;
  • Understanding the effects and interactions of dietary interventions, supplementation (i.e., diet, natural-derived extracts, bioactive compounds, or toxicants), on lipid metabolism and body fat;
  • Investigation of nutrients/nutraceuticals that target lipid metabolism-related transcription factors, such as sterol receptor binding proteins, by using computational models;
  • Use of alternative and/or classical biological models to investigate lipid metabolism and obesity, including behavioral and toxicological parameters.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Renalison Farias-Pereira
Guest Editor

Dr. Keciany Alves de Oliveira
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • lipid metabolism
  • obesity
  • diet
  • bioactive compound
  • natural-derived extracts

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1648 KiB  
Article
Esculetin Inhibits Fat Accumulation Through Insulin/Insulin-like Growth Factor- and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase-Dependent Pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans
by Aaron Taehwan Kim and Yeonhwa Park
Nutrients 2025, 17(9), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091565 - 1 May 2025
Viewed by 327
Abstract
Background: Esculetin, 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin, is a bioactive compound found in various herbal plants, and is known to have health-beneficial properties including anti-obesity effects. However, there is a lack of in vivo studies to clearly determine esculetin’s role in lipid metabolism. Objectives: In this study, [...] Read more.
Background: Esculetin, 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin, is a bioactive compound found in various herbal plants, and is known to have health-beneficial properties including anti-obesity effects. However, there is a lack of in vivo studies to clearly determine esculetin’s role in lipid metabolism. Objectives: In this study, we studied esculetin’s effect on lipid accumulation using Caenorhabditis elegans and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: C. elegans were treated with esculetin (100 or 200 μM) for 48 h, and their triglyceride and protein levels were measured. Additionally, behavioral patterns such as pharyngeal pumping rate, body bending rate, body sizes, and locomotive activity were analyzed. Genetic dependencies were examined by utilizing mutant worms and testing relative gene expressions. Results: C. elegans treated with esculetin displayed significantly reduced fat accumulation compared to the controls without effects on the pharyngeal pumping rate, body bending rate, or locomotive activity. Esculetin’s fat-lowering effect was dependent on DAF-2 (insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 [IGF-1] receptor homolog), DAF-16 (Forkhead box protein O homolog), and AAK-2 (5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase [AMPK] catalytic subunit α2) in the mutant experiments. Esculetin also significantly increased the relative expression of downstream targets of DAF-16 (hsp-16.2 and sod-3), AMPK-related genes (aak-1 and aak-2), a sirtuin gene, sir-2.1, and a lipolysis-related gene, atgl-1. Conclusions: These findings suggest that esculetin inhibited fat accumulation in C. elegans and this effect was dependent on the insulin/IGF-1 and 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity)
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22 pages, 6312 KiB  
Article
Tissue-Specific Ablation of Liver Fatty Acid-Binding Protein Induces a Metabolically Healthy Obese Phenotype in Female Mice
by Hiba Radhwan Tawfeeq, Atreju I. Lackey, Yinxiu Zhou, Anastasia Diolintzi, Sophia M. Zacharisen, Yin Hei Lau, Loredana Quadro and Judith Storch
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050753 - 21 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 640
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Obesity is associated with numerous metabolic complications including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and a reduced capacity for physical activity. Whole-body ablation of liver fatty acid-binding protein (LFABP) in mice was shown to alleviate several of these metabolic complications; high-fat (HF)-fed LFABP knockout (LFABP [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Obesity is associated with numerous metabolic complications including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and a reduced capacity for physical activity. Whole-body ablation of liver fatty acid-binding protein (LFABP) in mice was shown to alleviate several of these metabolic complications; high-fat (HF)-fed LFABP knockout (LFABP-/-) mice developed higher fat mass than their wild-type (WT) counterparts but displayed a metabolically healthy obese (MHO) phenotype with normoglycemia, normoinsulinemia, and reduced hepatic steatosis compared with WT. Since LFABP is expressed in both liver and intestine, in the present study, we generated LFABP conditional knockout (cKO) mice to determine the contributions of LFABP specifically within the liver or within the intestine, to the whole-body phenotype of the global knockout. Methods: Female liver-specific LFABP knockout (LFABPliv-/-), intestine-specific LFABP knockout (LFABPint-/-), and “floxed” LFABP (LFABPfl/fl) control mice were fed a 45% Kcal fat semipurified HF diet for 12 weeks. Results: While not as dramatic as found for whole-body LFABP-/- mice, both LFABPliv-/- and LFABPint-/- mice had significantly higher body weights and fat mass compared with LFABPfl/fl control mice. As with the global LFABP nulls, both LFABPliv-/- and LFABPint-/- mice remained normoglycemic and normoinsulinemic. Despite their greater fat mass, the LFABPliv-/- mice did not develop hepatic steatosis. Additionally, LFABPliv-/- and LFABPint-/- mice had higher endurance exercise capacity when compared with LFABPfl/fl control mice. Conclusions: The results suggest, therefore, that either liver-specific or intestine-specific ablation of LFABP in female mice is sufficient to induce, at least in part, the MHO phenotype observed following whole-body ablation of LFABP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity)
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Review

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17 pages, 2281 KiB  
Review
Impacts of Yacon Syrup (Smallanthus sonchifolius) on Human Health: A Systematic Review of Scientific Evidence from the Last Decade
by Marcos F. Pereira, Igor de Codes Soares, Marília Magalhães Cabral, Paula A. de Freitas, Gabriel M. A. Sousa, Saulo Chaves Magalhães, Antônio Augusto Ferreira Carioca, Maria Rayane C. de Oliveira, Francisco Ernani A. Magalhães, Ariclecio C. de Oliveira, Renalison Farias-Pereira and Keciany Alves de Oliveira
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050888 - 1 Mar 2025
Viewed by 2832
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Yacon syrup (Smallanthus sonchifolius) has gained attention due to its high concentration of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and associated health benefits. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of yacon syrup on metabolic parameters and intestinal health in humans over the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Yacon syrup (Smallanthus sonchifolius) has gained attention due to its high concentration of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and associated health benefits. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of yacon syrup on metabolic parameters and intestinal health in humans over the last decade. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search in databases, including Medline (PubMed), Science Direct, Embase, Scopus, and SciELO, up to October 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on clinical trials examining the impact of yacon syrup on glycemic control, lipid profile, insulin sensitivity, appetite regulation, and gut microbiota in healthy, overweight, or obese individuals. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 161 participants from diverse populations. Results: Yacon syrup supplementation demonstrated significant reductions in fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and LDL cholesterol, alongside improvements in satiety and intestinal transit time. Acute supplementation with yacon syrup had inconsistent results for postprandial glycemia and insulin levels, probably due to prior individual gut microbiota composition. Longer interventions with yacon syrup were associated with enhanced microbiota modulation and appetite regulation, particularly in women. Mild gastrointestinal discomfort was reported, but with the continued use of yacon syrup, the symptoms decreased. Yacon syrup presents promising health benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, weight management, and gut health. However, further research is needed to establish optimal dosing and long-term safety. Conclusions: This review highlights the potential of yacon syrup as a functional supplement for metabolic and gastrointestinal health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Association Between Lipid Metabolism and Obesity)
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