Weight loss regulates inflammation‐related genes in white adipose tissue of obese subjects

TLDR

Adipose tissue secretes inflammatory and immune molecules linked to obesity complications, yet their expression patterns and nutritional regulation in humans remain poorly understood. The authors profiled subcutaneous white adipose tissue from 29 obese subjects on a very low‑calorie diet using cDNA microarray and qRT‑PCR, compared the results with 17 non‑obese controls, and identified whether the regulated genes were expressed in adipocytes or stromal‑vascular cells. After 28 days of VLCD, 100 inflammation‑related transcripts were regulated, the expression pattern shifted toward that of lean subjects, pro‑inflammatory factors decreased while anti‑inflammatory molecules increased, and the genes were mainly expressed in the stromal‑vascular fraction rich in macrophages, suggesting weight loss ameliorates obesity‑related complications by modifying adipose inflammation. Published in FASEB Journal, vol.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Adipose tissue produces inflammation and immunity molecules suspected to be involved in obesity‐related complications. The pattern of expression and the nutritional regulation of these molecules in humans are poorly understood. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of subcutaneous white adipose tissue from 29 obese subjects during very low calorie diet (VLCD) using cDNA microarray and reverse transcription quantitative PCR. The patterns of expression were compared with that of 17 non‐obese subjects. We determined whether the regulated genes were expressed in adipocytes or stromavascular fraction cells. Gene expression profiling identified 100 inflammation‐related transcripts that are regulated in obese individuals when eating a 28 day VLCD but not a 2 day VLCD. Cluster analysis showed that the pattern of gene expression in obese subjects after 28 day VLCD was closer to the profile of lean subjects than to the pattern of obese subjects before VLCD. Weight loss improves the inflammatory profile of obese subjects through a decrease of proinflammatory factors and an increase of anti‐inflammatory molecules. The genes are expressed mostly in the stromavascular fraction of adipose tissue, which is shown to contain numerous macrophages. The beneficial effect of weight loss on obesity‐related complications may be associated with the modification of the inflammatory profile in adipose tissue.— Clément, K., Viguerie, N., Poitou, C., Carette, C., Pelloux, V., Curat, C. A., Sicard, A., Rome, S., Benis, A., Zucker, J.‐D., Vidal, H., Laville, M., Barsh, G. S., Basdevant, A., Stich, V., Cancello R., Langin, D. Weight loss regulates inflammation‐related genes in white adipose tissue of obese subjects. FASEB J . 18, 1657–1669 (2004)