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Obesity: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Aspects

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Guest Editor
Department of Lifestyle-Related Medicine and Endocrinology, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan
Interests: gut hormone; thyroid disease; obesity; diabetes mellitus; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity is a serious global health problem with high mortality and morbidity rates. Food intake, physical activity, adipokines, gut hormones, inflammation, genetics and epigenetics, bariatric surgery, and synthetic agents affect the development and progression of obesity and obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic-associated steatotic liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. The reduction in adipose tissue in obese subjects represents an important goal for the prevention and treatment of these chronic diseases. We invite articles that are based on novel ideas for cellular and individual studies, as well as review articles. Pure clinical reports may not be accepted.

Prof. Dr. Bunzo Matsuura
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • food intake
  • physical activity
  • adipose tissue
  • adipokines
  • gut hormones
  • nervous system
  • gut–brain axis
  • bariatric surgery
  • inflammation and immune response
  • genetics and epigenetics

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 947 KiB  
Article
Circulating hs-CRP, IL-18, Chemerin, Leptin, and Adiponectin Levels Reflect Cardiometabolic Dysfunction in Adults with Excess Weight
by Óscar Javier Lara-Guzmán, Ángela María Arango-González, Rafael Álvarez-Quintero, Juan S. Escobar, Katalina Muñoz-Durango and Jelver Alexander Sierra
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1176; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031176 - 29 Jan 2025
Viewed by 307
Abstract
Up to 30% of individuals with obesity may exhibit normal insulin sensitivity, a favorable lipid profile, and no signs of hypertension. This prompts the exploration of factors distinguishing cardiometabolically healthy individuals from those developing complications. This cross-sectional study included 116 individuals categorized into [...] Read more.
Up to 30% of individuals with obesity may exhibit normal insulin sensitivity, a favorable lipid profile, and no signs of hypertension. This prompts the exploration of factors distinguishing cardiometabolically healthy individuals from those developing complications. This cross-sectional study included 116 individuals categorized into four groups by combining abdominal obesity and cardiometabolic health statuses. We compared circulating adipokines and gut microbiota composition between these groups. Individuals with abdominal obesity had higher levels of hs-CRP, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-18, chemerin, and leptin, and a less favorable gut microbiota composition, including higher levels of potentially harmful bacteria (CAG-Pathogen) and lower levels of beneficial bacteria (CAG-Ruminococcaceae and CAG-Akkermansia), compared to those with adequate waist circumference. Those with obesity but cardiometabolically healthy displayed similar adipokine levels and microbiota composition to those with adequate waist. In contrast, individuals with abdominal obesity cardiometabolically abnormal exhibited significantly higher levels of hs-CRP, IL-18, chemerin, and leptin, and lower levels of adiponectin and CAG-Ruminococcaceae compared to those with abdominal obesity cardiometabolically healthy and adequate waist. Additionally, they differed in hs-CRP and adiponectin/leptin ratio from individuals with obesity cardiometabolically healthy. These findings suggest that altered adipokine profiles and gut microbiota may contribute to the development or persistence of cardiometabolic complications in obesity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Obesity: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Aspects)

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 1102 KiB  
Review
The Evolving Role of Neutrophils and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in Obesity and Related Diseases: Recent Insights and Advances
by Serena Altamura, Francesca Lombardi, Paola Palumbo, Benedetta Cinque, Claudio Ferri, Rita Del Pinto and Davide Pietropaoli
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(24), 13633; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252413633 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 823
Abstract
Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease characterized by persistent low-grade tissue and systemic inflammation. Fat accumulation in adipose tissue (AT) leads to stress and dysfunctional adipocytes, along with the infiltration of immune cells, which initiates and sustains inflammation. Neutrophils are the first immune [...] Read more.
Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease characterized by persistent low-grade tissue and systemic inflammation. Fat accumulation in adipose tissue (AT) leads to stress and dysfunctional adipocytes, along with the infiltration of immune cells, which initiates and sustains inflammation. Neutrophils are the first immune cells to infiltrate AT during high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Emerging evidence suggests that the formation and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play a significant role in the progression of obesity and related diseases. Additionally, obesity is associated with an imbalance in gut microbiota and increased intestinal barrier permeability, resulting in the translocation of live bacteria, bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and pro-inflammatory cytokines into the bloodstream and AT, thereby contributing to metabolic inflammation. Recent research has also shown that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by gut microbiota, can influence various functions of neutrophils, including their activation, migration, and the generation of inflammatory mediators. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in understanding the role of neutrophils and NET formation in the pathophysiology of obesity and related disorders while also focusing on updated potential therapeutic approaches targeting NETs based on studies conducted in humans and animal models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Obesity: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Aspects)
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