Authors: R.Gerlini,L.Berti, J.Darr, M.Lassi, S.Brandmaier, L.Fritsche, F.Scheid, A.Böhm, A.Königsrainer, H.Grallert, H.U.Häring, M.Hrabě de Angelis, H.Staiger, R.Teperino

Institutions:

  • Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research center for Environmental Health – Neuherberg, Germany
  • German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) – Neuherberg, Germany
  • Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
  • Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Angiology, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
  • Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
  • Experimental Genetics, Faculty of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
  • Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
  • Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
  • Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany

Publication: Science Direct

Date: September, 2018

Full paper: Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity define adipocyte transcriptional programs in human obesity

Abstract:

Objective
Although debated, metabolic health characterizes 10–25% of obese individuals and reduces risk of developing life-threatening co-morbidities. Adipose tissue is a recognized endocrine organ important for the maintenance of whole-body metabolic health. Adipocyte transcriptional signatures of healthy and unhealthy obesity are largely unknown.

Methods
Here, we used a small cohort of highly characterized obese individuals discordant for metabolic health, characterized their adipocytes transcriptional signatures, and cross-referenced them to mouse phenotypic and human GWAs databases.

Results and conclusions
Our study showed that glucose intolerance and insulin resistance co-operate to remodel adipocyte transcriptome. We also identified the Nuclear Export Mediator Factor (NEMF) and the Ectoderm-Neural Cortex 1 (ENC1) as novel potential targets in the management of metabolic health in human obesity.