1. |
- Caddeo, Andrea, et al.
(author)
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Molecular analysis of three known and one novel LPL variants in patients with type I hyperlipoproteinemia.
- 2018
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In: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD. - : Elsevier BV. - 1590-3729 .- 0939-4753. ; 28, s. 158-164
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Type I hyperlipoproteinemia, also known as familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by variants in LPL, APOC2, APOA5, LMF1 or GPIHBP1 genes. The aim of this study was to identify novel variants in the LPL gene causing lipoprotein lipase deficiency and to understand the molecular mechanisms.A total of 3 individuals with severe hypertriglyceridemia and recurrent pancreatitis were selected from the Lipid Clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and LPL was sequenced. Invitro experiments were performed in human embryonic kidney 293T/17 (HEK293T/17) cells transiently transfected with wild type or mutant LPL plasmids. Cell lysates and media were used to analyze LPL synthesis and secretion. Media were used to measure LPL activity. Patient 1 was compound heterozygous for three known variants: c.337T>C (W113R), c.644G>A (G215E) and c.1211T>G (M404R); patient 2 was heterozygous for the known variant c.658A>C (S220R) while patient 3 was homozygous for a novel variant in the exon 5 c.679G>T (V227F). All the LPL variants identified were loss-of-function variants and resulted in a substantial reduction in the secretion of LPL protein.We characterized at the molecular level three known and one novel LPL variants causing type I hyperlipoproteinemia showing that all these variants are pathogenic.
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2. |
- Montalcini, T., et al.
(author)
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Nutrients Utilization in Obese Individuals with and without Hypertriglyceridemia
- 2014
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In: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 6:2, s. 790-798
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Low fat utilization is linked to weight gain and to the presence of certain atherosclerosis markers. It is not clear whether the presence of hyperlipidemia can further affect nutrients utilization. The main objective of this study was to investigate the fasting fuel utilization of obese subjects suffering from hypertriglyceridemia, and to compare it with that of individuals that are solely obese. Method: We recruited 20 obese individuals with hypertriglyceridemia and 20 matched individuals not affected by hypertriglyceridemia. The fuel utilization (respiratory quotient) was measured by respiratory gas exchange, by Indirect Calorimetry. Results: There was a significant difference in fuel utilization and HDL-cholesterol between cases and controls (respiratory quotient 0.89 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.84 +/- 0.06; p = 0.020 respectively). The univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis confirmed that hypertrygliceridemia was positively correlated to the respiratory quotient (p = 0.035). Conclusion: obese subjects with hypertriglyceridemia had a higher respiratory quotient in comparison to unaffected subjects. This could suggest a limitation in the beta-oxidation mechanisms; this could actually imply that fatty acids may be redirected from oxidation to reesterification into triglycerides. The study could suggest the presence of different mechanisms unrelated to obesity and also a potential new therapeutic target for hypertriglyceridemia management.
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3. |
- Montalcini, T., et al.
(author)
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Subclinical Cardiovascular Damage and Fat Utilization in Overweight/Obese Individuals Receiving the Same Dietary and Pharmacological Interventions
- 2014
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In: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 6:12, s. 5560-5571
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Subclinical organ damage precedes the occurrence of cardiovascular events in individuals with obesity and hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between fuel utilization and subclinical cardiovascular damage in overweight/obese individuals free of established cardiovascular disease receiving the same diet and pharmacological intervention. In this retrospective study a total of 35 subjects following a balanced diet were enrolled. They underwent a complete nutritional and cardiovascular assessment. Echocardiography and ultrasonography of the carotid arteries was performed. The respiratory quotient (fuel utilization index) was assessed by indirect calorimetry. A total of 18 had left ventricular concentric remodeling, 17 were normal. Between these two groups, a significant difference of intima-media thickness was showed (p = 0.015). Also a difference of respiratory quotient was shown with the highest value in those with remodeling (p = 0.038). At univariate and multivariate analysis, cardiac remodeling was associated with respiratory quotient (RQ) (p = 0.04; beta = 0.38; SE = 0.021; B = 0.044). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for respiratory quotient to predict remodeling was 0.72 (SE = 0.093; p = 0.031; RQ = 0.87; 72% sensitivity, 84% specificity). The respiratory quotient is significantly different between those participants with and without cardiac remodeling. Its measurement may help for interpreting the (patho)physiological mechanisms in the nutrients utilization of obese people with different response to dietary or pharmacological interventions.
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4. |
- Baselli, G. A., et al.
(author)
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Liver transcriptomics highlights interleukin-32 as novel NAFLD-related cytokine and candidate biomarker
- 2020
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In: Gut. - : BMJ. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 69, s. 1855-1866
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Efforts to manage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited by the incomplete understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and the absence of accurate non-invasive biomarkers. The aim of this study was to identify novel NAFLD therapeutic targets andbiomarkers by conducting liver transcriptomic analysis in patients stratified by the presence of the PNPLA3 I148M genetic risk variant. Design: We sequenced the hepatic transcriptome of 125 obese individuals. 'Severe NAFLD' was defined as the presence of steatohepatitis, NAFLD activity score ≥4 or fibrosis stage ≥2. The circulating levels of the most upregulated transcript, interleukin-32 (IL32), were measured by ELISA. Results: Carriage of the PNPLA3 I148M variant correlated with the two major components of hepatic transcriptome variability and broadly influenced gene expression. In patients with severe NAFLD, there was an upregulation of inflammatory and lipid metabolism pathways. IL32 was the most robustly upregulated gene in the severe NAFLD group (adjusted p=1×10-6), and its expression correlated with steatosis severity, both in I148M variant carriers and non-carriers. In 77 severely obese, and in a replication cohort of 160 individuals evaluated at the hepatology service, circulating IL32 levels were associated with both NAFLD and severe NAFLD independently of aminotransferases (p<0.01 for both). A linear combination of IL32-ALT-AST showed a better performance than ALT-AST alone in NAFLD diagnosis (area under the curve=0.92 vs 0.81, p=5×10-5). Conclusion: Hepatic IL32 is overexpressed in NAFLD, correlates with hepatic fat and liver damage, and is detectable in the circulation, where it is independently associated with the presence and severity of NAFLD. © 2020 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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5. |
- Burza, Maria Antonella, 1980, et al.
(author)
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Effect of Excess Body Weight on the Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer
- 2014
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In: Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. - 0192-0790. ; 48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Excess body weight and genetics play important roles in cancer susceptibility. Although several studies have reported on obesity and genetic variants as separate risk factors for cancer, very few studies have investigated the interaction between excess body weight and genetic variants in cancer susceptibility. In this review, we focus on the interplay between these 2 risk factors, which are a major determinant of the individual risk of cancer onset.
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6. |
- Burza, Maria Antonella, 1980, et al.
(author)
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PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) genetic variant is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in obese individuals
- 2012
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In: Digestive and Liver Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 1590-8658. ; 44:12, s. 1037-1041
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Obesity is a risk factor for cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma. Patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) I148M (rs738409) genetic variant has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse or hepatic viral infection. In the present study we examined the association between the PNPLA3I148M genetic variant and hepatocellular carcinoma in obese individuals from the Swedish Obese Subjects cohort (n=4047). Methods: We performed a matched, prospective, controlled, interventional trial, investigating the effect of bariatric surgery (surgery group) compared to conventional treatment (control group) for obesity. Results: A total of 9 events were observed in the 15-year median follow up (5 in the control group and 4 in the surgery group). A significantly higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in PNPLA3 148M allele carriers was found in obese individuals in the control group (log-rank P-value=0.001), but not in the surgery group (log-rank P-value=0.783). Consistently, an increased risk (for each PNPLA3 148M allele, hazard ratio: 5.9; 95% confidence interval 1.5-23.8; P-value=0.013) of developing hepatocellular carcinoma was observed only in the control group. Conclusion: The current study is the first prospective report showing the association of the PNPLA3I148M genetic variant and hepatocellular carcinoma in severely obese individuals.
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7. |
- Colica, C., et al.
(author)
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Dietary Patterns and Fractures risk in the elderly
- 2017
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In: Frontiers in Endocrinology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-2392. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose:Although the role of dietary factors in the prevention of bone loss and fractures has been investigated in many studies, few studies have examined the association between dietary patterns and total body bone density. Our aim was to determine the relations between dietary patterns and whole-body bone mineral density (WB-BMD) and the association between dietary patterns, fractures, and multiple fractures in the elderly. Methods:This cross-sectional study included 177 individuals aged >= 65 years. A dual X-ray absorptiometry scan was performed to measure BMD. Dietary patterns were ascertained by a combination of dietary intake assessment and principal components analysis. Results:Only three dietary patterns correlated with whole-body bone density. The multivariate-adjusted mean bone density across tertiles of these dietary patterns showed that the highest tertile of both the patterns 1 and 2 had a significantly higher bone density than the lowest tertile (pattern 1:1.021 +/- 0.01 and 1.070 +/- 0.01 g/cm(2) for T1 and T3, respectively; p = 0.043; pattern 2:1.023 +/- 0.01, and 1.081 +/- 0.01 g/cm(2) for T1 and T3, respectively; p = 0.003). We also find significant gender difference in these results. The highest adherence to the dietary pattern 5 was associated with decreased odds of having fractures (OR = 0.20, p = 0.009), and adherence to the pattern 1 was negatively associated with multiple fractures. Conclusion:A high adherence to the dietary pattern 1 (high intake of grains, fish and olive oil) was associated with a high BMD and a low number of fractures. The highest adherence to the dietary pattern 5 (legumes and wine) was associated with decreased odds of having fractures. Our finding would suggest a potential bone-preserving properties of specific dietary patterns in the elderly.
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8. |
- Dongiovanni, P., et al.
(author)
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Transmembrane 6 Superfamily Member 2 Gene Variant Disentangles Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis From Cardiovascular Disease
- 2015
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In: Hepatology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0270-9139 .- 1527-3350. ; 61:2, s. 506-514
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Excess hepatic storage of triglycerides is considered a benign condition, but nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to fibrosis and promote atherosclerosis. Carriers of the TM6SF2 E167K variant have fatty liver as a result of reduced secretion of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). As a result, they have lower circulating lipids and reduced risk of myocardial infarction. In this study, we aimed to assess whether TM6SF2 E167K affects liver damage and cardiovascular outcomes in subjects at risk of NASH. Liver damage was evaluated in 1,201 patients who underwent liver biopsy for suspected NASH; 427 were evaluated for carotid atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular outcomes were assessed in 1,819 controls from the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) cohort. Presence of the inherited TM6SF2 E167K variant was determined by TaqMan assays. In the liver biopsy cohort, 188 subjects (13%) were carriers of the E167K variant. They had lower serum lipid levels than noncarriers (P<0.05), had more-severe steatosis, necroinflammation, ballooning, and fibrosis (P<0.05), and were more likely to have NASH (odds ratio [OR]: 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-2.79) and advanced fibrosis (OR, 2.08; 95% CI: 1.20-3.55), after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, fasting hyperglycemia, and the I148M PNPLA3 risk variant. However, E167K carriers had lower risk of developing carotid plaques (OR, 0.49; 95% CI: 0.25-0.94). In the SOS cohort, E167K carriers had higher alanine aminotransferase ALT and lower lipid levels (P<0.05), as well as a lower incidence of cardiovascular events (hazard ratio: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.39-0.95). Conclusions: Carriers of the TM6SF2 E167K variant are more susceptible to progressive NASH, but are protected against cardiovascular disease. Our findings suggest that reduced ability to export VLDLs is deleterious for the liver. (Hepatology 2015;61:506-514)
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9. |
- Ferro, Y., et al.
(author)
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Association between low C-peptide and fragility fractures in postmenopausal women without diabetes
- 2017
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In: Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1720-8386. ; 40:10, s. 1091-1098
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose C-peptide has been shown to exert several, previously unknown, biological effects. A recent cross-sectional study demonstrated an association between low C-peptide serum levels and low lumbar bone density of postmenopausal women not affected by diabetes. To date, very little research attention has been directed toward the association between C-peptide and osteoporotic fractures. To contribute toward filling this gap, we investigated the association between C-peptide and fractures in postmenopausal women. Methods A cohort of 133 non-diabetic postmenopausal women with and without a history of fractures was evaluated in this cross-sectional investigation. Standardized interviews were performed to gather information on the patients' fracture history. All of the participants underwent a bone mineral density assessment by DXA, radiographs, and a serum C-peptide measurement. Results Thirty-four women presented fractures. Bivariate analysis revealed an inverse correlation between C-peptide and fractures (r = -0.27, p = 0.002). A significant difference in mean C-peptide levels was also found between women with vs. without fractures (p = 0.01, adjusted for age, BMI and glucose). Logistic regression analysis showed that C-peptide levels, femoral and vertebral BMD were all negatively associated with fracture status (B = -1.097, ES = 0.401, p = 0.006, 95% CI 0.15-0.73; B = -15.6, SE = 4.17, p < 0.001, CI 0.001-0.002; B = -24.8, SE = 5.23, p < 0.001, CI 0001-0.002; respectively). Conclusions This study confirms an inverse association between serum C-peptide levels and a history of fractures in postmenopausal women without diabetes. These results suggest that C-peptidemay exert an effect on bone mineral density. However, further large-scale studies are needed to corroborate this finding and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms involved.
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10. |
- Ferro, Y., et al.
(author)
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Effect of a novel functional tomato sauce (OsteoCol) from vine-ripened tomatoes on serum lipids in individuals with common hypercholesterolemia: tomato sauce and hypercholesterolemia
- 2021
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In: Journal of Translational Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1479-5876. ; 19:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Most studies focused on the benefits of lycopene on serum lipids but no studies have been specifically designed to assess the role of a tomato sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes on patients affected by polygenic hypercholesterolemia. The aim of this study was to compare the lipid-lowering effect of a novel functional tomato sauce with a well-known functional food with a lipid-lowering effect, i.e. a sterol-enriched yogurt. Methods: In this cross-over study, we evaluated a population of 108 ambulatory patients affected by polygenic hypercholesterolemia of both gender, who were allocated to a tomato sauce (namely OsteoCol) 150 ml/day or a sterol-enriched yogurt (containing sterols 1.6 g/die) treatment, for 6 weeks. Carotenoids content was 3.5 mg per gram of product. We measured serum lipids and creatinine and transaminases at basal and follow-up visit. Results: A total of 91 subjects completed the protocol. A significant difference in LDL-cholesterol change was found between participants taking yogurt, tomato sauce (high adherence) and tomato sauce (low adherence) (- 16; - 12; + 8 mg/dl respectively; p < 0.001). We found a greater LDL-cholesterol reduction in the participants with a basal LDL-cholesterol more than 152 mg/dl (15% for sterol-enriched yogurt and 12% for tomato sauce at high adherence). Conclusion: A novel functional tomato sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes compares favourably with a commercialised sterol-enriched yogurt in term of absolute LDL-cholesterol change. Intake of a tomato sauce with a high carotenoid content may support treatment of patients affected by common hypercholesterolemia. The present study has various limitations. The presence of other dietary components, which may have influenced the results, cannot be ruled out. Of course, these results cannot be extrapolated to other populations. Furthermore, there was a low adherence rate in the tomato sauce group. Moreover, we did not report serum carotenoids data. Trial registration: ID: 13244115 on the ISRCTN registry, retrospectively registered in 2019-5-14. URL: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13244115
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