Impact of Fibroblast Growth Factors 19 and 21 in Bariatric Metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is a popular and effective therapeutic intervention for obesity, which is an abnormal health condition that is prevalent worldwide. Metabolic improvements that precede weight loss after bariatric surgery may be mediated, in part, through the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 15/19 and FGF21 signaling pathways. Both FGF15/19 and FGF21 are hormone-like members of the FGF family and exert their metabolic effects in an endocrine manner. Enhanced bile acid recycling after bariatric surgery leads to increased circulating levels of FGF15/19 in the distal small intestine. Synthesis of FGF21 is upregulated predominately in the fasting state through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor pathways and to a lesser extent by FGF15/19. Key Messages: The biological functions of FGF15/19 and FGF21 are diverse and complicated. The tissue targeted effects of FGF15/19 and FGF21 of importance after bariatric surgery include the regulation of hepatic bile acid biosynthesis and ketogenesis as well as thermogenesis in adipose tissue, respectively. Furthermore, FGF15/19 and FGF21 function to regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. CONCLUSION: The long-term effects of bariatric surgery on weight loss are undisputable. However, the mechanism for improvements in glucose and lipid homeostasis observed shortly after bariatric surgery is less understood. This review article attempts to describe the known metabolic effects of FGF15/19 and FGF21 that may potentiate these improvements after bariatric surgery.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 correlates with weight loss after vertical sleeve gastrectomy in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) results in weight loss and increased bile acids (BA) and fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) levels. FGF21 shares essential cofactors with FGF19, but its physiology early post-VSG has not been assessed. METHODS: Ten adolescents (17.4 ± 0.5 years and BMI 51.5 ± 2.5 kg/m2 ) were enrolled. Fasting and postmeal (100 mL Ensure™) samples (0-120 min) were collected (pre-VSG [V1], 1 [V2], and 3 months [V3] post-VSG) for analysis of BA, FGF19, and FGF21. RESULTS: Post-VSG subjects lost weight (V2 11.8 ± 0.8 kg; V3 21.9 ± 1.7 kg). BA and FGF19 increased by V2, 143.6% at 30 min and 74.9% at 90 min post-meal, respectively. BA hydrophobicity index also improved by V3, 21.1% at 30 min post-meal. Interestingly, fasting and 120-min post-meal FGF21 levels at V2 were increased by 135.7% and 253.9%, respectively, but then returned to baseline at V3. BA levels correlated with FGF21 at V2 (P = 0.003, r = 0.89), and body weight lost post-VSG correlated with FGF21 levels (V2; P = 0.012, R = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Expected changes were seen in BA and FGF19 biology after VSG in adolescents, but novel changes were seen in correlation between the early postsurgical increase in FGF21 and weight loss, suggesting that FGF21 may play a role in energy balance postoperatively, and further investigation is warranted.

SoyProDB: A database for the identification of soybean seed proteins.

UNLABELLED: Soybean continues to serve as a rich and inexpensive source of protein for humans and animals. A substantial amount of information has been reported on the genotypic variation and beneficial genetic manipulation of soybeans. For better understanding of the consequences of genetic manipulation, elucidation of soybean protein composition is necessary, because of its direct relationship to phenotype. We have conducted studies to determine the composition of storage, allergen and anti-nutritional proteins in cultivated soybean using a combined proteomics approach. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DPAGE) was implemented for the separation of proteins along with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the identification of proteins. Our analysis resulted in the identification of several proteins, and a web based database named soybean protein database (SoyProDB) was subsequently built to house and allow scientists to search the data. This database will be useful to scientists who wish to genetically alter soybean with higher quality storage proteins, and also helpful for consumers to get a greater understanding about proteins that compose soy products available in the market. The database is freely accessible. AVAILABILITY: http://bioinformatics.towson.edu/Soybean_Seed_Proteins_2D_Gel_DB/Home.aspx.

Persistent high on-treatment platelet reactivity in acute coronary syndrome.

Persistent high on-treatment platelet reactivity in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients managed with appropriate antiplatelet therapy has been correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular events; however, the evolution of this phenomenon overtime is not well known. We investigated platelet activity at a three month follow-up after initial presentation with an ACS. We enrolled a total of 124 patients in the study, 65 were diagnosed with ACS and 59 controls who presented with non-cardiac chest pain for baseline comparisons. Of the enrolled patients, we had 25 ACS patients return, in stable condition, three months after their initial presentation for repeat platelet functional testing. Epinephrine (EPI), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and arachidonic acid induced platelet aggregation were monitored at baseline with repeat measurement of EPI- and ADP-stimulated aggregation at follow-up. In addition, P-selectin and PAC-1 expression were monitored at presentation and at a three month follow-up period. ACS patients were maintained on aspirin therapy during the intervening period. At the three month follow-up visit, ACS patients initiated on aspirin had no significant percentage change in aggregation to submaximal concentrations of EPI and ADP. They also had no significant percentage change in PAC-1 or P-selectin expression. This study demonstrates persistent high on-treatment platelet reactivity in ACS patients at a three month follow-up, which may place these patients at increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events.