Mitochondrial respiration of adipocytes differentiating from human mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue.

Burden of obesity is increasing in the contemporary world. Although multifactorial in origin, appropriate mitochondrial function of adipocytes emerges as a factor essential for healthy adipocyte differentiation and adipose tissue function. Our study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial functions of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells committed to adipogenesis. On days 0, 4, 10, and 21 of adipogenesis, we have characterized adipocyte proliferation and viability, quantified lipid accumulation in maturing cells, performed qualitative and quantitative analysis of mitochondria, determined mitochondrial respiration of cells using high-resolution respirometry, and evaluated mitochondrial membrane potential. In the course of adipogenesis, mitochondrial oxygen consumption progressively increased in states ROUTINE and E (capacity of the electron transfer system). State LEAK remained constant during first days of adipogenesis and then increased probably reflecting uncoupling ability of maturing adipocytes. Citrate synthase activity and volume of mitochondrial networks increased during differentiation, particularly between days 10 and 21. In addition, lipid accumulation remained low until day 10 and then significantly increased. In conclusion, during first days of adipogenesis, increased mitochondrial respiration is needed for transition of differentiating cells from glycolytic to oxidative metabolism and clonal expansion of preadipocytes and then more energy is needed to acquire typical metabolic phenotype of mature adipocyte.

Polychlorinated biphenyl 153 in lipid medium modulates differentiation of human adipocytes.

Emerging evidence indicates that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are involved in the development of diabetes mellitus in the obese. The purpose of this study was to determine mechanisms by which PCB 153 (2,2´,4,4´,5,5´-hexachloro-biphenyl) could influence diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance during adipogenesis. Lineage of h-ADMSCs was differentiated either as control (differentiation medium only), or with lipid vehicle modeling high fat nutrition (NuTRIflex) or lipid free vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide) for 28 days with or without PCB 153 daily co-exposure (in three concentrations 0.1, 1, and 10 microM). Gene expression analyses were performed using RT-qPCR at days 4, 10, 21, 24, 28; protein levels Akt and phosphorylated Akt (Phospho-Akt) by Western blot at days 4, and 21. PCB 153 treatment of h-ADMSCs only in lipid vehicle was associated with down regulation of key master genes of adipogenesis: PPARgamma, SREBP-1, PPARGC1B, and PLIN2 during the whole process of differentiation; and with increased Akt and decreased Phospho-Akt protein level at day 21. We have shown that PCB 153, in concentration 0.1 microM, has a potential in lipid rich environment to modulate differentiation of adipocytes. Because European and U.S. adults have been exposed to PCB 153, this particular nutrient-toxicant interaction potentially impacts human obesity and insulin sensitivity.

Negative association between plasma levels of adiponectin and polychlorinated biphenyl 153 in obese women under non-energy-restrictive regime.

The aim of this study was to reveal whether accumulation of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), especially polychlorinated biphenyl (2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl, PCB 153), affects plasma levels of adiponectin in obese patients. The study was designed as a longitudinal intervention trial with a control group, where 27 obese women (body mass index (BMI)>30 kg/m(2); age 21-74 years) were studied before (OB) and after (OB-LCD) a 3-month low-calorie-diet intervention (LCD; 5 MJ daily). As the control group, 9 female volunteers without LCD intervention were used (C; BMI=19-25 kg/m(2); age 21-64 years). Plasma levels of PCB 153 were measured by high-resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection; total adiponectin and insulin plasma levels were quantified by immunoassays; and adiponectin multimeric complexes were quantified by immunoblotting. Plasma levels of total adiponectin, high and medium molecular weight multimers significantly negatively correlated with plasma levels of PCB 153 in OB, but not in C or in OB-LCD, whereas the LCD intervention lowered BMI by 3.3+/-3.0 kg/m(2). Our results may suggest suppression of adiponectin by PCB 153 in obese women under non-energy-restrictive regime, which may contribute to the known association of PCB 153 and other POPs with type 2 diabetes.

White adipose tissue: storage and effector site for environmental pollutants.

White adipose tissue (WAT) represents a reservoir of lipophilic environmental pollutants, especially of those which are resistant to biological and chemical degradation - so-called persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Large amounts of different congeners and isomers of these compounds exhibit a variety of adverse biological effects. Interactions among different classes of compounds, frequently with opposing effects, complicate hazard evaluation and risk assessment. WAT is the key organ for energy homeostasis and it also releases metabolites into the circulation and adipokines with systemic effects on insulin sensitivity and fuel partitioning in muscles and other tissues. Its beneficial role is lost in obesity when excessive accumulation of WAT contributes to severe diseases, such as diabetes. POPs may crossroad or modulate the effect of endogenous ligands of nuclear transcription factors, participating in differentiation, metabolism and the secretory function of adipocytes. These mechanisms include, most importantly: i) endocrine disrupting potency of POPs mixtures on androgen, estrogen or thyroid hormone metabolism/functions in WAT, ii) interference of dioxin-like chemicals with retinoic acid homeostasis, where impact on retinoid receptors is expected, and iii) interaction with transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors is likely. Thus, the accumulation and action of POPs in WAT represents a unitary mechanism explaining, at least in part, the effects of POPs in the whole organism. By modulating WAT differentiation, metabolism and function, the POPs could affect not only the physiological role of WAT, but they may also influence the development of obesity-associated diseases.

Breastfeeding promotion and protection in the Czech Republic.

The purpose of the article is to present the National Breastfeeding Promotion Programme in the Czech Republic in the course of the last decade. It summarizes the main strategies, education and training activities of the National Breastfeeding Committee, its collaboration with the Government, Parliament, IBFAN and UNICEF. The article reviews the relevant studies on infant feeding which illustrate the increase of the prevalence of breastfeeding in the course of the 1990's and reflect the effect of the programme. Recent negotiations with the Ministry of Health have outlined the implementation of the WHO global strategy for infant and young child feeding in the Czech Republic.

[Breastfeeding support in nine Czech maternity hospitals 1998-1999]. / Péce o kojení v devíti ceských porodnicích v letech 1998-1999.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the state of breastfeeding support in prenatal and perinatal care and infant feeding in first 6 months in 6 big cities of Czech Republic in 1998-1999. DESIGN: Cross-sectional multicentre descriptive study of 6 medical schools. SETTING: Centre of Preventive Medicine, 3rd Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague. METHODS: In the first year of the study (1998), 1104 mothers were interviewed by neonatologists at the discharge from 9 maternity hospitals. After 6 months, 1019 mothers of the same sample were interviewed again by students and staff members of 6 medical schools. Obtained data were analyzed in EpiInfo 6 programme using ANOVA and x2 test. RESULTS: 29 percent of mothers participated in prenatal classes. 70 percent of newborns were put to the breast within two hours after birth. 44 percent of mothers reported problems with breastfeeding in the hospital. 77 percent of mothers appreciated the assistance with breastfeeding in the hospital. Mothers with higher education, living with partner or husband, mothers who participated in prenatal classes, mothers after vaginal labour, mothers whose children were put to the breast within two hours after birth and mothers who did not have problems with breastfeeding in the hospital were breastfeeding fully for significantly longer period. At the discharge from the hospital, 93.5 percent of newborns were fully breastfed. At the end of the 6th month, 23.1 percent of infants were fully breastfed and 29.9 percent of infants were breastfed while receiving complementary food. CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding rate at the end of the 6th month of age of infants increased apparently in mothers from 6 big cities of Czech Republic in comparison with national data from 1991.

[Comparison of dietary habits in obese and thin women using the food frequency questionnaire]. / Srovnání stravovacích zvyklostí obézních a stíhlých zen metodou frekvencního potravinového dotazníku.

INTRODUCTION: Imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, influenced as well as by eating pattern, contributes to the development of obesity. The aim of retrospective "case-control" study was to compare dietary pattern of 246 obese women (O, BMI = 36.2 +/- 7.4 kg/m2) with 108 control, normal weight, women (C, BMI = 22.8 +/- 3.3 kg/m2). The examined groups were randomly selected according Body Mass Index from non dieting population. METHODS: The administration of Food frequency questionnaire [1] was used, evaluating three months period before administration. The eating patterns in the form of relative representation of the main food commodities, based on intake frequencies (RRFCI), were calculated using special mathematical procedure and were compared using the non-pair two sides' t-test. RESULTS: O performed significantly lower absolute number of intake of non-drink food per month (p = 0.01). RRFCI in the eating patterns of O and C is summarized in the next table: [table: see text] CONCLUSION: Obese women showed significantly higher relative number of frequencies of intake of meat and dairy products and lower proportion of frequencies of intake of cereals, free fat, sweets in their eating patterns in comparison to normal weight women.

[A 100 kg weight loss in a young male patient with a combination of dietary intervention, increased physical activity and plastic surgery]. / 100 kg redukce mladého pacienta kombinací dietní intervence, zvýsené fyzické aktivity a operativního prístupu plastické chirurgie.

Authors describe a case of 100 kg weight loss of 20 years aged old patient with the incipient body weight 174 kg (BMI = 64 kg/m2) during four years using combination of dietary intervention (2; 5; 6.7; 7.6 MJ), increased physical activity and repeated surgical resection of cutaneous lobes. Development of laboratory parameters, resting energy expenditure, correction of hypertension and hyperuricaemia are documented.

Dietary guidelines in the Czech Republic. II.: Nutritional profiles of food groups.

Modern dietary guidelines set in terms of food groups are easy to use and understand for target populations, but rather complicated from the point of view of quantification, i.e. the correctly set number of recommended servings in different population groups according to age, sex, physical activity and physiological status on the basis of required intake of energy and individual nutrients. It is the use of abstract comprehensive food groups that makes it impossible to use a simple database of food tables based on the content of nutrients in individual foods, rather than their groups. Using groups requires that their nutritional profiles be established, i.e. that an average content of nutrients and energy for individual groups be calculated. To calculate nutritional profiles for Czech dietary guidelines, the authors used three different methods: (1) Simple profiles, with all commodities with significant representation in the Czech food basket represented in equal amounts. (2) Profiles based on typical servings, with the same commodities as in (1) but in characteristic intake quantities (typical servings). (3) Food basket-based profiles with commodities constituting the Czech food basket in quantities identical for that basket. The results showed significant differences in profiles calculated by different methods. Calculated nutrient intakes were particularly influenced by the size of typical servings and it is therefore essential that a realistic size of servings be used in calculations. The consistent use of recommended food items throughout all food groups and subgroups is very important. The number of servings of foods from the five food groups is not enough if a suitable food item is not chosen within individual groups. On the basis of their findings, the authors fully recommend the use of nutritional profiles based on typical servings that give a realistic idea of the probable energy and nutrient content in the recommended daily intake. In view of regional cultural differences, national nutritional profiles play a vital importance. Population studies investigating the size of the typical servings and the most frequently occurring commodities in the food basket should be made every three years. Nutritional profiles designed in this way constitute an important starting point for setting national dietary guidelines, their implementation and revisions.

[Nutritional status and problems with obesity in relation to educational status in young people in the Czech Republic]. / Výzivový stav a problematika obezity u mladých lidí Ceské republiky ve vztahu ke vzdelání.

UNLABELLED: The cross section study was performed with the aim to detect health prone nutritional behaviour and describe its relationship to the education in the groups of 20-25 years old people. Two groups: 449 undergraduate medical students (UG) and 116 non-graduate control people (C) were compared in respect of their food habits (food frequency questionnaire), nutrition (3 days dietary records data) and health nutritional state (measurement of body weight, height, percentage of body fat using Harpenden calliper). UG male performed higher energy intake, however, they did not differ in BMI, but they showed lower proportion of body fat ¿95% CI:(-4.22; -4.18)% of body content¿, probably due to higher physical activity. UG female performed lower energy intake and lower body mass index in comparison to C ¿95% CI:(-4.18; -4.8) kg/m2¿. CONCLUSION: Higher level of education is associated with health prone behaviour and is reflected on health nutritional state already in age of early adulthood.

[Dietary habits in obese individuals before ambulatory obesity treatment]. / Stravovací zvyklosti obézních pred príchodem do obezitologické ambulance.

Resting energy expenditure, using indirect calorimetry, and food habits by the food frequency questionnaire, were measured in randomly selected 200 obese people (body weight 102 +/- 23 kg, age 41 +/- 15 yrs) during their first appointment in the Centre for obesity treatment. All were educated in low calorie diet (LCD = 5 MJ) regime at the same way. After 30 months the obese people from the highest and the lowest quartile according to the percentage of weight loss (derived as a percentage of their initial body weight) were compared. There was not found any statistical difference in frequency of particular commodities intake, only higher probability of good weight reduction was confirmed in obese with higher body weight (p < 0.003) and higher resting energy expenditure (p < 0.02) on the beginning of the LCD treatment. This study has demonstrated that food habits assessed according food frequency questionnaire has not predictive value to distinguish between successful or non-successful compliance with very low calorie diet.

[Evaluation of diet in a sample of Czech mothers six months after delivery]. / Zhodnocení stravování vzorku ceských matek v sestém mesíci po porodu.

BACKGROUND: Health care of nursing mothers and their infants is an important priority of primary preventive care. The mother's diet plays an important role in this respect. The objective of the presented investigation was to assess the adequacy of the dietary intake of lactating mothers during the sixth month after delivery. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on the education, body weight, height of the mother, dietary intake, evaluated from a three-day dietary record, were collected from 131 nursing mothers and compared with the Czech recommended dietary allowances for nursing mothers as well as with data from 265 controls, i.e. women who did no longer breastfeed their babies. From the results ensues a significantly higher calcium intake (937 mg; SD = 415, p < 0.001), vitamin B1 (1.1 mg, SD = 0.5, p < 0.001), total energy (8.7 MJ, SD = 2.6, p < 0.01), protein 75.4 g, SD = 18, p < 0.01), carbohydrates (281 g, SD = 112, p < 0.01) and riboflavin (1.3 mg, SD = 0.5, p < 0.01) in nursing women as compared with those not nursing. The nursing mothers, however, do not meet the Czech recommended dietary allowances as regards total energy, calcium, vitamin C, linoleic acid, vegetable proteins and iron. Other problematic nutrients-magnesium, zinc, folates, pyridoxine, selenium and iodine could not be assessed as they are not listed in the Czech food composition tables. In women with university education the energy and nutrient intake was in the majority more favourable than in women with elementary education. On the other hand no statistical differences were found in weight increments during the period from the beginning of gestation to the sixth month after delivery between nursing and not nursing mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The results of analysis of the dietary intake of nursing mothers indicate that the Czech recommended allowances are not met as regards energy, calcium, linoleic acid, protein and iron. Whether the intake is really inadequate or whether the recommended allowances are excessive remains an open question.

[Energy expenditure at rest and obesity]. / Klidový energetický výdej a obezita.

Adult human body has to have, because of every day fluctuating energy intake and energy needs, very precious adaptive mechanisms for maintenance of heat homeostasis in the body and nearly stable body weight and body composition, which are optimal for life and reproduction. These short term functioning adaptive mechanisms are called "empty biochemical mechanisms", where chemically bound energy is transformed to heat without work performance. These mechanisms are present on the cellular level (substrates cycles, uncoupling of respiration chain), on the interorgan metabolic level (glycolysis and gluconeogenesis between liver and adipose tissue-glucose-lactate cycle). Central nervous system controls them via many factors; the most important are catecholamines, leptin, insulin, thyroid hormones, cortisol, growth and sex hormones. Neurotransmitters and neuronal net influence energy intake and other behavior. Obesity seems to be associated with the amelioration or overcoming of possibilities of function short-term effective adaptive mechanisms.

[Health effects of weight reduction]. / Zdravotní dopady váhové redukce.

Although weight loss is routinely recommended for obese person, the observational literature is controversial in respect of prolongation of life longevity after body weight loss. The positive long-term outcome has been found only in intentional weight loss in obese people with obesity-related comorbidities. The main task in obesity treatment strategy is "primum non nocere". The authors analysed the short-term effect and acceptability of low calorie diet (5 MJ) on health state of 150 obese people (BMI x = 35.9 kg/m2). The acceptability of this diet was 60% only, when the rest of patients has broken this regime mostly after second appointment with their physician. The successful patients achieved 10% weight loss from initial body weight during in average 5 months (95% CI for BMI reduction = (-4.55; -3.01), as well as reduction of percentage of body fat (95% CI = -7.7; -3). During this period has been observed in consistency with experimental evidence of other authors a decrease of plasma values of triacylglycerol, LDL cholesterol in hyperlipidemic patients, but not significant increase of HDL cholesterol. During this period obese persons have taken up more physical activities and felt themselves more psychologically comfortable.