1.
Interplay between early-life malnutrition, epigenetic modulation of the immune function and liver diseases.
Campisano, S, La Colla, A, Echarte, SM, Chisari, AN
Nutrition research reviews. 2019;(1):128-145
Abstract
Early-life nutrition plays a critical role in fetal growth and development. Food intake absence and excess are the two main types of energy malnutrition that predispose to the appearance of diseases in adulthood, according to the hypothesis of 'developmental origins of health and disease'. Epidemiological data have shown an association between early-life malnutrition and the metabolic syndrome in later life. Evidence has also demonstrated that nutrition during this period of life can affect the development of the immune system through epigenetic mechanisms. Thus, epigenetics has an essential role in the complex interplay between environmental factors and genetics. Altogether, this leads to the inflammatory response that is commonly seen in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. In conjunction, DNA methylation, covalent modification of histones and the expression of non-coding RNA are the epigenetic phenomena that affect inflammatory processes in the context of NAFLD. Here, we highlight current understanding of the mechanisms underlying developmental programming of NAFLD linked to epigenetic modulation of the immune system and environmental factors, such as malnutrition.
2.
Angiopoietin-like protein 3 and 4 in obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and malnutrition: the effect of weight reduction and realimentation.
Cinkajzlová, A, Mráz, M, Lacinová, Z, Kloučková, J, Kaválková, P, Kratochvílová, H, Trachta, P, Křížová, J, Haluzíková, D, Škrha, J, et al
Nutrition & diabetes. 2018;(1):21
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) 3 and 4 are circulating factors that participate in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We measured serum ANGPTL3 and 4 levels in 23 patients with obesity, 40 patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 22 patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), 15 subjects undergoing 72-h fasting, and 12 patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS), and their changes after very-low-calorie diet (VLCD), bariatric surgery, partial realimentation, acute fasting, and parenteral nutrition in order to assess their possible role in metabolic regulations. RESULTS Serum ANGPTL4 levels were higher in obese subjects without/with T2DM (94.50 ± 9.51 and 134.19 ± 7.69 vs. 50.34 ± 4.22 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and lower in subjects with AN relative to healthy control subjects (38.22 ± 4.48 vs. 65.80 ± 7.98 ng/ml, p = 0.002), while serum ANGPTL3 levels demonstrated inverse tendency. Nutritional status had no effect on ANGPTL3 and 4 mRNA expression in adipose tissue. Fasting decreased ANGPTL3 and increased ANGPTL4 levels, while VLCD reduced only ANGPTL3. Bariatric surgery and realimentation of AN or SBS patients had no effect on either ANGPTL. Multiple regression analysis identified BMI as an independent predictor of ANGPTL3; and BMI and HbA1c as independent predictors of ANGPTL4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data suggest that serum ANGPTL3 and 4 levels are influenced by nutritional status and fasting and could be involved in the metabolic disturbances present in obesity and AN.