TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background Obesity-related alterations in the circulating steroid hormone profile remain equivocal in women. Our objective was to identify circulating steroid levels that relate to increased adiposity and altered adipose phenotype in premenopausal women. Materials and methods In a sample of 42 premenopausal women [age 46 ± 3 years; body mass index (BMI) 27.1 ± 4.2 kg/m2], 19 plasma steroids were quantified by electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (ESI-LC-MS/MS). Body composition and fat distribution were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT), respectively. Markers of adipose tissue function including adipocyte size distributions, radiological attenuation and macrophage infiltration were also analyzed in surgically obtained visceral and subcutaneous fat samples. Results Many negative correlations were observed between adiposity measurements such as BMI, body fat percentage or total abdominal adipose tissue area and plasma levels of androstenedione (Δ4) (r = -0.33 to -0.39, p ≤ 0.04), androsterone (ADT) (r = -0.30 to -0.38, p ≤ 0.05) and steroid precursor pregnenolone (PREG) (r = -0.36 to -0.46, p ≤ 0.02). Visceral adipocyte hypertrophy was observed in patients with low PREG concentrations (p < 0.05). Visceral adipose tissue radiologic attenuation, a potential marker of adipocyte size, was also positively correlated with PREG levels (r = 0.33, p < 0.05). Low levels of PREG were related to increased number of macrophages infiltrating visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (p < 0.05). Conclusion Plasma levels of androgens and their precursors are lower in women with increased adiposity and visceral adipocyte hypertrophy. Low circulating PREG concentration may represent a marker of adipose tissue dysfunction.
AU  - Marchand, G.B.*
AU  - Carreau, A.-M.*
AU  - Laforest, S.*
AU  - Côté, J.-A.*
AU  - Daris, M.*
AU  - Cianflone, K.*
AU  - Prehn, C.
AU  - Adamski, J.
AU  - Tchernof, A.*
C1  - 53508
C2  - 44668
TI  - Circulating steroid levels as correlates of adipose tissue phenotype in premenopausal women.
JO  - Horm. Mol. Biol. Clin. Investig.
VL  - 34
IS  - 1
PY  - 2018
SN  - 1868-1883
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The dramatically increasing world-wide prevalence of obesity is recognized as a risk factor for the development of various diseases. The growing research on the role of adipose tissue in controlling energy homeostasis and insulin sensitivity has revealed that the promotion of brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity and the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) leads to multiple health benefits and prevents obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Inducible thermogenic adipocytes do exist in adult humans and are linked with increased energy combustion and lower body fat mass. Thus brown adipocytes are currently placed at the center of attention for novel therapeutic strategies against metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Besides the classical, norepinephrine-mediated sympathetic recruitment and activation of thermogenic adipocytes, a number of novel circulating factors have been recently identified to have a positive or negative impact on thermogenic adipocyte formation and activity. In this review their mechanism of action and the plausible therapeutic applications will be summarized and discussed.
AU  - Scheideler, M.
AU  - Herzig, S.
AU  - Georgiadi, A.
C1  - 52104
C2  - 43757
TI  - Endocrine and autocrine/paracrine modulators of brown adipose tissue mass and activity as novel therapeutic strategies against obesity and type 2 diabetes.
JO  - Horm. Mol. Biol. Clin. Investig.
VL  - 31
IS  - 2
PY  - 2017
SN  - 1868-1883
ER  -