Fredrik Karpe

Quantification of PtdInsP3 molecular species in cells and tissues by mass spectrometry.

Class I phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) isoforms generate the intracellular signaling lipid, phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3). PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 regulates major aspects of cellular behavior, and the use of both genetic and pharmacological intervention has revealed important isoform-specific roles for PI3Ks in health and disease. Despite this interest, current methods for measuring PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 have major limitations, including insensitivity, reliance on radiolabeling, low throughput and an inability to resolve different fatty-acyl species. We introduce a methodology based on phosphate methylation coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) to solve many of these problems and describe an integrated approach to quantify PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and related phosphoinositides (regio-isomers of PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 are not resolved). This methodology can be used to quantify multiple fatty-acyl species of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 in unstimulated mouse and human cells (≥105) or tissues (≥0.1 mg) and their increase upon appropriate stimulation.

Circulating Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Is Induced by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Agonists But Not Ketosis in Man

CONTEXTnMurine fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21 is a nutritionally regulated hormone secreted by the liver principally in response to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR alpha) activation, which plays a critical role in regulating metabolism during ketosis. FGF21 is also a PPAR gamma target gene in mouse adipose tissue. Little information is available on FGF21 functions in humans.nnnOBJECTIVEnThe aim of the study was to measure plasma FGF21 during fasting, ketogenic diet, and PPAR agonist treatment in humans.nnnDESIGN AND SETTINGnWe conducted a prospective study involving three patient groups at two university hospitals.nnnPATIENTSnEight healthy male volunteers underwent a 48-h period of starvation followed by 24-h refeeding (group 1); seven obese individuals were allocated to a low-carbohydrate diet for 3 months (group 2); and three groups of healthy, overweight or obese male volunteers received treatment with a PPAR alpha (20 microg/d GW590735) (n=6), PPAR delta (10 mg/d GW501516) (n=6), or PPAR gamma agonist (rosiglitazone) (n=10) for 2 wk (group 3).nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnFasting plasma FGF21 and serum 3-hydroxybutyrate were measured.nnnRESULTSnThere was no significant variation in human plasma FGF21 during fasting and refeeding. A 3-month ketogenic diet was associated with a 42% decline in plasma FGF21 levels. Circulating FGF21 increased significantly in response to treatment with PPAR alpha (39%) and PPAR delta (32%), but not PPAR gamma agonists.nnnCONCLUSIONnFGF21 does not play a major role in regulating the fasting response or ketosis in man. However, plasma FGF21 is elevated in response to pharmacological activation of PPAR alpha and PPAR delta and may contribute to the beneficial metabolic effects observed in response to pharmacotherapy with these compounds.

Association of variants in the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Aims/hypothesisVariants in the fat-mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) influence susceptibility to type 2 diabetes via an effect on adiposity/obesity. Given the important role of obesity in the aetiology of both polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus, our aim was to establish whether FTO variants are also implicated in PCOS susceptibility.MethodsWe performed a genetic association study of FTO variant rs9939609 using case–control analyses, conducted in 463 PCOS patients (geometric mean BMI 27.5xa0kg/m2) and 1,336 female controls (geometric mean BMI 25.3xa0kg/m2) of UK British/Irish origin. We also sought evidence for associations between FTO variation and circulating testosterone levels in 324 UK PCOS patients and 1,000 women from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort of 1966. Outcome measures included FTO rs9939609 genotype frequencies by participant group and androgen measures (testosterone, free androgen index) by genotype.ResultsThere was a significant association between FTO genotype and PCOS status in the UK case–control analysis, which was attenuated by adjustment for BMI (Cochran–Armitage test, odds ratio [per minor allele copy] 1.30 [95% CI 1.12, 1.51], pu2009=u20097.2u2009×u200910−4 [unadjusted], pu2009=u20092.9u2009×u200910−3 [adjusted]). This association was most evident in obese PCOS patients (PCOS patients below median BMI vs UK controls, pu2009=u20090.11; above median BMI vs controls, pu2009=u20092.9u2009×u200910−4). No relationship between FTO genotype and androgen levels was seen.Conclusions/interpretationWe provide the first evidence that variants that predispose to common obesity also result in altered susceptibility to PCOS, confirming the mechanistic link between these conditions. The predominant effect of FTO variants on PCOS susceptibility is probably mediated through adiposity.

Effects of insulin on adipose tissue blood flow in man

Adipose tissue blood flow (ATBF) rises after nutrient ingestion. It is not clear whether this is due to insulin. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of insulin in the regulation of subcutaneous ATBF. We have investigated the role of insulin in the regulation of ATBF in normal, healthy subjects in a three‐step procedure to determine the functional level at which insulin may potentially exert its effect. Fifteen subjects were studied on two occasions. On the first visit, 75 g oral glucose was given. In the second, similar plasma concentrations of insulin and glucose were achieved by dynamic intravenous infusions of insulin and glucose. The increase in ATBF after oral glucose (4.2 ± 1.4 ml min−1 (100 g tissue)−1, P= 0.01) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that after intravenous infusions (1.5 ± 0.6 ml min−1 (100 g tissue)−1P < 0.05). For the local delivery of potentially vasoactive substances and simultaneous measurement of ATBF, we describe a novel combination of methods, which we have called ‘microinfusion’. We have used this technique to show that locally infused insulin, even at pharmacological concentrations, had no demonstrable effect on ATBF in nine subjects. We conclude that whilst insulin does not have a direct effect on ATBF, it is likely to be an important mediator, possibly acting via sympathetic activation. In the postprandial state, other candidate peptides and hormones are also likely to play important roles.

Browning of human adipocytes requires KLF11 and reprogramming of PPARγ superenhancers

Long-term exposure to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists such as rosiglitazone induces browning of rodent and human adipocytes; however, the transcriptional mechanisms governing this phenotypic switch in adipocytes are largely unknown. Here we show that rosiglitazone-induced browning of human adipocytes activates a comprehensive gene program that leads to increased mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Once induced, this gene program and oxidative capacity are maintained independently of rosiglitazone, suggesting that additional browning factors are activated. Browning triggers reprogramming of PPARγ binding, leading to the formation of PPARγ superenhancers that are selective for brown-in-white (brite) adipocytes. These are highly associated with key brite-selective genes. Based on such an association, we identified an evolutionarily conserved metabolic regulator, Kruppel-like factor 11 (KLF11), as a novel browning transcription factor in human adipocytes that is required for rosiglitazone-induced browning, including the increase in mitochondrial oxidative capacity. KLF11 is directly induced by PPARγ and appears to cooperate with PPARγ in a feed-forward manner to activate and maintain the brite-selective gene program.

Proteomic analysis of human adipose tissue after rosiglitazone treatment shows coordinated changes to promote glucose uptake.

The aim of this study was to identify potential protein targets for insulin sensitization in human adipose tissue using unbiased proteomic approaches. Ten moderately obese, but otherwise healthy, subjects were treated with rosiglitazone 4 mg b.i.d. for 14 days and global protein and gene expression changes were monitored. Proteomic analysis revealed distinct up‐ or downregulation (greater than twofold) in 187 protein spots on the two‐dimensional (2‐D) gel images between day 0 and day 1 adipose tissue samples. When comparing the protein spots on the gels from day 0 with that of 14‐day‐treated samples, 122 spots showed differential expression. There was a striking increase in the expression of proteins involved in glucose transporter‐4 (GLUT4) granule transport and fusion (actin, myosin‐9, tubulin, vimentin, annexins, moesin, LIM, and SH3 domain protein‐1), signaling (calmodulin, guanine nucleotide–binding proteins), redox regulation (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ferritin, transferrin, heat shock proteins), and adipogenesis (collagens, galectin‐1, nidogen‐1, laminin, lamin A/C). However, there was an intriguing absence of correlated changes in mRNA expression, suggesting adaptation at a post‐transcriptional level in response to rosiglitazone. Thus, the major changes observed were among proteins involved in cytoskeletal rearrangement, insulin and calcium signaling, and inflammatory and redox signals that decisively upregulate GLUT4 granule trafficking in human adipose tissue. Such orchestrated changes in expression of multiple proteins provide insights into the mechanism underlying the increased efficiency in glucose uptake and improvement of insulin sensitivity in response to rosiglitazone treatment.

Coexpression network analysis in abdominal and gluteal adipose tissue reveals regulatory genetic loci for metabolic syndrome and related phenotypes.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent and has considerable public health impact, but its underlying genetic factors remain elusive. To identify gene networks involved in MetS, we conducted whole-genome expression and genotype profiling on abdominal (ABD) and gluteal (GLU) adipose tissue, and whole blood (WB), from 29 MetS cases and 44 controls. Co-expression network analysis for each tissue independently identified nine, six, and zero MetS–associated modules of coexpressed genes in ABD, GLU, and WB, respectively. Of 8,992 probesets expressed in ABD or GLU, 685 (7.6%) were expressed in ABD and 51 (0.6%) in GLU only. Differential eigengene network analysis of 8,256 shared probesets detected 22 shared modules with high preservation across adipose depots (DABD-GLUu200a=u200a0.89), seven of which were associated with MetS (FDR P<0.01). The strongest associated module, significantly enriched for immune response–related processes, contained 94/620 (15%) genes with inter-depot differences. In an independent cohort of 145/141 twins with ABD and WB longitudinal expression data, median variability in ABD due to familiality was greater for MetS–associated versus un-associated modules (ABD: 0.48 versus 0.18, Pu200a=u200a0.08; GLU: 0.54 versus 0.20, Pu200a=u200a7.8×10−4). Cis-eQTL analysis of probesets associated with MetS (FDR P<0.01) and/or inter-depot differences (FDR P<0.01) provided evidence for 32 eQTLs. Corresponding eSNPs were tested for association with MetS–related phenotypes in two GWAS of >100,000 individuals; rs10282458, affecting expression of RARRES2 (encoding chemerin), was associated with body mass index (BMI) (Pu200a=u200a6.0×10−4); and rs2395185, affecting inter-depot differences of HLA-DRB1 expression, was associated with high-density lipoprotein (Pu200a=u200a8.7×10−4) and BMI–adjusted waist-to-hip ratio (Pu200a=u200a2.4×10−4). Since many genes and their interactions influence complex traits such as MetS, integrated analysis of genotypes and coexpression networks across multiple tissues relevant to clinical traits is an efficient strategy to identify novel associations.

Associations of variants in FTO and Near MC4R with obesity traits in South Asian Indians

Recent genome‐wide association studies show that loci in FTO and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) associate with obesity‐related traits. Outside Western populations the associations between these variants have not always been consistent and in Indians it has been suggested that FTO relates to diabetes without an obvious intermediary obesity phenotype. We investigated the association between genetic variants in FTO (rs9939609) and near MC4R (rs17782313) with obesity‐ and type 2 diabetes (T2DM)‐related traits in a longitudinal birth cohort of 2,151 healthy individuals from the Vellore birth cohort in South India. The FTO locus displayed significant associations with several conventional obesity‐related anthropometric traits. The per allele increase is about 1% for BMI, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist—hip ratio. Consistent associations were observed for adipose tissue‐specific measurements such as skinfold thickness reinforcing the association with obesity‐related traits. Obesity associations for the MC4R locus were weak or nonsignificant but a signal for height (P < 0.001) was observed. The effect on obesity‐related traits for FTO was seen in adulthood, but not at younger ages. The loci also showed nominal associations with increased blood glucose but these associations were lost on BMI adjustment. The effect of FTO on obesity‐related traits was driven by an urban environmental influence. We conclude that rs9939609 variant in the FTO locus is associated with measures of adiposity and metabolic consequences in South Indians with an enhanced effect associated with urban living. The detection of these associations in Indians is challenging because conventional anthropometric obesity measures work poorly in the Indian “thin‐fat” phenotype.

MicroRNA Expression in Abdominal and Gluteal Adipose Tissue Is Associated with mRNA Expression Levels and Partly Genetically Driven

To understand how miRNAs contribute to the molecular phenotype of adipose tissues and related traits, we performed global miRNA expression profiling in subcutaneous abdominal and gluteal adipose tissue of 70 human subjects and characterised which miRNAs were differentially expressed between these tissues. We found that 12% of the miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between abdominal and gluteal adipose tissue (FDR adjusted p<0.05) in the primary study, of which 59 replicated in a follow-up study of 40 additional subjects. Further, 14 miRNAs were found to be associated with metabolic syndrome case-control status in abdominal tissue and three of these replicated (primary study: FDR adjusted p<0.05, replication: p<0.05 and directionally consistent effect). Genome-wide genotyping was performed in the 70 subjects to enable miRNA expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis. Candidate miRNA eQTLs were followed-up in the additional 40 subjects and six significant, independent cis-located miRNA eQTLs (primary study: p<0.001; replication: p<0.05 and directionally consistent effect) were identified. Finally, global mRNA expression profiling was performed in both tissues to enable association analysis between miRNA and target mRNA expression levels. We find 22% miRNAs in abdominal and 9% miRNAs in gluteal adipose tissue with expression levels significantly associated with the expression of corresponding target mRNAs (FDR adjusted p<0.05). Taken together, our results indicate a clear difference in the miRNA molecular phenotypic profile of abdominal and gluteal adipose tissue, that the expressions of some miRNAs are influenced by cis-located genetic variants and that miRNAs are associated with expression levels of their predicted mRNA targets.

Comparative protein profiling of serum and plasma using an antibody suspension bead array approach

In the pursuit towards a systematic analysis of human diseases, array‐based approaches within antibody proteomics offer high‐throughput strategies to discover protein biomarkers in serum and plasma. To investigate the influence of sample preparation on such discovery attempts, we report on a systematic effort to compare serum and plasma protein profiles determined with an antibody suspension bead array. The intensity levels were used to define protein profiles and no significant differences between serum and plasma were observed for 79% of the 174 antibodies (targeting 156 proteins). By excluding 36 antibodies giving rise to differential intensity levels, cluster analysis revealed donor‐specific rather than preparation‐dependent grouping. With a cohort from a clinically relevant medical condition, the metabolic syndrome, the influence of the sample type on a multiplexed biomarker discovery approach was further investigated. Independent comparisons of protein profiles in serum and plasma revealed an antibody targeting ADAMTSL‐4, a protein that would qualify to be studied further in association with the condition. In general, the preparation type had an impact on the results of the applied antibody suspension bead array, and while the technical variability was equal, plasma offered a greater biological variability and allowed to give rise to more discoveries than serum.