Rita Malpique1,2, José Miguel Gallego-Escuredo3, Giorgia Sebastiani1,2, Joan Villarroya3,4, Abel López-Bermejo5, Francis de Zegher6, Francesc Villarroya3,7, Lourdes Ibáñez8,9. 1. Endocrinology, Pediatric Research Institute Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, 08950, Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain. 2. Network Biomedical Research Center of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain. 3. Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine Department, Biomedicine Institute, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain. 4. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041, Barcelona, Spain. 5. Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta & Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, 17007, Girona, Spain. 6. Department of Development & Regeneration, University of Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. 7. Network Biomedical Research Center of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain. 8. Endocrinology, Pediatric Research Institute Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, 08950, Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain. libanez@hsjdbcn.org. 9. Network Biomedical Research Center of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain. libanez@hsjdbcn.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Individuals born small-for-gestational age (SGA), especially those who experience postnatal catch-up growth, are at increased risk for developing endocrine-metabolic abnormalities before puberty. In adults, brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been associated with protection against metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. Here, we assessed for the first time whether BAT activation differs between prepubertal children born SGA or appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA). SUBJECTS/ METHODS: The study population consisted of 86 prepubertal children [41 AGA and 45 SGA; age (mean ± SEM), 8.5 ± 0.1 years], recruited into two prospective longitudinal studies assessing endocrine-metabolic status and body composition in infancy and childhood. The temperature at the supraclavicular region (SCR) before and after a cold stimulus was measured by infrared thermal imaging, and the area of thermally active SCR (increase after cold challenge, ΔAreaSCR) was calculated as a surrogate index of BAT activation. The results were correlated with clinical, endocrine-metabolic, and inflammation variables, and with visceral and hepatic adiposity (assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging). RESULTS: No differences in BAT activation index, as judged by ΔAreaSCR, were found between AGA and SGA children. However, girls showed higher baseline and post-cold induction AreaSCR than boys (both p ≤ 0.01). An interaction between gender and birth weight subgroup was observed for BAT activation; AGA girls increased significantly the ΔAreaSCR as compared to AGA boys; this increase did not occur in SGA girls vs SGA boys. Cold-induced ΔAreaSCR negatively correlated with HOMA-IR, us-CRP, liver volume, and liver fat. CONCLUSIONS: Prepubertal AGA girls had significantly greater BAT activation index as compared to AGA boys; this difference was not observed in SGA subjects. Higher BAT activation associated with a lower amount of visceral fat and with a favorable metabolic profile. Long-term follow-up is needed to determine whether those differences relate to pubertal timing, and to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Individuals born small-for-gestational age (SGA), especially those who experience postnatal catch-up growth, are at increased risk for developing endocrine-metabolic abnormalities before puberty. In adults, brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been associated with protection against metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. Here, we assessed for the first time whether BAT activation differs between prepubertal children born SGA or appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA). SUBJECTS/ METHODS: The study population consisted of 86 prepubertal children [41 AGA and 45 SGA; age (mean ± SEM), 8.5 ± 0.1 years], recruited into two prospective longitudinal studies assessing endocrine-metabolic status and body composition in infancy and childhood. The temperature at the supraclavicular region (SCR) before and after a cold stimulus was measured by infrared thermal imaging, and the area of thermally active SCR (increase after cold challenge, ΔAreaSCR) was calculated as a surrogate index of BAT activation. The results were correlated with clinical, endocrine-metabolic, and inflammation variables, and with visceral and hepatic adiposity (assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging). RESULTS: No differences in BAT activation index, as judged by ΔAreaSCR, were found between AGA and SGA children. However, girls showed higher baseline and post-cold induction AreaSCR than boys (both p ≤ 0.01). An interaction between gender and birth weight subgroup was observed for BAT activation; AGA girls increased significantly the ΔAreaSCR as compared to AGA boys; this increase did not occur in SGA girls vs SGA boys. Cold-induced ΔAreaSCR negatively correlated with HOMA-IR, us-CRP, liver volume, and liver fat. CONCLUSIONS: Prepubertal AGA girls had significantly greater BAT activation index as compared to AGA boys; this difference was not observed in SGA subjects. Higher BAT activation associated with a lower amount of visceral fat and with a favorable metabolic profile. Long-term follow-up is needed to determine whether those differences relate to pubertal timing, and to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders.
Authors: Cristina Garcia-Beltran; Joan Villarroya; Cristina Plou; Aleix Gavaldà-Navarro; Paula Casano; Rubén Cereijo; Francis de Zegher; Abel López-Bermejo; Lourdes Ibáñez; Francesc Villarroya Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2022-03-24 Impact factor: 3.418