Leptin Signaling Modulates Expression of Polycomb and Trithorax Complexes in the Brain of Fat Tissue Implanted Polycystic Ovarian Sindrome Mice

The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common androgenic disorder in women during reproductive life. PCOS may also be accompanied by metabolic syndrome and recent studies point to leptin as playing a role in disrupting infertility and in changing the energy balance in obese mice through its action on the hypothalamus. The aim is to assess the expression of the Polycomb & Trithorax Complexes genes in brain of mice transplanted with fat tissue from normal mice, in order to better understand the neuronal mechanisms underlying the reversion of PCOS. Three B6 V-Lepob/J mouse groups: Normal weight, obese and seven-day-treatment obese had their brain RNA extracted and submitted to an 84 Polycomb & Trithorax Complexes genes PCR Array plate and MetacoreTM pathways localization. Genomic profiles obtained were compared to the ones of the normal-weight-mice group. Differentially expressed genes were 13% and 26% respectively to control and treatment. Major changes were in genes: Snai1/31;Smarca1/?17;Dnmt3b/4.7;Ezh1/ 15. Altered genes were associated to canonical pathways and provided 3 networks related to epigenetics. Underlying neuronal changes caused by leptin in obese mice brain, there is an important role being played by the histone code. Here there is evidence that leptin drives the chromatin packing to a more condensed pattern. Upregulation of methyltransferase genes, like Ezh1, favors this thought. In summary the Polycomb & Trithorax complexes might answer for the silencing of some downregulated genes in the obese mice brain when exposed to leptin.

Should nonalcoholic fatty liver disease be regarded as a hepatic illness only?

The highly increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the general population makes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease the most common diagnosis in every-day practices. Lifestyle changes （mainly exercise withdrawal and weight gain） have probably heightened the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Mortality in patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is significantly higher when compared with that of the same age-gender general population. Hepatologists claim to bear a new burden, being Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease strongly linked to systemic diseases.

Prevalence of functional dyspepsia and its subgroups in patients with eating disorders

AIM:To study the prevalence of functional dyspepsia(FD)(Rome Ⅲ criteria) across eating disorders(ED),obese patients,constitutional thinner and healthy volunteers.METHODS:Twenty patients affected by anorexia nervosa,6 affected by bulimia nervosa,10 affected by ED not otherwise specified according to diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders,4th edition,nine constitutional thinner subjects and,thirtytwo obese patients were recruited from an outpatients clinic devoted to eating behavior disorders.Twentytwo healthy volunteers matched for age and gender were enrolled as healthy controls.All participants underwent a careful clinical examination.Demographic and anthropometric characteristics were obtained from a structured questionnaires.The presence of FD and,its subgroups,epigastric pain syndrome and postprandial distress syndrome(PDS) were diagnosed according to Rome Ⅲ criteria.The intensity-frequency score of broader dyspeptic symptoms such as early satiety,epigastric fullness,epigastric pain,epigastric burning,epigastric pressure,belching,nausea and vomiting were studied by a standardized questionnaire(0-6).Analysis of variance and post-hoc Sheffè tests were used for comparisons.RESULTS:90% of patients affected by anorexia nervosa,83.3% of patients affected by bulimia nervosa,90% of patients affected by ED not otherwise specified,55.6% of constitutionally thin subjects and 18.2% healthy volunteers met the Postprandial Distress Syndrome Criteria(χ 2,P < 0.001).Only one bulimic patient met the epigastric pain syndrome diagnosis.Postprandial fullness intensity-frequency score was significantly higher in anorexia nervosa,bulimia nervosa and ED not otherwise specified groups compared to the score calculated in the constitutional thinner group(4.15 ± 2.08 vs 1.44 ± 2.35,P = 0.003;5.00 ± 2.45vs 1.44 ± 2.35,P = 0.003;4.10 ± 2.23vs 1.44 ± 2.35,P = 0.002,respectively),the obese group(4.15 ± 2.08vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001;5.00 ± 2.45vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001;4.10 ± 2.23 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001,respectively) and healthy volunteers(4.15 ± 2.08 vs 0.36 ± 0.79,P < 0.001;5.00 ± 2.45 vs 0.36 ± 0.79,P < 0.001;4.10 ± 2.23 vs 0.36 ± 0.79,P < 0.001,respectively).Early satiety intensity-frequency score was prominent in anorectic patients compared to bulimic patients(3.85 ± 2.23 vs 1.17 ± 1.83,P = 0.015),obese patients(3.85 ± 2.23 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001) and healthy volunteers(3.85 ± 2.23 vs 0.05 ± 0.21,P < 0.001).Nausea and epigastric pressure were increased in bulimic and ED not otherwise specified patients.Specifically,nausea intensity-frequencyscore was significantly higher in bulimia nervosa and ED not otherwise specified patients compared to anorectic patients(3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.89 ± 1.66,P = 0.04;2.70 ± 2.91 vs 0.89 ± 1.66,P = 0.05,respectively),constitutional thinner subjects(3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P = 0.004;2.70 ± 2.91 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P = 0.005,respectively),obese patients(3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001;3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.00 ± 0.00,P < 0.001 respectively) and,healthy volunteers(3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.17 ± 0.71,P = 0.002;3.17 ± 2.56 vs 0.17 ± 0.71,P = 0.001,respectively).Epigastric pressure intensityfrequency score was significantly higher in bulimic and ED not otherwise specified patients compared to constitutional thin subjects(4.67 ± 2.42 vs 1.22 ± 1.72,P = 0.03;4.20 ± 2.21 vs 1.22 ± 1.72,P = 0.03,respectively),obese patients(4.67 ± 2.42 vs 0.75 ± 1.32,P = 0.001;4.20 ± 2.21vs 0.75 ± 1.32,P < 0.001,respectively) and,healthy volunteers(4.67 ± 2.42 vs 0.67 ± 1.46,P = 0.001;4.20 ± 2.21vs 0.67 ± 1.46,P = 0.001,respectively).Vomiting was referred in 100% of bulimia nervosa patients,in 20% of ED not otherwise specified patients,in 15% of anorexia nervosa patients,in 22% of constitutional thinner subjects,and,in 5.6% healthy volunteers(χ 2,P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:PDS is common in eating disorders.Is it mandatory in outpatient gastroenterological clinics to investigate eating disorders in patients with PDS?