Reduced sCD36 following weight loss corresponds to improved insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia and liver fat in obese children

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 70; no. 9; pp. 1073 - 1077
• Main Authors: Knøsgaard, L, Kazankov, K, Birkebæk, N H, Holland-Fischer, P, Lange, A, Solvig, J, Hørlyck, A, Kristensen, K, Rittig, S, Vilstrup, H, Grønbæk, H, Handberg, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.09.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/163/2743/2099; 692/163/2743/393; 692/499; 692/53; Accumulation; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adolescent; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - metabolism; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body fat; Body Mass Index; Body weight loss; Care and treatment; CD36 antigen; CD36 Antigens - blood; Cellular proteins; Child; Childhood obesity; Children; Children & youth; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Clinical Nutrition; Development and progression; Dyslipidemia; Dyslipidemias - blood; Epidemiology; Fatty Liver - blood; Female; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Health risks; Homeostasis; Humans; Inflammation - blood; Insulin; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Internal Medicine; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Liver; Liver - metabolism; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolism; Obesity; original-article; Pediatric Obesity - blood; Pediatric Obesity - complications; Pediatric Obesity - therapy; Plasma; Public Health; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Weight control; Weight loss; Weight Loss - physiology; Weight reduction
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2016.88

Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity is a major health problem with serious long-term metabolic consequences. CD36 is important for the development of obesity-related complications among adults. We aimed to investigate circulating sCD36 during weight loss in childhood obesity and its associations with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hepatic fat accumulation and low-grade inflammation. Subjects/Methods: The impact of a 10-week weight loss camp for obese children ( N =113) on plasma sCD36 and further after a 12-month follow-up ( N =68) was investigated. Clinical and biochemical data were collected, and sCD36 was measured by an in-house assay. Liver fat was estimated by ultrasonography and insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Results: Along with marked weight loss, sCD36 was reduced by 21% ( P =0.0013) following lifestyle intervention, and individual sCD36 reductions were significantly associated with the corresponding decreases in HOMA-IR, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The largest sCD36 decrease occurred among children who reduced HOMA-IR and liver fat. After 12 months of follow-up, sCD36 was increased ( P =0.014) and the metabolic improvements were largely lost. Conclusions: Weight-loss-induced sCD36 reduction, coincident with improved insulin resistance, circulating lipids and hepatic fat accumulation, proposes that sCD36 may be an early marker of long-term health risk associated with obesity-related complications.