The influence of adiposity and acute exercise on circulating hepatokines in normal-weight and overweight/obese men

• Published in: Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 482 - 490
• Main Authors: Sargeant, Jack A, Aithal, Guruprasad P, Takamura, Toshinari, Misu, Hirofumi, Takayama, Hiroaki, Douglas, Jessica A, Turner, Mark C, Stensel, David J, Nimmo, Myra A, Webb, David R, Yates, Thomas, King, James A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada NRC Research Press 01.05.2018; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: activité physique; Adiposity; Adult; alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein - metabolism; Analysis; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Case-Control Studies; chemoattractants; Exercise; Exercise Test; Experiments; Fibroblast Growth Factors - blood; fibroblasts; foie; follistatin; Follistatin - blood; Genetic aspects; Glucagon - blood; glucose; Humans; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; insulinorésistance; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - blood; leukocytes; Life Style; lifestyle; Liver; Male; Men; Mens health; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - blood; obésité; organokines; Overweight; Overweight - blood; peak oxygen uptake; Peptide hormones; physical activity; Physical fitness; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Selenoprotein P - blood; Weight; Young Adult; United Kingdom; activité physique; foie; liver; organokines; obésité; insulin resistance; insulinorésistance; obesity; physical activity
• ISSN: 1715-5312; 1715-5320; 1715-5320
• DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0639

Hepatokines are liver-secreted proteins with potential to influence glucose regulation and other metabolic parameters. This study investigated differences in adiposity status on 5 novel hepatokines and characterised their response to acute moderate-intensity exercise in groups of normal-weight and overweight/obese men. Twenty-two men were recruited into normal-weight and overweight/obese groups (body mass index: 18.5 to 24.9 and 25.0 to 34.9 kg·m −2 ). Each completed 2 experimental trials, exercise and control. During exercise trials, participants performed 60 min of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise (∼60% peak oxygen uptake) and then rested for 6 h. Participants rested throughout control trials. Circulating fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), follistatin, leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), fetuin-A, and selenoprotein-P (SeP) were measured throughout. Fasted (resting) FGF21 and LECT2 were higher in overweight/obese individuals (129% and 55%; P ≤ 0.01) and correlated with indices of adiposity and insulin resistance; whereas circulating follistatin was lower in overweight/obese individuals throughout trial days (17%, P < 0.05). In both groups, circulating concentrations of FGF21 and follistatin were transiently elevated after exercise for up to 6 h (P ≤ 0.02). Circulating fetuin-A and SeP were no different between groups (P ≥ 0.19) and, along with LECT2, were unaffected by exercise (P ≥ 0.06). These findings show that increased adiposity is associated with a modified hepatokine profile, which may represent a novel mechanism linking excess adiposity to metabolic health. Furthermore, acute perturbations in circulating FGF21 and follistatin after exercise may contribute to the health benefits of an active lifestyle.