Expression of obesity-related adipokine genes during fasting in a naturally obese marine mammal.

Expression of obesity-related adipokine genes during fasting in a naturally obese marine mammal. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2019 Aug 07;: Authors: Khudyakov JI, Abdollahi E, Ngo AL, Sandhu GK, Stephan AP, Costa DP, Crocker DE Abstract Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are exceptional among fasting-adapted animals in coupling prolonged fasting with energetically costly activities, relying on oxidation of fat stores accrued during foraging to power metabolic demands of reproduction and molting. We hypothesized that high rates of energy expenditure, insulin resistance, and immune responses to colonial breeding in fasting seals are mediated by adipokines, or signaling molecules secreted by adipose tissue that are associated with obesity and inflammation in humans. We measured mRNA expression of 10 adipokine genes in blubber tissue of adult female elephant seals sampled early and late during their lactation and molting fasts and correlated gene expression with adiposity and circulating levels of corticosteroid and immune markers. Expression of adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and its receptor ADIPOR2, leptin receptor (LEPR), resistin (RETN), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), and visfatin/nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) was increased, whereas that of fat mass and obesity associated protein (FTO) was decreased in late-fasted compared to early-fasted groups. Abundance of adipokine transcripts that increased in...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology - Category: Physiology Authors: Tags: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Source Type: research