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The lung innate immune gene surfactant protein-D is expressed in adipose tissue and linked to obesity status

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Abstract

Background:

Surfactant protein-D (SFTPD) is a component of the lung innate immunity that enhances clearance of pathogens and modulates inflammatory responses. An inverse association of putative, lung-derived circulating SFTPD with obesity has been reported but no information is available concerning possible SFTPD gene expression in human adipose tissue.

Methods:

SFTPD gene expression was analyzed in human omental (OM; n=156) and subcutaneous (SC; n=106) adipose tissue, and in isolated fat cells (n=12) in association with measures of obesity and glucose tolerance.

Results:

SFTPD gene was expressed in human adipose tissue and adipocytes. This expression was decreased in OM and SC adipose tissue from obese subjects with (−47%, P<0.0001; and −37%, P=0.048) and without (−34%, P=0.001; and −22%, P=0.08; respectively) type 2 diabetes when compared with the control group. Indeed, OM SFTPD was inversely associated with body mass index (r=−0.33, P<0.0001), percent fat mass (r=−0.36, P<0.0001), waist perimeter (r=−0.26, P=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (r=−0.21, P=0.018) and fasting glucose (r=−0.21, P=0.012); and positively linked to the expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1; r=0.25, P=0.004), perilipin A (PLIN; r=0.38, P=0.007) and fatty acid synthase (FASN; r=0.36, P<0.0001). Accordingly, increased SFTPD (4.5-fold, P=0.02) was detected in isolated adipocytes when compared with the stromal-vascular cell fraction, in parallel to IRS1, FASN and PLIN.

Conclusions:

Both OM and SC adipose tissue (mainly mature adipocytes) express SFTPD. This expression decreases with obesity and impaired glucose tolerance.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly appreciate the technical assistance of Gerard Pardo, Ester Guerra and Oscar Rovira (Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition; Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr Josep Trueta). This work was supported by research grants from the Ministerio de Economía y Comeptitividad (FIS PI11/00214) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERobn).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn, CB06/03/0010) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    F J Ortega, N Pueyo, J M Moreno-Navarrete, M Sabater, W Ricart, F J Tinahones & J M Fernández-Real

  2. Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), Institut d’Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain

    F J Ortega, N Pueyo, J M Moreno-Navarrete, M Sabater, W Ricart & J M Fernández-Real

  3. Department of Surgery, Institut d’Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain

    J I Rodriguez-Hermosa

  4. Service of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de Victoria de Malaga, Málaga, Spain

    F J Tinahones

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  1. F J Ortega
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  2. N Pueyo
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  3. J M Moreno-Navarrete
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  4. M Sabater
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  5. J I Rodriguez-Hermosa
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  6. W Ricart
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  8. J M Fernández-Real
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Correspondence to J M Fernández-Real.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Author contribution

All authors of this manuscript have directly participated in the execution and analysis of the study. FJO wrote the manuscript, designed the study, participated in the analysis of biochemical variables and performed the statistical analysis. NP, JMM-N and MS analyzed biochemical variables. JIR-H obtained the biopsies of human adipose tissue, the anthropometrical characteristics and the written consent of patients. WR participated in the conception and coordination of this study. JMFR carried out the conception and coordination of the study, and contributed to write the manuscript.

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Ortega, F., Pueyo, N., Moreno-Navarrete, J. et al. The lung innate immune gene surfactant protein-D is expressed in adipose tissue and linked to obesity status. Int J Obes 37, 1532–1538 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2013.23

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