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Integrative Biology

The impact of protein quantity during energy restriction on genome-wide gene expression in adipose tissue of obese humans

International Journal of Obesity volume 41, pages 1114–1120 (2017)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Overweight and obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. The most effective strategy to reduce weight is energy restriction (ER). ER has been shown to be beneficial in disease prevention and it reduces chronic inflammation. Recent studies suggest that reducing the protein quantity of a diet contributes to the beneficial effects by ER. The organ most extensively affected during ER is white adipose tissue (WAT).

Objective:

The first objective was to assess changes in gene expression between a high-protein diet and a normal protein diet during ER. Second, the total effect of ER on changes in gene expression in WAT was assessed.

Methods:

In a parallel double-blinded controlled study, overweight older participants adhered to a 25% ER diet, either combined with high-protein intake (HP-ER, 1.7 g kg−1 per day), or with normal protein intake (NP-ER, 0.9 g kg−1 per day) for 12 weeks. From 10 HP-ER participants and 12 NP-ER participants subcutaneous WAT biopsies were collected before and after the diet intervention. Adipose tissue was used to isolate total RNA and to evaluate whole-genome gene expression changes upon a HP-ER and NP-ER diet.

Results:

A different gene expression response between HP-ER and NP-ER was observed for 530 genes. After NP-ER, a downregulation in expression of genes linked to immune cell infiltration, adaptive immune response and inflammasome was found, whereas no such effect was found after HP-ER. HP-ER resulted in upregulation in expression of genes linked to cell cycle, GPCR signalling, olfactory signalling and nitrogen metabolism. Upon 25% ER, gene sets related to energy metabolism and immune response were decreased.

Conclusions:

Based on gene expression changes, we concluded that consumption of normal protein quantity compared with high-protein quantity during ER has a more beneficial effect on inflammation-related gene expression in WAT.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the participants, and Shohreh Keshtkar, Mechteld Grootte-Bromhaar, Jenny Jansen, the nurses and dieticians for their practical work during the study. Furthermore, we thank Philip de Groot for helping with microarray analysis. Funding was provided by NutriTech, which is financed by the European Commission in the 7th Framework Programme FP7, Grant agreement no: 289511 Version date: 2012-11-30. The project is funded by TI Food and Nutrition, a public–private partnership on precompetitive research in food and nutrition. The researchers are responsible for the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish and preparation of the manuscript.

Author contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: EB, MT, CG. Performed the experiments: IB. Analyzed the data: IB, LA. Wrote the paper: IB. Critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content: EB, MT, CG, MM, LA.

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Author notes

  1. M Müller: Current: Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, NR4 7TJ, Norwich, UK.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    I P G Van Bussel, E M P Backx, C P G M De Groot, M Tieland, M Müller & L A Afman

  2. Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    E M P Backx, C P G M De Groot & M Tieland

Authors
  1. I P G Van Bussel
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  2. E M P Backx
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  3. C P G M De Groot
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  4. M Tieland
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  5. M Müller
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  6. L A Afman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L A Afman.

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Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on International Journal of Obesity website

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Van Bussel, I., Backx, E., De Groot, C. et al. The impact of protein quantity during energy restriction on genome-wide gene expression in adipose tissue of obese humans. Int J Obes 41, 1114–1120 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2017.76

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