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. 2008 Jul;295(1):E148-54.
doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00580.2007. Epub 2008 May 6.

Acquired obesity and poor physical fitness impair expression of genes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in monozygotic twins discordant for obesity

Linda Mustelin  1 , Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Aila Rissanen, Anssi R Sovijärvi, Päivi Piirilä, Jussi Naukkarinen, Leena Peltonen, Jaakko Kaprio, Hannele Yki-Järvinen
Affiliations

Acquired obesity and poor physical fitness impair expression of genes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in monozygotic twins discordant for obesity

Linda Mustelin et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jul.

Abstract

Defects in expression of genes of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria have been suggested to be a key pathophysiological feature in familial insulin resistance. We examined whether such defects can arise from lifestyle-related factors alone. Fourteen obesity-discordant (BMI difference 5.2 +/- 1.8 kg/m(2)) and 10 concordant (1.0 +/- 0.7 kg/m(2)) monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs aged 24-27 yr were identified among 658 MZ pairs in the population-based FinnTwin16 study. Whole body insulin sensitivity was measured using the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique. Transcript profiles of mitochondrial genes were compared using microarray data of fat biopsies from discordant twins. Body composition of twins was determined using DEXA and maximal oxygen uptake (Vo(2max)) and working capacity (W(max)) using a bicycle ergometer exercise test with gas exchange analysis. The obese cotwins had lower insulin sensitivity than their nonobese counterparts (M value 6.1 +/- 2.0 vs. 9.2 +/- 3.2 mg x kg LBM(-1) x min(-1), P < 0.01). Transcript levels of genes involved in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (GO:0006119) in adipose tissue were lower (P < 0.05) in the obese compared with the nonobese cotwins. The obese cotwins were also less fit, as measured by Vo(2max) (50.6 +/- 6.5 vs. 54.2 +/- 6.4 ml x kg LBM(-1) x min(-1), for obese vs. nonobese, P < 0.05), W(max) (3.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.7 W/kg LBM, P < 0.01) and also less active, by the Baecke leisure time physical activity index (2.8 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.3 +/- 0.6, P < 0.01). This implies that acquired poor physical fitness is associated with defective expression of the oxidative pathway components in adipose tissue mitochondria.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Transcription of the genes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (GO:0006119) was coordinately downregulated in the obese cotwins' adipose tissue compared with transcription in the nonobese cotwins' adipose tissue in 13 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs discordant for obesity. The nonobese cotwins' gene expression values are set as 1.0. The x-axis shows the ratio of the obese to non-bese cotwins' expression values. On the y-axis are the 30 most differentially expressed genes until optimum pathway composition was reached.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Relationships between mean oxidative phosphorylation pathway activity and maximal O2 consumption (V̇o2max; r = 0.42, P < 0.05; A) and the M value (r = 0.35, P < 0.05; B). LBM, lean body mass. Scale unit is 1 SD, and the sample mean is in the middle of the scale.
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