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Adiposity varies among individuals with the influence of diverse physiological, pathological, environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors, but a unified molecular basis remains elusive. Here, we identify HSP47, a collagen-specific chaperone, as a key determinant of body adiposity. HSP47 expression is abundant in adipose tissue; increased with feeding, overeating, and obesity; decreased with fasting, exercise, calorie restriction, bariatric surgery, and cachexia; and correlated with fat mass, BMI, waist, and hip circumferences. Insulin and glucocorticoids, respectively, up- and down-regulate HSP47 expression. In humans, the increase of HSP47 gene expression by its intron or synonymous variants is associated with higher body adiposity traits. In mice, the adipose-specific knockout or pharmacological inhibition of HSP47 leads to lower body adiposity compared to the control. Mechanistically, HSP47 promotes collagen dynamics in the folding, secretion, and interaction with integrin, which activates FAK signaling and preserves PPARγ protein from proteasomal degradation, partly related to MDM2. The study highlights the significance of HSP47 in determining the amount of body fat individually and under various circumstances.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43080-x | DOI Listing |
J Sci Food Agric
September 2025
Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
Background: Astaxanthin Z-isomers have attracted much attention because recent studies have demonstrated that they exhibit greater bioavailability and biological activity than the naturally predominant all-E-isomer. However, the plasma appearance and tissue distribution of astaxanthin isomers when administered with a diet rich in astaxanthin Z-isomers are largely unknown. To understand the health benefits and safety of astaxanthin Z-isomers, it is important to study the in vivo kinetics of the isomers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Hum Genet
August 2025
Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, Medical Sciences Division, University o
Overall adiposity and body fat distribution are heritable traits associated with altered risk of cardiometabolic disease and mortality. Performing rare-variant (minor allele frequency <1%) association testing using exome-sequencing data from 402,375 participants of European ancestry in the UK Biobank for nine overall and tissue-specific fat distribution traits, we identified 19 genes where putatively damaging rare variation associated with at least one trait (Bonferroni-adjusted p < 1.58 × 10) and 50 additional genes at false discovery rate (FDR) ≤1% (p ≤ 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Stem Cell
September 2025
Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. Electronic address:
Fat depots across the body dynamically tune their sizes in response to nutrient demands and nonmetabolic cues. Writing in Cell Stem Cell, Rivera-Gonzalez et al. report that skin fat, notable for its ability to rapidly expand, harbors molecularly distinct precursors, primed for proliferation and differentiation into mature adipocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurg Oncol
September 2025
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address:
Introduction: Body composition including low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) defined by skeletal muscle index (SMI) and subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (SAT and VAT) can be assessed using cross-sectional imaging techniques. Previous studies have shown promising prognostic value for several tumour entities, including esophageal cancer (EC). The aim of this study was to analyse possible associations of body composition parameters in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing curative treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppl Physiol Nutr Metab
September 2025
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada;
Long-haul truck drivers (LHTD) face unique occupational challenges, including prolonged sedentary periods, irregular meal patterns, and limited access to physical activity, contributing to high levels of adiposity and elevated risks for chronic diseases. This study examined relationships between anthropometric measures, body composition, physical fitness, and occupational factors among Canadian LHTD and compared field-testing equipment for assessments of body composition. 197 LHTD underwent assessments of body anthropometry (body mass index, skinfold thickness, bioelectrical impedance analysis, segment circumference), grip strength, and completed a survey on physical activity and the work environment.
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