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Characterization of Visceral Adipose Tissue Proteome Reveals Metabolic Changes and Inflammatory Signatures in Severe Obesity

Dadson, Prince ; Honka, Miikka Juhani ; Suomi, Tomi ; Rokka, Anne ; Kauhanen, Saila ; Salminen, Paulina ; Helmiö, Mika ; James, Peter LU orcid ; Elo, Laura L. and Olkkonen, Vesa M. , et al. (2026) In Obesity 34(1). p.127-137
Abstract

Objective: Severe obesity poses a major public health concern due to its links with cardiometabolic complications and mortality. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plays a key role in these processes through distinct molecular features. This study aimed to characterize the VAT proteome of individuals with severe obesity and investigate its association with serum metabolic biomarkers. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed for 46 individuals with severe obesity undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery and 17 healthy controls undergoing elective abdominal surgery. VAT proteomes were analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and serum metabolites were quantified using nuclear magnetic resonance–based... (More)

Objective: Severe obesity poses a major public health concern due to its links with cardiometabolic complications and mortality. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plays a key role in these processes through distinct molecular features. This study aimed to characterize the VAT proteome of individuals with severe obesity and investigate its association with serum metabolic biomarkers. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed for 46 individuals with severe obesity undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery and 17 healthy controls undergoing elective abdominal surgery. VAT proteomes were analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and serum metabolites were quantified using nuclear magnetic resonance–based metabolomics. Results: LC–MS/MS identified 22 differentially expressed proteins (FDR < 0.05) in VAT with 12 downregulated and 10 upregulated in severe obesity. Downregulated proteins included mitochondrial enzymes involved in substrate metabolism and mitochondrial transmembrane transport. Circulating glucose, valine, and isoleucine correlated negatively with VAT mitochondrial transmembrane and electron transport proteins. Upregulated proteins were associated with inflammation, immune activation, oxidative stress, cytoskeletal remodeling, and protein turnover. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate significant molecular alterations in the VAT proteome associated with severe obesity, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms of metabolic disease. The differentially expressed proteins may serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for obesity-related complications. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00793143 and NCT01373892.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
metabolomics, proteomics, severe obesity, visceral adipose tissue
in
Obesity
volume
34
issue
1
pages
11 pages
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:105018726881
  • pmid:41077621
ISSN
1930-7381
DOI
10.1002/oby.70041
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society.
id
e44f384c-ddd3-45d3-89cc-1c83aff08c6d
date added to LUP
2026-01-22 14:53:54
date last changed
2026-01-23 03:00:02
@article{e44f384c-ddd3-45d3-89cc-1c83aff08c6d,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: Severe obesity poses a major public health concern due to its links with cardiometabolic complications and mortality. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plays a key role in these processes through distinct molecular features. This study aimed to characterize the VAT proteome of individuals with severe obesity and investigate its association with serum metabolic biomarkers. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed for 46 individuals with severe obesity undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery and 17 healthy controls undergoing elective abdominal surgery. VAT proteomes were analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and serum metabolites were quantified using nuclear magnetic resonance–based metabolomics. Results: LC–MS/MS identified 22 differentially expressed proteins (FDR &lt; 0.05) in VAT with 12 downregulated and 10 upregulated in severe obesity. Downregulated proteins included mitochondrial enzymes involved in substrate metabolism and mitochondrial transmembrane transport. Circulating glucose, valine, and isoleucine correlated negatively with VAT mitochondrial transmembrane and electron transport proteins. Upregulated proteins were associated with inflammation, immune activation, oxidative stress, cytoskeletal remodeling, and protein turnover. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate significant molecular alterations in the VAT proteome associated with severe obesity, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms of metabolic disease. The differentially expressed proteins may serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for obesity-related complications. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00793143 and NCT01373892.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dadson, Prince and Honka, Miikka Juhani and Suomi, Tomi and Rokka, Anne and Kauhanen, Saila and Salminen, Paulina and Helmiö, Mika and James, Peter and Elo, Laura L. and Olkkonen, Vesa M. and Nuutila, Pirjo}},
  issn         = {{1930-7381}},
  keywords     = {{metabolomics; proteomics; severe obesity; visceral adipose tissue}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{127--137}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Obesity}},
  title        = {{Characterization of Visceral Adipose Tissue Proteome Reveals Metabolic Changes and Inflammatory Signatures in Severe Obesity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oby.70041}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/oby.70041}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}