Effects of Weight Loss on Adipose and Muscular Neuropilin 1 mRNA Expression in Obesity: Potential Implication in SARS-CoV-2 Infections?

Dominik Soll; Finja Beer; Leonard Spranger; Linna Li; Joachim Spranger; Knut Mai

doi:10.1159/000520419

Obesity Facts (Dec 2021)

Effects of Weight Loss on Adipose and Muscular Neuropilin 1 mRNA Expression in Obesity: Potential Implication in SARS-CoV-2 Infections?

Dominik Soll,
Finja Beer,
Leonard Spranger,
Linna Li,
Joachim Spranger,
Knut Mai

Affiliations

Dominik Soll: ORCiD; Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
Finja Beer: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
Leonard Spranger: ORCiD; Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
Linna Li: ORCiD; Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
Joachim Spranger: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
Knut Mai: ORCiD; Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000520419

Abstract

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Introduction: Neuropilin 1 (NRP-1) is a novel co-receptor promoting SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Animal data indicate a role in trans-endothelial lipid transport and storage. As human data are sparse, we aimed to assess the role of NRP-1 in 2 metabolic active tissues in human obesity and in the context of weight loss-induced short- and long-term metabolic changes. Methods: After a standardized 12-week weight reduction program, 143 subjects (age >18; body mass index ≥27 kg/m2, 78% female) were randomized to a 12-month lifestyle intervention or a control group using a stratified randomization scheme. This was followed by 6-month follow-up without any intervention. Phenotyping was performed before and after weight loss, after 12-month intervention and after subsequent 6 months of follow-up. Tissue-specific insulin sensitivity was estimated by HOMA-IR (whole body and mostly driven by liver), insulin sensitivity index (ISI)Clamp (predominantly skeletal muscle), and free fatty acid (FFA) suppression during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (FFASupp) (predominantly adipose tissue). NRP-1 mRNA expression was measured in subcutaneous adipose tissue (NRP-1AT) and skeletal muscle (NRP-1SM) before and after weight loss. Results: NRP-1 was highly expressed in adipose tissue (7,893 [7,303–8,536] counts), but neither NRP-1AT nor NRP-1SM were related to estimates of obesity. Higher NRP-1AT was associated with stronger FFASupp (r = −0.343, p = 0.003) and a tendency to higher ISIClamp (r = 0.202, p = 0.085). Weight loss induced a decline of NRP-1AT but not NRP-1SM. This was more pronounced in subjects with stronger reduction of adipose ACE-2 mRNA expression (r = 0.250; p = 0.032) but was not associated with short- and long-term improvement of FFASupp and ISIClamp. Conclusion: NRP-1AT is related to adipose insulin sensitivity in obesity. Weight loss-induced decline of NRP-1AT seems not to be involved in metabolic short- and long-term improvements after weight loss. However, weight loss-induced reduction of both NRP-1AT and ACE-2AT indicates a lower susceptibility of adipose tissue for SARS-CoV-2 after body weight reduction.

Published in Obesity Facts

ISSN: 1662-4025 (Print); 1662-4033 (Online)
Publisher: Karger Publishers
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply; Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Website: http://www.karger.com/ofa

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