Adenovirus-36 Is Associated with Obesity in Children and Adults in Sweden as Determined by Rapid ELISA

Abstract

BackgroundExperimental and natural human adenovirus-36 (Adv36) infection of multiple animal species results in obesity through increasing adipogenesis and lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Presence of Adv36 antibodies detected by serum neutralization assay has previously been associated with obesity in children and adults living in the USA, South Korea and Italy, whereas no association with adult obesity was detected in Belgium/the Netherlands nor among USA military personnel. Adv36 infection has also been shown to reduce blood lipid levels, increase glucose uptake by adipose tissue and skeletal muscle biopsies, and to associate with improved glycemic control in non-diabetic individuals.Principal FindingsUsing a novel ELISA, 1946 clinically well-characterized individuals including 424 children and 1522 non-diabetic adults, and 89 anonymous blood donors, residing in central Sweden representing the population in Stockholm area, were studied for the presence of antibodies against Adv36 in serum. The prevalence of Adv36 positivity in lean individuals increased from ∼7% in 1992–1998 to 15–20% in 2002–2009, which paralleled the increase in obesity prevalence. We found that Adv36-positive serology was associated with pediatric obesity and with severe obesity in females compared to lean and overweight/mildly obese individuals, with a 1.5 to 2-fold Adv36 positivity increase in cases. Moreover, Adv36 positivity was less common among females and males on antilipid pharmacological treatment or with high blood triglyceride level. Insulin sensitivity, measured as lower HOMA-IR, showed a higher point estimate in Adv36-positive obese females and males, although it was not statistically significant (p = 0.08).ConclusionUsing a novel ELISA we show that Adv36 infection is associated with pediatric obesity, severe obesity in adult females and lower risk of high blood lipid levels in non-diabetic Swedish individuals.

The role of adenovirus 36 as a risk factor in obesity: The first clinical study made in the fatty tissues of adults in Turkey

“…However, in line with the relationship between morbid obesity and Ad-36 level described by Almgren et al [6], even less number, we detected BMI ! 40 kg/m 2 in two Ad-36 antibody positive cases of our study.…”

“…Even though, both Almgren et al [6] and Aldhoon-Hainerova et al [7] found a strong correlation in women for Ad-36-obesity relationship, we couldn't find a significant difference between women and men.…”

Are Human Adenovirus-5 and 36 Associated with Obesity in Children?

“…Recently, 4 publications provided initial data on the prevalence of Ad-36–specific antibodies in children. Almgren et al 30 reported a high prevalence of positive Ad-36 serologic status (28.8%) in obese/overweight children compared with lean controls (20.1%) using a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in Sweden. Accordingly, Emma Woman’s University Obesity Research Study evaluated 255 obese Korean schoolchildren 6 to 15 years of age; Ad-36–specific antibodies was found in 28.57% of obese school children, and Ad-36 was found to be strongly associated with lipid disorders in the same group regardless of obesity.…”

Mood Stabilizers and the Influence on Global Leukocyte DNA Methylation in Bipolar Disorder

“…Because smoking has been reported to influence DNA methylation [17] and in a preliminary analysis of BD (n = 96) we found smoking to associate with higher levels of leukocyte methylation, only patients being nonsmokers during the year before sampling were finally included in the study (n = 64). Nonsmoking, normal-weight (BMI 20-25), healthy controls (group IV), age- and gender-matched to the combined BD groups (I-III), were selected from well-characterized healthy individuals from the Stockholm Diabetes Prevention Program at the Karolinska University Hospital [18]. Clinical characteristics of the subjects that were successfully profiled for DNA methylation levels are shown in table 1.…”