Role of Obesity, Mesenteric Adipose Tissue, and Adipokines in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a group of disorders which include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Obesity is becoming increasingly more common among patients with inflammatory bowel disease and plays a role in the development and course of the disease. This is especially true in the case of Crohn’s disease. The recent results indicate a special role of visceral adipose tissue and particularly mesenteric adipose tissue, also known as “creeping fat”, in pathomechanism, leading to intestinal inflammation. The involvement of altered adipocyte function and the deregulated production of adipokines, such as leptin and adiponectin, has been suggested in pathogenesis of IBD. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology and pathophysiology of obesity in IBD, the influence of a Western diet on the course of Crohn’s disease and colitis in IBD patients and animal’s models, and the potential role of adipokines in these disorders. Since altered body composition, decrease of skeletal muscle mass, and development of pathologically changed mesenteric white adipose tissue are well-known features of IBD and especially of Crohn’s disease, we discuss the possible crosstalk between adipokines and myokines released from skeletal muscle during exercise with moderate or forced intensity. The emerging role of microbiota and the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory enzymes such as intestinal alkaline phosphatase is also discussed, in order to open new avenues for the therapy against intestinal perturbations associated with IBD.

Serum adipokines as non-invasive biomarkers in Crohn’s disease

“…www.nature.com/scientificreports/ Obesity has been associated with IBD prevalence being more common in CD than in ulcerative colitis. However, how obesity affects the development of the pathology has not been elucidated yet 28 . The Nurses' Health Study, from USA, revealed that obesity assessed by BMI was associated with a higher risk of CD than ulcerative colitis 29 .…”

Characterization of the Serum Levels of Meteorin-like in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and its Association with Inflammatory Cytokines

“…Therefore, they can play a crucial role in in ammatory diseases like IBD, which also have a metabolic background [17]. Several studies have shown that, adipokines such as leptin, resistin, visfatin, retinol-binding protein-4, adiponectin, glucose, and insulin are deregulated in the IBD patients [13]. Metrnl is a novel adipokine, which plays a key role in in ammation and insulin resistance improvement [18].…”

Characterization of the Serum Levels of Meteorin-like in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and its Association with Inflammatory Cytokines

“…Therefore, they can play a crucial role in in ammatory diseases like IBD, which also have a metabolic background [17]. Several studies have shown that, adipokines such as leptin, resistin, visfatin, retinol-binding protein-4, adiponectin, glucose, and insulin are deregulated in the IBD patients [13]. Metrnl is a novel adipokine, which has a major role in improvement of in ammation and insulin resistance improvement [18].…”

“…In this way, it was observed that, leptin concentration was decreased in the serum sample obtained from the IBD patients (with or without overweight). While the levels of resistin, adiponectin, and active ghrelin were remarkably increased [13].…”