Endocrine Abstracts

As known, the number of obese people in the world exceeds 50% of the total population. Тo search the causes of obesity development many researchers pay attention to metabolites of intestinal microflora among which the main ones are short–chain fatty acids (SCFA): acetate (C2), propionate(C3), butyrate(C4). Hormones of food behavior produced by visceral adipose tissue (leptin) and cells of the gastrointestinal tract (ghrelin) also play an important role in the development of obesity

Objective: To evaluate the activity of microbial metabolism in the colon in comparison with changes in hormonal status in obese patients before and after therapeutic weight correction.

Materials and methods: The study included 17 obese patients (7m / 10f, mean age 45.7 ± 6.2 y; BMI 36.2 ± 03.4 kg/m²). Patients received monoamine reuptake inhibitor in the background of hypocaloric diet. Fecal SCFA were determined by GLC–method. Leptin and ghrelin were determined using the ELISA method.

Results: The total concentration of SCFA (TSCFA) in patients before treatment varied widely (5.1–14.8 mg / g) and averaged 9.7 + 3.1 mg/g, (vs norm 10.6 + 2.4 mg/g, NS). The spectrum of metabolites showed a marked decrease of conc. C4 (p < 0.05 vs norm) and increase of conc. C3. Leptin and ghrelin concentrations in the blood were significantly increased: 20.2 ± 7.1 ng / ml and 68.8 ± 18.3 ng / ml.

After therapy BMI was decreased from 36.2 ± 3.4 kg/m² to 33.1 ± 4.6 kg/m² and the structure of fecal metabolites underwent significant changes: conc. of C 2 was decreased. (6.43 ± 2.86 mg / g vs 4.771.26, P < 0.05) and increased C 3 (1.94 ± 0.78 mg /g vs 2.35 ± 0.58, p < 0.05) and C4 (1.23 ± 0.27 mg / g vs 1.65 ± 0.78, P < 0.05). It is likely that these modifications of the metabolite structure cause an upward trend of leptin levels (20.2 ± 7.1 ng / ml vs 25.7 ± 8.3 P = 0.07), since C3 and C4 have been shown to stimulate leptin production (Xiong Y., 2004). An interesting fact is that there is a high degree of correlation between C3 and leptin (r = 0.643, r = 0.05) and TSCFA and leptin (r = 0.714, P = 0.05) only after treatment. There were no correlations with SCFA and leptin before treatment or with ghrelin and fecal SCFA.

Conclusion: Thus, low–molecular metabolites of the fecal microflora have a noticeable effect on the hormonal status of obese patients.