title: Decreased mitochondrial proton leak and reduced expression of uncoupling protein 3 in skeletal muscle of obese diet-resistant women.
abstract: Weight loss in response to caloric restriction is variable. Because skeletal muscle mitochondrial proton leak may account for a large proportion of resting metabolic rate, we compared proton leak in diet-resistant and diet-responsive overweight women and compared the expression and gene characteristics of uncoupling protein (UCP)2 and UCP3. Of 1,129 overweight women who completed the University of Ottawa Weight Management Clinic program, 353 met compliance criteria and were free of medical conditions that could affect weight loss. Subjects were ranked according to percent body weight loss during the first 6 weeks of a 900-kcal meal replacement protocol. The highest and lowest quintiles of weight loss were defined as diet responsive and diet resistant, respectively. After body weight had been stable for at least 10 weeks, 12 of 70 subjects from each group consented to muscle biopsy and blood sampling for determinations of proton leak, UCP mRNA expression, and genetic studies. Despite similar baseline weight and age, weight loss was 43% greater, mitochondrial proton leak-dependent (state 4) respiration was 51% higher (P = 0.0062), and expression of UCP3 mRNA abundance was 25% greater (P < 0.001) in diet-responsive than in diet-resistant subjects. There were no differences in UCP2 mRNA abundance. None of the known polymorphisms in UCP3 or its 5' flanking sequence were associated with weight loss or UCP3 mRNA abundance. Thus, proton leak and the expression of UCP3 correlate with weight loss success and may be candidates for pharmacological regulation of fat oxidation in obese diet-resistant subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontarion, Canada. mharper@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: Mary-Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dent
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monemdjou
authors.forename: Véronic
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bézaire
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Wyck
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Gul Nihan
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Kavaslar
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tesson
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McPherson
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011522:Protons; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D017211:Treatment Failure; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011522:Protons; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000604389:UCP2 protein, human; C000604392:UCP3 protein, human; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3