title: Persistent organic pollutant levels in human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese individuals--depot differences and dysmetabolism implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with endocrine disrupting activity in the aetiology of obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions has been recently highlighted. Adipose tissue (AT) is a common site of POPs accumulation where they can induce adverse effects on human health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the presence of POPs in human visceral (vAT) and subcutaneous (scAT) adipose tissue in a sample of Portuguese obese patients that underwent bariatric surgery, and assess their putative association with metabolic disruption preoperatively, as well as with subsequent body mass index (BMI) reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  AT samples (n=189) from obese patients (BMI ≥ 35) were collected and the levels of 13 POPs were determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at the time of surgery. BMI variation was evaluated after 12 months and adipocyte size was measured in AT samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data confirm that POPs are pervasive in this obese population (96.3% of detection on both tissues), their abundance increasing with age (RS=0.310, p<0.01) and duration of obesity (RS=0.170, p<0.05). We observed a difference in AT depot POPs storage capability, with higher levels of ΣPOPs in vAT (213.9 ± 204.2 compared to 155.1 ± 147.4 ng/g of fat, p<0.001), extremely relevant when evaluating their metabolic impact. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between POP levels and the presence of metabolic syndrome components, namely dysglycaemia and hypertension, and more importantly with cardiovascular risk (RS=0.277, p<0.01), with relevance for vAT (RS=0.315, p<0.01). Finally, we observed an interesting relation of higher POP levels with lower weight loss in older patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our sample of obese subjects allowed us to highlight the importance of POPs stored in AT on the development of metabolic dysfunction in a context of obesity, shifting the focus to their metabolic effects and not only for their recognition as environmental obesogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal; CINTESIS-Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: diogopestana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diogo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pestana
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, S. João Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Investigation Centre (CIQ), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Requimte-Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, P-4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Virgínia C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norberto
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal; Chemistry Investigation Centre (CIQ), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, P-4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Investigation Centre (CIQ), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luísa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Correia-Sá
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal; Department of Clinical Pathology, Hospital S. João, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, S. João Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taveira-Gomes
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Requimte-Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, P-4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Valentina F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.affiliation: Requimte-Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, P-4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delerue-Matos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rosário
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Centro de Investigação Médica, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal; CINTESIS-Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, P-4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calhau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants
keywords: Adipose tissue; Bariatric surgery; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Persistent organic pollutants