title: Longitudinal investigation of adenovirus 36 seropositivity and human obesity: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adenovirus-36 (Adv-36) infection is associated with exaggerated adipogenesis in cell culture and the development of obesity in animal models and humans, but a causal relationship remains unproven. Our objective was to determine whether serological evidence of Adv-36 infection in childhood and/or adulthood is associated with adult obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired plasma concentrations of Adv-36 antibodies were measured by a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a subgroup (n=449) of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in childhood (mean age 11.9 years) and adulthood (mean age 41.3 years). The study group included (1) individuals who had maintained normal-weight status (2) those who became obese adults from a normal-weight status in childhood and (3) those that were overweight/obese as a child and obese as an adult.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (s.d.) time between baseline and follow-up was 29.4 (3.2) years (range 21-31 years). A total of 24.4% of individuals who were normal weight throughout life were seropositive for Adv-36 during child and/or adulthood as compared with 32.3% of those who became obese adults (P=0.11). Those who became obese in adulthood were more likely to be Adv-36 seropositive as adults compared with those who maintained normal weight (21.3% vs. 11.6%, P=0.02). This difference was mediated by a decline in Adv-36 seropositivity between child and adulthood in those maintaining normal weight. No differences were observed in body mass index across the life course, nor in waist circumference in adult life, between those who were Adv-36 seronegative or seropositive at any age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals who gained weight across the life course were more likely to be Adv-36 seropositive in adult life than those who did not gain weight. However, analysis of change in weight status in relation to Adv-36 positivity did not support a causal role for Adv-36 in the development of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sabin
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burgner
authors.affiliation: Obetech Obesity Research Center, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: Obetech Obesity Research Center, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pei-Lun Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.|Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kähönen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, University of Tampere School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jokinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hutri-Kähönen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J S A
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juonala
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.|Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.|Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors