title: Soluble CRTC3: A Newly Identified Protein Released by Adipose Tissue That Is Associated with Childhood Obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 3 (CRTC3) is found in adipocytes, where it may promote obesity through disruption of catecholamine signaling. We wished to assess whether CRTC3 is a soluble protein secreted by adipose tissue, explore whether CRTC3 is detectable and quantifiable in the circulation, and ascertain whether CRTC3 serum concentrations are related to metabolic markers in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Explants of adipose tissue from 12 children were cultured to study adipocyte cell size and the secretion of CRTC3 (immunoblot and ELISA). We also performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal study in 211 asymptomatic prepubertal white children at age 7 years, 115 of whom were followed up at age approximately 10 years. We measured circulating concentrations of CRTC3 and studied associations between serum CRTC3 and metabolic markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measurable concentrations of CRTC3 were found in conditioned media of adipose tissue explants and in serum samples. CRTC3 concentrations in visceral adipose tissue were negatively associated with adipocyte cell size and positively related to adipocyte cell number (P < 0.05). In the cross-sectional study, higher CRTC3 concentrations were associated with higher body mass index (P = 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.003), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.007) and lower high molecular weight adiponectin (P = 0.003). In the longitudinal study, serum concentrations of CRTC3 at age approximately 7 years were associated with changes in waist circumference (β = 0.254; P = 0.004; r = 0.145) and high molecular weight adiponectin (β=-0.271; P = 0.014; r = 0.101), respectively, at age approximately 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRTC3, a newly identified protein that is related to childhood obesity, is present in the circulation, partly as a result of adipose tissue secretion. Higher serum CRTC3 concentrations are related to and predict a poorer metabolic profile in children.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Group, Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain; Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain; Department of Physical Therapy, EUSES University School, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; aprats@idibgi.org.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prats-Puig
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Salut Empordà Foundation, Figueres, Spain;
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soriano-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: New Therapeutic Targets Lab (TargetsLab), Unit of Oncology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain;
authors.forename: Glòria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oliveras
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Group, Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain; Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain;
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carreras-Badosa
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Salut Empordà Foundation, Figueres, Spain;
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Espuña
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Group, Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain; Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain;
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Díaz-Roldán
authors.affiliation: Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Zegher
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology, Sant Joan de Déu Children's Hospital, Esplugues, Barcelona; CIBERDEM (Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Group, Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain; Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain;
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bassols
authors.affiliation: New Therapeutic Targets Lab (TargetsLab), Unit of Oncology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain;
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Group, Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain; Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain; TransLab Research Group, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Bermejo
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D048429:Cell Size; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012995:Solubility; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495791:CRTC3 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors