Caloric dose-responsive genes in blood cells differentiate the metabolic status of obese men.
We have investigated the postprandial transcriptional response of blood cells to increasing caloric doses of a meal challenge to test whether the dynamic response of the human organism to the ingestion of food is dependent on metabolic health. The randomized crossover study included seven normal weight and seven obese men consuming three doses (500/1000/1500 kcal) of a high-fat meal. The blood cell transcriptome was measured before and 2, 4, and 6 h after meal ingestion (168 samples). We applied univariate and multivariate statistics to investigate differentially expressed genes in both study groups. We identified 624 probe sets that were up- or down-regulated after the caloric challenge in a dose-dependent manner. These transcripts were most responsive to the 1500 kcal challenge in the obese group and were associated with postprandial insulin and oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, the data revealed a separation of the obese group into individuals whose response was close to the normal weight group and individuals with a transcriptional response indicative of a loss of metabolic flexibility. The molecular signature provided by the postprandial transcriptomic response of blood cells to increasing caloric doses of a high-fat meal challenge may represent a sensitive way to evaluate the qualitative impact of food on human health.
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: doreen.gille@agroscope.admin.ch.
Doreen
D
Gille
Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: nadine.zangger@sib.swiss.
Nadine
N
Zangger
Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: charlottesoneson@gmail.com.
Charlotte
C
Soneson
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: ueli.buetikofer@agroscope.admin.ch.
Ueli
U
Bütikofer
Bioinformatics Core Facility, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: mauro.delorenzi@isb-sib.ch.
Mauro
M
Delorenzi
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: flurina.schwander@gmail.com.
Flurina
F
Schwander
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: katrin.kopf@bfh.ch.
Katrin A
KA
Kopf-Bolanz
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: magali.chollet@agroscope.admin.ch.
Magali
M
Chollet
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: barbara.walther@agroscope.admin.ch.
Barbara
B
Walther
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: kurt.laederach@insel.ch.
Kurt
K
Laederach
Agroscope, Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: guy.vergeres@agroscope.admin.ch.
Guy
G
Vergères
D000328:Adult; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D019518:Postprandial Period
D008055:Lipids
Dose–Response; Gene expression; High-fat meal; Insulin; Oxidative phosphorylation