Korean J Obes.  2013 Dec;22(4):187-196.

The Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow of Pathogen-induced Obesity

• Na HN
• Nam JH

Abstract

The American Medical Association officially declared obesity a disease. However, obesity is caused by genetic, social, environmental, and physiological factors. Among the many factors, infection by some pathogens has a significant impact on obesity and has been called infectobesity. In particular, human adenovirus 36 (Ad36) increases adipose tissue in animals and body fat in humans. Interestingly, Ad36-induced obesity paradoxically improves glycemic control by decreasing serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and insulin, in contrast to high-fat diet obesity. Some epidemiological studies in Korea, the US, and Italy have demonstrated that Ad36 infection is associated with human obesity. The virus-infected subjects in those studies showed increased body fat and body mass index but decreased serum lipid and insulin levels. This phenomenon may be affected by inflammation, mitochondrial activity, and glucose uptake. Moreover the Ad36 gene, E4orf1, also increases adipogenesis and improves glucose uptake. Therefore, E4orf1 may be a template for a therapeutic agent to treat hyperinsulinemia. Thus, Ad36 and E4orf1 are crucial therapeutic agents to treat obesity-related metabolic diseases.

Keyword

Infectobesity; Human adenovirus 36; E4orf1; Inflammation; Glycemic control

MeSH Terms

Adenoviruses, Human
Adipogenesis
Adipose Tissue
American Medical Association
Animals
Body Mass Index
Cholesterol
Diet, High-Fat
Glucose
Humans
Hyperinsulinism
Inflammation
Insulin
Italy
Korea
Metabolic Diseases
Obesity*
Triglycerides
Cholesterol
Glucose
Insulin
Triglycerides