Genes and biochemical pathways in human skeletal muscle affecting resting energy expenditure and fuel partitioning.

Xuxia Wu, Amit Patki, Cristina Lara-Castro, Xiangqin Cui, Kui Zhang, R Grace Walton, Michael V Osier, Gary L Gadbury, David B Allison, Mitchell Martin, W Timothy Garvey

Dept. of Nutrition Sciences, The Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham, 1675 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294-3360, USA.

Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) 2011 Mar

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Genes influencing resting energy expenditure (REE) and respiratory quotient (RQ) represent candidate genes for obesity and the metabolic syndrome because of the involvement of these traits in energy balance and substrate oxidation. We aim to explore the molecular basis for individual variation in REE and fuel partitioning as reflected by RQ. We performed microarray studies in human vastus lateralis muscle biopsies from 40 healthy subjects with measured REE and RQ values. We identified 2,392 and 1,115 genes significantly correlated with REE and RQ, respectively. Genes correlated with REE and RQ encompass a broad array of functions, including carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, gene expression, mitochondrial processes, and membrane transport. Microarray pathway analysis revealed that REE was positively correlated with upregulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling (meet criteria/total genes: 65 of 283) involved in autonomic nervous system functions, including those receptors mediating adre nergic, dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and serotonin action (meet criteria/total genes: 46 of 176). Reduced REE was associated with an increase in genes participating in ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolytic pathways (58 of 232). Serine-type peptidase activity (9 of 76) was positively correlated with RQ, while genes involved in the protein phosphatase type 2A complex (4 of 9), mitochondrial function and cellular respiration (38 of 315), and unfolded protein binding (19 of 97) were associated with reduced RQ values and a preference for lipid fuel metabolism. Individual variations in whole body REE and RQ are regulated by differential expressions of specific genes and pathways intrinsic to skeletal muscle.

Citation

Xuxia Wu, Amit Patki, Cristina Lara-Castro, Xiangqin Cui, Kui Zhang, R Grace Walton, Michael V Osier, Gary L Gadbury, David B Allison, Mitchell Martin, W Timothy Garvey. Genes and biochemical pathways in human skeletal muscle affecting resting energy expenditure and fuel partitioning. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 2011 Mar;110(3):746-55