Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology "José Mataix", Biomedical Research Centre, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Ann Nutr Metab. 2018;73(2):89-99. doi: 10.1159/000490669. Epub 2018 Jul 6.
Vitamin D (vitD) deficiency is associated with a wide range of chronic diseases and conditions, including obesity, and with an increasing severity of metabolic dysregulation, such as insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, liver disease, and hypertension, both in children and adults. However, the nature of the association between low vitD status and obesity remains unclear. This fact has motivated the scientific community to conduct genetic association analyses between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D)-related genes and obesity traits. In this line, the variation in the vitD receptor (VDR) gene represents the bulk of the findings. Specifically, polymorphisms in the VDR gene have been associated with obesity traits in some but not all, studies. Thus, results regarding this matter remain inconclusive. Other genes aside from VDR have also been investigated in relation to obesity-related traits. However, again, findings have been inconsistent. In general, results point to the fact that the DBP/GC gene could be an important protein-linking obesity and vitD status. On the other hand, several studies have attempted to determine the molecular mechanism of the relationship between 25(OH)-D levels and obesity. Some of these studies suggest that vitD, due to its fat-soluble characteristic, is retained by the adipose tissue and has the capacity to metabolize 25(OH)-D locally, and this can be altered during obesity. Additionally, vitD is capable of regulating the gene expression related to adipogenesis process, inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolism in mature adipocytes. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to evaluate the association between obesity and vitD deficiency describing the main molecular mechanism of the relationship and the link with genetic factors. Key Messages: Low serum 25(OH)-D is positively associated with obesity or BMI in adults and children. Circulating vitD concentrations are, at least, partially determined by genetic factors. VitD plays an important role in the adipogenesis process and inflammation status in adipocytes and adipose tissue.
维生素 D（vitD）缺乏与广泛的慢性疾病和病症有关，包括肥胖症，并且随着代谢失调的严重程度增加，如胰岛素抵抗、高脂血症、肝病和高血压，在儿童和成人中都有发生。然而，低 vitD 状态与肥胖症之间的关联性质仍不清楚。这一事实促使科学界在 25-羟维生素 D（25[OH]D）相关基因与肥胖特征之间进行遗传关联分析。在这方面，vitD 受体（VDR）基因的变异代表了大部分发现。具体而言，VDR 基因中的多态性与一些但不是所有研究中的肥胖特征有关。因此，关于这个问题的结果仍然没有定论。除了 VDR 之外，其他基因也与肥胖相关特征有关。然而，结果也不一致。总的来说，结果表明 DBP/GC 基因可能是连接肥胖和 vitD 状态的重要蛋白质。另一方面，一些研究试图确定 25（OH）-D 水平与肥胖之间关系的分子机制。其中一些研究表明，由于其脂溶性特征，vitD 被脂肪组织保留，并且能够在局部代谢 25（OH）-D，而在肥胖期间这种代谢能力可能会改变。此外，vitD 能够调节与脂肪生成过程、炎症、氧化应激和成熟脂肪细胞代谢相关的基因表达。因此，本综述的目的是评估肥胖症与 vitD 缺乏症之间的关联，描述这种关系的主要分子机制以及与遗传因素的联系。关键信息：成人和儿童血清 25（OH）-D 水平降低与肥胖或 BMI 呈正相关。循环 vitD 浓度至少部分由遗传因素决定。VitD 在脂肪细胞和脂肪组织中的脂肪生成过程和炎症状态中发挥重要作用。
