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Obesity is a major risk factor for a number of disorders ranging from type II diabetes to cardiovascular disease, however, the molecular basis for these associations has not been be fully clarified. A number of adipokines, cytokines expressed exclusively or at an elevated level in adipose tissue, have been identified that play key roles in regulating energy homeostasis by affecting insulin sensitivity, glucose and lipid metabolism and satiety. Dysregulated expression of adipokines may link obesity with its related metabolic disorders. We have developed a proteomics platform that enables the direct identification and functional characterization of adipokines from cells derived from human subcutaneous and visceral adipose depots. Adipocytes isolated from different fat depots (subcutaneous and visceral) from subjects with a spectrum of BMI (19-42) and diabetic progression, were subjected to Mass Spectrometric (MS) analyses. Preadipocytes isolated from adipose tissue were differentiated for 2 weeks, before being incubated in conditioned medium. Secreted and shed proteins released into the medium were labeled with ICAT and digested with trypsin. The cysteine-containing peptides were subjected to Liquid Chromatography (LC) / MS analysis. Peptide maps representing different adipocyte populations were compared and candidates that were differentially expressed were selected. Sequence-composition was resolved through tandem MS and database search. The functionality of a number of these adipokines was evaluated in a series of RNAi-based assays, established in human adipocytes, to determine the possible involvement of these secreted proteins in key metabolic transitions including: lipolysis and glucose uptake. Our systematic proteomic analysis has resulted in the identification of > 20 adipokines. A number of previously characterized secreted proteins, including visfatin and complement C1r were identified. In addition, a number of novel candidates that included: a protease inhibitor, a hydrolase and a molecule involved in cell-adhesion, were also resolved. Interestingly, subsequent comparison of the MS maps within the adipocyte samples revealed significant differences in expression of secreted / shed proteins isolated from: (i) subcutaneous and visceral depots, (ii) lean and obese subjects and (iii) normal and diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Early detection of disease enables prompt treatment that can prevent disease progression and costly health outcomes. We report incidence of previously unrecognized disease and investigate the expected effect of early detection and care on health outcomes., Study Design: Population health study based on laboratory evidence., Methods: Laboratory evidence of prediabetes, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and colorectal cancer was evaluated in an employee and spouse population (65% women; mean [SD] age = 46 [12] years). Expected disease progression was assessed., Results: Annual screening found laboratory evidence for 1185 previously unrecognized cases of prediabetes, 287 cases of diabetes, 73 cases of chronic kidney disease, and 669 positive colorectal screens per 10,000 people., Conclusions: Early identification and appropriate medical care may delay 34 cases of end-stage kidney disease and prevent diabetes-related complications, 210 cases of diabetes, and 3 cases of late-stage colorectal cancer over 5 years per 1000 cases identified.

The long half-life and stability of human serum albumin (HSA) make it an attractive candidate for fusion to short-lived therapeutic proteins. Albuferon (Human Genome Sciences [HGS], Inc., Rockville, MD) beta is a novel recombinant protein derived from a gene fusion of interferon-beta (IFN-beta ) and HSA. In vitro, Albuferon beta displays antiviral and antiproliferative activities and triggers the IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) signal transduction pathway. Array analysis of 5694 independent genes in Daudi-treated cells revealed that Albuferon beta and IFN-beta induce the expression of an identical set of 30 genes, including 9 previously not identified. In rhesus monkeys administered a dose of 50 microg/kg intravenously (i.v.) or subcutaneously (s.c.) or 300 microg/kg s.c., Albuferon beta demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Subcutaneous bioavailability was 87%, plasma clearance at 4.7-5.7 ml/h/kg was approximately 140-fold lower than that of IFN-beta, and the terminal half-life was 36-40 h compared with 8 h for IFN-beta. Importantly, Albuferon beta induced sustained increases in serum neopterin levels and 2',5' mRNA expression. At a molar dose equivalent to one-half the dose of IFN-beta, Albuferon beta elicited comparable neopterin responses and significantly higher 2',5'-OAS mRNA levels in rhesus monkeys. The enhanced in vivo pharmacologic properties of IFN-beta when fused to serum albumin suggest a clinical opportunity for improved IFN-beta therapy.