Exposure to 4,4'-DDE in visceral adipose tissue and weight loss in adolescents from the Teen-LABS cohort

Authors: RUBBO, BRUNA - University Of Southern California; LI, ZHENJIANG - University Of Southern California; TACHACHARTVANICH, PHUM - University Of California, Davis; BAUMERT, BRITTNEY - University Of Southern California; WANG, HONGXU - University Of Southern California; PAN, SHUDI - University Of Southern California; ROCK, SARAH - University Of Southern California; RYDER, JUSTIN - Northwestern University; JENKINS, TODD - University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine; SISLEY, STEPHANIE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); LIN, XIANGPING - The Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai; BARTELL, SCOTT - University Of California Irvine; INGE, THOMAS - Northwestern University; XANTHAKOS, STAVRA - University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine; MCNEIL, BROOKLYNN - Columbia University; ROBUCK, ANNA - The Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai; LA MERRILL, MICHELE - University Of California, Davis; WALKER, DOUGLAS - Emory University; CONTI, DAVID - University Of Southern California; MCCONNELL, ROB - University Of Southern California; ECKEL, SANDRAH - University Of Southern California; CHATZI, LIDA - University Of Southern California

Submitted to: Obesity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2024
Publication Date: 3/22/2024
Citation: Rubbo, B., Li, Z., Tachachartvanich, P., Baumert, B.O., Wang, H., Pan, S., Rock, S., Ryder, J.R., Jenkins, T., Sisley, S., Lin, X., Bartell, S., Inge, T.H., Xanthakos, S., McNeil, B., Robuck, A.R., La Merrill, M.A., Walker, D.I., Conti, D.V., McConnell, R., Eckel, S.P., Chatzi, L. 2024. Exposure to 4,4'-DDE in visceral adipose tissue and weight loss in adolescents from the Teen-LABS cohort. Obesity. 32(5):1023-1032. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24009.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24009

Interpretive Summary: It is currently unknown if a chemical called DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) affects weight loss in teens who have surgery to lose weight. This is important because DDE can build up in fat and may make it harder to lose weight. Researchers in Houston, Texas studied 63 teenagers who had weight loss surgery and did tests on fat cells in a lab. They found that teens with less DDE in their body fat lost more weight after surgery than those with more DDE. The lab tests showed that DDE might make fat cells grow bigger. This study helps researchers understand why some teens might have trouble losing weight after surgery, which could identify better strategies to help them get healthier.

Technical Abstract: Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), an obesogen accumulating in adipose tissue, is released into circulation with weight loss, although its impact is underexplored among adolescents. We tested the association using an integrative translational approach of epidemiological analysis among adolescents with obesity and in vitro measures exploring the impact of DDE on adipogenesis via preadipocytes. We included 63 participants from the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) cohort. We assessed 4,4'-DDE in visceral adipose tissue at surgery and BMI and waist circumference at surgery and 0.5, 1, 3, and 5'years after. We conducted longitudinal analysis to estimate the interaction on weight loss between DDE and time since surgery. In vitro analysis quantified adipogenic differentiation in commercial human preadipocytes exposed to 4,4'-DDE via fluorescent staining and imaging. A dose–response relationship was observed, with the low-exposure group having a greater reduction in BMI during the first year compared to higher-exposure groups and showing smaller regains compared to higher-exposure groups after the first year. In vitro analysis of preadipocytes treated with 4,4'-DDE during adipogenic differentiation for 12'days showed a concentration-dependent increase in lipid accumulation. DDE could contribute to weight trajectory among adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery, potentially mediated via promoted adipogenesis in preadipocytes.