About this Research Topic

Background

The metabolic syndrome and its associated conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, are major health concerns worldwide. Inter-organ communication plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Obesity is a complex condition characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, often resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. This imbalance can arise from various factors, including genetic predisposition, dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, and hormonal dysregulation. Interactions and communication between different organs and tissues in the body are essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. For example, in the inter-organ crosstalk, adipose tissue, the liver, or skeletal muscle can actively release secreted factors termed “organokines” which can interact with other distant targets in complex networks. Disruptions in this communication can contribute to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders.

Recent research in the field has identified several novel mediators involved in the communication between different organs. One example is exosomes, which are small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that contain proteins, nucleic acids, and other bioactive molecules. Exosomes derived from adipose tissue, liver, and other organs have been shown to carry specific cargoes, such as miRNAs and proteins, that can modulate metabolic processes in recipient cells and tissues. Another example is gut microbiota-derived metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids, that can act as signaling molecules and affect host metabolism. Along with regulating metabolic processes themselves, dietary nutrients and food-derived compounds may also be involved in modulating inter-organ cross-talk and communication.

These examples highlight the diverse array of mediators involved in inter-organ crosstalk and their roles in regulating metabolic processes, and the influence of various nutrients and food-derived compounds. Furthermore, Understanding the mechanisms and implications of these mediators in the development of obesity and associated metabolic disorders is crucial for developing effective strategies to prevent and treat obesity-related metabolic disorders.

In this Research Topic we aim to bring together a collection of research and review articles exploring the inter-organ signaling networks in relation to the features of metabolic syndrome, such as:

• The role of peptide, small-molecule and lipid mediators secreted by metabolic tissues
• Neural cues from the central nervous system
• Novel mediators such as extracellular vesicles and their non-traditional cargoes such as miRNAs and lncRNAs
• Impacts of nutrients and food-derived compounds on inter-organ cross-talk and communication and their mechanisms
• Links between diet, the gut microbiota, and metabolic signaling – for example via short-chain fatty acids
• Associations between dietary patterns and epidemiological evidence, metabolic cross-talk, and health outcomes
• Dietary and nutritional interventions for preventing and treating obesity and metabolic diseases through
modulation of inter-organ signaling and communication

Keywords: obesity, metabolic syndrome, signalling molecules, metabolism, exosomes, microbial metabolites, adipokines, myokines, gut hormones, signals, hormones, peptides, mediators, cytokine, adipokine, miRTNA, SCFA, short-chain fatty acid

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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