Energy restriction in obese subjects impact differently two mitochondrial function markers

Excessive fat deposition is the key feature in obesity, which is empowered by cytokines overproduction and stimulation of cell oxidative stress processes, but little is known about energy availability in the form of ATP and mitochondrial function in the obese subjects. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible changes in energy metabolism after a 8-weeks balanced-hypocaloric diet in obese subjects by measuring the ATP-content in leukocytes, by assessing 2-keto[1-13C]isocaproate breath test (KICA-BT) parameters related to mitochondrial function and by analyzing inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. All the recruited obese subjects (n = 19) lost body weight after dieting (-5.55 +/- 2.88%). The hypocaloric treatment induced a decrease in leptin levels and lipid peroxidation markers. Interestingly, the ATP content in blood leukocytes increased (49.9 +/- 32.5 vs 36.2 +/- 27.9 pmol/mg prot.; p < 0.05), while KICA tracer mitochondrial oxidation decreased (30.9 +/- 5.9 vs. 33.1 +/- 4.5 % 13C; p < 0.05) after weight loss. These results show that two minimally invasive methods were able to detect changes in mitochondrial function as induced by a hypocaloric diet, which is of great interest in order to understand oxidative processes associated with weight homeostasis as well as to establish newer anti-obesity therapeutic targets by using mitochondrial function markers in vivo.