Scientists from the Department of Physiology at Medical University of Bialystok: dr Elżbieta Supruniuk, dr Ewa Żebrowska and prof. Adrian Chabowski have published a review article entitled ‘Branched chain amino acids - friend or foe in the control of energy substrate turnover and insulin sensitivity?’ in the prestigious journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Journal metrics: Q1 (2020) Impact Factor Quartile, Impact Factor (2020) = 11.176, Q1 (2020) CiteScore Quartile, Ministry of Science and Higher Education score = 200.
Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs; i.e. leucine, isoleucine and valine) constitute 15% -25% of daily consumed proteins and are involved in numerous processes in the human body (Figure 1). Elevated fasting plasma BCAA concentrations are considered as a metabolic hallmark of obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Several processes contribute to the altered systemic BCAA metabolism, including disturbed interactions between the energy substrates turnover, impairment in the mitochondrial function, imbalance between the synthesis and degradation of proteins in the body, as well as individual predispositions resulting from gene polymorphism. However, studies based on BCAA supplementation or reduction in the diet have provided inconclusive, often contradictory results. In the review, the Authors aimed to elucidate mechanisms behind the heterogeneity of ramifications associated with BCAA modulation.
The multidimensional evaluation of the relationship between the metabolism of BCAAs, fatty acids and glucose is also a goal of scientific research conducted at the Department of Physiology as a part of Miniatura 4 project obtained by dr Elżbieta Supruniuk, entitled ‘The role of adipocytic branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the development of obesity in men undergoing bariatric surgery’. The preliminary studies will contribute to the determination of new therapeutic strategies and early diagnosis of metabolic diseases.
Link to the publication: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2021.1977910