Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity contributes to Type 2 diabetes by promoting systemic insulin resistance. Obesity causes features of metabolic dysfunction in the adipose tissue that may contribute to later impairments of insulin action in skeletal muscle and...

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Main Authors: Hammarstedt Ann, Graham Timothy E, Kahn Barbara B
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-09-01
Series:Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.dmsjournal.com/content/4/1/42
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author Hammarstedt Ann
Graham Timothy E
Kahn Barbara B
author_facet Hammarstedt Ann
Graham Timothy E
Kahn Barbara B
author_sort Hammarstedt Ann
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity contributes to Type 2 diabetes by promoting systemic insulin resistance. Obesity causes features of metabolic dysfunction in the adipose tissue that may contribute to later impairments of insulin action in skeletal muscle and liver; these include reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport, reduced expression of GLUT4, altered expression of adipokines, and adipocyte hypertrophy. Animal studies have shown that expansion of adipose tissue alone is not sufficient to cause systemic insulin resistance in the absence of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction. To determine if this holds true for humans, we studied the relationship between insulin resistance and markers of adipose tissue dysfunction in non-obese individuals.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>32 non-obese first-degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients were recruited. Glucose tolerance was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity was measured with the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Blood samples were collected and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsies obtained for gene/protein expression and adipocyte cell size measurements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our findings show that also in non-obese individuals low insulin sensitivity is associated with signs of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction characterized by low expression of GLUT4, altered adipokine profile and enlarged adipocyte cell size. In this group, insulin sensitivity is positively correlated to GLUT4 mRNA (R = 0.49, p = 0.011) and protein (R = 0.51, p = 0.004) expression, as well as with circulating adiponectin levels (R = 0.46, 0 = 0.009). In addition, insulin sensitivity is inversely correlated to circulating RBP4 (R = −0.61, 0 = 0.003) and adipocyte cell size (R = −0.40, p = 0.022). Furthermore, these features are inter-correlated and also associated with other clinical features of the metabolic syndrome in the absence of obesity. No association could be found between the hypertrophy-associated adipocyte dysregulation and HIF-1alpha in this group of non-obese individuals.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, these findings support the concept that it is not obesity <it>per se,</it> but rather metabolic dysfunction of adipose tissue that is associated with systemic insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-9855fc26afd24e07abd624564787b46e2022-12-21T19:01:40ZengBMCDiabetology & Metabolic Syndrome1758-59962012-09-01414210.1186/1758-5996-4-42Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cellsHammarstedt AnnGraham Timothy EKahn Barbara B<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity contributes to Type 2 diabetes by promoting systemic insulin resistance. Obesity causes features of metabolic dysfunction in the adipose tissue that may contribute to later impairments of insulin action in skeletal muscle and liver; these include reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport, reduced expression of GLUT4, altered expression of adipokines, and adipocyte hypertrophy. Animal studies have shown that expansion of adipose tissue alone is not sufficient to cause systemic insulin resistance in the absence of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction. To determine if this holds true for humans, we studied the relationship between insulin resistance and markers of adipose tissue dysfunction in non-obese individuals.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>32 non-obese first-degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients were recruited. Glucose tolerance was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity was measured with the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Blood samples were collected and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsies obtained for gene/protein expression and adipocyte cell size measurements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our findings show that also in non-obese individuals low insulin sensitivity is associated with signs of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction characterized by low expression of GLUT4, altered adipokine profile and enlarged adipocyte cell size. In this group, insulin sensitivity is positively correlated to GLUT4 mRNA (R = 0.49, p = 0.011) and protein (R = 0.51, p = 0.004) expression, as well as with circulating adiponectin levels (R = 0.46, 0 = 0.009). In addition, insulin sensitivity is inversely correlated to circulating RBP4 (R = −0.61, 0 = 0.003) and adipocyte cell size (R = −0.40, p = 0.022). Furthermore, these features are inter-correlated and also associated with other clinical features of the metabolic syndrome in the absence of obesity. No association could be found between the hypertrophy-associated adipocyte dysregulation and HIF-1alpha in this group of non-obese individuals.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, these findings support the concept that it is not obesity <it>per se,</it> but rather metabolic dysfunction of adipose tissue that is associated with systemic insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.</p>http://www.dmsjournal.com/content/4/1/42Adipocyte cell sizeBMIInsulin sensitivityGLUT4AdiponectinRBP4
spellingShingle Hammarstedt Ann
Graham Timothy E
Kahn Barbara B
Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
Adipocyte cell size
BMI
Insulin sensitivity
GLUT4
Adiponectin
RBP4
title Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
title_full Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
title_fullStr Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
title_full_unstemmed Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
title_short Adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non-obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
title_sort adipose tissue dysregulation and reduced insulin sensitivity in non obese individuals with enlarged abdominal adipose cells
topic Adipocyte cell size
BMI
Insulin sensitivity
GLUT4
Adiponectin
RBP4
url http://www.dmsjournal.com/content/4/1/42
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AT grahamtimothye adiposetissuedysregulationandreducedinsulinsensitivityinnonobeseindividualswithenlargedabdominaladiposecells
AT kahnbarbarab adiposetissuedysregulationandreducedinsulinsensitivityinnonobeseindividualswithenlargedabdominaladiposecells