Downregulation of lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of morbidly obese women

• Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2014-09, Vol.22 (9), p.2032-2038
• Main Authors: Auguet, Teresa, Guiu‐Jurado, Esther, Berlanga, Alba, Terra, Ximena, Martinez, Salomé, Porras, José Antonio, Ceausu, Andra, Sabench, Fátima, Hernandez, Mercé, Aguilar, Carmen, Sirvent, Joan Josep, Castillo, Daniel Del, Richart, Cristóbal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipogenesis - genetics; Adult; Body fat; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Down-Regulation - genetics; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Insulin resistance; Intra-Abdominal Fat - metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - genetics; Lipogenesis - genetics; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity, Morbid - complications; Obesity, Morbid - genetics; Obesity, Morbid - metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction; Rodents; Studies; Subcutaneous Fat - metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 1930-7381; 1930-739X
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.20809

Objective The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of crucial genes in fatty acid metabolism in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue samples from morbidly obese women. Methods The VAT and SAT expression of key genes in 145 morbidly obese women (MO, BMI > 40 Kg/m2) and 18 normal weight control women by RT‐PCR and Western Blot was analyzed. Results In SAT, the expression levels of the genes related to lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation were significantly lower in MO than in controls. In VAT, most of the lipogenic genes studied had similar expression levels in MO and control cohort. Regarding inflammation, IL6 was significantly higher in MO in both tissues whereas TNFα mRNA expression was significantly higher only in VAT. Conclusions Our results indicate that in morbidly obese patients, lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation are downregulated in SAT, whereas in VAT these pathways are almost unchanged. By contrast, inflammation is induced in both adipose tissues. It is hypothesized that, in this type of extreme obesity, SAT works to limit any further development of fat mass, decreasing the expression of lipogenic and FA oxidative genes whereas VAT depot might have lost this capability.