Enhanced fatty acid uptake in visceral adipose tissue is not reversed by weight loss in obese individuals with the metabolic syndrome.

Abstract

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS:

Obesity causes an imbalance in fat mass distribution between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) depots. We tested the hypothesis that this relates to increased NEFA uptake between these depots in obese compared with healthy participants. Second, we hypothesised that a diet very low in energy (very low calorie diet [VLCD]) decreases fat mass in obese participants and that this is associated with the decline in NEFA uptake.

METHODS:

NEFA uptake in AT depots was measured with [(18)F]-fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid ((18)F-FTHA) and positron emission tomography (PET) in 18 obese participants with the metabolic syndrome before and after a 6 week VLCD. Whole body fat oxidation was measured using indirect calorimetry and [U-(13)C]palmitate. Sixteen non-obese participants were controls.

RESULTS:

Obese participants had >100% higher (p < 0.0001) NEFA uptake in the visceral and subcutaneous abdominal AT depots than controls. VLCD decreased AT mass in all regions (12% to 21%), but NEFA uptake was decreased significantly (18%; p < 0.006) only in the femoral AT. Whole body carbohydrate oxidation decreased, while fat oxidation increased.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION:

The data demonstrate that weight loss caused by VLCD does not affect abdominal fasting NEFA uptake rates. We found that visceral fat takes up more NEFAs than subcutaneous AT depots, even after weight loss.

• Authors: Marco Bucci, Anna C Karmi, Patricia Iozzo, Barbara A Fielding, Antti Viljanen, Robert M Badeau, Ronald Borra, Virva Saunavaara, Tam Pham, Jarna C Hannukainen, Kari Kalliokoski, Merja Haaparanta-Solin, Tapio Viljanen, Riitta Parkkola, Keith N Frayn, Pirjo Nuutila
• Journal: Diabetologia (Diabetologia) Vol. 58 Issue 1 Pg. 158-64 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1432-0428 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 25331375 (Publication Type: Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified

Topics

• Adult
• Caloric Restriction
• Calorimetry, Indirect
• Fatty Acids, Nonesterified (metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Intra-Abdominal Fat (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Male
• Metabolic Syndrome (complications, metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Muscle, Skeletal (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Obesity (complications, diet therapy, metabolism)
• Positron-Emission Tomography
• Radiography
• Subcutaneous Fat (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Weight Loss (physiology)