Regional Differences in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Gene Expression

Abstract

Adipose tissue located in the viscera is considered to be functionally and metabolically different from that found in the subcutaneous depot. However, subcutaneous adipose tissue in generalized regions is considered to be homogeneous in nature. Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Arrays were used to determine differential gene expression in four subcutaneous adipose depots (upper abdomen, lower abdomen, flank and hip) in normal weight women. A total of 2890/24,409 transcripts were differentially expressed between all sites. When comparing the hip and flank to the lower abdomen, 248 and 83 genes were differentially expressed, respectively. When comparing the hip and flank to the upper abdomen, 2480 and 79 genes were differentially expressed, respectively. No genes were significantly different when the lower abdomen was compared to the upper abdomen and the hip to the flank. Genes involved in the complement and coagulation cascades and immune responses showed increased expression in the lower abdomen compared to the flank. In addition, two genes involved in the complement and coagulation cascade, CR1 and C7, were expressed more highly in the lower abdomen compared to the hip. Genes involved in basic biochemical metabolism including insulin signaling, the urea cycle, glutamate metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism and aminosugar metabolism had higher expression in the lower abdomen compared to the hip. These results in normal weight healthy women provide a new perspective on regional differences in subcutaneous adipose tissue biology that may have pathophysiologic implications when adiposity increases.

Adipocytes contribute to the growth and progression of multiple myeloma: Unraveling obesity related differences in adipocyte signaling

“…This agrees with other reports that suggest abdominal obesity promotes cancer tumorigenicity more than obesity in other bodily locations [38]. The genetic differences between abdominal and non-abdominal adipocytes, as they relate to cancer susceptibility and clinical outcome, have not been fully characterized, although others have found abdominal adipocytes to have higher expression of genes involved in immune responses, insulin signaling and amino acid metabolism [54].…”

CDKN2B expression in adipose tissue of familial combined hyperlipidemia patients

“…Indeed, our approach was vindicated in that we identifi ed 73 differentially expressed FCHL genes that also exhibited altered expression in the subcutaneous periumbilical fat of rather younger (38 ± 9.3 years of age), leaner (27 ± 2.4 kg/m 2 ), and healthier Mexican FCHL patients who had somewhat higher total cholesterol (6.8 ± 1.2 mmol/l) and triglyceride (4.7 ± 2.6 mmol/l) levels ( 7 ) than our patients ( Table 1 ), presumably because they were not on treatment with statins. Nevertheless, this gene overlap ( ‫ف‬ 20%) with the Mexican FCHL study is rather modest, which very likely relates to a number of differences between the two studies, including our smaller sample size, different inclusion criteria (e.g., men only), removal of gene expression changes related to FCHL pathogenesis rather than etiology, potential metabolic differences between upper abdominal (current study) and periumbilical (Mexican) fat ( 53,54 ), and the differential effect of a British versus Mexican diet ( 55,56 ) on adipose tissue gene expression ( 57 ).…”

Prenatal androgen exposure causes hypertension and gut microbiota dysbiosis

“…They also showed increased mRNA expression of adipokines within iWAT. The inguinal fat depot of rodents is similar to the gluteofemoral subcutaneous depot in humans and this fat depot is more sensitive to insulin in humans 97 , 98 , however the effect in rodents has been found to be inconclusive. In obese women, there is increased 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 activity within subcutaneous fat depots compared to visceral fat depots indicating increased androgen synthesis within subcutaneous depots.…”