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Title: Telomere length differences between subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue in humans

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]; ;  [5]; ;  [1];  [6]
  1. Department of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig (Germany)
  2. Municipal Clinic Dresden-Neustadt, Dresden (Germany)
  3. Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe, Clinic of Visceral Surgery, Karlsruhe (Germany)
  4. Department of Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig (Germany)
  5. Department of Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Plastic Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig (Germany)
  6. IFB AdiposityDiseases, Junior Research Group 2 “Animal Models of Obesity”, University of Leipzig, Leipzig (Germany)

Adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia have been shown to be associated with shorter telomere length, which may reflect aging, altered cell proliferation and adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction. In individuals with obesity, differences in fat distribution and AT cellular composition may contribute to obesity related metabolic diseases. Here, we tested the hypotheses that telomere lengths (TL) are different between: (1) abdominal subcutaneous and omental fat depots, (2) superficial and deep abdominal subcutaneous AT (SAT), and (3) adipocytes and cells of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF). We further asked whether AT TL is related to age, anthropometric and metabolic traits. TL was analyzed by quantitative PCR in total human genomic DNA isolated from paired subcutaneous and visceral AT of 47 lean and 50 obese individuals. In subgroups, we analyzed TL in isolated small and large adipocytes and SVF cells. We find significantly shorter TL in subcutaneous compared to visceral AT (P < 0.001) which is consistent in men and subgroups of lean and obese, and individuals with or without type 2 diabetes (T2D). Shorter TL in SAT is entirely due to shorter TL in the SVF compared to visceral AT (P < 0.01). SAT TL is most strongly correlated with age (r = −0.205, P < 0.05) and independently of age with HbA1c (r = −0.5, P < 0.05). We found significant TL differences between superficial SAT of lean and obese as well as between individuals with our without T2D, but not between the two layers of SAT. Our data indicate that fat depot differences in TL mainly reflect shorter TL of SVF cells. In addition, we found an age and BMI-independent relationship between shorter TL and HbA1c suggesting that chronic hyperglycemia may impair the regenerative capacity of AT more strongly than obesity alone. - Highlights: • Telomere lengths (TL) differ between fat depots mainly due to different lengths in SVF. • TL is not associated with gender, BMI and T2D. • The tendency for shorter TL in small versus large adipocytes suggests that small adipocytes represent a younger generation of adipocytes. • TLs of superficial subcutaneous adipose tissue are shorter in T2D patients compared to non-diabetic controls. • TL is not different between deep and superficial adipose tissue.

OSTI ID:
22458480
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 457, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English