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Isolation of Adipogenic and Fibro-Inflammatory Stromal Cell Subpopulations from Murine Intra-Abdominal Adipose Depots
Published on: August 16, 2020
ELBW survivors in early adulthood have higher hepatic, pancreatic and subcutaneous fat
Justin D Crane1,2, Samuel A Yellin1, Frank J Ong1
1Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Insights
Adults born extremely low birth weight (ELBW) have increased ectopic fat deposition, particularly in the liver and pancreas. This may contribute to their higher risk of metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance later in life.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic health
- Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
Background:
- Premature birth with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) is linked to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk.
- The biological mechanisms, specifically lipid deposition, underlying these risks in ELBW survivors are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in fat distribution, including ectopic fat, in adult survivors of ELBW compared to normal birth weight (NBW) individuals.
- To explore potential links between aberrant lipid deposition and metabolic dysfunction in ELBW survivors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify fat distribution.
- Compared pancreatic, hepatic, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue in 29 ELBW survivors and 16 NBW participants.
Main Results:
- ELBW survivors exhibited significantly higher proportions of liver and pancreatic fat compared to NBW individuals (P < 0.05).
- Abdominal subcutaneous fat area was greater in ELBW survivors, while visceral fat area did not differ significantly.
- Multivariate analyses indicated BMI and sex, not preterm birth itself, were most strongly associated with tissue fat measures.
Conclusions:
- Adults born ELBW demonstrate enhanced ectopic fat deposition, particularly in the liver and pancreas.
- Increased adiposity and ectopic fat accretion in ELBW survivors may underlie their elevated risk for metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance.
Abstract:
Premature birth in conjunction with extremely low birth weight (<1 kg, ELBW) is associated with insulin resistance and increased cardiometabolic health risk compared to birth at full term with normal birth weight (NBW). However, little is known regarding the biologic mediators of these effects. Abdominal and ectopic lipid accumulation is linked to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction, yet whether ELBW survivors are predisposed to aberrant lipid deposition in adulthood is unknown. We used magnetic resonance imaging in a cohort of 16 NBW and 29 ELBW participants to determine if ELBW survivors have differences in pancreatic, hepatic, subcutaneous and visceral fat distribution compared to NBW participants. ELBW individuals had a higher proportion of liver and pancreatic fat compared to NBW subjects (P < 0.05). Abdominal subcutaneous fat, but not visceral fat, area was higher in ELBW survivors compared to NBW individuals. In multivariate analyses, tissue fat measures were most highly related to BMI and sex, but not preterm birth. This work highlights that fat deposition is enhanced in adults born preterm and suggests that ectopic fat accretion driven by their relatively greater adiposity may contribute to the higher rates of metabolic dysfunction seen in ELBW survivors.
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