Hyperplasia of Fat-Containing Cells With Mature Adipocyte Marker Is Associated With Pancreatic Fat Enlargement

To elucidate the specific characteristics of fat-containing cells in the pancreas and the mechanism of intrapancreatic fat deposition in humans.

Fifteen Japanese patients who had undergone pancreatic resection were enrolled, and the normal region from each samples was examined. Immunostaining for adiponectin and perilipin 1 was performed, and the relationships between the pancreatic fat-cell area or clinical parameters and the density or the diameter of the fat cells were analyzed.

The expression of adiponectin in the cytoplasm and perilipin 1 along the plasma membrane was observed in fat-containing cells in the pancreas. The fat-containing cell area had a significant positive correlation with cell density. In addition, fat-containing cell density was significantly positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance. The diameter of fat-containing cells had significant positive correlations with BMI, fasting immunoreactive insulin, and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance. Of all fat-containing cells, 10.4% were intralobular cells, and the diameter of intralobular cells showed a tendency for positive correlation with age.

The characteristics of fat-containing cells in the pancreas indicate that some of them may be mature adipocytes, and fat volume may be increased by hyperplasia of fat-containing cells associated with insulin resistance.