Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Human adipocyte apoptosis occurs in malignancy

J B Prins¹, N I Walker, C M Winterford

¹Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

|November 30, 1994

Summary

Malignancy-associated weight loss may be caused by fat cell loss through apoptosis. This programmed cell death in adipocytes was observed in cancer patients but not in those without cancer, suggesting a new mechanism for cancer cachexia.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Clustering of technological attitudes and reasons for device (non-)uptake among Dutch people with type 1 diabetes, family members and health professionals.

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association·2026

Same author

Efficacy and Budget Impact of a Tailored Psychological Intervention Program Targeting Cancer Patients With Adjustment Disorder: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Psycho-oncology·2025

Same author

Adjustment disorder in cancer patients after treatment: prevalence and acceptance of psychological treatment.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2021

Same author

Informal caregiver well-being during and after patients' treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer: a prospective, exploratory study.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2020

Same author

Effects and moderators of coping skills training on symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with cancer: Aggregate data and individual patient data meta-analyses.

Clinical psychology review·2020

Same author

SAFE: an eHealth intervention for women experiencing intimate partner violence - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial, process evaluation and open feasibility study.

BMC public health·2020

Area of Science:

Oncology
Cell Biology
Metabolism

Background:

Rapid weight loss, or cachexia, is common in cancer patients.
Enhanced lipolysis (fat breakdown) is the traditionally accepted cause of this weight loss.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of adipocyte apoptosis in malignancy-associated weight loss.
To determine if fat cell death contributes to cancer cachexia.

Main Methods:

Utilized electron microscopy to visualize adipocyte apoptosis.
Employed DNA gel electrophoresis to detect programmed cell death in fat cells.
Compared findings between patients with and without malignancy.

Main Results:

Adipocyte apoptosis was identified in patients experiencing malignancy-associated weight loss.

Related Experiment Videos

Evidence of adipocyte apoptosis was absent in patients without cancer.

Electron microscopy and DNA gel electrophoresis confirmed programmed cell death in fat cells of cancer patients.

Conclusions:

Fat cell loss via apoptosis is a significant factor in cancer-related weight loss.
Adipocyte apoptosis represents a novel mechanism contributing to cancer cachexia.
These findings challenge the sole reliance on enhanced lipolysis as the cause of cancer weight loss.