Fat cell size and number and fatty acid composition

Ron Peterson · medicine forum Guru Wannabe Joined: 18 May 2005 Posts: 181

The January International Journal of Obesityhas the following study:

Relationship between fat cell size and number and fatty acid
composition in adipose tissue from different fat depots in
overweight/obese humans
by M Garaulet, J J Hernandez-Morante, J Lujan, F J Tebar and S Zamora

Abstract
Objective:

To evaluate the body fat distribution and fat cell size and number in
an overweight/obese population from both genders, and to determine the
possible relationship between fat cell data from three different
adipose tissue localizations (subcutaneous (SA), perivisceral and
omental) and adipose tissue composition and dietary fatty acid.
Design:

The sample consisted of 84 overweight/obese patients (29 men and 55
women) who have undergone abdominal surgery. The adipocyte size and
total fat cell number was studied. Fat cell data were related with
anthropometric, adipose tissue and subject's habitual diet fatty acid
composition.
Measurements:

Fat cell size was measured according to a Sjöström method from the
three adipose depots. Total fat cell number was also calculated. The
fatty acid composition of adipose tissue was examined by gas
chromatography. The subjects diet was studied by a 7 days dietary
record.
Results:

Our data showed a negative relationship between the adipocyte size and
the n-6 and n-3 fatty acids content of the SA adipose tissue (r=-0.286,
P=0,040; r=-0.300, P=0.030) respectively, and the n-6 in the omental
depots (r=-0.407, P=0.049) in the total population. Positive
associations with the total of saturated (r=0.357, P=0.045) and
negative (r=-0.544, P=0.001) with the n-9 fatty acids were observed
when the relationship between the adipocyte number and the fatty acid
composition of the different anatomical fat regions was studied.
Dietary fatty acids composition positively correlated with fat cell
size for the myristic acid (14:0) in men in the visceral depot
(r=0.822, P=0.023), and for the saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in women
in the omental depot (r=0.486, P=0.035).
Conclusion:

In the present study, for the first time in humans we found that n-3
and n-6 fatty acids are related to a reduced adipocyte size according
to the depot localization. In contrast, adipose tissue and dietary SFAs
sinificantly correlated with an increase in fat cell size and number.
No significant associations were found between n-9 acids content and
adipocyte size. However, n-9 adipose tissue fatty acids content was
inversely associated with fat cell number showing that this type of
fatty acid could limit hyperplasia in obese populations. The
differences observed in the three different regions, perivisceral,
omental and SA fat, indicate that this population adipose tissue have
depot-specific differences.

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Ron

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