Background: Visceral fat accumulation is associated with metabolic disease. It is therefore relevant to study factors that regulate adipose tissue distribution. Recent data shows that overeating saturated fatty acids promotes greater visceral fat storage than overeating unsaturated fatty acids. Visceral adiposity is observed in states of hypercortisolism, and the enzyme 11-β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-hsd1) is a major regulator of cortisol activity by converting inactive cortisone to cortisol in adipose tissue. We hypothesized that tissue fatty acid composition regulates body fat distribution through local effects on the expression of 11β-hsd1 and its corresponding gene (HSD11B1) resulting in altered cortisol activity.
Findings: Visceral- and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were collected during Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery from 45 obese women (BMI; 41±4 kg/m2). The fatty acid composition of each biopsy was measured and correlated to the mRNA levels of HSD11B1. 11β-hsd1 protein levels were determined in a subgroup (n=12) by western blot analysis. Our main finding was that tissue saturated fatty acids (e.g. palmitate) were associated with increased 11β-hsd1 gene- and protein-expression in visceral but not subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Conclusions: The present study proposes a link between HSD11B1 and saturated fatty acids in visceral, but not subcutaneous adipose tissue. Nutritional regulation of visceral fat mass through HSD11B1 is of interest for the modulation of metabolic risk and warrants further investigation.