Dead adipocytes, detected as crown-like structures, are prevalent in visceral fat depots of genetically obese mice

J Lipid Res. 2008 Jul;49(7):1562-8. doi: 10.1194/jlr.M800019-JLR200. Epub 2008 Apr 3.

Abstract

Accumulation of visceral fat is a key phenomenon in the onset of obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Macrophage infiltration induces chronic mild inflammation widely considered as a causative factor for insulin resistance and eventually diabetes. We previously showed that >90% of macrophages infiltrating the adipose tissue of obese animals and humans are arranged around dead adipocytes, forming characteristic crown-like structures (CLS). In this study we quantified CLS in visceral and subcutaneous depots from two strains of genetically obese mice, db/db and ob/ob. In both strains, CLS were prevalent in visceral compared with subcutaneous fat. Adipocyte size and CLS density exhibited a positive correlation both in visceral and in subcutaneous depots; however, the finding that adipocyte size was smallest and CLS density highest in visceral fat suggests a different susceptibility of visceral and subcutaneous adipocytes to death. Visceral fat CLS density was 3.4-fold greater in db/db than in ob/ob animals, which at the age at which our experimental strain was used are more prone to glucose metabolic disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / cytology*
  • Adipocytes / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cell Death
  • Female
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat / cytology*
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Obese