New in the June issue of 'Nature' -- fat cell turnover

[Gaelen]

The issue isn't out yet, but advance release of the article abstract was released/reviewed in the American Institute of Cancer Research newsletter.

Dynamics of fat cell turnover in humans.
Spalding KL, Arner E, Westermark PO, Bernard S, Buchholz BA, Bergmann O, Blomqvist L, Hoffstedt J, Näslund E, Britton T, Concha H, Hassan M, Rydén M, Frisén J, Arner P.
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. kirsty.spalding@ki.se

Obesity is increasing in an epidemic manner in most countries and constitutes a public health problem by enhancing the risk for cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. Owing to the increase in obesity, life expectancy may start to decrease in developed countries for the first time in recent history. The factors determining fat mass in adult humans are not fully understood, but increased lipid storage in already developed fat cells (adipocytes) is thought to be most important. Here we show that adipocyte number is a major determinant for the fat mass in adults. However, the number of fat cells stays constant in adulthood in lean and obese individuals, even after marked weight loss, indicating that the number of adipocytes is set during childhood and adolescence. To establish the dynamics within the stable population of adipocytes in adults, we have measured adipocyte turnover by analysing the integration of 14C derived from nuclear bomb tests in genomic DNA. Approximately 10% of fat cells are renewed annually at all adult ages and levels of body mass index. Neither adipocyte death nor generation rate is altered in early onset obesity, suggesting a tight regulation of fat cell number in this condition during adulthood. The high turnover of adipocytes establishes a new therapeutic target for pharmacological intervention in obesity.

PMID: 18454136 [PubMed - in process]

[Gabriel Guzman]

Of course... it had to end with the pitch into pharmacological intervention... :)

[Gaelen]

don't shoot the messenger, Gabe. ;)

[Gabriel Guzman]

don't shoot the messenger, Gabe. ;)


Oh not at all... :) It just made me remember my days of scientific research... Manuscripts had a better chance if they included that magical sentense where we invite the money-making pharma-machine to participate, or maybe to fund our work! :)

[Missy]

Hey! I'll volunteer myself! :D:eek::D for the sake of SCIENCE..of COURSE! :o

[Gaelen]

Actually, what I took from it is that it's more important than ever to focus on teaching correct nutrition and eating habits as early as possible--and that every effort to control overeating and obesity-causing eating habits in kids and teens and young adults should be applauded, because that's where it all starts.

[Gabriel Guzman]

According to them yes, that's where it starts but that is a very debated issue. There is a school of thought (with their papers also published) that maintains that it is the increase in cell numbers (and cell size) what is behind obesity. Perhaps both camps are on to something. Perhaps the best effort is to be made early and then avoid the triggers that make cells proliferate and enlarge.

[acohn]

I *think* I remember reading a few years back that the body could re-absorb fat cells, given a long enough period where you were adequately nourished but not using all the fat cells, which let you body know that starvation was not likely.

Does anyone else remember this?

[gitfiddle]

I did read that somewhere myself, which gives me something to cling to. I would like to remember where I read that. I read so many blogs! One of my meds treats diabetes by actually making new fat cells on the hips and arms. Not fair!