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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2010; 118(10): 713-718
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1254165
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Morphological Characteristics of Abdominal Adipose Tissue in Normal-Weight and Obese Women of Different Metabolic Profiles

B. Srdić1 , E. Stokić2 , A. Korać3 , M. Ukropina3 , K. Veličković3 , M. Breberina4
  • 1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hajduk Veljkova 3, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • 2Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Internal Disease, Clinical Centre Vojvodina, Hajduk Veljkova 1-3, Novi Sad, Serbia
  • 3Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 3, Beograd, Serbia
  • 4Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Institutski put 4, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia
Further Information

Publication History

received 16.12.2009 first decision 26.04.2010

accepted 07.05.2010

Publication Date:
08 June 2010 (online)

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Abstract

Background and Aims: Morphological changes in adipose tissue reflect functional disorders that correlate with cardiometabolic complications of obesity. The metabolic risks vary among the obese individuals. Furthermore, normal-weight individuals are not necessarily metabolically healthy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze morphological characteristics of the abdominal adipose tissue in normal-weight and obese individuals in regards to metabolic risks.

Methods and Results: The study group consisted of 30 overweight or obese and 20 normal-weight women undergoing elective surgery. Women of each group were divided into metabolically healthy and metabolically obese, based on the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride, total-, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol levels. The size and numerical density of adipocytes, as well as volume density of blood vessels in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue were compared among subgroups. The results showed hypertrophy of adipocytes of visceral adipose tissue in metabolically obese normal-weight women. At the same time, metabolically healthy obese women had smaller adipocytes in both depots in comparison with “at risk” obese women. The lowest volume density of blood vessels correlated with the largest diameter of adipocytes in “at risk” obese women indicating hypoxic changes in visceral adipose tissue. The observed differences of the adipose tissue morphology did not correlate with considerable phenotypic differences within either the normal-weight or obese women group.

Conclusion: Changes in adipocyte size, cellular and vascular density of adipose tissue in relation with metabolic disorders, regardless of nutritional level, suggest limited capacity of fat deposition and adipose tissue response to hypoxia.

Key words

obesity - cardiovascular risk management - cardiovascular incidences - metabolic features

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Correspondence

B. SrdićMD, PhD 

Department of Anatomy

Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad

Hajduk Veljkova 3

21000 Novi Sad

Serbia

Phone: +381/21/66 15 775

Fax: +381/21/66 15 751

Email: bixina@eunet.rs

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