title: Fat-cell heat production, adipose tissue fatty acids, lipoprotein lipase activity and plasma lipoproteins in adiposis dolorosa.
abstract: 1. Gluteal adipose tissue was examined in 13 patients with generalized adiposis dolorosa, a clinical condition characterized by painful adiposity with a chronic intractable course. The total metabolic activity of fat cells, isolated by collagenase and suspended in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer with glucose and insulin, was assessed by the measurement of heat production at 37 degrees C using microcalorimetry. 2. Fat cells were markedly enlarged; their metabolic activity expressed in terms of microW/g, but not in pW/cell, was significantly decreased when compared with both lean and weight-matched non-painful subjects. Both mean values were, however, significantly higher than in grossly obese subjects with similar mean cell size. Heat production as expressed per g of tissue, but not per cell, was inversely correlated with body mass index. One additional patient had unilateral disease, and fat cells from the painful side had a lower heat production than cells from the unaffected side. 3. The fatty acid composition of adipose tissue, as determined by g.c., revealed a significantly increased proportion of monounsaturated (18:1 and 16:1) at the expense of saturated (14:0 and 18:0) fatty acids compared with healthy control subjects. The activity of adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase was slightly, but not significantly, decreased. 4. It is concluded that a metabolic pathogenetic factor cannot be ruled out in adiposis dolorosa. As the results do not explain the nature of the diffuse pain, further studies need to be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fagher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nilsson-Ehle
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akesson
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000274:Adiposis Dolorosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D002151:Calorimetry; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase