Increasing adiposity in normal ovulatory women affects adipocytokine expression in subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat.
OBJECTIVE
To determine which adipocytokines are differentially expressed as a function of body mass index (BMI), to compare expression of adipocytokines in abdominal subcutaneous and omental fat, and to correlate these findings with serum levels, BMI, and parameters of insulin resistance.


METHODS
Serum and subcutaneous (sc) and omental (om) tissue were obtained from lean and obese ovulatory women undergoing gynecologic surgery. We determined adipocytokine expression in sc versus om abdominal fat and related this to increasing BMI.


RESULTS
Serum leptin was higher and adiponectin lower in overweight subjects. Adipocytokines had higher expression in sc abdominal versus om adipose tissue with the most significant difference observed for leptin (P=0.01). As BMI increased, sc leptin expression increased and adiponectin expression decreased. The leptin/adiponectin ratio correlated significantly with BMI (R=0.84, P=0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased adipocytokine expression correlates with BMI. Abdominal sc tissue has greater adipocytokine expression overall. The serum leptin/adiponectin ratio is highly correlated with BMI. These data may help in our understanding of how obesity affects women in a variety of ways.
Vardhana
Pratibhasri A
PA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA. pratibhasharma.md@gmail.com
Dicken
Cary
C
Tortoriello
Drew V
DV
Chu
Michelene
M
Carmina
Enrico
E
Lobo
Rogerio A
RA
D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism*
D054392:Adipokines