Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate modifies human fatty acid composition of different adipose tissue depots.
BACKGROUND
Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) has been described as a protector agent against obesity-related pathologies, although the mechanism of action is still unknown. We have shown that DHEA-S acts on adipose tissue (AT), altering the fatty acid (FA) profile in rodents. Thus, we could hypothesize that some of the beneficial effects shown by DHEA-S in humans are related to a modification of the human AT-FA profile. The present study examines this question and whether this effect is tissue-dependent.


METHODS
Paired visceral and subcutaneous AT biopsies were obtained from 20 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery. These samples were subjected to primary adipose culture and incubated for 24 h with 1 μM DHEA-S. The FA profile of both control and treated samples were analyzed by gas chromatography.


RESULTS
A reduction in total saturated fatty acids (SFA), the n-6 family of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was observed after DHEA-S treatment, whereas monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) increased. In addition, DHEA-S altered the percentage of several individual FA, decreasing palmitic acid and increasing vaccenic acid in both AT. All estimated desaturase activity ratios slightly increased after DHEA-S treatment, although only the increase of delta-6-desaturase index in both depots reached statistical significance. No depot-specific action of DHEA-S was found between subcutaneous and visceral AT.


CONCLUSIONS
In vitro, DHEA-S modifies the AT-FA composition towards a better metabolic profile to a similar extent in the subcutaneous and visceral adipose depots, in both of which a decrease in SFA and increased MUFA are observed after treatment. This effect could help to explain the beneficial effects attributed to DHEA-S. Further studies, however, are required to determine whether the effect of DHEA-S on adipose tissue in vitro is conserved in vivo.
Hernandez-Morante
Juan Jose
JJ
School of Nursery, Catholic University of Murcia, Campus de Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain.
Cerezo
David
D
Cruz
Rosa Maria
RM
Larque
Elvira
E
Zamora
Salvador
S
Garaulet
Marta
M
D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D005227:Fatty Acids; D006728:Hormones; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate