title: Adipose tissue R2* signal is increased in subjects with obesity: A preliminary MRI study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Circulating and adipose tissue markers of iron overload are increased in subjects with obesity. The aim is to study iron signals in adipose tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adipose tissue R2* values and hepatic iron concentration (HIC) were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 23 middle-aged subjects with obesity and 20 subjects without obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) R2* were increased in subjects with obesity (P = 0.004 and P = 0.008) and correlated significantly and positively with HIC in all subjects. Strikingly, most of the associations of liver iron with metabolic parameters were replicated with SAT and VAT R2*. BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, HOMA value, and C-reactive protein positively correlated with HIC and SAT and VAT R2*. BMI or percent fat mass (but not insulin resistance) contributed independently to 26.8-34.8% of the variance in sex- and age-adjusted SAT or VAT R2* (β > 0.40, P < 0.005). Within subjects with obesity, total cholesterol independently contributed to 14.8% of sex- and age-adjusted VAT iron variance (β = 0.50, P = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased R2* in adipose tissue, which might indicate iron content, runs in parallel to liver iron stores of subjects with obesity. VAT iron seems also associated with serum cholesterol within subjects with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut D'investigació Biomèdica De Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto De Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Real
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI)-Diagnostic Imaging Institute (IDI), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI)-Diagnostic Imaging Institute (IDI), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut D'investigació Biomèdica De Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto De Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut D'investigació Biomèdica De Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto De Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xifra
authors.affiliation: Philips Healthcare Iberia, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital (HUD), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maria Alustiza
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI)-Diagnostic Imaging Institute (IDI), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedraza
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut D'investigació Biomèdica De Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto De Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Wifredo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricart
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Institut D'investigació Biomèdica De Girona (IdIBGi), CIBEROBN (CB06/03/010) and Instituto De Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: María Moreno-Navarrete
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins