Sex-specific association of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes with systemic inflammation and innate immune cells in people living with obesity
Authors' conclusion
In women living with obesity, abdominal SAT volume, especially sSAT, is associated with circulating leukocytes and inflammatory proteins. In men, these parameters mainly show associations with VAT volume. This could be because only in women, sSAT volume is associated with sSAT expression of inflammatory proteins. These findings underscore that future research on adipose tissue in relation to cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease should take sex differences into account.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with BMI ≥ 27 kg/m², aged 55–81 years302 enrolled
- Participants
- 277 individuals
- Exposure
- Women vs men: association of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) volumes with inflammatory markers
- Womenn = 122
- Menn = 155
- Outcome
- Associations of adipose compartment volumes (MRI) with inflammatory markers, by sex
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Only in women, (s)SAT volume was associated with circulating leukocytes, monocytes and neutrophils
- Circulating IL-6 and IL-18BP were associated with SAT volume in women and VAT in men
- Several circulating proteins, incl. monocyte-colony-stimulating factor 1 and hepatocyte growth factor, associated with sSAT in women and VAT in men
- Only in women, SAT volume associated with SAT expression of inflammatory proteins, incl. leptin, CD68, TNFα and IL-1α
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Sex-specific association of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes with systemic inflammation and innate immune cells in people living with obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 22 December 2023. doi:10.
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