Sex‐Specific Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Transcriptome in Obesity: Insights From Monozygotic Twin Pairs Discordant for BMI
Authors' conclusion
Biological sex influences the AT transcriptome and its response to obesity, highlighting distinct molecular mechanisms that may contribute to sex-specific metabolic health.
Study context
- Population
- BMI-discordant monozygotic twin pairs (ΔBMI > 2.5 kg/m²)twin pairs
- Participants
- 21 vs 16
- Comparison
- Females vs males; heavier vs leaner co-twins
- Female pairsn = 21
- Male pairsn = 16
- Outcome
- Subcutaneous AT transcriptome
Methodological detailsBMI-discordant monozygotic twin pairs, adipose tissue (AT) RNA sequencing, linear mixed modeling, pathway enrichment
- BMI-discordant monozygotic twin pairs
- AT RNA sequencing
- Linear mixed modeling
- Pathway enrichment
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- AT transcriptional profiles differed between sexes, associated with insulin sensitivity
- Within-pair obesity effects stronger in females: upregulated inflammation, downregulated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
- Males: increased inflammation and decreased histone modification with obesity
- Lower expression of unsaturated fatty acid metabolism genes in obesity in females only
- Negative association between unsaturated fatty acid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in males only
Original publication
Sex‐Specific Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Transcriptome in Obesity: Insights From Monozygotic Twin Pairs Discordant for BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 23 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →