The cell size and distribution of adipocytes from subcutaneous and visceral fat is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in humans

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics^a

	All (n = 30 )	non-Diabetes (n = 15 )	Diabetes (n = 15 )	p value^b
Age (years)	42.0 ± 1.8	40.1 ± 2.5	43.9 ± 2.6	0.303
Sex (female/male)	27/3	14/1	13/2	0.559
Race (white/black)	20/10	11/4	9/6	0.456
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	46.8 ± 0.9	47.7 ± 1.49	46.0 ± 1.14	0.355
Waist circumference (cm)	130.6 ± 2.6	129.4 ± 3.5	131.8 ± 4.0	0.666
Waist hip ratio	0.9 ± 0.0	0.9 ± 0.02	1.0 ± 0.03	0.210
Fasting glucose (mg/dl)	125.9 ± 0.3	95.6 ± 4.2	158.4 ± 20.7	0.005
HbA1c (%)	6.5 ± 1.7	5.6 ± 0.1	7.4 ± 0.5	0.001
Total cholesterol (mg/dl)	185.1 ± 7.0	190.8 ± 9.7	178.5 ± 10.3	0.392
Triglycerides (mg/dl)	153.1 ± 14.8	156.1 ± 19.6	149.6 ± 23.2	0.831
LDL cholesterol (mg/dl)	115.7 ± 6.2	122.0 ± 9.1	108.5 ± 8.1	0.283
HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)	43.7 ± 2.3	43.9 ± 3.6	43.5 ± 2.7	0.921

^aData are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean or n.

^bp value is non-Diabetes vs Diabetes.

Table 2. Adipocyte size of different fat depots in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects^a

	All (n=30 )	non-Diabetes (n=15 )	Diabetes (n=15 )	p value^b	p value^c
All fat depots
Size (μm)	91.3 ± 2.8	97.6 ± 3.8	85.1 ± 3.5	0.021	0.026
Small cell (μm)	38.7 ± 1.4	42.1 ± 1.6	35.4 ± 2.0	0.013	0.010
Large cell (μm)	105.9 ± 2.3	106.9 ± 3.7	105.0 ± 2.7	0.681	0.774
% Small	21.4 ± 2.2	14.4 ± 1.7	28.5 ± 3.3	0.001	0.002
% Large	78.6 ± 2.2	85.6 ± 1.7	71.5 ± 3.3	0.001	0.002
Subcutaneous fat
Size (μm)	98.5 ± 3.0	105.7 ± 3.2	91.2 ± 4.5	0.015	0.041
Small cell (μm)	40.5 ± 1.6	42.1 ± 1.7	39.0 ± 2.6	0.326	0.322
Large cell (μm)	115.7 ± 2.1	116.9 ± 2.7	114.4 ± 3.3	0.559	0.746
% Small	23.2 ± 3.1	14.9 ± 2.4	31.4 ± 5.0	0.006	0.021
% Large	76.8 ± 3.1	85.1 ± 2.4	68.6 ± 5.0	0.006	0.021
Omentum
Size (μm)	88.8 ± 3.8	95.1 ± 5.4	82.4 ± 4.9	0.093	0.100
Small cell (μm)	38.5 ± 2.1	43.1 ± 3.4	33.9 ± 1.8	0.024	0.015
Large cell (μm)	103.8 ± 3.0	104.0 ± 5.1	103.6 ± 3.4	0.950	0.934
% Small	22.3 ± 3.5	14.0 ± 3.5	30.5 ± 5.3	0.015	0.043
% Large	77.7 ± 3.5	86.0 ± 3.5	69.5 ± 5.3	0.015	0.043
Mesentery
Size (μm)	86.7 ± 3.0	91.9 ± 4.0	81.5 ± 4.2	0.086	0.060
Small cell (μm)	37.2 ± 1.5	41.6 ± 1.5	32.9 ± 2.0	0.002	0.003
Large cell (μm)	98.6 ± 2.5	100.1 ± 4.1	97.0 ± 2.9	0.538	0.566
% Small	18.9 ± 2.8	14.2 ± 2.0	23.6 ± 4.9	0.090	0.058
% Large	81.1 ± 2.8	85.8 ± 2.0	76.4 ± 4.9	0.090	0.058

^aData are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean.

^bUnadjusted p value for non-Diabetes vs Diabetes.

^cp value for non-Diabetes vs Diabetes adjusted for age, sex, race and BMI.

Figure 1. Adipocyte cell size distribution from the total population of cells (A, B) and analyzed by the 3 different fat depots (C-H) in nondiabetic (dashed line) and diabetic (solid line) patients (B, D, F, H). Sc, subcutaneous fat (C, D); Om, omentum (E, F); and Mes, mesentery (G, H).

Figure 2. Correlation between fasting glucose and mean cell size and % small cells in the 3 different fat depots from diabetic (solid circles) and nondiabetic (open circles) subjects. Sc, subcutaneous fat (A, B); Om, omentum (C, D); and Mes, mesentery (E, F). n = 29 .

Figure 3. Correlation between HbA_1c and mean cell size and % small cells in the 3 different fat depots from diabetic (solid circles) and nondiabetic (open circles) subjects. Sc, subcutaneous fat (A, B); Om, omentum (C, D); and Mes, mesentery (E, F). n = 27 .