Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue accumulation is positively correlated with hepatic steatosis in Sprague-Dawley rats

• Published in: Acta Medica Nagasakiensia Vol. 59; no. 2; pp. 47 - 56
• Main Authors: Omagari, Katsuhisa, Yoshikawa, Chisato, Inoue, Shin-ichi, Tanaka, Yuna, Murayama, Toshie, Ichimura, Mayuko, Miyata, Ayako, Mori, Sawako, Kamogawa, Mai, Hirao, Eri, Kato, Shigeko, Suruga, Kazuhito, Tsuneyama, Koichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nagasaki University School of Medicine 01.12.2014
• Subjects: computed tomography; hepatic steatosis; Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats; subcutaneous adipose tissue; visceral adipose tissue
• ISSN: 0001-6055
• DOI: 10.11343/amn.59.47

The precise roles of visceral (VAT) or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) on hepatic fat accumulation have not been fullyelucidated. In this report, we examined the correlation between VAT or SAT volume and severity of hepatic fat accumulation. Inthe present study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed a standard diet containing 10% fat or a high-fat diet containing 45% or 60%fat for 16 weeks. Abdominal VAT and SAT volume, as well as fat percentage of the liver were measured by computed tomography(CT). Hepatic triglyceride (TG) content and histopathological findings of hepatic steatosis were also examined. Abdominal SATweight/body weight ratio was positively and strongly correlated with abdominal VAT weight/body weight ratio. Fat percentage ofthe liver by CT evaluation, hepatic TG content, and hepatic steatosis score by histopathological evaluation showed positive correlationswith one another. Fat percentage of the liver by CT evaluation and hepatic TG content was positively correlated withboth the abdominal VAT weight/body weight ratio and SAT weight/body weight ratio, respectively. Furthermore, hepatic TG contentwas negatively correlated with the abdominal VAT weight/SAT weight ratio. Our data suggest that abdominal SAT accumulationis positively correlated with hepatic steatosis in SD rats, rather than abdominal VAT accumulation. Further investigations areneeded in order to clarify the precise mechanisms of SAT and VAT effects on the development of hepatic fat accumulation.