The overexpression of the adipose gene ( adp/WDTC1) in mice inhibits lipid accumulation and improves the metabolic profile.
We evaluated subcutaneous fat adp expression in humans and its relation to metabolic parameters.
Abdominal subcutaneous fat adp expression, insulin sensitivity (clamp) and respiratory quotient (RQ; indirect calorimetry) were assessed in: 36 obese and 56 BMI-, race- and sex-matched type 2 diabetic volunteers (Look AHEAD Adipose Ancillary Study); 37 non-diabetic Pima Indians including obese (n=18) and non-obese (n=19) subjects and; 62 non-obese non-diabetic subjects at the Pennington Center in the ADAPT study.
In the Look AHEAD Study, adp expression normalized for cyclophilin B was higher in males vs. females (1.27±0.06 vs. 1.11±0.04; p<0.01) but not after controlling for body fat. Adp expression was not influenced by the presence of diabetes but was related to body fat (r=−0.23; p=0.03), insulin sensitivity (r=0.23; p=0.03) and fasting/insulin-stimulated RQ (r=0.31 & 0.33; p<0.01). In Pima Indians, adp expression was also higher in males vs. females (1.00±0.05 vs. 0.77±0.05; p=0.02) and higher in non-obese vs. obese (1.02±0.05 vs. 0.80±0.06; p=0.03). In the ADAPT study, there was no difference in adp expression between males and females.