Thermogenic profiling using magnetic resonance imaging of dermal and other adipose tissues
Ildiko Kasza, Diego Hernando, Alejandro Roldán-Alzate, Caroline M. Alexander, Scott B. Reeder
Ildiko Kasza, Diego Hernando, Alejandro Roldán-Alzate, Caroline M. Alexander, Scott B. Reeder
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Research Article Metabolism

Thermogenic profiling using magnetic resonance imaging of dermal and other adipose tissues

Abstract

Dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT) was recently recognized for its potential to modify whole body metabolism. Here, we show that dWAT can be quantified using a high-resolution, fat-specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. Noninvasive MRI has been used to describe adipocyte depots for many years; the MRI technique we describe uses an advanced fat-specific method to measure the thickness of dWAT, together with the total volume of WAT and the relative activation/fat depletion of brown adipose tissues (BAT). Since skin-embedded adipocytes may provide natural insulation, they provide an important counterpoint to the activation of thermogenic brown and beige adipose tissues, whereby these distinct depots are functionally interrelated and require simultaneous assay. This method was validated using characterized mouse cohorts of a lipodystrophic, dWAT-deficient strain (syndecan-1 KO) and 2 obese models (diet-induced obese mice and genetically obese animals, ob/ob). Using a preliminary cohort of normal human subjects, we found the thickness of skin-associated fat varied 8-fold, from 0.13–1.10 cm; on average, this depot is calculated to weigh 8.8 kg.

Authors

Ildiko Kasza, Diego Hernando, Alejandro Roldán-Alzate, Caroline M. Alexander, Scott B. Reeder

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Figure 5

Accumulation of fat in specific adipose depots during high-fat feeding.

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Accumulation of fat in specific adipose depots during high-fat feeding. ...
(A) 3D reconstruction of adipose tissues in mice fed a high-fat diet for 5 weeks, compared with control mice on chow diet, segregated as indicated in the key at the right side (dermal/s.c., dWAT/sWAT; visceral, vWAT; and brown adipose tissue, iBAT; notice that kidneys are also colored brown in key). (B) Body weights of C57BL6 male mice were measured during a 5-week period of high-fat feeding (n = 22). (C and D) During this 5-week administration period, the specific volume of each type of adipose depot was assayed and illustrated visually for 1 mouse, which was imaged sequentially (week 0 to week 5; w0, w1, w3, w5). Statistical analysis was performed with unpaired 1-tailed t tests using GraphPad Prism software.