Thermogenic profiling using magnetic resonance imaging of dermal and other adipose tissues
Ildiko Kasza, … , Caroline M. Alexander, Scott B. Reeder
Ildiko Kasza, … , Caroline M. Alexander, Scott B. Reeder
Published August 18, 2016
Citation Information: JCI Insight. 2016;1(13):e87146. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.87146.
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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 7

MRI evaluation of dWAT in a cohort of normal human subjects.

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MRI evaluation of dWAT in a cohort of normal human subjects. An 8-channe...
An 8-channel extremity coil array was wrapped around the calf of 10 human subjects and used to assess the skin-associated lipid. The images derived from each subject are ordered top to bottom with respect to BMI (top left number; same images ordered with respect to waist/hip ratio are shown in Supplemental Figure 3). The strategy applied for consistent sampling is indicated (red arc) and uses the lipid-laden BM as a reference point (indicated with a red arrow). Intramuscular fat is indicated with a red arrowhead. The variability of dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT) thickness is shown in the top graph; other preliminary analysis of potential correlations are also shown, including BMI, sex, and waist/hip ratio for males and females. Subjects were asked to rate their temperature preference relative to their working/home cohorts, either warm, average, or cold. Dot plots show mean values; error bars indicate ±SEM. Box-and-whisker plots were presented, and statistical analysis was performed with unpaired 1-tailed t tests using GraphPad Prism software. Dot plots are presented as for Figure 3; box-and-whisker plots are presented as described in Figure 2.