Key result
Higher IMAT and IMCL saturation are linked to higher fasting glucose and insulin resistance.
Why the study?
Insulin resistance is associated with higher intermuscular adipose tissue content and intramyocellular lipid saturation, but human data are limited.
Cross-Sectional (n=75)
Higher intermuscular fat content and intramyocellular lipid saturation are associated with impaired fasting glucose and insulin resistance in middle-aged and older adults with overweight or obesity.
Higher IMAT and IMCL saturation associate with elevated fasting glucose; leaves open causal role and need for prospective trials.
BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance is associated with the higher content of intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and the saturation of intramyocellular lipid (IMCL), but a paucity of data exist in humans. This study examined associations among IMAT content, IMCL saturation, and fasting glucose concentration in middle-aged and older adults with overweight or obesity. METHODS: Seventy-five subjects (26 males, 49 females) were recruited and thigh muscle and IMAT were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Vastus lateralis tissue was acquired from a subset of nine subjects and IMCL content and saturation were assessed using nonlinear dual complex microscopy. RESULTS: The characteristics of the 75 subjects were as follows: age 59±11 years, body mass index 30±5 kg/m², fasting glucose concentration 5.2±0.5 mmol/L, fasting insulin concentration 12.2±7.3 μU/mL, fasting homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) 2.9±2.0 (mean±SD). IMAT to muscle tissue (MT) volume ratio was positively associated with the saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid ratio in IMCL. IMAT:MT was positively associated with fasting glucose concentration and HOMA-IR. IMCL saturation was positively associated with fasting glucose concentration while muscle cell area, IMCL area, and % IMCL in muscle cell were not associated with fasting glucose concentration. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that higher intermuscular fat content and IMCL saturation may impact fasting glucose concentration in middle-aged and older adults with overweight or obesity. The centralization of adipose tissue in the appendicular region of the body may promote insulin resistance.
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Kim et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Overweight or obesity (n=75). Intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) content and intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) saturation was evaluated on Fasting glucose concentration and HOMA-IR. Higher intermuscular adipose tissue content and intramyocellular lipid saturation were positively associated with fasting glucose concentration and HOMA-IR in adults with overweight or obesity.
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