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| RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS |


[RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS]


Fat cells that build up around internal organs have higher levels of retinoic acid — a molecule derived from vitamin A — than fat cells in the fat layer beneath the skin.


Obesity:


FAT CELL GENETICS COULD BE KEY TO FIGHTING OBESITY


THE SECRET TO PREVENTING HARMFUL FAT BUILDING UP AROUND INTERNAL ORGANS MAY LIE IN THE GENETICS OF FAT STEM CELLS


A molecular mechanism that influences the development of fat cells has been identified by A*STAR researchers1. The discovery suggests that an excessive amount of vitamin A could have a role in obesity, and the work could lead to new strategies to ameliorate the risks of fat depositing around internal organs. Humans have at least two types of fat:


subcutaneous fat that sits in a layer beneath the skin, and visceral fat that collects around internal organs. The two fat cell types develop differently and have different properties. Subcutaneous fat is


38 A*STAR RESEARCH


relatively harmless, but visceral fat is considered ‘bad’ or of ‘low quality’, and an excess of it leads to visceral obesity, which is associated with metabolic diseases such as diabetes. “The contributions of subcutaneous and vis-


ceral fat to pathology and physiology are known to be different, but the molecular mechanisms of these differences were unclear,” explains Shigeki Sugii from the A*STAR Singapore Bioimaging Consortium. “By understanding the molecular basis, it is possible to explore therapeutic targeting to improve the quality of visceral fat.”


Sugii and colleagues started from the


assumption that the distinct properties of subcutaneous and visceral fat cells arise from inherent differences in the stem cells that they develop from. To look for these differences, they analyzed the gene expression in human fat-derived stem cells from subcutaneous and visceral fat. Their analysis revealed gene expression differences that ultimately led to high levels of retinoic acid in visceral fat cells. Further experiments in cultured fat stem cells showed that retinoic


ISSUE 5 | OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2016


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