La. Anderson et al., The effects of androgens and estrogens on preadipocyte proliferation in human adipose tissue: Influence of gender and site, J CLIN END, 86(10), 2001, pp. 5045-5051
The gender-specific differences in body fat distribution suggest that sex s
teroids play an important role in regulating body fat distribution. Sex ste
roids may regulate adipose tissue mass by altering adipocyte number and siz
e. The effects of various sex steroids on in vitro proliferation of preadip
ocytes from both se and omental fat depots was investigated in men and wome
n. Abdominal se and omental preadipocytes from men (n = 14) and women (8 pr
emenopausal and 7 postmenopausal) were cultured in the presence of 17 beta
-E2 (10(-7)-10(-9) M), estrone (10(-7)-10(-9) M), or dehydrotestosterone (D
HT) (10(-7)-10(-9) M), and the rate of proliferation was measured over time
(1-96 h) by DNA accumulation assays (micromoles per mug) and [H-3]thymidin
e incorporation (disintegrations per min). In se preadipocytes the rate of
proliferation was increased between 24-48 h with E2 (10(-7) M) in both men
(P = 0.028) and women (P = 0.017). Subcutaneous preadipocytes from women we
re more responsive to E2 in stimulating proliferation than those from men (
women vs. men, DNA assay, 24 h, P = 0.014). In omental preadipocytes the in
crease in the rate of proliferation occurred at 24 h with E2 (10(-7) M) in
women (P = 0.034) and at 48 h in men (P = 0.031). Gender appeared to influe
nce the rate of proliferation by E2 in omental preadipocytes, with maximal
stimulation of proliferation at 48 h in preadipocytes from women treated wi
th E2 (10(-7) M, p = 0.007) compared with 72 h in preadipocyte cells from m
en (P = 0.048), as shown by DNA assay. Both estrone and the androgen DHT ha
d no significant gender- or site-specific effect on the rate of proliferati
on at any time point. All DNA content data were further validated by thymid
ine incorporation analysis. In summary, E2 stimulates the rate of prolifera
tion of preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, with significant gender-
and site. specific differences. Neither estrone nor DRT affected adipocyte
mass through proliferation of preadipocytes in this study. In conclusion, E
2 may act as an important local factor influencing the proliferation of pre
adipocytes that may affect fat cell number in a depot- and gender-specific
pattern in human abdominal se and omental adipose tissue.