Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adiposopathy

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Bariatric Endocrinology

  • 856 Accesses

Abstract

Adiposopathy is defined as disease of adipose tissue. Adiposopathy refers to pathogenic changes in adipose tissue that develop from a positive caloric balance and sedentary lifestyle in susceptible individuals. The anatomical changes of adipose tissue seen in adiposopathy include adipocyte hypertrophy, heterogeneous distribution of adipose tissue, visceral adiposity, ectopic fat deposition, and disordered fat distribution. The functional changes of adipose tissue seen in adiposopathy include impaired adipogenesis, adipocyte lipolysis in excess of lipogenesis, increased free fatty acid release into the circulation, endocrinopathies (hypoadiponectinemia and hyperleptinemia), pathogenic adipose tissue immune responses with a proinflammatory milieu, and pathogenic “crosstalk” between adipose tissue and other organs.

Visceral adipose tissue accumulation is a known etiology of other metabolic diseases. It is adipocyte hypertrophy and visceral adiposity that carry a negative metabolic impact. By contrast, the increase in fat mass alone (poundage) is not a good predictor of metabolic risk. Disruption of signaling within adipose tissue (adjacent adipocytes), as well as impaired “crosstalk” with the pancreas, nervous system, immune system, skeletal muscle, cardiovascular system, liver, gastrointestinal system, adrenal cortex, and thyroid, contribute to pathogenic endocrine and immune responses that cause metabolic disease.

In bariatric endocrinology, a major treatment goal is to return adipose tissue function to normal, in addition to reducing fat mass.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Reading List

  • Bays HE. Adiposopathy is “sick fat” a cardiovascular disease? J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(25):2461–73. Epub 2011/06/18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bays HE, Gonzalez-Campoy JM. Adiposopathy. In: Friedberg E, Castrillon DH, Galindo RL, Wharton K, editors. New-opathies. Hackensack: World Scientific; 2012. p. 105–68.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bays H, Rodbard HW, Schorr AB, Gonzalez-Campoy JM. Adiposopathy: treating pathogenic adipose tissue to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2007;9(4):259–71. Epub 2007/09/01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bays HE, Gonzalez-Campoy JM, Henry RR, Bergman DA, Kitabchi AE, Schorr AB, et al. Is adiposopathy (sick fat) an endocrine disease? Int J Clin Pract. 2008;62(10):1474–83. Epub 2008/08/07.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bluher M. Adipose tissue dysfunction contributes to obesity related metabolic diseases. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;27(2):163–77. Epub 2013/06/05.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bozec, A., Hannemann, N. Mechanism of Regulation of Adipocyte Numbers in Adult Organisms Through Differentiation and Apoptosis Homeostasis. J. Vis. Exp. (112), e53822, https://doi.org/10.3791/53822 (2016).

  • Buechler C, Krautbauer S, Eisinger K. Adipose tissue fibrosis. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(4):548–53. Epub 2015/05/20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choe SS, Huh JY, Hwang IJ, Kim JI, Kim JB. Adipose tissue remodeling: its role in energy metabolism and metabolic disorders. Front Endocrinol. 2016;7:30. Epub 2016/05/06.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chong PS, Vucic S, Hedley-Whyte ET, Dreyer M, Cros D. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (Madelung’s disease) caused by the MERRF (A8344G) mutation: a report of two cases and review of the literature. J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 2003;5(1):1–7. Epub 2003/09/01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen PG. Abdominal obesity and intra-abdominal pressure: a new paradigm for the pathogenesis of the hypogonadal-obesity-BPH-LUTS connection. Horm Mol Biol Clin Invest. 2012;11(1):317–20. Epub 2012/10/01.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Pergola G, Silvestris F. Obesity as a major risk factor for cancer. J Obes. 2013;2013:291546. Epub 2013/09/28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dercum FX. Three cases of a hitherto unclassified affection resembling in its grosser aspects obesity, but associated with special nervous symptoms—adiposis dolorosa. Am J Med Sci. 1892;104(6):521–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farb MG, Gokce N. Visceral adiposopathy: a vascular perspective. Horm Mol Biol Clin Invest. 2015;21(2):125–36. Epub 2015/03/18.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farb MG, Ganley-Leal L, Mott M, Liang Y, Ercan B, Widlansky ME, et al. Arteriolar function in visceral adipose tissue is impaired in human obesity. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2012;32(2):467–73. Epub 2011/11/19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Findlay GH, Duvenage M. Acquired symmetrical lipomatosis of the hands—a distal form of the Madelung-Launois-Bensaude syndrome. Clin Exp Dermatol. 1989;14(1):58–9. Epub 1989/01/01.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Fuentes E, Santiago-Fernandez C, Gutierrez-Repiso C, Mayas MD, Oliva-Olivera W, Coin-Araguez L, et al. Hypoxia is associated with a lower expression of genes involved in lipogenesis in visceral adipose tissue. J Transl Med. 2015;13:373. Epub 2015/12/02.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Campoy JM, Richardson B, Richardson C, Gonzalez-Cameron D, Ebrahim A, Strobel P, et al. Bariatric endocrinology: principles of medical practice. Int J Endocrinol. 2014;2014:917813. Epub 2014/06/06.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goossens GH, Blaak EE. Adipose tissue oxygen tension: implications for chronic metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2012;15(6):539–46. Epub 2012/10/06.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greene ML, Glueck CJ, Fujimoto WY, Seegmiller JE. Benign symmetric lipomatosis (Launois-Bensaude adenolipomatosis) with gout and hyperlipoproteinemia. Am J Med. 1970;48(2):239–46. Epub 1970/02/01.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heilbronn LK, Campbell LV. Adipose tissue macrophages, low grade inflammation and insulin resistance in human obesity. Curr Pharm Des. 2008;14(12):1225–30. Epub 2008/05/14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodson L. Adipose tissue oxygenation: effects on metabolic function. Adipocytes. 2014;3(1):75–80. Epub 2014/02/28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hosogai N, Fukuhara A, Oshima K, Miyata Y, Tanaka S, Segawa K, et al. Adipose tissue hypoxia in obesity and its impact on adipocytokine dysregulation. Diabetes. 2007;56(4):901–11. Epub 2007/03/31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klopstock T, Naumann M, Seibel P, Shalke B, Reiners K, Reichmann H. Mitochondrial DNA mutations in multiple symmetric lipomatosis. Mol Cell Biochem. 1997;174(1–2):271–5. Epub 1997/10/06.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Landini L, Honka MJ, Ferrannini E, Nuutila P. Adipose tissue oxygenation in obesity: a matter of cardiovascular risk? Curr Pharm Des. 2015;22(1):68–76. Epub 2015/11/12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung NW, Gaer J, Beggs D, Kark AE, Holloway B, Peters TJ. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (Launois-Bensaude syndrome): effect of oral salbutamol. Clin Endocrinol. 1987;27(5):601–6. Epub 1987/11/01.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neels JG, Olefsky JM. Inflamed fat: what starts the fire? J Clin Invest. 2006;116(1):33–5. Epub 2006/01/06.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noh E. An unusual complication of morbid obesity: epidural lipomatosis. Am J Emerg Med. 2015;33(5):742 e3–4. Epub 2015/01/27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plotnicov NA, Babayev TA, Lamberg MA, Altonen M, Syrjanen SM. Madelung’s disease (benign symmetric lipomatosis). Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1988;66(2):171–5. Epub 1988/08/01.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prantl L, Schreml J, Gehmert S, Klein S, Bai X, Zeitler K, et al. Transcription profile in sporadic multiple symmetric lipomatosis reveals differential expression at the level of adipose tissue-derived stem cells. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2016;137(4):1181–90. Epub 2016/03/29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen JC, Herbst KL, Aldrich MB, Darne CD, Tan IC, Zhu B, et al. An abnormal lymphatic phenotype is associated with subcutaneous adipose tissue deposits in Dercum’s disease. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2014;22(10):2186–92. Epub 2014/07/22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Requena L, Hasson A, Arias D, Martin L, Barat A. Acquired symmetric lipomatosis of the soles. A plantar form of the Madelung-Launois-Bensaude syndrome. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1992;26(5 Pt 2):860–2. Epub 1992/05/01.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schuler FA 3rd, Graham JK, Horton CE. Benign symmetrical lipomatosis (Madelung’s disease). Case report. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1976;57(5):662–5. Epub 1976/05/01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sreekantaiah C, Leong SP, Karakousis CP, McGee DL, Rappaport WD, Villar HV, et al. Cytogenetic profile of 109 lipomas. Cancer Res. 1991;51(1):422–33. Epub 1991/01/01.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Subash M, Aziz A, O’Doherty M, Olver JM. Lipomatosis of the orbits: possibly a form of Madelung’s disease. Eye (Lond). 2012;26(6):894–5. Epub 2012/04/14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ulusoy OL, Kafadar C, Ozturk E, Mutlu A, Sirvanci M. Idiopathic thoracic epidural lipomatosis presenting with back pain. Spine J. 2016;16(8):e487–8. Epub 2016/01/24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber FP. Diffuse Symmetrical Lipomatosis. Proc R Soc Med. 1912;5(Clin Sect):142. Epub 1912/01/01.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wood IS, de Heredia FP, Wang B, Trayhurn P. Cellular hypoxia and adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity. Proc Nutr Soc. 2009;68(4):370–7. Epub 2009/08/25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye J. Emerging role of adipose tissue hypoxia in obesity and insulin resistance. Int J Obes. 2009;33(1):54–66. Epub 2008/12/04.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yin J, Gao Z, He Q, Zhou D, Guo Z, Ye J. Role of hypoxia in obesity-induced disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009;296(2):E333–42. Epub 2008/12/11.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zachar V, Duroux M, Emmersen J, Rasmussen JG, Pennisi CP, Yang S, et al. Hypoxia and adipose-derived stem cell-based tissue regeneration and engineering. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2011;11(6):775–86. Epub 2011/03/19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Lam KS, Ye H, Chung SK, Zhou M, Wang Y, et al. Adipose tissue-specific inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor 1{alpha} induces obesity and glucose intolerance by impeding energy expenditure in mice. J Biol Chem. 2010;285(43):32869–77. Epub 2010/08/19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Associates, Inc., Columbus, OH, USA

    Elena A. Christofides

  2. Minnesota Center for Obesity, Metabolism and Endocrinology, PA (MNCOME), Eagan, MN, USA

    J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy

Authors
  1. Elena A. Christofides
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elena A. Christofides .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. MNCOME, Eagan, MN, USA

    J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy

  2. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Daniel L. Hurley

  3. University of Alabama - Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    W. Timothy Garvey

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Christofides, E.A., Gonzalez-Campoy, J.M. (2019). Adiposopathy. In: Gonzalez-Campoy, J., Hurley, D., Garvey, W. (eds) Bariatric Endocrinology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95655-8_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95655-8_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95653-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95655-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation