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Pancreatic α‐cell mass in obesity
Author(s) -
Ellenbroek Johanne H.,
Töns Hendrica A. M.,
Hanegraaf Maaike A. J.,
Rabelink Ton J.,
Engelse Marten A.,
Carlotti Françoise,
de Koning Eelco J. P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
diabetes, obesity and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.445
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1463-1326
pISSN - 1462-8902
DOI - 10.1111/dom.12997
Subject(s) - obesity , body mass index , pancreas , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology , medicine , type 2 diabetes , lean body mass , insulin , body weight
While it is well recognized that obesity is associated with an increased β‐cell mass, the association with α‐cell mass is less clear. Type 2 diabetes ( T2DM ) associated with obesity is a bihormonal disease characterized by inadequate insulin secretion and hyperglucagonaemia. We examined β‐ and α‐cell mass throughout the pancreas in obese and lean subjects. Pancreatic tissue of the head, body and tail region of the pancreas was examined from 15 obese subjects (body mass index [ BMI ] ≥ 27 kg/m 2 ) and 15 age‐matched lean subjects ( BMI ≤ 25 kg/m 2 ) without diabetes. In obese subjects both β‐ and α‐cell mass were proportionally higher compared with lean subjects, thereby maintaining the α‐ to β‐cell ratio. The adaptation to obesity occurred preferentially in the head of the pancreas. As data so far have been derived from histological studies of β‐ and α‐cell adaptation, in which the head region of the human pancreas was not included, the adaptive capacity of humans to obesity has previously been underestimated. Obesity is associated with an increased α‐cell mass, which could contribute to the hyperglucagonaemia observed in people with T2DM .