PPARy activity in subcutaneous abdominal fat tissue and fat mass gain during short-term overfeeding

Objective: As the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) plays a central role in fat mass regulation, we investigated whether initial subcutaneous PPAR activity is related to fat mass generation during overfeeding. Subjects: Fourteen healthy female subjects (age 254 years, BMI 22.12.3 kg/m2). Design and measurements: Subjects were overfed with a diet supplying 50% more energy than baseline energy requirements for 14 days. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for leptin, insulin and glucose. Fasting subcutaneous abdominal fat biopsies were obtained for analysis of PPAR1, PPAR2, aP2 and UCP2 mRNAs. Results: Initial PPAR1 and 2, aP2 and UCP2 mRNAs were not related to fat gain (P>0.12). However, PPAR1, PPAR2 and aP2 mRNA changes were positively related to changes in plasma leptin (