ABSTRACT
The non-essential fatty acids, C18:1n9, C16:0, C16:1n7, C18:0 and C18:1n7 account for over 75% of fatty acids in white adipose (WAT) triacylglycerol (TAG). The relative composition of these fatty acids (FA) is influenced by the desaturases, SCD1-4 and the elongase, ELOVL6. In knock-out models, loss of SCD1 or ELOVL6 results in reduced Δ9 desaturated and reduced 18-carbon non-essential FA respectively. Both Elovl6 KO and SCD1 KO mice exhibit improved insulin sensitivity. Here we describe the relationship between WAT TAG composition in obese mouse models and obese humans stratified for insulin resistance. In mouse models with increasing obesity and insulin resistance, there was an increase in scWAT Δ9 desaturated FAs (SCD ratio) and FAs with 18-carbons (Elovl6 ratio) in mice. Data from mouse models discordant for obesity and insulin resistance (AKT2 KO, Adiponectin aP2-transgenic), suggested that scWAT TAG Elovl6 ratio was associated with insulin sensitivity, whereas SCD1 ratio was associated with fat mass. In humans, a greater SCD1 and Elovl6 ratio was found in metabolically more harmful visceral adipose tissue when compared to subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Subject(s)
Adipose Tissue, White/metabolism , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Obesity/pathology , Triglycerides/metabolism , Acetyltransferases/deficiency , Acetyltransferases/genetics , Adenosine Deaminase/deficiency , Adenosine Deaminase/genetics , Animals , Fatty Acid Elongases , Fatty Acids/chemistry , Female , Insulin Resistance , Male , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Mice, Obese , Obesity/metabolism , Severity of Illness Index , Triglycerides/chemistryABSTRACT
A technique utilizing the capillary assisted sieving capability of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to achieve fractionation of nanoparticles of small size distribution is presented. By dipping aligned CNT arrays into a solution comprising different sized quantum dots (QDs), size-selective gradient decoration of QDs onto CNTs is achieved. The fractionating capability of CNTs is also demonstrated for poly-dispersed manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles and QDs of varying sizes and chemical compositions, which we attribute to the size-selective sieving effect of CNTs. By controlling the terminating point for the flow of QDs across the CNT array, a QD size specific CNT/QD hybrid structure is achieved.