Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2014) 35 P680 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.35.P680

ECE2014 Poster Presentations Growth hormone IGF axis basic (16 abstracts)

Increased relative amount of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in long-lived GH-releasing hormone knockout (GHRHKO) mice; is it beneficial or not?

Adam Gesing 1, , Michal Masternak 3, , Ravneet Boparai 1 , Andrzej Lewinski 5, , Malgorzata Karbownik-Lewinska 2, , Roberto Salvatori 7 & Andrzej Bartke 1


1Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics Research, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA; 2Department of Oncological Endocrinology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; 3Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA; 4Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland; 5Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; 6Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, Lodz, Poland; 7Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.


Introduction: Long-lived mice with targeted disruption of the GHRH gene (GHRH knockout; GHRHKO) constitute a unique animal model of altered somatotrophic signaling and are characterized by reduced body mass and size, low plasma IGF1 and enhanced insulin sensitivity. These features are also observed in long-lived GH receptor knockout (GHRKO) mice, characterized by increased visceral obesity that usually promotes insulin resistance. GHRKO mice have also increased subcutaneous fat accumulation. Increased amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue may be associated with enhanced insulin sensitivity.

Objectives and methods: The aim of the study was to assess an absolute weight and relative amount (percent of body mass) of visceral (perinephric and perigonadal – epididymal in males or parametrial in females) and subcutaneous fat depots, obtained during visceral or subcutaneous fat removal respectively. This quantification was performed in GHRHKO and normal (N) male and female mice, at ~ 6–7 months of age.

Results: The relative amount of visceral adipose tissue was increased in both, male and female GHRHKO mice (P=0.007, P=0.044; 1.53-fold, 1.88-fold respectively) compared to N animals. Also, the relative amount of subcutaneous fat was increased in both, male and female GHRHKO animals (P<0.001, P=0.005; 3.76-fold, 2.68-fold respectively). There were no differences in absolute weights of either visceral or subcutaneous adipose tissue between GHRHKO and N mice.

Conclusion: The relative amount of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in GHRHKO mice is, as in GHRKO dwarfs, increased. This phenomenon may lead, via reduced somatotrophic signaling characterized for both mutants, to increased insulin sensitivity. Our findings may confirm an important beneficial role of the suppressed GH signaling in lifespan regulation.

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