Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 mRNA levels and fatty acid desaturation index positively correlate with BMI in morbidly obese women

The aim of this study was to re-evaluate possible associations between BMI and (1) stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) gene expression in adipose tissue; (2) adipose tissue or serum lipids oleic acid/stearic acid (18:1/18:0) desaturation index (DI); and (3) expression of less studied SCD isoform SCD5 in adipose tissue of obese patients. SCD1 and SCD5 mRNA levels in adipose tissue from 16 morbidly obese women were analyzed by RT-PCR. Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue and whole serum lipids were determined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The SCD1 mRNA levels, as well as 18:1/18:0 DI in adipose tissue, correlated positively with BMI in obese patients. A weak positive association between the serum lipid 18:1/18:0 DI and BMI did not reach the threshold of statistical significance. The SCD5 mRNA levels in adipose tissue were approximately 400 times lower than the SCD1 levels and did not correlate with BMI. Positive correlations between BMI and visceral or subcutaneous adipose tissue 18:1/18:0 DI were stronger than the association between serum whole lipid 18:1/18:0 DI and BMI in morbidly obese women. The expression of the SCD1 gene in human adipose tissue is markedly stronger than the expression of the SCD5 gene. Practical applications: Our findings confirm previous suggestions that SCD1 may serve as an attractive therapeutic target in patients with obesity and related disorders.