Diet-induced hyperplastic expansion in subcutaneous adipose tissue and protection against adipose progenitor exhaustion in female mice are lost with ovariectomy.

Background: The protection of females against cardiometabolic disease is in part attributable to a tendency for fat accumulation in subcutaneous depots, which promote lipid homeostasis by serving as a metabolic sink. At menopause this protection is lost, and body fat distribution resembles the male-like pattern of visceral adiposity. Adipose progenitor cells (APCs) can be recruited to support adipose expansion in the setting of obesity. Sex differences in diet-induced APC responses may in part explain sexual dimorphism in risk for obesity-associated insulin resistance; however, the role of sex and estrogen in governing APC function remains unclear. Methods: Four groups of C57BL/6 mice were assessed: intact males vs. females, and sham vs. ovariectomized (ovx) with or without estradiol (E2). Adipogenesis was stimulated by rosiglitazone (rosi), while obesity was induced by high fat/fructose diet (HHFD). Flow cytometry quantified the total number of APCs and identify committed preadipocytes by the loss of CD24 expression. Body composition was measured by NMR, while adipose function assessed by measuring circulating adipokines and free fatty acids and lipolysis in adipose explants. Results: Despite greater accumulation of fat mass in response to rosi, females were protected against the depletion in subcutaneous APCs and preadipocytes that was observed in rosi-treated males. Similar to intact males, APC and preadipocytes in subcutaneous depots of ovx females were reduced after rosi treatment. The protection of obese females against the development of insulin resistance and adipose dysfunction was lost with ovx, and E2 re-supplementation rescued HFFD-induced APC exhaustion. Exposure to HFFD after discontinuation of rosi exacerbated glucose intolerance in males only. Conclusions: Estrogen-mediated hyperplastic expansion in subcutaneous depots permits renewal of the APC pool and preservation of adipose function.