Histomorphometric changes in the perirenal adipocytes of adrenalectomized rats treated with dexamethasone

• Main Authors: Fairus Ahmad, Ima Nirwana Soelaiman, Elvy Suhana Mohd Ramli, Tan Ming Hooi, Farihah H. Suhaimi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculdade de Medicina / USP 2011-01-01
• Series: Clinics
• Subjects: Dexamethasone; Adrenalectomized rat; Perirenal fat; Hyperplasia; 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322011000500023
• ISSN: 1807-5932; 1980-5322

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged steroid treatment administered to any patient can cause visceral obesity, which is associated with metabolic disease and Cushing's syndrome. Glucocorticoids have a profound negative effect on adipose tissue mass, giving rise to obesity, which in turn is regulated by the 11&#946;-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme. Adrenalectomized rats treated with dexamethasone exhibited an increase in visceral fat deposition but not in body weight. OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this study was to determine the effect of dexamethasone on the histomorphometric characteristics of perirenal adipocytes of adrenalectomized, dexamethasone-treated rats (ADR+Dexa) and the association of dexamethasone treatment with the expression and activity of 11 &#946;-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 &#946;-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1). METHODS: A total of 20 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: a baseline control group (n = 6), a sham-operated group (n = 7) and an adrenalectomized group (n=7). The adrenalectomized group was given intramuscular dexamethasone (ADR+Dexa) 2 weeks post adrenalectomy, and the rats from the sham-operated group were administered intramuscular vehicle (olive oil). RESULTS: Treatment with 120 &#956;g/kg intramuscular dexamethasone for 8 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in the diameter of the perirenal adipocytes (p<0.05) and a significant increase in the number of perirenal adipocytes (p<0.05). There was minimal weight gain but pronounced fat deposition in the dexamethasone-treated rats. These changes in the perirenal adipocytes were associated with high expression and dehydrogenase activity of 11&#946;-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, dexamethasone increased the deposition of perirenal fat by hyperplasia, which causes increases in the expression and dehydrogenase activity of 11 &#946;-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in adrenalectomized rats.