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Ceramide content is higher in type I compared to type II fibers in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Abstract

This study investigated fiber-type-specific muscle ceramide content in obese subjects and type 2 diabetes patients. Two substudies, one which compared type 2 diabetes patients to both lean- and obese BMI-matched subjects and the other study which compared lean body–matched post-obese, obese, and control subjects, were performed. A fasting blood sample was obtained and plasma insulin and glucose determined. A muscle biopsy was obtained from deltoideus and vastus lateralis, and fiber-type ceramide content was determined by fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Insulin sensitivity estimated by Quicki index was higher in lean compared to type 2 diabetes patients and obese controls. Also in control and post-obese subjects, a higher insulin sensitivity was observed compared to obese subjects. Ceramide content was consistently higher in type I than in type II muscle fibers and higher in deltoideus than vastus lateralis across all groups. No significant differences between groups were observed in ceramide content in either of the two substudies. In human skeletal muscle, ceramide content was higher in type I than in type II fibers in patients with type 2 diabetes and in obese subjects, but overall ceramide muscle fiber content was not different compared to controls.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was received from the Velux Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, The Foundation of 1870, Direktør Jacob and Olga Madsens Foundation, Aase and Ejnar Danielsens foundation, and Astra Zeneca. Furthermore, we thank Jesper Isager Sally, Thomas Beck, Jeppe Bach, and Regitze Kraunsøe (all Dept. Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen) for providing excellent technical assistance. In addition, we thank Assoc. Prof. Bente Stallknecht (Dept. Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen) for performing the biopsies in the Post-obese study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Ditte Kristensen, Clara Prats, Steen Larsen, Ignacio Ara, Flemming Dela & Jørn W. Helge

  2. GENUD Toledo Research Group, University of Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain

    Ignacio Ara

Authors
  1. Ditte Kristensen
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  2. Clara Prats
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  3. Steen Larsen
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  4. Ignacio Ara
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  5. Flemming Dela
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  6. Jørn W. Helge
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Correspondence to Jørn W. Helge.

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Communicated by Massimo Federici.

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Kristensen, D., Prats, C., Larsen, S. et al. Ceramide content is higher in type I compared to type II fibers in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Acta Diabetol 50, 705–712 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-012-0379-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-012-0379-0

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