Weight Loss Decreases Excess Pancreatic Triacylglycerol Specifically in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Objective: This study determined whether the decrease in pancreatic triacylglycerol during weight loss in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is simply reflective of whole-body fat or specific to diabetes and associated with the simultaneous recovery of insulin secretory function.

Research design and methods: Individuals listed for gastric bypass surgery who had T2DM or normal glucose tolerance (NGT) matched for age, weight, and sex were studied before and 8 weeks after surgery. Pancreas and liver triacylglycerol were quantified using in-phase, out-of-phase MRI. Also measured were the first-phase insulin response to a stepped intravenous glucose infusion, hepatic insulin sensitivity, and glycemic and incretin responses to a semisolid test meal.

Results: Weight loss after surgery was similar (NGT: 12.8 ± 0.8% and T2DM: 13.6 ± 0.7%) as was the change in fat mass (56.7 ± 3.3 to 45.4 ± 2.3 vs. 56.6 ± 2.4 to 43.0 ± 2.4 kg). Pancreatic triacylglycerol did not change in NGT (5.1 ± 0.2 to 5.5 ± 0.4%) but decreased in the group with T2DM (6.6 ± 0.5 to 5.4 ± 0.4%; P = 0.007). First-phase insulin response to a stepped intravenous glucose infusion did not change in NGT (0.24 [0.13-0.46] to 0.23 [0.19-0.37] nmol ⋅ min(-1) ⋅ m(-2)) but normalized in T2DM (0.08 [-0.01 to -0.10] to 0.22 [0.07-0.30]) nmol ⋅ min(-1) ⋅ m(-2) at week 8 (P = 0.005). No differential effect of incretin secretion was observed after gastric bypass, with more rapid glucose absorption bringing about equivalently enhanced glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion in the two groups.

Conclusions: The fall in intrapancreatic triacylglycerol in T2DM, which occurs during weight loss, is associated with the condition itself rather than decreased total body fat.