Metabolic Defects in Prediabetic Kuwaiti Arabs and Indians

Insulin resistance and the accompanying hyperinsulinemia also lead to the development of multiple metabolic abnormalities which are responsible, at least in part, for the excessive risk of coronary heart disease in T2DM , non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and impaired diastolic left ventricular (LV) function. Thus, insulin resistance contributes, not only to increased T2DM risk, but also to the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.

Etiology of Insulin Resistance Insulin resistance is closely related to obesity. Multiple mechanisms contribute to insulin resistance in obese individuals. Accumulation of fat in insulin target tissues (i.e. ectopic fat), e.g. in myocytes and hepatocytes, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. When energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, the energy excess is stored in subcutaneous adipocytes in the form of triglycerides. However, under conditions of persistent positive energy balance, subcutaneous fat stores become filled and the excess energy spills over into the circulation in the form of FFA, leading to increased fat content in lean tissues, i.e. ectopic fat. Many studies have documented the important role of ectopic fat content in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in obese individuals. The severity of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and liver strongly correlates with ectopic fat content in myocytes and hepatocytes, respectively. Further, therapies that deplete ectopic fat, e.g. weight loss and pioglitazone, significantly improve insulin sensitivity.

Fat spill over and the subsequent increase in ectopic fat content in lean tissues could result from subcutaneous fat cells that are filled to capacity or the inability of the subcutaneous fat stores to expand. Consistent with this hypothesis, several studies have demonstrated increased fat cell size in subcutaneous fat in insulin resistant obese individuals compared to insulin sensitive controls. Moreover, large fat cells have a higher rate of lipolysis and decreased rate of FFA esterification compared to small fat cells, suggesting decreased ability of large fat cells to further store fat in subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese individuals. Of note, large fat cell size is a strong predictor of future T2DM risk in non-diabetic individuals, independent of insulin resistance. Collectively, these results have led to the hypothesis that inability of subcutaneous fat tissue to expand results in fat spill over into muscle, liver, heart, etc and the subsequent development of insulin resistance.