Depot-specific adiposity changes in ovariectomized mice on high-fat diet

Abstract

Ovariectomized (OVX) mice serve as a key model for studying postmenopausal metabolic changes, particularly obesity, as they mimic the hormonal state of postmenopausal women. However, our understanding remains limited regarding how hormonal and dietary factors affect different adipose tissues. Furthermore, precise documentation of experimental procedures and their effects on specific adipose tissue depots is essential for reproducible translational research. This study investigated depot-specific adiposity development in OVX mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), focusing on how reduced estrogen levels and dietary intervention affect distinct fat depots. We composed subcutaneous and visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) depots from sham-operated (Sham) and OVX female C57BL/6JJcl mice on a regular diet (RD) and high-fat diet (HFD) for 20 weeks. OVX mice on HFD gained significantly more weight than Sham controls. Adiposity increased in abdominal subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) and perirenal WAT (prWAT) of OVX mice, but not in mesenteric WAT (mWAT). Analysis of adipose tissue morphology revealed that OVX mice exhibited enlarged adipocyte cross-sectional areas under low estrogen (E2) conditions, suggesting enhanced adipogenesis in an estrogen-deficient state. These findings suggest that low estrogen condition accelerated adiposity, in a tissue site-dependent manner.