Ectopic and visceral fat deposition in aging, obesity, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: an interconnected role

Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is considered an age-related disease. Age-related changes, along with other factors such as obesity, hormonal imbalances, and various metabolic disorders, lead to ectopic fat deposition (EFD). This accumulation of fat outside of its normal storage sites is associated with detrimental effects such as lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance. This narrative review provides an overview of the connection between ectopic and visceral fat deposition in aging, obesity, and IPF. It also elucidates the mechanism by which ectopic fat deposition in the airways and lungs, pericardium, skeletal muscles, and pancreas contributes to lung injury and fibrosis in patients with IPF, directly or indirectly. Moreover, the review discusses the impact of EFD on the severity of the disease, quality of life, presence of comorbidities, and overall prognosis in IPF patients. The review provides detailed information on recent research regarding representative lipid-lowering drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, and lipid-targeting drugs in animal experiments and clinical studies. This may offer new therapeutic directions for patients with IPF.

Correlation between type 2 diabetes mellitus remission and intrapancreatic fat deposition

“…Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between T2DM remission and IPFD. A rodent model study reported a strong association between IPFD and a high-fat/high-glucose diet, which not only abnormally increased plasma glucose levels but also predisposed the body to adverse effects, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and islet cell apoptosis[ 19 , 20 ]. Excessive intra-abdominal fat deposition has also been suggested to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetic nephropathy in T2DM[ 21 ].…”