752 Diet and the dermal white adipose tissue: Analyzing shifts in the cutaneous lipid landscape in response to dietary change

Abstract

The increased prevalence of diet-induced obesity and its associated skin conditions continues to plague modern populations. Though it has been established that diet affects subcutaneous and visceral white adipose, less is known about the impact of the diet on the dermal white adipose tissue — a superficial layer of cutaneous adipose with a variety of metabolic and immune functions. This study sought to investigate the impact of diet on the dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT). Four groups of mice were fed either: 1) a standard diet higher in proteins, 2) a ketogenic diet higher in fat, 3) a western diet higher in fat and carbohydrates, or 4) a tailored steatohepatitis (NASH) diet high in fat, fructose, and cholesterol. Skin samples were fractionated and analyzed by LC/MS to determine lipid composition. Compared to the standard group, the dWAT of mice on the experimental diets showed an increase of monounsaturated TAGs and a decrease of polyunsaturated TAGs. Interestingly, though mice on the ketogenic and western diets showed an increase in saturated TAGs in the dWAT, mice on the NASH diet showed a decrease of saturated TAGs when compared to the standard group. Of note, mice from all three experimental diet groups showed significant decreases in the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their skin, specifically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These essential fatty acids have been shown to play a role in maintaining skin moisture, decreasing inflammation, improving wound healing, and promoting hair growth. Additional investigation will be needed to determine how these changes in dWAT lipid composition affect our skin’s complex function and contribute to cutaneous disease pathophysiology.