Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and extensive remodeling of adipose tissue, including changes to the extracellular matrix (ECM) that promote fibrosis, restrict adipocyte plasticity, and contribute to metabolic dysfunction. However, the structural changes in adipose ECM during diet-induced obesity remain incompletely understood.
This study investigated obesity-induced alterations in adipose ECM architecture using a diet-induced obesity mouse model. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were fed either a control chow diet or a high-fat diet to generate lean and obese cohorts. Epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) was collected and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to visualize three-dimensional ECM organization.
SEM images were quantitatively analyzed for collagen fiber density, network organization, pore size, tissue porosity, collagen bundle thickness, alignment, and adipocyte organization. Compared with chow-fed controls, obese mice exhibited increased ECM deposition, denser and more disorganized collagen networks, reduced pore size, and decreased tissue porosity, consistent with fibrotic remodeling and the development of a stiffer ECM that may impair adipose tissue expansion.
These findings demonstrate that diet-induced obesity profoundly alters adipose ECM architecture, providing insight into the mechanisms of adipose fibrosis and identifying potential ECM-directed therapeutic targets to improve metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.
