The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pioglitazone treatment on adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese, nondiabetic individuals. For that purpose, 12 overweight/obese insulin resistant individuals were analyzed at baseline and after 12 weeks of pioglitazone treatment. Results revealed that pioglitazone treatment was associated with an increase in the population of small adipose cells. However, there were no significant changes in the number of large cells which suggest that this increase in small adipose cells was probably due to an increase in adipogenesis. In addition, there was a strong correlation between the degree to which the proportion of small cells increased and the degree to which insulin sensitivity improved. Pioglitazone administration was also associated with an increase in subcutaneous abdominal and femoral fat, and a concurrent decrease in intra-abdominal (visceral) fat. These findings give support to the evidence that pioglitazone improves insulin sensitivity by promoting adipogenesis and therefore increasing the fat storage capacity in subcutaneous adipose tissue.
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