Ye J, Wang JG, Liu RQ, Shi Q, Wang WX. Association between intra-pancreatic fat deposition and diseases of the exocrine pancreas: A narrative review. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(2): 101180 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i2.101180]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Wei-Xing Wang, MD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China. sate.llite@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2025; 31(2): 101180 Published online Jan 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i2.101180
Association between intra-pancreatic fat deposition and diseases of the exocrine pancreas: A narrative review
Jing Ye, Jian-Guo Wang, Rong-Qiang Liu, Qiao Shi, Wei-Xing Wang
Jing Ye, Jian-Guo Wang, Rong-Qiang Liu, Wei-Xing Wang, Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China
Qiao Shi, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China
Co-first authors: Jing Ye and Jian-Guo Wang.
Co-corresponding authors: Qiao Shi and Wei-Xing Wang.
Author contributions: Ye J, Shi Q, and Wang WX designed the study; Ye J, Wang JG, and Liu RQ collected data; Wang JG and Ye J did the drawing and writing, they are the co-first authors of this study; Ye J, Shi Q, and Wang WX made writing modifications. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Both Shi Q and Wang WX have played important and indispensable roles in the article design, literature collection and manuscript preparation as the co-corresponding authors.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82170651; and the Research Support Fund of Hubei Microcirculation Society, No. HBWXH2024(1)-1.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Wei-Xing Wang, MD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, China. sate.llite@163.com
Received: September 6, 2024 Revised: October 26, 2024 Accepted: November 19, 2024 Published online: January 14, 2025 Processing time: 102 Days and 23.4 Hours
Abstract
Intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) has garnered increasing attention in recent years. The prevalence of IPFD is relatively high and associated with factors such as obesity, age, and sex. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying IPFD remain unclear, with several potential contributing factors, including oxidative stress, alterations in the gut microbiota, and hormonal imbalances. IPFD was found to be highly correlated with the occurrence and prognosis of exocrine pancreatic diseases. Although imaging techniques remain the primary diagnostic approach for IPFD, an expanding array of biomarkers and clinical scoring systems have been identified for screening purposes. Currently, effective treatments for IPFD are not available; however, existing medications, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and new therapeutic approaches explored in animal models have shown considerable potential for managing this disease. This paper reviews the pathogenesis of IPFD, its association with exocrine pancreatic diseases, and recent advancements in its diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the significant clinical relevance of IPFD.
Core Tip: Intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) is a prevalent and clinically significant condition linked to exocrine pancreatic diseases, obesity, age, and sex. Although the mechanisms driving IPFD remain poorly understood, factors like oxidative stress, gut microbiota alterations, and hormonal imbalances are thought to contribute. Imaging is currently the main diagnostic method, but emerging biomarkers and scoring systems offer new diagnostic avenues. While there are no established treatments, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and novel experimental therapies show promise. This review highlights recent insights into IPFD’s pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic potential, underscoring its clinical importance in pancreatic health management.
