Adipose tissue and vascular inflammation in coronary artery disease

Abstract

Obesity has become an important public health issue in Western and developing countries, with well known metabolic and cardiovascular complications. In the last decades, evidence have been growing about the active role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ in determining these pathological consequences. As a consequence of the expansion of fat depots, in obese subjects, adipose tissue cells develope a phenotypic modification, which turns into a change of the secretory output. Adipocytokines produced by both adipocytes and adipose stromal cells are involved in the modulation of glucose and lipid handling, vascular biology and, moreover, participate to the systemic inflammatory response, which characterizes obesity and metabolic syndrome. This might represent an important pathophysiological link with atherosclerotic complications and cardiovascular events. A great number of adipocytokines have been described recently, linking inflammatory mileu and vascular pathology. The understanding of these pathways is crucial not only from a pathophysiological point of view, but also to a better cardiovascular disease risk stratification and to the identification of possible therapeutic targets. The aim of this paper is to review the role of Adipocytokines as a possible link between obesity and vascular disease. Key words: Adipocytokines; Obesity; Metabolic syndrome; Coronary artery disease; Inflammation Core tip: Our article, provide a comprehensive review of the evidence about adipose tissue and cardiovascular risk, focusing on the pathophysiological and clinical role of fat-derived mediators, the so-called adipocytokines.

Similar Adiponectin Levels in Obese Normotensive and Obese Hypertensive Men and No Vasorelaxant Effect of Adiponectin on Human Arteries

“…Furthermore, numerous animal studies have reported that adiponectin exerts direct anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, antihypertensive (vasodilatory) and antidiabetic (insulinsensitizing) properties [11][12][13][14]. Nevertheless, even though adiponectin has been associated with well-known cardiovascular risk factors [4][5][6][8][9][10], a number of studies have failed to show any association between hypoadiponectinaemia and cardiovascular events in human beings, as summarized in three recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses [15][16][17]. In this context, the results linking adiponectin to hypertension in human beings have also been conflicting [18][19][20][21][22], and a possible direct effect of adiponectin on human resistance arteries has apparently never been tested.…”

“…Adiponectin, a 244 amino acid protein, which is secreted from adipose tissue, is one of these adipocytokines [4][5][6][8][9][10]. Compared with other adipocytokines, adiponectin is distinct in the sense that lower (hypoadiponectinaemia) rather than higher (hyperadiponectinaemia) circulating concentrations of adiponectin have been associated with increased risk of overweight-related diseases [4][5][6][8][9][10].…”

“…In conclusion, obese hypertensive men have similar serum concentrations of adiponectin as obese normotensive men. In combination with the in vitro data, these findings question a pathogenic role of adiponectin in human hypertension.High body mass index (BMI) caused by excessive growth of adipose tissue is a major risk factor for hypertension [1], but the mechanisms by which excess adipose tissue leads to hypertension are still not fully elucidated [2,3].Over the past decades, it has become increasingly apparent that adipose tissue is not only a passive energy store, but also an active endocrine and paracrine organ that secretes various proinflammatory, vasoactive and metabolic active substances, collectively called adipocytokines or just adipokines [4][5][6][7][8]. Based on both animal and human studies, it has been suggested that these active adipose tissue-derived substances could play a role in overweight-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension [4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…Based on both animal and human studies, it has been suggested that these active adipose tissue-derived substances could play a role in overweight-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension [4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…Over the past decades, it has become increasingly apparent that adipose tissue is not only a passive energy store, but also an active endocrine and paracrine organ that secretes various proinflammatory, vasoactive and metabolic active substances, collectively called adipocytokines or just adipokines [4][5][6][7][8]. Based on both animal and human studies, it has been suggested that these active adipose tissue-derived substances could play a role in overweight-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension [4][5][6][7][8].…”