Region‐specific alterations in adipose tissue function: cardiometabolic risk goes belly‐up

Abstract

Human body fat distribution patterns are heterogeneous and result from extrinsic influences (e.g. hormonal effects) and regional differences in intrinsic properties of adipose cells. The capacity of preadipocytes to differentiate and then store or mobilize lipids in each fat compartment is a major determinant of body fat distribution patterns. It also reflects the metabolic role of the cells of each region and directly relates to the high cardiometabolic risk closely associated with abdominal, visceral obesity. Visceral adipocytes (e.g. omental cells) are efficient for hypertrophy through lipid storage and show high lipolytic responsiveness, whereas subcutaneous cells have a high capacity for hyperplasia. We examined the potential of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissues as stem cell sources using the ceiling culture approach of adipocyte dedifferentiation. This cellular process generates multipotent mesenchymal stem cells through rapid downregulation of lipogenic/adipogenic transcripts and activation of matrix remodelling programs. Dedifferentiation is slightly more effective in subcutaneous than omental cells. Thus, adipose cell characteristics and origin closely relate to metabolic status and stem cell properties.