title: Visceral adipose tissue as a source of inflammation and promoter of atherosclerosis.
abstract: The current epidemic of obesity with the associated increasing incidence of insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis affecting a large proportion of the North American and Western populations, has generated a strong interest in the potential role of visceral adipose tissue in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. The intra-abdominal and epicardial space are two compartments that contain visceral adipose tissue with a similar embryological origin. These visceral fats are highly inflamed in obese patients, patients with the metabolic syndrome and in those with established coronary artery disease; additionally they are capable of secreting large quantities of pro-inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids. There is accumulating evidence to support a direct involvement of these regional adipose tissue deposits in the development of atherosclerosis and its complicating events, as will be reviewed in this article.
authors: Cardiology Department, Athens Euroclinic, Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Alexopoulos
authors: Cardiology Department, Athens Euroclinic, Athens, Greece.
authors: Demosthenes
authors: D
authors: Katritsis
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Canada; Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: raggi@ualberta.ca.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Raggi
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Coronary artery disease; Visceral adipose tissue