title: Not all fats are created equal: adipose vs. ectopic fat, implication in cardiometabolic diseases.
abstract: Adipose tissue is a recognized endocrine organ that acts not only as a fuel storage but also is able to secrete adipokines that can modulate inflammation. Most of the fat is composed of white adipocytes (WAT), although also brown/beige adipocytes (BAT/BeAT) have been found in humans. BAT is located close to the neck but also among WAT in the epicardial fat and perivascular fat. Adipocyte hypertrophy and infiltration of macrophages impair adipose tissue metabolism determining "adiposopathy" (i.e., sick fat) and increasing the risk to develop metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this review was to search and discuss the available literature on the impact of different types of fat and fat distribution on cardiometabolic risk. Visceral fat, but also ectopic fat, either in liver, muscle and heart, can increase the risk to develop insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Results recently published showed that BAT could have an impact on cardiometabolic risk, not only because it is implicated in energy metabolism but also because it can modulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Therapeutical interventions that can increase energy expenditure, successfully change fat distribution and reduce ectopic fat, also through BAT activation, were discussed.
authors: Melania
authors: M
authors: Gaggini
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Saponaro
authors: Amalia
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2594-1651
authors: A
authors: Gastaldelli
mesh_terms: D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D052438:Adipocytes, White / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; C000593833:GLP1R protein, human; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists