200 - Epicardial adipose tissue from type 2 diabetic patients displays features ascribed to metabolic alterations and inflammation (ID 416)
Abstract
Background and Aims
Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active tissue that accumulates under pathological conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and then contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease. In the current study, the properties of EAT from patients with or without DM were evaluated.
Methods
DM and non-diabetic patients were classified according to the presence (DM-C and ND-C) or absence (DM and ND) of coronary artery disease (CAD) (n=6 in each group). EAT (100 mg) obtained after cardiac surgery was analyzed by immunohistochemistry to detect CD68 (macrophage infiltration), picrosirius red staining (PSR) to detect fibrosis, and RT-PCR to assess the expression of genes related to glucose (GLUT4 and RBP4), lipid metabolism (CD36 and PLIN2), and inflammation (IL1b, IL6, IL8, IL10, and MCP1).
Results
EAT from DM patients, and particularly from DM-C, showed larger adipocyte size and greater CD68 staining than ND and ND-C. The most intense PSR staining was found in EAT from DM. The expression of inflammatory genes and PLIN2 was higher in EAT from DM, and particularly in those with CAD. By contrast, the expression of GLUT4, RBP4 and CD36 did not differ by the presence of CAD, and decreased in DM compared to ND patients.
Conclusions
EAT from DM showed high cytokine and Plin2 expression, which could be related to its histological features: macrophage infiltration, fibrosis, and large adipocyte size. These characteristics and the lower expression of genes related to glucose and fatty acid uptake could contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance in DM patients.
