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Isolation of Viable Adipocytes and Stromal Vascular Fraction from Human Visceral Adipose Tissue Suitable for RNA Analysis and Macrophage Phenotyping
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Isolation of Viable Adipocytes and Stromal Vascular Fraction from Human Visceral Adipose Tissue Suitable for RNA Analysis and Macrophage Phenotyping

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An early inflammatory gene profile in visceral adipose tissue in children

Charmaine S Tam1, Leonie K Heilbronn, Corneliu Henegar

  • 1Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital, University of Sydney , Westmead , Australia . tam@pbrc.edu

International Journal of Pediatric Obesity : IJPO : an Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|May 26, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Visceral adipose tissue in children shows increased immune and inflammatory gene expression compared to subcutaneous tissue. This may indicate early risks for metabolic and cardiovascular issues, especially with obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Adipose Tissue Biology

Background:

  • Adipose tissue depots (visceral and subcutaneous) have distinct functions.
  • Understanding gene expression differences in pediatric adipose tissue is crucial for metabolic health.
  • Early life factors can influence long-term metabolic and cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize and compare gene expression profiles of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in children.
  • To identify specific genes and functional pathways associated with each adipose tissue depot in pediatric populations.
  • To investigate potential early indicators of adverse metabolic effects related to visceral adipose tissue.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples from 71 children undergoing elective surgery.
  • Affymetrix microarray analysis on 20 samples to determine functional profiles and identify genes.
  • Quantitative PCR (qPCR) validation of key gene expression differences across the entire cohort.

Main Results:

  • Visceral adipose tissue exhibited enrichment in gene ontology terms related to immune and inflammatory responses.
  • Subcutaneous adipose tissue showed enrichment in terms associated with adipocyte growth and development.
  • Significant differences in gene expression were observed: increased haptoglobin and IL-10, and decreased VEGF and TBOX15 in visceral compared to subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Conclusions:

  • The distinct gene expression patterns suggest different functional roles for pediatric visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue.
  • The inflammatory profile of visceral adipose tissue may represent an early stage of adverse effects.
  • These findings highlight a potential link between visceral adipose tissue inflammation in childhood and increased future metabolic and cardiovascular risk, particularly in the context of obesity.

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