Impact of Bariatric Surgery on White Adipose Tissue Inflammation

Excess fat mass accumulation can lead to a wide range of metabolic and cardiovascular complications resulting from dysfunctional adipose tissue (AT). The latter includes immune cell infiltration and altered secretion of anti- and proinflammatory mediators, which contribute to systemic, low-grade inflammation. In this article, we review available literature documenting the impact of surgery-induced weight loss on macrophage infiltration and tissue expression or circulating levels of a broad spectrum of inflammatory mediators. Reports generally show that bariatric surgery may reverse both macrophage infiltration and the altered secretory profile observed in the AT of patients with severe obesity. However, further studies are needed to confirm or elucidate the effects of specific bariatric surgery procedures on white AT inflammation and to shed light on the mechanisms involved in these effects.