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The Isolation and Culture of Primary Epicardial Cells Derived from Human Adult and Fetal Heart Specimens
Published on: April 24, 2018
Cardio-Lipotoxicity of Epicardial Adipose Tissue
Monica L Bodenstab1, Ron T Varghese2, Gianluca Iacobellis3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
None:
Epicardial adipose tissue is a unique visceral adipose tissue depot that plays a crucial role in myocardial metabolism. Epicardial adipose tissue is a major source of energy and free fatty acids for the adjacent myocardium. However, under pathological conditions, epicardial fat can affect the heart through the excessive and abnormal influx of lipids. The cardio-lipotoxicity of the epicardial adipose tissue is complex and involves different pathways, such as increased inflammation, the infiltration of lipid intermediates such as diacylglycerol and ceramides, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, ultimately leading to cardiomyocyte dysfunction and coronary artery ischemia. These changes can contribute to the pathogenesis of various cardio-metabolic diseases including atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and obstructive sleep apnea. Hence, the role of the cardio-lipotoxicity of epicardial fat and its clinical implications are discussed in this review.
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