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Updated: Feb 19, 2026
Isolation, Characterization, and Purification of Macrophages from Tissues Affected by Obesity-related Inflammation
Published on: April 3, 2017
Removing Lipid Droplets Improves Fat Transplantation Outcomes in a Mouse Model through Suppressing Pro-fibrotic
Xingtang Niu1, Yu He1, Xiaoqi Huang1
1Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Southern Medical University, Nanfang Hospital, 1838 North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, People's Republic of China.
Background:
The clinical efficacy and predictability of autologous fat grafting are frequently undermined by uncontrolled fibrosis and oil cyst formation. While lipid droplets (LDs) metabolic imbalance is recognized as a critical factor influencing graft outcomes, the underlying mechanisms linking LDs to adverse tissue remodeling remain poorly understood.
Objectives:
This study aimed to elucidate the mechanistic impact of extracellular LDs on fat graft outcomes in a murine model, with a specific focus on their role in modulating macrophage-mediated inflammation and fibrosis.
Method:
Fat grafts were transplanted into C57BL/6J mice and divided into two groups: an oil-retained group (control) and an oil-removed group (intervention). Grafts were harvested at serial timepoints (2-12 weeks) for comprehensive analysis, including histopathology (H&E, Masson's trichrome), quantitative PCR for inflammatory and fibrotic markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β), and immunofluorescence staining to assess macrophage polarization (CD86 for M1, CD206 for M2).
Result:
The presence of excess extracellular LDs acted as a potent inflammatory trigger, driving a significant upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α (2.4-fold), IL-6 (1.9-fold), and IL-1β (2.8-fold). This pro-inflammatory microenvironment was associated with a dominant M1 macrophage phenotype. Conversely, the preoperative removal of LDs fundamentally altered this response. The oil-removed group exhibited markedly superior outcomes, including a 1.25-fold greater volume retention (p < 0.01) and a 60% reduction in oil cyst area (p < 0.01) at 12 weeks. Mechanistically, these improvements were linked to a decisive shift in macrophage polarization toward a pro-regenerative M2 phenotype, as evidenced by a significantly higher CD206+/CD86+ cell ratio (1.76 vs. 0.86 in controls).
Conclusion:
LDs overload exacerbated graft failure through M1 macrophage-mediated chronic inflammation and pathological fibrosis. Preoperative removal of these lipid droplets mitigates this detrimental inflammatory cascade, improves graft retention, and represents a critical and actionable strategy for enhancing the outcomes of clinical fat transplantation.
Level Of Evidence I:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
