White adipose tissue (WAT) represents a reservoir of lipophilic environmental pollutants, especially of those which are resistant to biological and chemical degradation - so-called persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Large amounts of different congeners and isomers of these compounds exhibit a variety of adverse biological effects. Interactions among different classes of compounds, frequently...

BACKGROUND Obesity is associated with accumulation of macrophages in white adipose tissue (WAT), which contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Germ-free (GF) mice have reduced adiposity and are protected against diet-induced obesity, OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the gut microbiota and, specifically, gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promote WAT inflammation and contribute ...

BACKGROUND Mice lacking Receptor-interacting protein 140 (RIP140) have reduced body fat which at least partly is mediated through increased lipid and glucose metabolism in adipose tissue. In humans, RIP140 is lower expressed in visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) of obese versus lean subjects. We investigated the role of RIP140 in human subcutaneous WAT, which is the major fat depot of the body...

A cell population with progenitor-like phenotype (CD45-CD34+) resident in human white adipose tissue (WAT) is known to promote the progression of local and metastatic breast cancer and angiogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms of the interaction have not been elucidated. In this study, we identified two proteins that were significantly upregulated in WAT-derived progenitors after cocultur...

Previous studies have suggested a "catalytic role" in neoplastic angiogenesis and cancer progression for bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). However, preclinical and clinical studies have shown that the quantitative role of marrow-derived EPCs in cancer vascularization is extremely variable. We have found that human and murine white adipose tissue (WAT) is a very rich reserv...

Peer-to-peer complementary currencies can be powerful tools for promoting exchanges and building sustainable relationships among selfish peers on the Internet. i-WAT[10] is a proposed such currency based on the WAT System, a polycentric, real-life complementary currency using WAT tickets as its media of exchange. Participants spontaneously issue and circulate the tickets as needed, whose values...

Although interleukin (IL)-7 is mostly known as a key regulator of lymphocyte homeostasis, we recently demonstrated that it also contributes to body weight regulation through a hypothalamic control. Previous studies have shown that IL-7 is produced by the human obese white adipose tissue (WAT) yet its potential role on WAT development and function in obesity remains unknown. Here, we first show ...

Exposure to environmental cues such as cold or nutritional imbalance requires white adipose tissue (WAT) to adapt its metabolism to ensure survival. Metabolic plasticity is prominently exemplified by the enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis in WAT in response to cold exposure or β3-adrenergic stimulation. Here we show that these stimuli increase the levels of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (L...

MitoNEET is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein that, upon overexpression in white adipose tissue (WAT), exerts a positive impact on tissue expansion and whole-body lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis by altering mitochondrial matrix iron metabolism. Here we determine the key transcriptional events in subcutaneous WAT of mice in response to mitoNEET overexpression and a high-fat diet (HFD). ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review provides a summary of recent insights into the role of the local white adipose tissue (WAT) in systemic sclerosis. RECENT FINDINGS Adipocytes located in an interfacial WAT area adjacent to fibrotic lesions have an intermediate phenotype and special properties implicated in fibrotic pathology in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The important role of these cells is recogn...