Cell: The negative health effect of obesity is not too much fat but loss of function

Obesity is known to cause cardiometabolic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, but attributing these diseases only to too much fat is a simplification. On a basic level, fat acts as a container for storing energy, but on closer inspection, it plays an important role in important bodily processes such as immune response, regulation of insulin sensitivity, and body temperature maintenance.

In a review-type article published in the Feb. 3, 2022 issue of the Journal Cell titled "Adipose tissue plasticity in health and disease," the researchers argue that the negative health effects of obesity stem not only from too much fat, but also from its reduced ability to respond to changes, or in other words, its reduced plasticity.

Adipose tissue plasticity, image from Cell, 2022, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.016

The composition and function of adipose tissue changes with weight fluctuations and aging. As aging and obesity lead to a decrease in the plasticity of fat, it loses its ability to respond to body cues. In the current model of this phenomenon, the rapid growth of adipose tissue exceeds its blood supply, depriving fat cells of oxygen and leading to a buildup of fat cells that no longer divide. This leads to insulin resistance, inflammation, and cell death, accompanied by uncontrolled lipid spillage in these cells.

The authors say, "The central role of adipose tissue dysfunction in disease and the incredible plasticity of adipose tissue support the prospect of modulating adipose tissue phenotypes for therapeutic purposes." There are still many problems and opportunities to be discovered in the future, which will yield new insights into adipose tissue biology and hopefully improve treatments for human diseases. ”

Resources:

Alexander Sakers et al. Adipose-tissue plasticity in health and disease. Cell, 2022, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.016.

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