Perivascular Adipose Tissue and Vascular Smooth Muscle Tone: Friends or Foes?

Abstract

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is a specialized type of adipose tissue that surrounds most mammalian blood vessels. PVAT is a metabolically active, endocrine organ capable of regulating blood vessel tone, endothelium function, vascular smooth muscle cell growth and proliferation, and contributing critically to cardiovascular disease onset and progression. In the context of vascular tone regulation, under physiological conditions, PVAT exerts a potent anticontractile effect by releasing a plethora of vasoactive substances, including NO, H2S, H2O2, prostacyclin, palmitic acid methyl ester, angiotensin 1-7, adiponectin, leptin, and omentin. However, under certain pathophysiological conditions, PVAT exerts pro-contractile effects by decreasing the production of anticontractile and increasing that of pro-contractile factors, including superoxide anion, angiotensin II, catecholamines, prostaglandins, chemerin, resistin, and visfatin. The present review discusses the regulatory effect of PVAT on vascular tone and the factors involved. In this scenario, dissecting the precise role of PVAT is a prerequisite to the development of PVAT-targeted therapies.

Insight on Visfatin as cardiovascular dysfunction metabolic factor (literature review)

“…Вплив вісфатину на систему вазоконстрикторів/вазодилятаторів неоднозначний. В одних дослідженнях доведено його проконтрактильний ефект, тоді як в інших описано вазодилятуючу дію вісфатину, яка реалізується через вплив на активність ендотеліальної синтази оксиду азоту (eNOS) [3]. Окремі експериментальні дослідження демонструють суперечливі дані щодо впливу вісфатину на функціональний стан судин.…”

Perivascular adipose tissue and adipocyte-derived exosomal miRNAs maintain vascular homeostasis

“…Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in focus: Considering ACE2 as a prime example, its downstream signalling demands meticulous scrutiny [ 94 ]. ACE2, nestled within the renin-angiotensin system, has attracted considerable attention owing to its pivotal role in cardiovascular and metabolic health [ 94 , 95 ]. Its purview encompasses extensive physiological processes, from blood pressure regulation to modulation of inflammatory responses and the orchestration of cellular reactions to diverse signals [ 94 , 95 ].…”

“…ACE2, nestled within the renin-angiotensin system, has attracted considerable attention owing to its pivotal role in cardiovascular and metabolic health [ 94 , 95 ]. Its purview encompasses extensive physiological processes, from blood pressure regulation to modulation of inflammatory responses and the orchestration of cellular reactions to diverse signals [ 94 , 95 ]. Individuals with obesity-linked conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [ 96 ] and diabetes, have been shown to exhibit elevated ACE2 expression levels [ 97 ].…”

The role of perivascular adipose tissue-secreted adipocytokines in cardiovascular disease

“…Perivascular adipose tissue is an adipose tissue close to the adventitial layer of blood vessels, which includes the periaortic fat and the specific fat depots of the major perivascular organs, pericardiac fat, and perirenal fat. PVAT is closely associated with the adventitial layer of the blood vessel wall in large blood vessels ( 1 – 3 ), while in small vessels and microvessels, PVAT is a component of the vessel wall without laminar structures ( 4 , 5 ). PVAT consists primarily of adipocytes, preadipocytes, fibroblasts, macrophages, nerve cells and stromal vascular cells ( 6 – 8 ) ( Figure 1 ).…”