Blood vessels in fat tissues and vasculature-derived signals in controlling lipid metabolism and metabolic disease

Abstract

[...]stimulation or inhibition of angiogenesis alters metabolic functions of adipose tissues and provides a promising opportunity for treatment of obesity and metabolic disease. Energy deposition and expenditure in WAT and BAT are tightly regulated by the number and function of microvessels; (5) Transporting hormones, growth factors, and cytokines to distal tissues to exert their endocrine functions; (6) Regulation of adipose inflammation by recruiting inflammatory cells and producing inflammatory cytokines; (7) Production of paracrine factors by vascular cells; (8) Regulation of thermogenesis by browning adipose tissues; (9) Homeostasis of adipose tissue mass and physiological functions; (10) Modulation of interactions between adipocytes and stromal cells; and (11) Serving as a stem cell/preadipocyte reservoir. See PDF] Blood vessels in WATs and BATs: For decades, it was believed that WATs simply served as an inert energy storage depot, and their role as an active participant in energy consumption and global metabolism was never considered. According to this assumption, metabolic reprograming in browning adipocytes occurs prior to angiogenesis and new blood vessels may simply accelerate the fueling process of energy dissipation.