Functional Differences in Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat Pads Originate from Differences in the Adipose Stem Cell

Metabolic pathologies mainly originate from adipose tissue (AT) dysfunctions. AT differences are associated with fat-depot anatomic distribution in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral omental (VAT) pads. We address the question whether the functional differences between the two compartments may be present early in the adipose stem cell (ASC) instead of being restricted to the mature adipocytes. Using a specific human ASC model, we evaluated proliferation/differentiation of ASC from abdominal SAT-(S-ASC) and VAT-(V-ASC) paired biopsies in parallel as well as the electrophysiological properties and functional activity of ASC and their in vitro-derived adipocytes. A dramatic difference in proliferation and adipogenic potential was observed between the two ASC populations, S-ASC having a growth rate and adipogenic potential significantly higher than V-ASC and giving rise to more functional and better organized adipocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive electrophysiological analysis of ASC and derived-adipocytes, showing electrophysiological properties, such as membrane potential, capacitance and K+-current parameters which confirm the better functionality of S-ASC and their derived adipocytes. We document the greater ability of S-ASC-derived adipocytes to secrete adiponectin and their reduced susceptibility to lipolysis. These features may account for the metabolic differences observed between the SAT and VAT. Our findings suggest that VAT and SAT functional differences originate at the level of the adult ASC which maintains a memory of its fat pad of origin. Such stem cell differences may account for differential adipose depot susceptibility to the development of metabolic dysfunction and may represent a suitable target for specific therapeutic approaches

Severe Recurrent COVID-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis: A Challenging Case

We report a rare case of severe COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis presenting as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and subsequently invasive tracheobronchial aspergillosis during hospitalization in a critically ill patient who developed a further Aspergillus infection after home discharge. He needed readmission to the ICU and mechanical ventilation. We therefore strongly encourage a high degree of attention to fungal complications, even after viral recovery and ICU discharge

Development of the EU Ecolabel Criteria for Food Retail Stores : Preliminary Report

QC 20170310SUPERSMAR

Differences in adipogenic potential and functional capabilities in ASC and in their <i>in vitro</i>-derived adipocytes.

<p>Expression of the adipogenic genes PPARgamma (A), FABP4 (B) and adiponectin (C) evaluated by quantitative real time RT-PCR is higher in S- compared to derived V-ADIPO. Data are expressed by box charts of gene expression ratio versus GAPDH (C) or fold increase between adipocytes and ASC (A, B). Boxes indicate the 25^th (lower) and 75^th (upper) percentiles. Horizontal lines and dots in the boxes indicate the 50^th percentile value (median) and mean value, respectively. Vertical lines give the 10^th and 90^th percentile limits of the data. Statistical analysis for non-parametric distribution was performed with Wilcoxon text: *P<0.05, ***P<0.001 S- versus V-ADIPO, n = 30 experiments with cells obtained from 14 independent subjects. D: Western Blot analysis of Adiponectin (upper panel) and FABP4 (lower panel) protein expression in ASC compared to the derived adipocytes. Molecular weight (MW) in kDa has been indicated for both standards and proteins of interest. Equal protein loading was verified by probing for the housekeeping protein actin. SAT and VAT samples from the same subject were run as positive controls. Representative of 5 independent experiments performed on cells obtained from 5 subjects. E: Immunofluorescence analysis of FABP4 (left panel) in <i>in vitro</i>-differentiated S-ADIPO (upper panel) and V-ADIPO (lower panel) revealed positivity for the enzyme around the intracellular lipid droplets. Right panels: corresponding bright field microscopy. F: Adipogenic potential of S- and V-ASC has been evaluated as AdipoRed staining of intracellular lipid droplets in the derived adipocytes. Results are expressed as mean ± SE fold increase of AdipoRed absorbance (left axis) in adipocytes versus the corresponding ASC. Lipolytic activity (right axis) of the same adipocytes evaluated as AdipoRed absorbance fold decrease following 12 h treatment with 1 µM isoproterenol. *P<0.001 S- versus V-ADIPO. G: Adiponectin secretion evaluated during <i>in vitro</i>-induced adipogenesis in S- and V-ASC at two different time points (T1 and T2, 14 and 21 days of differentiation respectively) by ELISA adiponectin kit. °P<0.001 T2 versus T1; *P<0.001 S- versus V-ADIPO.</p

Voltage dependence of the two kind of I_K,DR (I_BK and I_Ks) and of I_Kir.

<p>(A) Plots represent the maximum mean value of I_K,DR (a), I_BK and I_Ks (b,c) as a function of the applied voltage step recorded in the presence of Ba²⁺ from all experiments as in Fig. 6 G–J. Note the different ordinate scale for ASC and ADIPO. Panels put in evidence that I_K,DR, I_BK and I_Ks are reduced in size in the ADIPO versus the corresponding ASC. (B) K⁺ currents in representative cells elicited by voltage ramp stimulation in Control external solution without Ba²⁺ recording the total K⁺ currents (I_K,tot) (a, – Ba²⁺) and after adding 0.1 mM Ba²⁺ to block I_Kir and record I_K,DR (b, +Ba²⁺ 0.1 mM). I_Kir have been obtained by detracting current traces recorded in the presence of Ba²⁺ from those in the absence (c). I_K/C_m and V_th mean ± SE values and number of experiments are indicated in Tab 2.</p