Description of the Endothelial Phenotypes From the Subcutaneous Abdominal and Gluteo-femoral Adipose Tissues in Women

Overview

The endothelium is a key barrier between blood and tissue compartments. It is a major target of factors involved in metabolic and cardiovascular pathologies. However, the study of native human adult endothelial cells is difficult due to the lack of appropriate models and thereafter the endothelium is actually not easily accessible for clinical investigation. However, our results recently showed that the endothelium from human adipose tissue exhibit distinct phenotypes, including endothelial cell number and inflammatory, angiogenic and senescent state, according to adipose tissue location, i.e. subcutaneous and visceral. It is well recognized that estrogens favour gluteo-femoral adipose tissue deposit and their deficit after menopause is associated with increased abdominal and visceral fat mass as well as metabolic dysfunctions. These perturbations might be prevented with hormonal therapy. However, no data are available concerning the endothelial cells from gluteo-femoral and abdominal adipose tissues in women.

The adipose tissues (gluteo-femoral and abdominal) will be obtained from women programmed for surgery in which the estrogenic status as well as adipose tissue mass profile will be evaluated. The phenotype (inflammatory and angiogenic activation and senescent state) of native endothelial cells will be determined "in situ" by immunohistochemical and flow cytometry approaches and on isolated endothelial cells by Reverse transcriptase-Q Polymerase Chain Reaction and Western blot. In vitro approaches will be performed 1) to establish a causal relationship between endothelial senescence and activation state, 2) to define the impact of the adipose tissue microenvironment on the endothelial cell activation and senescence and 3) to study the potential protective effect of estrogens on endothelial senescence.