Adipose tissue, inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity has become a very frequent condition with important consequences for the health of affected individuals. Current evidence shows that the excess of adipose tissue as observed in obesity is responsible for secreting inflammatory mediators in a deregulated manner, thus inducing a chronic state of systemic low-grade inflammation that underlies the metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes in these populations. This article reviews the state of the art regarding mediators produced in the adipose tissue, their roles in the pathophysiology of obesity-associated insulin resistance and diabetes, and finally, tries to build a bridge between these mechanistically oriented insights and clinical practice.

Adipose tissue, inflammation and cardiovascular disease / Tecido adiposo, inflamação e doença cardiovascular

Obesity has become a very frequent condition with important consequences for the health of affected individuals. Current evidence shows that the excess of adipose tissue as observed in obesity is responsible for secreting inflammatory mediators in a deregulated manner, thus inducing a chronic state of systemic low-grade inflammation that underlies the metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes in these populations. This article reviews the state of the art regarding mediators produced in the adipose tissue, their roles in the pathophysiology of obesity-associated insulin resistance and diabetes, and finally, tries to build a bridge between these mechanistically oriented insights and clinical practice.

Obesidade é uma condição frequente com importantes consequencias para a saúde dos indivíduos acometidos. Evidência atual tem demonstrado que o excesso de tecido adiposo, tal qual observado na obesidade, é responsável pela secreção de mediadores inflamatorio de forma descontrolada, levando assim a um estado crônico de inflamação sistêmica de baixa intensidade que está por trás das consequências metabólicas e cardiovasculares em tais populações. Este artigo revisa o estado da arte referente aos mediadores produzidos no tecido adiposo, seus papeis na fisiopatologia da resistência insulínica relacionada à obesidade e ao diabetes, e por fim, tenta estabelecer uma ponte de ligação entre estes conceitos mecanisticamente orientados e a prática clínica.