Table 1 The relationship between various depots of fat and cardiovascular diseases
Feature | SAT | Adipose tissue around the visceral organs | Ectopic fat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAT | EAT | PVAT | PNAT | Liver | Muscles | ||
Location | Between the dermis and fascia | Adipose tissue around the abdominal visceral organs | Visceral fat between the myocardial surface and the visceral layer of the pericardium | Adipose tissue around the vessels (coronary arteries) regardless of location | Fat around the kidneys | Lipid (triglycerides) deposits in non-adipose liver tissue | Lipid (triglycerides) deposits in non-adipose muscle tissue |
Type of adipose tissue | White | White | White | Brown/white | Brown | – | – |
Imaging Modality | |||||||
 Ultrasonography | – | −/+ | + | – | – | + | – |
 Multidetector computed tomography | + | + | + | + | + | + | – |
 Magnetic resonance imaging | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
 Magnetic resonance spectroscopy | – | – | – | – | – | + | + |
Factors expressed | |||||||
 Peroxisomal proliferator | + | ++ |  | – |  | – | – |
 Activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) | ++ | + (obesity) |  | +/− |  | – | – |
 Uncoupling protein-1 | – | – | – | + | + | – | – |
 Uncoupling protein-2 | + | ++ | + | – |  | – | – |
Secretory activity | |||||||
 Lipoprotein lipase | + | + |  | – | + | + | + |
 Free fatty acids | + | ++ (morbid obesity) | ++ | + | + | VLDL | + |
 Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 | ++ | + | + | ++ (morbid obesity) | + | – | – |
 Leptin | + | ++ | + | ++ (morbid obesity) | + | – | – |
 Resistin |  |  | – | ++ (morbid obesity) | – | – | – |
 Angiotensinogen | ++ | + | – | + | + | – | – |
 Adiponectin | ++ | + | – | + |  | – | – |
 Tumor necrosis factor-α | + | + | + | – | + | – | – |
 Interleukin-6 | ++ | + | + | ++ (morbid obesity) | + | – | – |
 Interleukin-1β | + | + | + | ++ (morbid obesity) | + | – | – |
 Effects | Protective production of adiponectin | • Gluconeogenesis • Insulin resistance • Dyslipidemia • Systemic inflammation | • Protecting cardiomyocytes from hyperthermia • Synthesis of adiponectin and adrenomedullin • Source of energy during ischemia • Absorption of excess FFA • Synthesis of inflammation markers • Associated with myocardial hypertrophy • Myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes | Vasodilation | • Associated with microalbuminuria • Thermoregulation • Structural involvement in the regulation of renal vessel tone • Synthesis of inflammation markers | • Gluconeogenesis • Insulin resistance • Dyslipidemia | • Insulin resistance • Dyslipidemia |