Cardiology Research and Practice

Review Article

Epicardial Fat: Physiological, Pathological, and Therapeutic Implications

Table 1

Main adipokines release by EAT and other tissues.
AdipokinesProduction tissueMainly associated functionReferences
Anti-inflammatory   
 Adiponectin Adipose tissueOxidation and transport of fatty acid[49, 50]
 AdrenomedullinAdipose tissue
Adrenal medulla
Heart
Lung
Kidney		 Increase in cytosolic Ca2+ 
ET-1 inhibition
NF-κβ inhibition		[51–58]
 OmentinAdipose tissue
(specially in epicardial fat)		Akt-phosphorylation in isolated blood vessels, vascular smooth muscle cells, and microvascular endothelial cells
Enhancing insulin-mediated Akt-phosphorylation and glucose uptake in adipocytes		[41]
Proinflammatory   
 TNF-αAdipose tissue
Immune system cell		Cellular proliferation
NF-κβ translocation
Inhibition of adiponectin secretion
Lipolysis induction		 [59–64]
 IL-6
 IL-1
 IL-8
 ResistinAdipose tissue
Blood mononuclear cells
Macrophages 		Insulin resistance
Angiogenesis
Thrombosis
Vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation		[42]
 VisfatinAdipose tissueCell proliferation
Monocyte/macrophage activation and recruitment
Vascular inflammation and remodeling
Insulin-mimetic
Fat-secreted factor?		[43]