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Removal of epicardial adipose tissue after myocardial infarction improves cardiac function

Entfernung von epikardialem Fettgewebe nach Herzinfarkt verbessert die Herzfunktion

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the role of lipolysis of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods

We used a rat model of MI with or without EAT removal to study the effects of EAT lipolysis on cardiovascular function. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization were used to determine cardiac function, and infarct size and histopathology specimens were analyzed in postmortem sections. Inflammatory responses were evaluated via flow cytometry and Elisa analyses.

Results

We found that the lipolysis of EAT increased significantly after MI. Removal of the EAT after MI (MI-EAT) improved cardiac function by nearly 10% and decreased the infarct area by 6% when compared with rats retaining EAT after MI (MI+EAT). Furthermore, the removal of EAT reduced the number of CD45-positive leukocytes (50 vs. 34.8%) and increased the ratio of macrophage/leukocytes (56 vs. 75%) in the infarcted heart. Compared with the MI+EAT group, the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1‑beta were reduced in the MI-EAT group.

Conclusion

Lipolysis of EAT increased significantly after MI. Removal of EAT improved cardiac function, in part, by weakening the inflammatory response.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die Bedeutung der Lipolyse von epikardialem Fettgewebe (EAT, „epicardial adipose tissue“) für die Herzfunktion nach Myokardinfarkt (MI) zu untersuchen.

Methoden

Die Autoren verwendeten ein Rattenmodell des MI mit oder ohne Fettentfernung, um die Auswirkungen der Lipolyse des EAT auf die kardiovaskuläre Funktion zu untersuchen. Mit der Echokardiographie und der Herzkatheteruntersuchung wurde die Herzfunktion erfasst. Infarktgröße und Histopathologie wurden anhand der Obduktionsbefunde ermittelt. Entzündliche Reaktionen wurden mittels Durchflusszytometrie und ELISA-Tests untersucht.

Ergebnisse

Die Autoren stellten fest, dass die Lipolyse des EAT nach MI signifikant anstieg. Die Entfernung des EAT nach MI (MI-EAT) führte zur Verbesserung der Herzfunktion um fast 10% und zur Abnahme des Infarktareals um 6% im Vergleich zu Ratten mit erhaltenem EAT nach MI (MI+EAT). Außerdem kam es durch die Entfernung des EAT zur Verminderung der Anzahl CD45-positiver Leukozyten (50 vs. 34,8%) und zum Anstieg des Quotienten aus Makrophagen und Leukozyten (56 vs. 75%) im infarzierten Herzgewebe. Gegenüber der MI+EAT-Gruppe waren die Werte für Tumornekrosefaktor-alpha und Interleukin 1‑beta in der MI-EAT-Gruppe vermindert.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Lipolyse des EAT nahm signifikant nach MI zu. Mit der Entfernung des EAT kam es zur verbesserten Herzfunktion, teilweise durch Abschwächung der Entzündungsreaktion.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 81170177, 81030002, and 8147054).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China

    H.‑X. Chang

  2. Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, No. 28 Fuxing Road, 100853, Haidian District, Beijing, China

    X.‑J. Zhao, Q.‑L. Zhu & Y. Li

  3. Institute of Basic Medicine, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Haidian District, Beijing, China

    Q. Hou

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  1. H.‑X. Chang
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Correspondence to Y. Li.

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Conflict of interest

H.-X. Chang, X.-J. Zhao, Q.-L. Zhu, Q. Hou, and Y. Li declare that they have no competing interests.

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Additional information

Hai-Xia Chang and Xiao-Jing Zhao contributed equally to this work.

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Chang, H., Zhao, X., Zhu, Q. et al. Removal of epicardial adipose tissue after myocardial infarction improves cardiac function. Herz 43, 258–264 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00059-017-4555-4

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