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Brown Adipose Tissue Promotes Autologous Fat Grafts Retention Possibly Through Inhibiting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

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Abstract

Background

In plastic surgery, autologous fat grafts (AFG) play an important role because of their abundant supply, biocompatibility, and low rejection rate. However, the lower retention rate of fat grafts limits their widespread use. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) can promote angiogenesis and regulate the level of associated inflammation. This study explored whether BAT has a facilitative effect on fat graft retention.

Methods

We obtained white adipose tissue (WAT) from c57 mice and combined it with either BAT from c57 mice or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a control. These mixtures were injected subcutaneously into the back of thymus-free nude mice. After 12 weeks, fat grafts were harvested, weighed, and analyzed.

Results

We found that the BAT-grafted group had higher mass retention, more mature adipocytes, and higher vascularity than the other group. Further analysis revealed that BAT inhibited M1 macrophages; down-regulated IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-β; upregulated M2 macrophages and Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA); and promoted adipocyte regeneration by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which together promoted adipose graft retention.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that BAT improved adipose graft retention by promoting angiogenesis, inhibiting tissue inflammation levels and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Level of Evidence III

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Funding

This study is suppoted by Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (2008085QC112).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 678, FuRong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China

    Yunfeng Zheng, Honghong Li, Qiong Bao, Yiqian Tu, Yujie Ye & Dongsheng Cao

  2. Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 678, FuRong Road, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China

    Wenjun Jia

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  1. Yunfeng Zheng
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  2. Honghong Li
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  3. Qiong Bao
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  4. Yiqian Tu
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Correspondence to Wenjun Jia or Dongsheng Cao.

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Zheng, Y., Li, H., Bao, Q. et al. Brown Adipose Tissue Promotes Autologous Fat Grafts Retention Possibly Through Inhibiting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway. Aesth Plast Surg 48, 1817–1824 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-03888-4

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