Palmitic Acid Methyl Ester and Its Relation to Control of Tone of Human Visceral Arteries and Rat Aortas by Perivascular Adipose Tissue.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) exerts anti-contractile effects on visceral arteries by release of various perivascular relaxing factors (PVRFs) and opening voltage-gated K (K) channels in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) has been proposed as transferable PVRF in rat aorta. Here, we studied PVAT regulation of arterial tone of human mesenteric arteries and clarified the contribution of K channels and PAME in the effects.

Role of Perivascular Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is cushion of fat tissue surrounding blood vessels, which is phenotypically different from other adipose tissue depots. PVAT is composed of adipocytes and stromal vascular fraction, constituted by different populations of immune cells, endothelial cells, and adipose-derived stromal cells. It expresses and releases an important number of vasoactive factors with paracrine effects on vascular structure and function.