Ectopic Fat Continuum: New Concept Based on Clinical and Basic Evidence

Dear Colleagues,

A growing body of evidence is indicating the pathophysiological role of fat depots in non-adipose organs. Ectopic fat depots within liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreatic β cells, as well as around heart and blood vessels, can be more strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk than classical adiposity variables such as body mass index. Upon ectopic fat depots, the intracellular accumulation of free fatty acids promotes ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress, mitochondrial uncoupling, oxidative stress, and metabolic derangements, finally promoting inflammatory response and cell apoptosis and/or death. Ectopic fat depots are obviously related to obesity, but can be more largely related to visceral fat depots which reflect particularly dysfunctional subcutaneous adipose tissue. It is likely that ectopic fat depots have local effects with relevant clinical consequences.

This Special Issue of the Journal of Clinical Medicine will cover the following important aspects of ectopic fat continuum in clinical and basic research.

Ectopic fat depots, body composition, visceral fat obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes mellitus;

Ectopic fat depots in pancreatic β cells and skeletal muscle, and modulations of insulin secretion and insulin resistance;

Epicardial and cardiac fat and cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs), hypertension, left-ventricular dysfunction, heart failure (HFrEF and HfpEF), atrial fibrillation, and other arrhythmia;

Ectopic fat depots and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and liver cancer;

Ectopic fat depots in the kidney  (pararenal and renal sinus fat) and chronic kidney disease;

Ectopic fat depots and risk stratification for onset of diabetes and cardiovascular risk.

Dr. Michio Shimabukuro
Guest Editor

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