Discussion
These findings demonstrate that adipose tissue of CKD patients shows signs of inflammation and disturbed functionality, thus potentially contributing to the unfavorable metabolic profile and increased risk of CVD in these patients.
Methods
Biopsy samples of subcutaneous adipose tissue from 16 CKD patients and 11 healthy controls were analyzed for inflammation, fibrosis, and adipocyte size. Protein composition was assessed using 2-dimensional gel proteomics combined with multivariate analysis.
Results
Adipose tissue of CKD patients contained significantly more CD68-positive cells, but collagen content did not differ. Adipocyte size was significantly smaller in CKD patients. Proteomic analysis of adipose tissue revealed significant differences in the expression of certain proteins between the groups. Proteins whose expression differed the most were α-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor (AMBP, higher in CKD) and vimentin (lower in CKD). Vimentin is a lipid droplet-associated protein, and changes in its expression may impair fatty acid storage/mobilization in adipose tissue, whereas high levels of AMBP may reflect oxidative stress.