Department of Physiology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
Clin Sci (Lond). 2012 Jan;122(1):1-12. doi: 10.1042/CS20110151.
PVAT (perivascular adipose tissue) has recently been recognized as a novel factor in vascular biology, with implications in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. Composed mainly of adipocytes, PVAT releases a wide range of biologically active molecules that modulate vascular smooth muscle cell contraction, proliferation and migration. PVAT exerts an anti-contractile effect in various vascular beds which seems to be mediated by an as yet elusive PVRF [PVAT-derived relaxing factor(s)]. Considerable progress has been made on deciphering the nature and mechanisms of action of PVRF, and the PVRFs proposed until now are reviewed here. However, complex pathways seem to regulate PVAT function and more than one mechanism is probably responsible for PVAT actions in vascular biology. The present review describes our current knowledge on the structure and function of PVAT, with a focus on its role in modulating vascular tone. Potential involvements of PVAT dysfunction in obesity, hypertension and atherosclerosis will be highlighted.
血管周脂肪组织（PVAT）最近被认为是血管生物学中的一个新因素，对心血管疾病的病理生理学有影响。PVAT 主要由脂肪细胞组成，它释放出广泛的生物活性分子，调节血管平滑肌细胞的收缩、增殖和迁移。PVAT 在各种血管床中发挥抗收缩作用，这种作用似乎是由一种至今尚未确定的 PVRF（PVAT 衍生的舒张因子）介导的。在破译 PVRF 的性质和作用机制方面已经取得了相当大的进展，这里综述了迄今为止提出的 PVRFs。然而，复杂的途径似乎调节了 PVAT 的功能，可能有不止一种机制负责 PVAT 在血管生物学中的作用。本综述描述了我们目前对 PVAT 的结构和功能的了解，重点是其在调节血管张力方面的作用。还将强调 PVAT 功能障碍在肥胖、高血压和动脉粥样硬化中的潜在作用。
