Adipose tissue and atherosclerosis.

High-energy intake which exceeds energy expenditure leads to the accumulation of triglycerides in adipose tissue, predominantly in large-size adipocytes. This metabolic shift, which drives the liver to produce atherogenic dyslipidemia, is well documented. In addition, an increasing amount of monocytes/macrophages, predominantly the proinflammatory M1-type, cumulates in ectopic adipose tissue. The mechanism of this process, the turnover of macrophages in adipose tissue and their direct atherogenic effects all remain to be analyzed.