Perivascular Adipose Tissue Feature in Obesogenic Diets

Abstract Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is a layer of adipose tissue surrounding the most part of the vasculature. PVAT exerts paracrine influences on blood-vessel contractility releasing numerous cytokines and adipokines. Under obesogenic diets, PVAT dysfunction can occur before obesity development, playing a primary role in transducing adventitial inflammation in vascular dysfunction. Nutrient composition of the diet is important in determining diet-induced effects on metabolic tissues, including PVAT. This chapter describes the current knowledge on PVAT alterations in response to obesogenic diets highlighting the main diet macronutrient (fructose, fat, or sucrose) as the critical mediator of PVAT dysfunction. Although a number of studies exist on effects in PVAT induced by obesogenic diets, the contribution of a specific macronutrient on PVAT dysregulation is still incipient. The potential plasticity of PVAT amplifies the perspectives for the treatment of vascular diseases based on diet management that could ameliorate the function of PVAT, combating the inflammation and preventing atherosclerosis and other associated vascular and metabolic disorders as well.