Fatty Acid Composition in Various Types of Cardiac Adipose Tissues and Its Relation to the Fatty Acid Content of Atrial Tissue

Diet, with its content of various types of fatty acids (FAs), is of great importance for cellular function. Adipose tissue (AT) serves as a storage for dietary FAs, but after appropriate activation it may also offer important biological properties, e.g., by releasing adipokines and cytokines to the surrounding milieu. Such effects may depend on the diet and type of FA involved. Similarly, the composition of FAs in the heart is also likely to be important for cardiac function. We investigated samples of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), pericardial adipose tissue (PAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT), and tissue from the right atrial appendage to compare the FA compositions in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Minor differences among AT compartments were found, while the comparison of atrial tissue and EAT showed major differences in saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These findings may be of importance for understanding biological availability, dietary effects, and the effects of FAs on the heart.