Age- and BMI-Associated Expression of Angiogenic Factors in White Adipose Tissue of Children

Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Oct 21;20(20):5204. doi: 10.3390/ijms20205204.

Abstract

The growth of adipose tissue and its vasculature are tightly associated. Angiogenic factors have been linked to obesity, yet little is known about their expression during early childhood. To identify associations of angiogenic factors with characteristics on individual and tissue level, subcutaneous white adipose tissue samples were taken from 45 children aged 0-9 years undergoing elective surgery. We measured the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEFGA), fibroblast growth factor 1 and 2 (FGF1, FGF2), angiopoietin 1 and 2 (ANGPT1, ANGPT2), TEK receptor tyrosine kinase (TEK), and von Willebrand factor (VWF). In addition, we determined the mean adipocyte size in histologic tissue sections. We found positive correlations of age with FGF1 and FGF2 and a negative correlation with ANGPT2, with pronounced differences in the first two years of life. FGF1, FGF2, and ANGPT1 correlated positively with adipocyte size. Furthermore, we identified a correlation of ANGPT1 and TEK with body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), a measure to define childhood obesity. Except for ANGPT2, all angiogenic factors correlated positively with the endothelial marker VWF. In sum, our findings suggest that differences related to BMI-SDS begin early in childhood, and the analyzed angiogenic factors possess distinct roles in adipose tissue biology.

Keywords: adipogenesis; adipose tissue; angiogenesis; obesity; remodeling; vasculature.

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue, White / cytology*
  • Adipose Tissue, White / metabolism*
  • Angiogenic Proteins / metabolism*
  • Angiopoietin-1 / metabolism
  • Angiopoietin-2 / metabolism
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cell Size
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • von Willebrand Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • ANGPT1 protein, human
  • ANGPT2 protein, human
  • Angiogenic Proteins
  • Angiopoietin-1
  • Angiopoietin-2
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • von Willebrand Factor
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 1
  • Receptor, TIE-2
  • TEK protein, human