The adipose tissue—a novel endocrine organ of interest to the nephrologist

Abstract

Obesity is a challenging health problem in Western societies. It is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies showed that adipose tissue is not only a passive energy store, but also an active endocrine organ, the secretions of which influence the function of many systems. It has been well known for decades that obesity influences the main ‘players’ of blood pressure regulation, in other words, the heart (increased cardiac output, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy), blood vessels (atherosclerotic changes, increased vascular resistance secondary to hypertrophy of vascular myocytes, increased vascular tone induced by sympathetic activity, abnormal paracrine/autocrine function of the endothelial cells), kidneys (sodium retention, activation of the renal renin‐angiotensin system, development of obesity‐related glomerulopathy), and the sympathetic nervous system (enhanced activity).