Immune Characterization of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

Immune Characterization of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

The overall goal of this proposal is to characterize the immune cell profile of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue in lean, overweight, obese and lipedema adults, and to evaluate potential associations between different adipose tissue immune cell types and metabolic profile.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women of all races and ethnicity
• Age between 18 and 65 years
• Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 kg/m²
• Weight stable (+/- 3% during the last 2 months before enrollment)
• Women already scheduled for above mentioned procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diabetes Mellitus
• Recent (<5 years) history of cancer (except in situ ductal breast carcinoma)
• Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy within 4 months before enrollment
• Immune system diseases (i.e., autoimmune disorders, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Take any medication that might affect immune function
• Severe organ dysfunction
• BMI <18.5 kg/m² or size of each breast is >600 grams, if scheduled for bilateral breast reconstruction