Advances in the Role of Adipose Tissue in Promoting Injury Repair and Resist Infection

TL;DR

This review explores how adipose tissue helps repair injuries and resist infections through its various components and secreted molecules.

Contribution

The paper systematically examines the distinct roles of adipose tissue components in tissue repair and infection resistance.

Findings

Adipose tissue components like adipocytes and immune cells secrete cytokines that enhance host defense.

The extracellular matrix provides structural support, while SVF cells promote regeneration and reduce scarring.

The review suggests future research directions for AT-based therapies and anti-infective mechanisms.

Abstract

In recent years, adipose tissue (AT) transplantation has increasingly been noticed by many people in the field of tissue repair and regeneration. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that AT exerts dual functions in promoting tissue repair and conferring anti‐infective properties, with distinct biological effects attributed to its heterogeneous components.

This review systematically examines the distribution of AT and its components, including adipocytes, extracellular matrix (ECM), immune cells, stromal vascular fraction (SVF), and adipokines. Distinct AT components mediate tissue repair and infection resistance through unique molecular mechanisms.

Functionally, adipocytes and immune cells secrete various cytokines, including adiponectin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), antimicrobial peptides, and IL‐17, which coordinate inflammatory signaling and enhance host defense mechanisms. The main function of the ECM is to provide structural support for cells. SVF cell populations exhibit dual functionality: accelerating neural and cutaneous regeneration while suppressing fibrotic pathways to minimize scar formation.

Recommendations are proposed to guide future investigations into AT‐mediated immune functions. This review highlights potential strategies for advancing AT‐based clinical therapeutics and suggests novel directions for foundational studies on AT's anti‐infective mechanisms.

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