The anatomical compartment defines distinct immune remodeling within human visceral adipose tissue during aging
Castaneda, R.; Sim, H.-I.; Park, N.; Lee, H.-J.; Yu, M.; Jin, H. Y.; Kim, H. J.; Park, K. J.; Jin, B.-Y.; Song, H. K.; Ryu, H.; Lee, C.; Ryu, K.; Ko, Y.; Jo, H.-S.; Park, Y.; Han, R. T.
Show abstract
Age-associated inflammation varies across tissues, but whether distinct visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depots undergo inflammatory remodeling in a depot-specific manner remains unclear. Here we profiled human peri-organ VAT, comparing kidney-associated fat (KF, from kidney transplantation donors) and gallbladder-associated fat (GBF, from asymptomatic cholecystectomy patients with incidental polyps), using single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, intracellular protein profiling and in situ analysis. GBF showed broad tissue-residency and granzyme K-associated remodeling across conventional, regulatory and innate-like lymphocyte compartments, whereas KF showed stronger B cell remodeling, greater myeloid representation and more compartmentalized changes within resident effector-like CD8 T cell states. We further identified age-associated CD20 T cells with features consistent with local B-T cell interaction and an antigen-experienced, granzyme K-associated inflammatory memory phenotype. In situ analysis revealed age-associated myeloid accumulation and crown-like structure remodeling, accompanied by distinct myeloid inflammatory programs in KF and GBF. Finally, depot-specific immune signatures associated with clinical indices of adjacent kidney and liver function. These findings indicate that age-associated distinct immune programs within peri-organ VAT depots track with local tissue context and the state of the adjacent organ.
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