Perivascular adipose tissue – an immune cell metropolis

Perivascular adipose tissue is a heterogenous tissue which surrounds most blood vessels in the body. This review focuses on the contribution of eosinophils located within the adipose tissue to vascular contractility. High fat diet reduces the number of these immune cells with perivascular adipose tissue, and this loss is linked with an increase in vascular contractility and hypertension. We explored the mechanisms by which eosinophils contribute to this function using genetically modified mice, ex vivo assessment of contractility and pharmacological tools. We found that eosinophils contribute to adrenergic signalling, nitric oxide and adiponectin dependent mechanisms in perivascular adipose tissue. Exploring whether manipulation of these pathways in obesity can alleviate cardiovascular complications is now important to determine whether eosinophils are a valid target for obesity‐related disease