Characterization of DLK1(PREF1)+/CD34+ cells in vascular stroma of human white adipose tissue.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Sorting of native (unpermeabilized) SVF-cells from human subcutaneous (s)WAT for cell surface staining (cs) of DLK1 and CD34 identified three main populations: ~10% stained cs-DLK1+/cs-CD34-, ~20% cs-DLK1+/cs-CD34+dim and ~45% cs-DLK1-/cs-CD34+. FACS analysis after permeabilization showed that all these cells stained positive for intracellular DLK1, while CD34 was undetectable in cs-DLK1+/cs-CD34- cells. Permeabilized cs-DLK1-/cs-CD34+ cells were positive for the pericyte marker α-SMA and the mesenchymal markers CD90 and CD105, albeit CD105 staining was dim (cs-DLK1-/cs-CD34+/CD90+/CD105+dim/α-SMA+/CD45-/CD31-). Only these cells showed proliferative and adipogenic capacity. Cs-DLK1+/cs-CD34- and cs-DLK1+/cs-CD34+dim cells were also α-SMA+ but expressed CD31, had a mixed hematopoietic and mesenchymal phenotype, and could neither proliferate nor differentiate into adipocytes. Histological analysis of sWAT detected DLK1+/CD34+ and DLK1+/CD90+ cells mainly in the outer ring of vessel-associated stroma and at capillaries. DLK1+/α-SMA+ cells were localized in the CD34- perivascular ring and in adventitial vascular stroma. All these DLK1+ cells possess a spindle-shaped morphology with extremely long processes. DLK1+/CD34+ cells were also detected in vessel endothelium. Additionally, we show that sWAT contains significantly more DLK1+ cells than visceral (v)WAT. We conclude that sWAT h

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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