Clinical science (London, England : 1979)Jan 31, 2020

How Aging Fat Tissue May Link to Metabolism Problems in Obesity and Aging

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

Adipose tissue senescence is associated with defective fat cell formation and systemic insulin resistance.

Adipose tissue serves as a crucial energy reserve and endocrine organ, influencing overall energy balance.
Cellular senescence in adipose tissue may lead to inflammation and impaired fat cell function.
Senescence in adipose tissue is linked to metabolic disorders such as Type 2 diabetes.
Different types of cells in various fat locations age at different rates, indicating complexity in adipose tissue aging.
Pharmacological and lifestyle interventions may target adipose tissue senescence to address obesity and aging-related metabolic issues.

Simplified

Adipose tissue as the largest energy reservoir and endocrine organ is essential for maintenance of systemic glucose, lipid and energy homeostasis, but these metabolic functions decline with ageing and obesity. Adipose tissue senescence is one of the common features in obesity and ageing. Although cellular senescence is a defensive mechanism preventing tumorigenesis, its occurrence in adipose tissue causatively induces defective adipogenesis, inflammation, aberrant adipocytokines production and insulin resistance, leading to adipose tissue dysfunction. In addition to these paracrine effects, adipose tissue senescence also triggers systemic inflammation and senescence as well as insulin resistance in the distal metabolic organs, resulting in Type 2 diabetes and other premature physiological declines. Multiple cell types including mature adipocytes, immune cells, endothelial cells and progenitor cells gradually senesce at different levels in different fat depots with ageing and obesity, highlighting the heterogeneity and complexity of adipose tissue senescence. In this review, we discuss the causes and consequences of adipose tissue senescence, and the major cell types responsible for adipose tissue senescence in ageing and obesity. In addition, we summarize the pharmacological approaches and lifestyle intervention targeting adipose tissue senescence for the treatment of obesity- and ageing-related metabolic diseases.

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How Aging Fat Tissue May Link to Metabolism Problems in Obesity and Aging

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