UCP1-expression associated gene signatures of human epicardial adipose tissue.

The primary objective of the study was to investigate the uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) associated features of human epicardial adipose tissue (eAT) using next generation deep sequencing. In addition, paired mediastinal adipose tissue (mAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (sAT) samples colleced from patients undergoing cardic surgeries at our center were included in the study. Paired biopsies of eAT, mAT and sAT obtained from cardiac surgery patients (n=10), with specific criteria of high- and low- expression of UCP1 in eAT, were subjected to RNA sequencing. While the primary objective was to compare high- vs. low UCP1 expression in eAT, our study design further allowed us to investigate depot- and disease specific transcriptomic shifts in these patients. Specifically, 10 patients provided 30 samples (n = 10 each for eAT, mAT and sAT) that could be compared based on depot specificity (n = 10), obesity (n = 5 lean, n = 5 obese) and coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 6 CAD, 4 = Non-CAD).