Paracrine relationships between adipose and lymphoid tissues: implications for the mechanism of HIV-associated adipose redistribution syndrome

The adipocytes anatomically associated with lymph nodes and omental milky spots have site-specific properties that equip them to interact locally with lymphoid cells. Paracrine provisioning of peripheral immune responses improves their efficiency and emancipates activated lymphocytes from competition with other tissues for blood-borne nutrients. Prolonged disruption to such paracrine interactions might contribute to the HIV-associated adipose redistribution syndrome, causing selective hypertrophy of the mesentery, omentum and other lymphoid tissue-containing adipose depots, while nodeless depots atrophy.