Molecular and Metabolomic Analysis of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: A Prospective Clinical Study

Background: Worldwide, it is estimated that 1.6 billion adults are overweight, and currently, at least 400 million are living with obesity. In the US, the prevalence of obesity has been increasing in the last two decades. More than 16 million Americans live with extreme obesity. In this context, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have aroused great scientific interest, as adequate nutritional and pharmacological treatment can preserve the characteristics of these cells. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the ADSCs from the adipose tissue of patients with and without obesity, to demonstrate the metabolism of these cells through the presence of exosomes and microRNAs, as well as to evaluate the trend of chromosomal and chromatid alterations. Methods: A Cohort Cross-sectional Prospective Clinical Study of 30 samples of human abdominal liposuction from patients with (n = 15) and without obesity (n = 15) followed. ADSCs samples were obtained from the vascular stromal fraction of adipose tissue, after isolation in cell culture and were characterized in terms of adhesion and proliferation by conventional optical microscopy, phase contrast and scanning electron (observation of exosomes on the cell surface), analysis of PCR for microRNAs, immunophenotyping, cell viability, chromosomal/chromatid stability, neoplastic potential, and cell differentiation capacity in three cell types. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under approval process number 030427. The consent form was applied. Results: All tests proposed in this study showed that the ADSCs of individuals without obesity maintained their natural characteristics, with p < 0.05 (no statistical difference by the Kruskal-Wallis method), however, 12 samples (80%) of 15 of the individuals with obesity showed significant changes in all types of analysis, with p > 0.05. Conclusions: The cellular and metabolomic instability of adipose-derived stem cells in individuals with obesity was evidenced, notably in chromosomal/chromatid alterations and in the increased secretion of exosomes and microRNAs.