Experiments Show Infection of Visceral Fat Cells May Contribute to Severe COVID-19

(SciTechDaily) Two types of adipocytes (fat cells) were infected in the laboratory: one obtained from human stem cells isolated from subcutaneous tissue and the other differentiated from stem cells taken from visceral fatty tissue. Experiments show that visceral fat – fat around the liver, intestines, and other organs, considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure – contributes more to severe COVID-19 than subcutaneous fat (under the skin, as in “love handles”). The experiments were conducted in Brazil by researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and the University of São Paulo (USP).