The perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT), a component of visceral adipose tissue, has been recently recognized as an important factor that contributes to the maintenance of the cardiovascular system and kidney homeostasis. PRAT is a complex microenvironment consisting of a mixture of white adipocytes and dormant and active brown adipocytes, associated with predipocytes, sympathetic nerve endings, vascular structures, and different types of inflammatory cells. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about PRAT and discuss its role as a major contributing factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension, obesity, chronic renal diseases, and involvement in tumor progression. The new perspectives of PRAT as an endocrine organ and recent knowledge regarding the possible activation of dormant brown adipocytes are nowadays considered as new areas of research in obesity, in close correlation with renal and cardiovascular pathology. Supplementary PRAT complex intervention in tumor progression may reveal new pathways involved in carcinogenesis and, implicitly, may identify additional targets for tailored cancer therapy.

The histopathological landscape of the major psoriasiform dermatoses

Malignant melanoma has shown an increasing incidence during the last two decades, exhibiting a large spectrum of locations and clinicopathological characteristics. Although current histopathological, biochemical, immunohistochemical, and molecular methods provide a deep insight into its biological behaviour and outcome, melanoma is still an unpredictable disease, with poor outcome. This review of the literature is aimed at updating the knowledge regarding melanoma’s clinicopathological and molecular hallmarks, including its heterogeneity and plasticity, involving cancer stem cells population. A special focus is given on the interplay between different cellular components and their secretion products in melanoma, considering its contribution to tumour progression, invasion, metastasis, recurrences, and resistance to classical therapy. Furthermore, the influences of the specific tumour microenvironment or “inflammasome”, its association with adipose tissue products, including the release of “extracellular vesicles”, and distinct microbiota are currently studied, considering their influences on diagnosis and prognosis. An insight into melanoma’s particular features may reveal new molecular pathways which may be exploited in order to develop innovative therapeutic approaches or tailored therapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer, especially in obese patients, and the second cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Based on these data, extensive research has been performed over the last decades to decipher the pivotal role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and its cellular and molecular components in CRC development and progression. In this regard, substantial progress has been made in the identification of cancer-associated adipocytes’ (CAAs) characteristics, considering their active role in the CCR tumor niche, by releasing a panel of metabolites, growth factors, and inflammatory adipokines, which assist the cancer cells’ development. Disposed in the tumor invasion front, CAAs exhibit a fibroblastic-like phenotype and establish a bidirectional molecular dialogue with colorectal tumor cells, which leads to functional changes in both cell types and contributes to tumor progression. CAAs also modulate the antitumor immune cells’ response and promote metabolic reprogramming and chemotherapeutic resistance in colon cancer cells. This review aims to report recent cumulative data regarding the molecular mechanisms of CAAs’ differentiation and their activity spectrum in the TME of CRC. A better understanding of CAAs and the molecular interplay between CAAs and tumor cells will provide insights into tumor biology and may open the perspective of new therapeutic opportunities in CRC patients.

Perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT) exhibits particular morphological features, with its activity being mainly related to thermogenesis. However, an expanded PRAT area seems to play a significant role in cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease pathogenesis. Numerous studies have demonstrated that PRAT may support cancer progression and invasion, mainly in obese patients. The mechanism underlying these processes is of dysregulation of PRAT’s secretion of adipokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as leptin, adiponectin, chemerin, apelin, omentin-1, vistatin, nesfatin-1, and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulated by tumor cells. Cancer cells may also induce a metabolic reprogramming of perirenal adipocytes, leading to increased lipids and lactate transfer to the tumor microenvironment, contributing to cancer growth in a hypoxic milieu. In addition, the PRAT browning process has been specifically detected in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), being characterized by upregulated expression of brown/beige adipocytes markers (UCP1, PPAR-ɣ, c/EBPα, and PGC1α) and downregulated white fat cells markers, such as LEPTIN, SHOX2, HOXC8, and HOXC9. Considering its multifaceted role in cancer, modulation of PRAT’s role in tumor progression may open new directions for oncologic therapy improvement. Considering the increasing evidence of the relationship between PRAT and tumor cells, our review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the perirenal adipocytes’ impact on tumor progression and metastasis.