Effect of Age, Harvest Site, and Body Mass Index on the Cell Composition of the Stromal Vascular Fraction

BACKGROUND: The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue has now been widely used in plastic surgery operations, clinical trials, and therapies. However, the cell composition of SVF undergoes dynamic changes during aging and obesity, which may influence the efficacy of the SVF. This study analyzed the effects of age, harvest site, and body mass index on the cell composition of the SVF. METHODS: A study was performed on 162 patients. The age ranged from 13 to 88 years old, with body mass index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m 2 or greater than or equal to 25 kg/m 2 . Fat tissue was harvested from the abdominal region, hips, thighs, or arms, and the SVF was isolated for flow cytometry. RESULTS: The authors' results demonstrated that the declines of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) first occurred in donors aged 40 to 49 years. Subsequently, the percentages of endothelial progenitor cells, preadipocytes, and M2 macrophages started to decrease in donors aged 50 to 69 years. Lower percentages of ECs and M2 macrophages were found in donors with a higher BMI. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the percentages of ADSCs and ECs of SVF decreased significantly starting from donors older than 40 years, followed by changes in other cell subpopulations. Furthermore, donors with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m 2 had lower percentages of ECs and M2 macrophages. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the changes in adipose tissue composition during aging and obesity, which is important for the use of the SVF in clinical practice.