AUTHOR=Sowa Hiroyuki , Karasaki Kohei , Ishiwata Mai , Cheng Xu , Hashimoto Masaki , Ueda Kazutaka 
  
TITLE=Perivascular adipose tissue and vascular inflammation: from biological insights to clinical implications
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology
  
VOLUME=Volume 17 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2026.1766197
  
DOI=10.3389/fphys.2026.1766197
  
ISSN=1664-042X
  
ABSTRACT=Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) has emerged as an active paracrine and metabolic organ that modulates vascular function in both humans and rodents, rather than serving merely as structural support. Vascular inflammation is a central mechanism driving cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, representing a maladaptive response to vascular injury. Recent evidence indicates that PVAT actively participates in this process through dynamic phenotypic changes, including adipose tissue browning or beiging. Furthermore, advances in imaging have enabled the noninvasive evaluation of vascular inflammation using computed tomography–derived indices that reflect PVAT characteristics. This review summarizes current understanding of the interplay between PVAT and vascular inflammation, highlights the biological and clinical implications of PVAT remodeling, and discusses emerging diagnostic approaches and future research directions.