Fig. 3.

WAT ECM remodelling during T2DM in patients with obesity. (a) Representative immunofluorescence images for type I and type VI Collagen in lean patients or patients with obesity, with or without T2DM, with presence of small adipocytes or large adipocytes. (b) Type I collagen fluorescence (top panel) raw intensities (A.U.) in lean (N = 7), patients with obesity (N = 27) and patients with obesity and T2DM (N = 12). Type VI collagen fluorescence (bottom panel) raw intensities (A.U.) in lean (N = 7), obese (N = 27) and patients with obesity and T2DM (N = 12). (c) Correlation between type I Collagen fluorescence intensities (A.U.) and adipocyte area (μm²) (N = 46, left panel). Correlation between type VI Collagen fluorescence raw intensities (A.U.) and adipocyte area (μm²) (N = 46, right panel). (d) Correlation between COL1A1 and TREM2 mRNA levels (N = 91, left panel). Correlation between COL6A1 and TREM2 mRNA levels (N = 91, right panel). Statistical significance was calculated using Spearman's correlation coefficient (c) and (d) and Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison (b); error bars are mean ± SEM, scale bar 124.5 microns.