Preadipocytes from obese humans with type 2 diabetes are epigenetically reprogrammed at genes controlling adipose tissue function.

Our findings that preadipocytes retain the memory of the donor in culture and can be reprogrammed by extracellular factors support a mechanism by which adipocyte precursors are epigenetically reprogrammed in vivo. Epigenetic reprogramming of preadipocytes represents a mechanism by which metabolic function of visceral adipose tissue may be affected in the long term by past exposure to obesity- or T2D-specific factors.