Heat Preconditioning of Nanofat Does Not Improve Its Vascularization Properties

The study examined the impact of heat preconditioning on the vascularization properties of nanofat by exposing it to 43 °C for 1 hour. Despite upregulating heat shock proteins, heat preconditioning led to a downregulation of pro-angiogenic factors and an increase in anti-angiogenic factors, resulting in an anti-angiogenic phenotype. Consequently, heat-preconditioned nanofat showed reduced vascularization and integration into host tissue compared to controls. The study, involving 8 samples per group, concluded that heat preconditioning does not enhance the vascularization capacity of nanofat, suggesting that stress-induced cellular quiescence may prioritize survival over proliferation.