Obesity-associated improvements in metabolic profile through expansion of adipose tissue

Excess caloric intake can lead to insulin resistance. The underlying reasons are complex but likely related to ectopic lipid deposition in nonadipose tissue. We hypothesized that the inability to appropriately expand subcutaneous adipose tissue may be an underlying reason for insulin resistance and beta cell failure. Mice lacking leptin while overexpressing adiponectin showed normalized glucose and insulin levels and dramatically improved glucose as well as positively affected serum triglyceride levels. Therefore, modestly increasing the levels of circulating full-length adiponectin completely rescued the diabetic phenotype in ob/ob mice. They displayed increased expression of PPARgamma target genes and a…

• AD
  American Diabetes Association
• AH
  American Heart Association
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01-CA112023, DK026687, DK59630, R01-DK55758
• AE
  Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University
• NI
  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

  Awards: R01-DK55758, DK59630, DK026687