We examined the hypothesis that adipocyte dysfunction in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet can be prevented by lentiviral-mediated and adipocyte specific-targeting delivery of the human heme oxygenase-1 (aP2-HO-1). A bolus intracardial injection of aP2-HO-1 resulted in expression of human HO-1 for up to 9.5 months. Transduction of aP2-HO-1 increased human HO-1 expression in fat tissues without affe...

We examined the hypothesis that adipocyte dysfunction in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet can be prevented by lentiviral-mediated and adipocyte specific-targeting delivery of the human heme oxygenase-1 (aP2-HO-1). A bolus intracardial injection of aP2-HO-1 resulted in expression of human HO-1 for up to 9.5 months. Transduction of aP2-HO-1 increased human HO-1 expression in fat tissues without affe...

OBJECTIVE Several human and rodent obesity studies speculate on a causal link between altered white adipocyte mitochondria in the obese state and changes in glucose homeostasis. We here aimed to dissect whether alterations in white adipocyte mitochondrial respiratory function are a specific phenomenon of obesity or impaired glucose tolerance or both. METHODS Mature white adipocytes were purif...

Retinoblastoma (Rb1) has been described as an essential player in white adipocyte differentiation in mice. No studies have been reported thus far in human adipose tissue or human adipocytes. We aimed to investigate the possible role and regulation of RB1 in adipose tissue in obesity using human samples and animal and cell models. Adipose RB1 (mRNA, protein, and activity) was negatively associat...

OBJECTIVE Large subcutaneous fat cells associate with insulin resistance and high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We investigated if changes in fat cell volume and fat mass correlate with improvements in the metabolic risk profile after bariatric surgery in obese patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Fat cell volume and number were measured in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in 62 o...

OBJECTIVE To understand the regulation of adipocyte size and adipokine expression in relation to gender, anatomic location, adiposity, and metabolic risk factors in adolescents with morbid obesity. METHODS Adipocyte size and adipokine expression in paired abdominal subcutaneous (SAT) and omental (VAT) surgical adipose tissues were related to gender, anatomic location, adiposity, and metabolic...

BACKGROUND Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In rodents, it has been demonstrated that RAS blockade improved adipose tissue (AT) function and glucose homeostasis. However, the effects of long-term RAS blockade on AT function have not been investigated in humans. Therefore, we examined whether 26-wks treatment with the angiotensin I...

Regional variations in adipocyte lipolysis between subcutaneous and visceral fat may be important for obesity complications. In the present study, we compared adrenergic regulation of lipolysis in omental and subcutaneous adipocytes from obese (n = 15) and non-obese (n = 14) male subjects. Waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, plasma insulin, and plasma triglycerides were increased in obesity. No...

Adipokines play important roles in metabolic homeostasis and disease. We have recently identified a novel adipokine Metrnl, also known as Subfatin, for its high expression in subcutaneous fat. Here, we demonstrate a prodifferentiation action of Metrnl in white adipocytes. Adipocyte-specific knockout of Metrnl exacerbates insulin resistance induced by high-fat diet (HFD), whereas adipocyte-speci...