Beige Fat, Energy, and the Natriuretic Peptide System

Obese individuals experience an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Evidence from genetic studies indicate that the natriuretic peptide (NP) system may protect against these diseases. NP levels differ by obesity status and race has not been established in humans. Thus, the investigators propose a study in which will quantify adipose tissue gene expression and energy expenditure in states of NP deficiency in humans. The overarching postulate is that obese and black individuals have NP deficiencies that contribute to less beige adipose tissue and lower energy expenditure.

Obesity represents a serious public health burden. Obese individuals experience increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic cardiometabolic disease, including insulin diabetes, resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Obesity and obesity-associated cardiometabolic dysfunction are significant contributors to morbidity and mortality in Veterans. This indicates that obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction are complex and multifactorial, and suggests that there are additional factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated cardiometabolic risk that have been discovered. Moreover, some of the pharmacologic therapies for obesity can have adverse cardiovascular effects. Thus, it is crucial to improve the understanding of the multiple pathways contributing to the pathogenesis of obesity and obesity-associated cardiometabolic risk, including the identification of novel relevant pathways, in order to develop more effective treatments for these diseases. The proposed work will form a foundation for future high-impact studies of mechanisms for adiposity and cardiometabolic disease.