Project Details
Projekt
KFO 152: Atherobesity: Adipose Tissue and Vasculature
Subject Area
Medicine
Term
from 2006 to 2015
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 18510414
The rationale for the Clinical Research Unit is to identify mechanisms, which explain the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with obesity. The identification of such mechanisms should ultimatively lead to new strategies in the prevention and treatment of obestity-associated atherosclerosis and CVD. Our hypothesis is that signals from adipose tissue directly or indirectly contribute to the development of impaired endothelial function and atherogenesis.
To investigate potential mechanisms, the Clinical Research Unit combines the expertise from research groups of three complementary specialities: pediatric endocrinology, endocrinology/diabetology, cardiology/angiology, and basic biochemistry research. In one project (TP 1), the relationships between childhood or juvenile obesity, atherogenic serum profile and early endothelial dysfunction will be investigated with the aim to develop intervention strategies to prevent premature endothelial dysfunction. In a clinical study (TP 2), it will be investigated whether chronic inflammatory activation in adipose tissue can be reversed by exercise training programmes or pharmaceutical intervention. This project further seeks to determine the contribution of adipocytes and/or immune cells within adipose tissue on the subclinical chronic inflammatory serum profile in obesity. Biologic differences between visceral and subcutaneous fat depots are characterised in different mouse models and among different human fat distribution phenotypes in another project (TP 3). In addition, an in vitro approach will be used to test whether and how adipocytes or adipocyte-conditioned media influence endothelial function in tissue culture (TP 4). This project further aims to identfy new atherogenic adipokines by proteomics. In TP 5, signal transduction of adipokines and their intracellular cross-talk will be characterised on the molecular level in cell culture experiments. This project focusses on mechanisms relevant to the endothelium.
To investigate potential mechanisms, the Clinical Research Unit combines the expertise from research groups of three complementary specialities: pediatric endocrinology, endocrinology/diabetology, cardiology/angiology, and basic biochemistry research. In one project (TP 1), the relationships between childhood or juvenile obesity, atherogenic serum profile and early endothelial dysfunction will be investigated with the aim to develop intervention strategies to prevent premature endothelial dysfunction. In a clinical study (TP 2), it will be investigated whether chronic inflammatory activation in adipose tissue can be reversed by exercise training programmes or pharmaceutical intervention. This project further seeks to determine the contribution of adipocytes and/or immune cells within adipose tissue on the subclinical chronic inflammatory serum profile in obesity. Biologic differences between visceral and subcutaneous fat depots are characterised in different mouse models and among different human fat distribution phenotypes in another project (TP 3). In addition, an in vitro approach will be used to test whether and how adipocytes or adipocyte-conditioned media influence endothelial function in tissue culture (TP 4). This project further aims to identfy new atherogenic adipokines by proteomics. In TP 5, signal transduction of adipokines and their intracellular cross-talk will be characterised on the molecular level in cell culture experiments. This project focusses on mechanisms relevant to the endothelium.
DFG Programme
Clinical Research Units
International Connection
USA
Projects
- Atherobesity: Fett und Gefäß (Applicant Stumvoll, Michael )
- Atherobesity: Molekulare Mechanismen (Applicant Beck-Sickinger, Annette G. )
- Charakterisierung von Nicotinamid-Phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) als Bindeglied zwischen NAD-Biosynthese und Stoffwechsel (Applicant Kiess, Wieland )
- Chronische inflammatorische Aktivierung im Fettgewebe bei Adipositas: ein atherogener Faktor? (Applicant Linke, Axel )
- Chronische inflammatorische Aktivierung im Fettgewebe bei Adipositas: ein Risikofaktor der männlichen Infertilität? (Applicants Kratzsch, Jürgen ; Paasch, Uwe )
- Fettzellen als pathogenetischer Faktor der endothelialen Dysfunktion bei Adipositas und Diabetes mellitus (Applicant Fasshauer, Mathias )
- Genetische Regulation der Atherosklerosedisposition und Adipositas bei LDL-Rezeptor defizienten BALB/c und C57BL/6 Mäusen (Applicant Teupser, Daniel )
- Heterogenität des Fettgewebes: Molekulare Mechanismen der viszeralen Fettakkumulation (Applicant Blüher, Ph.D., Matthias )
- Prädiktoren und Mechanismen früher kardiovaskulärer Folgeerscheinungen der Adipositas bei Kindern (Applicant Körner, Antje )
- Rolle von Repin 1 in der Pathogenese der Adipositas (Applicant Klöting-Blüher, Nora )
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Michael Stumvoll
