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Projekt Druckansicht

Fettgewebsinflammation und vaskuläre Dysfunktion

Antragstellerin Dr. Henrike Sell
Fachliche Zuordnung Endokrinologie, Diabetologie, Metabolismus
Förderung Förderung von 2009 bis 2015
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 155919193
 
Erstellungsjahr 2015

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

Obesity is the hallmark of the metabolic syndrome and predisposes patients to the development of major chronic metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The association between the epidemics of obesity and the metabolic syndrome has promoted research on the endocrine link between expanded adipose tissue, deregulated lipid and glucose homeostasis, vascular dysfunction, and other metabolic complications. Most importantly, adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ releasing a large variety of the so-called adipokines. Although the crosstalk of adipose tissue with cells in the vascular wall, such as smooth muscle cells is not yet fully understood, many proteins released from adipose tissue are associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases. Using a comprehensive protein profiling of adipocyte-conditioned medium, Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) was identified as an adipokine related to obesity and the metabolic syndrome. DPP4 expression and release is increased in the obese state and further augmented in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this context, DPP4 is predominantly present in visceral adipose tissue where its expression is already increased in lean patients with impaired glucose tolerance. DPP4 release from adipose tissue occurs in a metalloproteinase-dependent manner and is hypoxia-sensitive. In order to provide insight into a role for DPP4 for the crosstalk between adipose tissue and the vascular wall, we characterized a novel DPP4-induced signaling cascade in smooth muscle cells. DPP4 activates the MAPK- and NF-κB signaling pathway in a proteaseactivated receptor 2-dependent manner leading to pro-atherogenic changes in smooth muscle cells like increased proliferation and inflammation. Considering that DPP4 is an adipokine with increased circulating levels in obesity, it can be speculated that DPP4 may act in a para- or endocrine fashion on the vascular wall which could potentially contribute to inflammation in this setting. In summary, the results obtained in this project contribute to the understanding of the endocrine function DPP4 in the obese state. Our in vitro data obtained in smooth muscle cells extend the current view of DPP4 action beyond the incretin system towards direct endocrine action and shed light on cardiovascular effects of DPP4-inhibitors.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

 
 

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