Obesity severely impairs the function of the endothelial cells (ECs) that form the blood vessels. As a result, the vessels become dysfunctional and capillaries are lost in tissues such as the adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in obesity. Without functional vessels, adipose tissue cannot respond to insulin and store lipids, which accumulate in other organs and induce metabolic complications of obesity. Currently, the exact impact of obesity on adipose tissue ECs is not known. By elucidating the mechanisms of obesity-induced changes in the ECs of the adipose tissue, this project aims to help us understand how adipose tissue vessels become dysfunctional and are lost in obesity. Our results will form a basis for the development of novel drugs that prevent vessel dysfunction and capillary loss and improve patient health by reducing complications of obesity.

2020

2025