Role of FABP4 in adipogenesis and adipose tissue inflammation in obesity

Identifier:  TFG:1617

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG1617

Authors:  Plaza Montané, Eva

Abstract:
Obesity is highly associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, arteriosclerosis and cancer. It is characterized by the excessive accumulation of lipids and by chronic inflammation of low intensity, these conditions are cause of adipose tissue hypertrophy. The accumulation of lipids inside adipocytes, the main components of adipose tissue, is carried out through a protein-mediated process. FABP4 is the most studied transport protein, it is expressed mainly in adipocytes. There is scientific evidence that associates FABP4 with the pathologies derived from obesity mentioned above. The objective of this work is to study the role of FABP4 in the processes of inflammation and insulin resistance derived from obesity in adipose tissue, due to the lack of research in this regard. Our hypothesis is that FABP4 participates directly in the regulation of the expression of key genes in the differentiation of adipocytes and in the low-grade inflammation associated with insulin resistance. To test the hypothesis, adipocyte differentiation experiments have been carried out in which the RNAm and protein levels of FABP4, Perilipin and IL6 have been measured. The expression of FABP4 has also been silenced in cell models and in animal models to specifically determine its role in the mentioned processes. The results obtained are very promising since they corroborate the hypothesis that FABP4 seems to have a role in the regulation of metabolic alterations associated with obesity. Thus, FABP4 could be a good therapeutic target in the future to reverse the effects of the metabolic pathologies associated with obesity