The obesity-linked human lncRNA AATBC stimulates mitochondrial function in adipocytes.

Adipocytes are critical regulators of metabolism and energy balance. While white adipocyte dysfunction is a hallmark of obesity-associated disorders, thermogenic adipocytes are linked to cardiometabolic health. As adipocytes dynamically adapt to environmental cues by functionally switching between white and thermogenic phenotypes, a molecular understanding of this plasticity could help improving metabolism.

Delivery of miRNAs to the adipose organ for metabolic health.

Despite the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes, there is no efficient treatment to combat these epidemics. The adipose organ is the main site for energy storage and plays a pivotal role in whole body lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis, including remodeling and dysfunction of adipocytes and adipose tissues in obesity and diabetes. Thus, restoring and balancing metabolic functions in the adipose organ is in demand.

Orphan GPR116 mediates the insulin sensitizing effects of the hepatokine FNDC4 in adipose tissue.

The proper functional interaction between different tissues represents a key component in systemic metabolic control. Indeed, disruption of endocrine inter-tissue communication is a hallmark of severe metabolic dysfunction in obesity and diabetes. Here, we show that the FNDC4-GPR116, liver-white adipose tissue endocrine axis controls glucose homeostasis.

HAND2 is a novel obesity-linked adipogenic transcription factor regulated by glucocorticoid signalling.

Aims/hypothesis: Adipocytes are critical cornerstones of energy metabolism. While obesity-induced adipocyte dysfunction is associated with insulin resistance and systemic metabolic disturbances, adipogenesis, the formation of new adipocytes and healthy adipose tissue expansion are associated with metabolic benefits. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing adipogenesis is of great clinical potential to efficiently restore metabolic health in obesity.

Label-free metabolic imaging by mid-infrared optoacoustic microscopy in living cells.

We develop mid-infrared optoacoustic microscopy (MiROM) for label-free, bond-selective, live-cell metabolic imaging, enabling spatiotemporal monitoring of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins in cells and tissues. Using acoustic detection of optical absorption, MiROM converts mid-infrared sensing into a positive-contrast imaging modality with negligible photodamage and high sensitivity. We use MiROM to observe changes in intrinsic carbohydrate distribution from a diffusive spatial pattern to tight co-localization with lipid droplets during adipogenesis.