Pilot studies to demonstrate that intestinal mucosal afferent nerves are functionally linked to visceral adipose tissue.

Dietary capsaicin reduces rodent visceral fat weight. We tested the hypothesis that intact intestinal mucosal afferent nerve function is necessary for fat deposition in visceral adipose tissue sites. Rats were treated daily for 2 weeks with intragastric (chronic treatment) vehicle or capsaicin.

Insulin stimulates endogenous angiotensin II production via a mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Objective: The present study was designed to determine the effects of insulin on cytosolic angiotensin II production and proliferation in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Design And Methods: Vascular smooth muscle cells were incubated with insulin for 48 h. Cytosolic angiotensin I and II were determined by radioimmunoassays of purified cell homogenates.