Adipocytes are specialized cells that sequester and release circulating lipids. Disruption of adipocyte lipid trafficking—including uptake, synthesis, storage, and release—is a hallmark of many disease states. For example, adipocyte lipolysis (the enzymatic release of glycerol and free fatty acid from triglyceride stores) in both cachexia and obesity. To this end, we use cultured adipocytes as a platform to characterize the dysregulation of lipid trafficking in cachexia and obesity.
Key projects utilizing in vitro adipocyte models have included:
- Biochemical screening of novel cachexia factors
- Identifying signaling mechanisms of lipolysis by cachexia-associated cytokines
- Regulation of lipid trafficking by central carbon metabolism