Interconnection between immunometabolism of adipose tissue and heart function

Adipose tissue (AT) has an important secretory function directly affecting heart function. Epicardial AT has close functional relationship to heart due to its localization and circulatory connection. Obesity results in inflammation of AT resulting in secretion of inflammatory mediators and increasing risk of heart failure. On the other hand, obese patients with advanced heart failure have better prognosis. We aim to characterize the impact of immunometabolism of AT on heart function. 

Role of non-shivering thermogenesis in skeletal muscle in cold and obesity resistance

Non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) represents significant part of energy expenditure. Besides UCP1-mediated NST, alternative mechanisms exist and need to be better characterized, namely NST in skeletal muscle. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and futile calcium cycling in muscle cells may contribute to different propensity to obesity in inbread strains (C57Bl/6 vs A/J) of mice. Our results suggest that C57Bl/6 mice exhibit low muscle NST due to mutation in Scaf1 (Cox7a2l) gene causing lack of formation of mitochondrial supercomplexes and compromised OXPHOS.