Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review
  • Published:

The Third International Symposium on Obesity and Hypertension ISOH'03: ‘Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms’ (October 23–25, 2003, Berlin Germany)

International Journal of Obesity volume 29, pages 727–734 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The Third International Symposium on Obesity and Hypertension (ISOH'03) was held on 23–25, October 2003 at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin-Buch, Germany. The meeting, which consisted largely of invited lectures, presented a state-of-the-art overview of the genetic and molecular mechanisms that link obesity and hypertension. The over 40 oral presentations were supplemented by around 90 poster presentations from 34 countries. The meeting was attended by around 250 participants from 54 countries. This paper briefly reviews the contents of the invited lectures presented at this meeting covering topics ranging from genetics, molecular mechanisms, pathophysiology, cardiovascular risk, to the management of patients with obesity-related hypertension. Stimulated by the continuing success of these Symposia, the organizers are currently planning to hold a Fourth International Symposium on Obesity and Hypertension (ISOH'05) in Berlin: a tentative date for this meeting has been set for 27–29, October 2005.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abstracts of the 3rd International Symposium on Obesity and Hypertension. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2003; 27 (Suppl): S1–S23.

  2. Yusuf S, Ounpuu S . Tackling the growing global burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 2003; 10: 236–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, Dans T, Avezum A, Lanas F, McQueen M, Budaj A, Pais P, Varigos J, Lisheng L . Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case–control study. Lancet 2004; 364: 937–952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. van der Merwe MT, Schlaphoff GP, Crowther NJ, Boyd IH, Gray IP, Joffe BI, Lönnroth PN . Lactate and glycerol release from adipose tissue in lean, obese, and diabetic women from South Africa. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001; 86: 3296–3303.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. du Toit G, van der Merwe MT . The epidemic of childhood obesity. S Afr Med J 2003; 93: 49–50.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Diaz ME . Hypertension and obesity. J Hum Hypertens 2002; 16 (Suppl 1): S18–S22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Bramlage P, Pittrow D, Wittchen HU, Kirch W, Boehler S, Lehnert H, Höfler M, Unger T, Sharma AM . Hypertension in overweight and obese primary care patients is highly prevalent and poorly controlled. Am J Hypertens 2004; 17: 904–910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bramlage P, Wittchen HU, Pittrow D, Kirch W, Krause P, Lehnert H, Unger T, Hofler M, Kupper B, Dahm S, Bohler S, Sharma AM . Recognition and management of overweight and obesity in primary care in Germany. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004; 28: 1299–1308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Snyder EE, Walts B, Perusse L, Chagnon YC, Weisnagel SJ, Rankinen T, Bouchard C . The human obesity gene map: the 2003 update. Obes Res 2004; 12: 369–439.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pereira AC, Floriano MS, Mota GF, Cunha RS, Herkenhoff FL, Mill JG, Krieger JE . Beta2 adrenoceptor functional gene variants, obesity, and blood pressure level interactions in the general population. Hypertension 2003; 42: 685–692.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Comuzzie AG, Mitchell BD, Cole S, Martin LJ, Hsueh WC, Rainwater DL, Almasy L, Stern MP, Hixson J, MacCluer JW, Blangero J . The genetics of obesity in Mexican Americans: the evidence from genome scanning efforts in the San Antonio family heart study. Hum Biol 2003; 75: 635–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Martin LJ, Cianflone K, Zakarian R, Nagrani G, Almasy L, Rainwater DL, Cole S, Hixson JE, MacCluer JW, Blangero J, Comuzzie AG . Bivariate linkage between acylation-stimulating protein and BMI and high-density lipoproteins. Obes Res 2004; 12: 669–678.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Farooqi IS, O'Rahilly S . Monogenic human obesity syndromes. Rec Prog Horm Res 2004; 59: 409–424.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Boutin P, Dina C, Vasseur F, Dubois S, Corset L, Seron K, Bekris L, Cabellon J, Neve B, Vasseur-Delannoy V, Chikri M, Charles MA, Clement K, Lernmark A, Froguel P . GAD2 on Chromosome 10p12 is a candidate gene for human obesity. PLoS Biol 2003; 1: E68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Dempfle A, Hinney A, Heinzel-Gutenbrunner M, Raab M, Geller F, Gudermann T, Schafer H, Hebebrand J . Large quantitative effect of melanocortin-4 receptor gene mutations on body mass index. J Med Genet 2004; 41: 795–800.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Geller F, Reichwald K, Dempfle A, Illig T, Vollmert C, Herpertz S, Siffert W, Platzer M, Hess C, Gudermann T, Biebermann H, Wichmann HE, Schäfer H, Hinney A, Hebebrand J . Melanocortin-4 receptor gene variant i103 is negatively associated with obesity. Am J Hum Genet 2004; 74: 572–581.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Strazzullo P, Iacone R, Iacoviello L, Russo O, Barba G, Russo P, D'Orazio A, Barbato A, Cappuccio FP, Farinaro E, Siani A . Genetic variation in the renin-angiotensin system and abdominal adiposity in men: the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138: 17–23.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Tiago AD, Samani NJ, Candy GP, Brooksbank R, Libhaber EN, Sareli P, Woodiwiss AJ, Norton GR . Angiotensinogen gene promoter region variant modifies body size-ambulatory blood pressure relations in hypertension. Circulation 2002; 106: 1483–1487.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Cooper R, McFarlane Anderson N, Bennett FI, Wilks R, Puras A, Tewksbury D, Ward R, Forrester T . ACE, angiotensinogen and obesity: a potential pathway leading to hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 1997; 11: 107–111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Knoblauch H, Bauerfeind A, Krahenbuhl C, Daury A, Rohde K, Bejanin S, Essioux L, Schuster H, Luft FC, Reich JG . Common haplotypes in five genes influence genetic variance of LDL and HDL cholesterol in the general population. Hum Mol Genet 2002; 11: 1477–1485.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Knoblauch H, Bauerfeind A, Toliat MR, Becker C, Luganskaja T, Gunther UP, Rohde K, Schuster H, Junghans C, Luft FC, Nürnberg P, Reich JG . Haplotypes and SNPs in 13 lipid-relevant genes explain most of the genetic variance in high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Hum Mol Genet 2004; 13: 993–1004.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Cinti S . The adipose organ. Editrice Kurtis; 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Tiraby C, Langin D . Conversion from white to brown adipocytes: a strategy for the control of fat mass? Trends Endocrinol Metab 2003; 14: 439–441.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Blüher M, Michael MD, Peroni OD, Ueki K, Carter N, Kahn BB, Kahn CR . Adipose tissue selective insulin receptor knockout protects against obesity and obesity-related glucose intolerance. Dev Cell 2002; 3: 25–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Blüher M, Wilson-Fritch L, Leszyk J, Laustsen PG, Corvera S, Kahn CR . Role of insulin action and cell size on protein expression patterns in adipocytes. J Biol Chem 2004; 279: 31902–31909.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Blüher M, Patti ME, Gesta S, Kahn BB, Kahn CR . Intrinsic heterogeneity in adipose tissue of fat-specific insulin receptor knock-out mice is associated with differences in patterns of gene expression. J Biol Chem 2004; 279: 31891–31901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Guo W, Lei T, Wang T, Corkey BE, Han J . Octanoate inhibits triglyceride synthesis in 3T3-L1 and human adipocytes. J Nutr 2003; 133: 2512–2518.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Evans K, Burdge GC, Wootton SA, Clark ML, Frayn KN . Regulation of dietary fatty acid entrapment in subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Diabetes 2002; 51: 2684–2690.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Unger RH . Lipotoxic diseases. Annu Rev Med 2002; 53: 319–336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Tomlinson JW, Stewart PM . The functional consequences of 11β-HSD expression in adipose tissue. Horm Metab Res 2002; 34: 746–751.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Morton NM, Paterson JM, Masuzaki H, Holmes MC, Staels B, Fievet C, Walker BR, Flier JS, Mullins JJ, Seckl JR . Novel adipose tissue-mediated resistance to diet-induced visceral obesity in 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1-deficient mice. Diabetes 2004; 53: 931–938.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Oberkofler H, Holzl B, Esterbauer H, Xie M, Iglseder B, Krempler F, Paulweber B, Patsch W . Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 gene locus: associations with hypertension in middle-aged men. Hypertension 2003; 41: 368–372.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Oberkofler H, Linnemayr V, Weitgasser R, Klein K, Xie M, Iglseder B, Krempler F, Paulweber B, Patsch W . Complex haplotypes of the PGC-1alpha gene are associated with carbohydrate metabolism and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 2004; 53: 1385–1393.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Bishop-Bailey D . Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in the cardiovascular system. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 129: 823–834.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kintscher U, Lyon CJ, Law RE . Angiotensin II, PPAR-γ and atherosclerosis. Front Biosci 2004; 9: 359–369.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Benson SC, Pershadsingh HA, Ho CI, Chittiboyina A, Desai P, Pravenec M, Qi N, Wang J, Avery MA, Kurtz TW . Identification of Telmisartan as a unique angiotensin II receptor antagonist with selective PPARγ-modulating activity. Hypertension 2004; 43: 993–1002.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Schupp M, Janke J, Clasen R, Unger T, Kintscher U . Angiotensin type 1 receptor blockers induce peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activity. Circulation 2004; 109: 2054–2057.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Rome S, Clement K, Rabasa-Lhoret R, Loizon E, Poitou C, Barsh GS, Riou JP, Laville M, Vidal H . Microarray profiling of human skeletal muscle reveals that insulin regulates approximately 800 genes during a hyperinsulinemic clamp. J Biol Chem 2003; 278: 18063–18068.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Engeli S, Feldpausch M, Gorzelniak K, Hartwig F, Heintze U, Janke J, Möhlig M, Pfeiffer AF, Luft FC, Sharma AM . Association between adiponectin and mediators of inflammation in obese women. Diabetes 2003; 52: 942–947.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Engeli S, Böhnke J, Feldpausch M, Gorzelniak K, Heintze U, Janke J, Luft FC, Sharma AM . Regulation of 11beta-HSD genes in human adipose tissue: influence of central obesity and weight loss. Obes Res 2004; 12: 9–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Ouchi N, Kihara S, Funahashi T, Matsuzawa Y, Walsh K . Obesity, adiponectin and vascular inflammatory disease. Curr Opin Lipidol 2003; 14: 561–566.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Yamauchi T, Kamon J, Ito Y, Tsuchida A, Yokomizo T, Kita S, Sugiyama T, Miyagishi M, Hara K, Tsunoda M, Murakami K, Ohteki T, Uchida S, Takekawa S, Waki H, Tsuno NH, Shibata Y, Terauchi Y, Froguel P, Tobe K, Koyasu S, Taira K, Kitamura T, Shimizu T, Nagai R, Kadowaki T . Cloning of adiponectin receptors that mediate antidiabetic metabolic effects. Nature 2003; 423: 762–769.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Cordido F, Alvarez-Castro P, Isidro ML, Casanueva FF, Dieguez C . Comparison between insulin tolerance test, growth hormone GH-releasing hormone GHRH, GHRH plus acipimox and GHRH plus GH-releasing peptide-6 for the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency in normal subjects, obese and hypopituitary patients. Eur J Endocrinol 2003; 149: 117–122.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Barton M, Carmona R, Morawietz H, D'Uscio LV, Goettsch W, Hillen H, Haudenschild CC, Krieger JE, Munter K, Lattmann T, Lüscher TF, Shaw S . Obesity is associated with tissue-specific activation of renal angiotensin-converting enzyme in vivo: evidence for a regulatory role of endothelin. Hypertension 2000; 35: 329–336.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Traupe T, Lang M, Goettsch W, Munter K, Morawietz H, Vetter W, Barton M . Obesity increases prostanoid-mediated vasoconstriction and vascular thromboxane receptor gene expression. J Hypertens 2002; 20: 2239–2245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Horvath TL, Diano S, Tschöp M . Brain circuits regulating energy homeostasis. Neuroscientist 2004; 10: 235–246.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Blevins JE, Eakin TJ, Murphy JA, Schwartz MW, Baskin DG . Oxytocin innervation of caudal brainstem nuclei activated by CCK. Brain Res 2003; 993: 30–41.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Korner PI . The brain and primary hypertension. Oxford University Press: Oxford; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Contaldo F, Pasanisi F, Finelli C, de Simone G . Obesity, heart failure and sudden death. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2002; 12: 190–197.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Narkiewicz K, Somers VK . Sympathetic nerve activity in obstructive sleep apnoea. Acta Physiol Scand 2003; 177: 385–390.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. van Baak MA . The peripheral sympathetic nervous system in human obesity. Obes Rev 2001; 2: 3–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Birkenfeld AL, Schröder C, Boschmann M, Tank J, Franke G, Luft FC, Biaggioni I, Sharma AM, Jordan J . Paradoxical effects of sibutramine on autonomic cardiovascular regulation. Circulation 2002; 106: 2459–2465.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Mark AL, Rahmouni K, Correia M, Haynes WG . A leptin-sympathetic-leptin feedback loop: potential implications for regulation of arterial pressure and body fat. Acta Physiol Scand 2003; 177: 345–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Rahmouni K, Haynes WG, Morgan DA, Mark AL . Selective resistance to central neural administration of leptin in agouti obese mice. Hypertension 2002; 39: 486–490.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Cortez-Pinto H, Baptista A, Camilo ME, de Moura MC . Hepatic stellate cell activation occurs in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Hepatogastroenterology 2001; 48: 87–90.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Segura J, Campo C, Roldan C, Christiansen H, Vigil L, Garcia-Robles R, Rodicio JL, Ruilope LM . Hypertensive renal damage in metabolic syndrome is associated with glucose metabolism disturbances. J Am Soc Nephrol 2004; 15 (Suppl 1): S37–S42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. de Jong PE, Verhave JC, Pinto-Sietsma SJ, Hillege HL . Obesity and target organ damage: the kidney. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2002; 26 (Suppl 4): S21–S24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Spranger J, Kroke A, Möhlig M, Hoffmann K, Bergmann MM, Ristow M, Boeing H, Pfeiffer AF . Inflammatory cytokines and the risk to develop type 2 diabetes: results of the prospective population-based EPIC-Potsdam Study. Diabetes 2003; 52: 812–817.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Spranger J, Kroke A, Möhlig M, Bergmann MM, Ristow M, Boeing H, Pfeiffer AF . Adiponectin and protection against type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet 2003; 361: 226–228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Vollmer WM, Appel LJ, Bray GA, Harsha D, Obarzanek E, Conlin PR, Miller ER, Simons-Morton DG, Karanja N, Lin PH . Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH diet. N Engl J Med 2001; 344: 3–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Ferro-Luzzi A, James WP, Kafatos A . The high-fat Greek diet: a recipe for all? Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56: 796–809.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Kamycheva E, Joakimsen RM, Jorde R . Intakes of calcium and vitamin D predict body mass index in the population of Northern Norway. J Nutr 2003; 133: 102–106.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Saris WH, Blair SN, van Baak MA, Eaton SB, Davies PS, Di Pietro L, Fogelholm M, Rissanen A, Schoeller D, Swinburn B, Tremblay A, Westerterp KR, Wyatt H . How much physical activity is enough to prevent unhealthy weight gain? Outcome of the IASO 1st Stock Conference and consensus statement. Obes Rev 2003; 4: 101–114.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Sjöström CD, Peltonen M, Wedel H, Sjöström L . Differentiated long-term effects of intentional weight loss on diabetes and hypertension. Hypertension 2000; 36: 20–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Sjöström CD, Peltonen M, Sjöström L . Blood pressure and pulse pressure during long-term weight loss in the obese: the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Intervention Study. Obes Res 2001; 9: 188–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

ISOH’03 was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. AMS holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) and is supported by the Canadian Insitutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    A M Sharma

  2. Franz-Volhard Klinik, Charité Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany

    S Engeli & F C Luft

Authors
  1. A M Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S Engeli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F C Luft
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A M Sharma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sharma, A., Engeli, S. & Luft, F. The Third International Symposium on Obesity and Hypertension ISOH'03: ‘Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms’ (October 23–25, 2003, Berlin Germany). Int J Obes 29, 727–734 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802946

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802946

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links