Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor α stimulates adipose tissue inflammation by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress

Molecular route to fat inflammation found

31 January 2018

A group of molecules that control inflammation in body fat has been identified.

Obesity has been linked to inflamed fatty tissue, which can lead to diabetes, fatty livers and heart problems. However, it is unclear which molecules drive this inflammation.

Researchers from Sichuan University studied obese mice to investigate the role of RORα — a widespread protein that controls inflammation in other tissues — on the inflammation response in fatty tissue. They found that increasing RORα levels also increased the stress response of a cell component known as endoplasmic reticulum (ER). ER stress, which usually results from a build-up of misfolded proteins, can trigger inflammation in obese fatty tissue. The team injected the rotund rodents with a chemical that blocked RORα, which reduced the ER stress response and improved glucose tolerance.

Reducing inflammation in fatty tissue by targeting RORα could help reduce the risk of obesity-related health issues.

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References

1. J. Biol. Chem. 292, 13959–13969 (2017). doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.782391