Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Our research is focused on understanding why obese subjects are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In particular, we are trying to understand if increased number of white blood cells such as monocytes could contribute to cardiovascular disease in obese subjects. Monocytes are the precursors of macrophages, the cells that infiltrate into fat tissue to promote insulin resistance and exacerbate cardiovascular disease. Increased number of monocytes in the blood, particularly in the absence of any major infection, is detrimental and therefore identifying the cellular factors that increases their production could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. We have begun to identify what these cellular factors are and how they can turn on monocyte production from the bone marrow. We have evidence that, with increased obesity, a group of proteins called damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are increased in fat tissue that signal to the bone marrow to enhance monocyte production. Using mice that have been genetically altered to prevent these signaling processes, we found that obesity associated abnormal monocyte production is impaired in these mice. Our study has uncovered novel therapeutic targets to control abnormal monocyte production in obesity