Adipocyte Transdifferentiation and its Molecular Targets

Abstract

According to World Health Organization obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of fat, which increases risk of other metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc. There are two types of adipose tissue, white and brown adipose tissue (BAT) and later have recently gathered interest of the scientific community. Discovery of BAT has opened avenues for new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic syndrome. BAT utilizes accumulated fatty acids for energy expenditure; hence it is seen as one of the possible alternates to the current treatment. Moreover, browning of white adipocyte on exposure to cold, as well with some of the pharmacological agents present exciting outcomes and indicate the feasibility of transdifferentiation. A better understanding of molecular pathways and differentiation factors, those play key role in transdifferentiation are of extreme importance in designing novel strategies for the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders