Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is fat perfectly situated to influence vascular tone. In this proposal, we provide substantial evidence for the expression and novel contractile function of a peptide that is typically discussed as being produced within visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) and the liver, but never associated with PVAT. Chemerin (tazarotene induced gene, TIG2;RARRES2) is a biomarker for adiposity. Circulating chemerin levels associate strongly with BMI, and chemerin levels are reduced with reduction of weight and fat. Importantly, disruption of the primary receptor for chemerin, ChemR23 (G protein coupled receptor), is associated with reduced adiposity and body mass in mice;the role of chemerin in blood pressure is not known. Chemerin is best known for activation of inflammatory cells, and regulation of adipocyte differentiation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6) in the adipocyte. We have discovered the production and expression of chemerin in PVAT, the ability of chemerin to stimulate blood vessel contraction in a ChemR23-dependent manner, and that suppression of chemerin gene expression reduces blood pressure, novel and here-to undescribed actions of chemerin. Importantly, chemerin- induced contraction is significantly amplified with loss of the endothelial cell, inhibition of nitric oxide synthase or by prior contraction to an agonist. In other words, chemerin also has important cardiovascular effects in non-obese conditions. Our overall hypothesis is that chemerin is a functional connector of fat (including PVAT) and blood pressure and thus unites obesity and hypertension, so commonly comorbid. Our primary model is the rat, in which we have significant versatility in models of hypertension (deoxycorticosterone acetate, NOS-inhibited) and obesity (high fat fed). We focus on the mesenteric vasculature, because the splanchnic circulation controls a considerable portion of cardiac output and is the site at which significant fat is deposited in obesity. We will also use human mesenteric arteries to test whether the vascular chemerin axis exists and is relevant to human health/disease. A range of experimental techniques (gene, tissue and whole animal) allows us to study two Aims.
In Aim 1, we test the hypothesis that Chemerin induces ChemR23 receptor-dependent contraction and is amplified by dysfunctional endothelium.
This aim i s dedicated to understanding the vascular mechanism(s) of chemerin-induced contraction in arteries, as well as contributions of chemerin to agonist-induced contraction. This is paired with a second aim, dedicated to testing the physiological relevance of the chemerin axis.
In Aim 2, we test whether antagonism of the ChemR23 receptor, or knockdown of chemerin gene by new antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, will reduce endpoints of the obese or hypertensive phenotype, including elevated blood pressure. Such a finding would argue that endogenous chemerin plays a role in vascular tone and blood pressure. Our findings place chemerin as a critical regulator of arterial tone, poised to be a bridge between obesity and hypertension.

Public Health Relevance

Obesity in and of itself damages health, but it is the comorbity and predisposition of obese individuals to develop cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and stroke that is so damaging. Endogenous sources of the peptide chemerin are the white fat, the liver, and, as we will show, fat deposited outside of blood vessels. Our work points to chemerin, which contracts blood vessels, as a substance that connects the presence of fat to arterial function and blood pressure, with blockade of chemerin function a real therapeutic possibility for a disease escaping our control.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HL117847-01A1
Application #
8755829
Study Section
Hypertension and Microcirculation Study Section (HM)
Program Officer
OH, Youngsuk
Project Start
2014-07-17
Project End
2018-06-30
Budget Start
2014-07-17
Budget End
2015-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Michigan State University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Osteopathic Medicine
DUNS #
City
East Lansing
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48824
Thelen, Kyan; Watts, Stephanie W; Contreras, G Andres (2018) Adipogenic potential of perivascular adipose tissue preadipocytes is improved by coculture with primary adipocytes. Cytotechnology 70:1435-1445
Watts, Stephanie W; Gollasch, Maik (2018) Editorial: Perivascular Adipose Tissue (PVAT) in Health and Disease. Front Physiol 9:1004
Thelen, Kyan; Ayala-Lopez, Nadia; Watts, Stephanie W et al. (2017) Expansion and Adipogenesis Induction of Adipocyte Progenitors from Perivascular Adipose Tissue Isolated by Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting. J Vis Exp :
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Darios, Emma S; Winner, Brittany M; Charvat, Trevor et al. (2016) The adipokine chemerin amplifies electrical field-stimulated contraction in the isolated rat superior mesenteric artery. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 311:H498-507
Contreras, G Andres; Thelen, Kyan; Ayala-Lopez, Nadia et al. (2016) The distribution and adipogenic potential of perivascular adipose tissue adipocyte progenitors is dependent on sexual dimorphism and vessel location. Physiol Rep 4:
Watts, Stephanie W (2015) Trash Talk by Fat: Chemerin as a Reactive Oxygen Species Provocateur in the Vasculature. Hypertension 66:466-8
Ferland, David J; Watts, Stephanie W (2015) Chemerin: A comprehensive review elucidating the need for cardiovascular research. Pharmacol Res 99:351-61