Antagonism of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity in vivo

Co-crystal structure guided array synthesis of PPARγ inverse agonists

PPARgamma-activating thiazolidinediones and carboxylic acids such as farglitazar exert their anti-diabetic effects in part in PPARgamma rich adipose. Both pro- and anti-adipogenic PPARgamma ligands promote glucose and lipid lowering in animal models of diabetes. Herein, we disclose representatives of an array of 160 farglitazar analogues with atypical inverse agonism of PPARgamma in mature adipocytes.

Biomarkers of obesity and subsequent cardiovascular events

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanisms for increased cardiovascular risk in obesity are still unclear. Inflammation and increased oxidative stress are two potential mechanisms proposed to play a major role in the morbidity associated with obesity. Studies that investigate these mechanisms rely on biomarkers, but validated biomarkers for obesity-related cardiovascular outcomes are lacking. By finding optimal biomarkers, diagnostic criteria for cardiovascular diseases can be refined in the obese beyond "traditional" risk factors to identify early pathologic processes. The objective of this review is to identify potential early biomarkers resulting from obesity and associated with cardiovascular disease. Studies were initially identified through the search engine PubMed by using the keywords "obesity" and "biomarker." Subsequently, combinations of the keywords "obesity," "biomarker," "cardiovascular risk," "adipose tissue," "adipokine," "adipocytokine," and "oxidative stress" were used. The SOURCE database and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) were used to obtain more information on the biomarkers. Results of the searches yielded a large number of potential biomarkers that occur in obesity and which either correlate with traditional cardiovascular risk factors or predict subsequent cardiovascular events. Several biomarkers are promising regarding their biologic properties, but they require further validation in humans.