In adipocytes, hydrolysis of triglycerides results in the release of free fatty acids and glycerol. Aquaporin 7 (AQP7), a member of aquaglyceroporins, is known to permeabilize glycerol and water. We recently generated Aqp7-knockout (KO) mice and demonstrated that such mice have low plasma glycerol levels and impaired glycerol release in response to ␤3-adrenergic agonist, suggesting that AQP7 acts as a glycerol gateway molecule in adipocytes for the efficient release of glycerol in vivo. Although there was no difference in body weight between WT and KO mice until 10 weeks of age, here we found that KO mice developed adult-onset obesity. The body weight and fat mass increased significantly in KO mice compared with WT mice after 12 weeks of age. Adipocytes of KO mice were large and exhibited accumulation of triglycerides compared with WT mice. The KO mice developed obesity and insulin resistance even at a young age after consumption of high-fat͞high-sucrose diet. We demonstrated the enhanced glycerol kinase enzymatic activity in Aqp7-KO and -knockdown adipocytes. A series of our results indicate that AQP7 disruption elevates adipose glycerol kinase activity, accelerates triglycerides synthesis in adipocytes, and, finally, develops obesity.adipocyte ͉ insulin resistance ͉ triglyceride ͉ fatty acid

MR blockade attenuates obesity-related insulin resistance partly through reduction of fat ROS production, inflammatory process, and induction of cytokines.

Abstract-Patients with obesity are susceptible to hypertension. We have reported that the plasma adiponectin levels are decreased in obesity and that adiponectin has many defensive properties against obesity-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between adiponectin and hypertension in mice. We measured blood pressure and heart rate directly by a catheter in the carotid artery and indirectly by automatic sphygmomanometer at the tail artery. Obese KKAy mice had significantly lower plasma adiponectin levels and higher systolic blood pressure than control C57BL/6J mice at 21 weeks of age. Adenovirusdelivered adiponectin significantly decreased blood pressure in KKAy mice. The direct role of adiponectin on blood pressure regulation under insulin resistance-free state was investigated in adiponectin-knockout (KO) mice. Adiponectin KO mice developed hypertension when maintained on a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) without insulin resistance. The hypertension of salt-fed adiponectin KO mice was associated with reduced mRNA levels of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and prostaglandin I 2 synthase in aorta and low metabolite levels of endothelial NO synthase and prostaglandin I 2 synthase in plasma. Adiponectin therapy lowered the elevated blood pressure and corrected the above mRNA levels to those of the wild type. Our results suggest that hypoadiponectinemia contributes to the development of obesity-related hypertension, at least in part, directly, in addition to its effect via insulin resistance, and that adiponectin therapy can be potentially useful for hypertension in patients with the metabolic syndrome.