Description
The accumulation of fat in tissues not suited for lipid storage has deleterious consequences on organ function, leading to cellular damage that underlies diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Illustrating the relationship is the fact that numerous effective therapeutics ameliorate metabolic disease symptoms by limiting the inappropriate deposition of fat in peripheral tissues (e.g. thiazolidinediones, metformin, or statins). Recent advances in genomics and lipidomics offer researchers an opportunity to make a substantial leap in the understanding and treatment of pathogenic conditions resulting from the excessive production and/or underutilization of fat. This meeting reviews these areas, placing specific emphasis on the following: (a) relationships between ectopic lipid deposition and metabolic disease; (b) mechanisms through which lipid excess alter tissue function; (c) regulatory processes that control lipid storage and metabolism; and (d) technological advances in the area of lipid analysis (i.e. lipidomics).
