Aina Lluch, Jessica Latorre, Angela Serena-Maione, Isabel Espadas, Estefanía Caballano-Infantes, José M Moreno-Navarrete, Núria Oliveras-Cañellas, Wifredo Ricart, María M Malagón, Alejandro Martin-Montalvo, Walter Birchmeier, Witold Szymanski, Johannes Graumann, María Gómez-Serrano, Elena Sommariva, José M Fernández-Real, Francisco J Ortega
Plakophilin-2 (PKP2) is a key component of desmosomes, which, when defective, is known to promote the fibro-fatty infiltration of heart muscle. Less attention has been given to its role in adipose tissue. We report here that levels of PKP2 steadily increase during fat cell differentiation, and are compromised if adipocytes are exposed to a pro-inflammatory milieu. Accordingly, expression of PKP2 in subcutaneous adipose tissue diminishes in patients with obesity, and normalizes upon mild-to-intense weight loss...
August 22, 2023: Nature Communications