Abstract

Chronically-elevated plasma lipid concentrations, particularly when combined with high glucose, elicit a plethora of effects that cause the progressive deterioration of insulin sensitivity and ultimately cellular malfunction or death. This review addresses how metabolic abnormalities in white adipose tissue leading to excessive lipid or abnormal adipokine release can be modified by PPARγ activation. It also discusses the etiology of cardiac lipotoxicity and oxidative stress, in relation to imbalanced lipid delivery and clearance and how PPARα activation can be used to correct some of these effects.

Keywords: PPARalpha, PPARgamma, SIRT, AMPK, lipotoxicity