# Elucidating the roles of adipocyte KAT8 in lipoatrophy and systemic insulin resistance

> **NIH NIH R01** · LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CTR · 2024 · $450,000

## Abstract

Project Summary:
Adipocytes are highly specialized cells that have a number of functions including lipid storage, insulin sensitivity,
and significant endocrine capabilities. Obesity is the primary disease of fat cells and the most common metabolic
disorder in the industrial world. Obesity affects > 30% of the adult population in the United States and is a major
risk factor for the development of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Diminished or
excess adiposity and/or altered adipocyte function can have a substantial negative impact on metabolic health.
Substantial advances in understanding adipocyte biology have revealed that adipose tissue is a vital contributor
to systemic metabolic health. Therefore, the identification and study of proteins that contribute to adipocyte
function can enhance our understanding of a variety of metabolic disease states.
KAT8 is a lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) that has been shown to play a role in DNA damage repair, autophagy,
apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. Although KAT8 is an important component of many cellular processes and has
been linked to several types of cancers, it is clear that it has cell- and tissue-specific roles, and the function of
KAT8 in adipocytes is poorly defined. Our unpublished data indicate that adipocyte KAT8 is important for
systemic metabolic health. A large genome-wide association study identified KAT8 as part of a novel locus that
significantly contributed to body mass index and other metabolic phenotypes. In vivo studies reveal that adipose
tissue KAT8 protein levels are altered by obesity in mice. These data coupled with our results from new KAT8
mouse models indicate that there is a strong rationale for investigating the function(s) of KAT8 in adipocytes.
The long-term objective of our proposed studies is to understand how adipocyte KAT8 contributes to adipose
tissue function and systemic metabolic homeostasis. These studies are significant because they will provide
novel insights into the roles of KAT8 in regulating fat cell function, adipose tissue production of reactive oxygen
species, and the adipose tissue microenvironment within subcutaneous and visceral white adipose depots as
well as brown adipose tissue.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10980818
- **Project number:** 1R01DK135266-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Jacqueline M Stephens
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $450,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10980818

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10980818, Elucidating the roles of adipocyte KAT8 in lipoatrophy and systemic insulin resistance (1R01DK135266-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10980818. Licensed CC0.

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