| Obesity and the concurrent development of the metabolic syndrome are big health problems in western societies. Although it is generally known that caloric restriction and exercise prevent the development of metabolic syndrome, this epidemic is still expanding. Pharmacological intervention to prevent or cure metabolic syndrome is subject of research in many laboratories as well as the search for novel therapeutic target proteins. One class of proteins that is currently intensively investigated is the sirtuin family of histone deacetylases. Previous studies have shown that pharmacological activation of SIRT1, the most prominent member of the sirtuin family, was beneficial with respect to the development of the metabolic syndrome. In this study, I aim to clarify the specific function of SIRT1 in metabolic tissues such as the liver, adipose tissue and muscle. I will use conditional knockout mouse models in which SIRT1 is selectively deleted in a specific organ. In these mouse models, I will induce metabolic syndrome by a lack of exercise and a high-fat diet and characterize the role of SIRT1 herein to further elucidate its potential as a drug target for metabolic syndrome |
